Search - Will Shakespeare on DVD

For die-hard lovers of Shakespeare and/or Tim Curry

Alyssa Thordarson | 02/14/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 5-hour-and-change miniseries is proof positive, as if any were needed, that Tim Curry is one of the greatest actors alive. His presence alone elevates this single-camera biopic from complete mediocrity to something approaching supreme quality.

Most of the series is strangely cast and over-acted, but Tim Curry's portrayal of Shakespeare is effortless, nuanced, and bubbling with precarious undercurrents of sadness, frustration, and the inevitable tortured confusion that is to be expected of an artist like William Shakespeare. It is well worth trudging through the few scenes which do not prominently feature Curry to see him play his part with such mastery.

Elizabethan aficionados will be delighted with the costumes, which seem richly and accurately imagined and gorgeously executed. It's a shame, however, given the excellence of the costumes, the ambiance of the natural lighting, the beautiful sets and Tim's perfect performance, that the single-camera format somewhat cheapens the aesthetic.

This DVD is a must-have for any Tim Curry fan or those who love all things Shakespeare. Those outside those two demographics will probably not enjoy it. I, however, did, very much. 4 out 5 stars, mostly on the strength of Tim Curry's performance."