Search - Shakespeare Collection (Hamlet 1996 / A Midsummer Night's Dream 1935 / Othello 1965 / Romeo & Juliet 1936) on DVD

Warners continues to go highbrow with this new boxed set

calvinnme | 05/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was very pleased with my "Literary Classics Collection" and "Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection" that I purchased from Warner's, and it looks like the studio originally known for gritty urban dramas continues to go highbrow with this collection of four movies featuring interpretations of works by the Bard. The press release by Warner Home Video has the following extras listed for each movie:

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
Cast includes James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland (in her screen debut), Joe E. Brown, and Mickey Rooney. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.
DVD Special Features:
Commentary by film historian Scott MacQueen
Olivia de Havilland screen test
Vintage featurette "A Dream Comes True" (8 minutes)
Presenting... Gallery of 6 teaser trailers showcasing cast members
Warner Bros. Studio Café teaser trailer
Musical short "Shake Mr. Shakespeare"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English, French and Portuguese (feature film only)

Romeo and Juliet (1936)
This was actually an MGM production. George Cukor directs with Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard in the title roles. Nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
DVD Special Features:
Vintage short "Master Will Shakespeare"
Classic MGM cartoon "Little Cheeser"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English (feature film only)

Othello (1965)
Lawrence Olivier in the title role, Maggie Smith as Desdemona, Joyce Redman as Emilia, and Frank Finlay as Iago. All four performers were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances.
DVD Special Features:
Vintage featurette "Olivier Talks About Othello"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English (feature film only)

Hamlet 2-Disc Special Edition (1996)
Cast includes actor/director Kenneth Branagh, Kate Winslet, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal and Charlton Heston. This rendition is set in the 19th century.
DVD Special Features:
Introduction by director/star Kenneth Branagh
Commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Shakespeare scholar Russell Jackson
New digital transfer from original 70mm elements
Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1
Featurette "To Be on Camera: A History with Hamlet"
1996 Cannes Film Festival promo
Shakespeare movies trailer gallery
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish subtitles. (feature film only)"

Talk about a bargain!

Ira S. Moss | Zebulon NC | 03/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This box set from Warner Brothers is the absolute bargain of the century.
I was in the market to purchase A Midummer Night's because it was Max Reinhardt's underrated fantasy spectacle of the 30's. The toast of Hollywood on the Hollywood Bowl stage, the writer's say. The screen version shows it off. Don't beleive the nay-sayers, all the actors are great in their parts, although they are cast against type, except for Mickey Rooney, of course.
Anyway, I also got Othello, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, and all of these movies are worth collecting individually.
The one worry I had with this box set is the condition of the discs themselves, and they are in fine shape. You see, about 5 or 6 years ago, my wife bought me the Stanley Kubrick collction from Warners, and I made the mistake of not watcing some of the individual discs for several months, so I couldn't return the product, but 3 of the discs included in the set were unplayable, still to this day!
So all I'm saying is that this bargain set is a little payback for all the heartache Warner's has caused me in the past.
Oh yes, Sir Laurence Olivier is the best actor I have had the pleasure to watch. We miss you Larry!
PS 04-10-08 Charlton Heston just died. His performance in Hamlet is the best of his career!"