Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786304393079 Format: Closed-captioned ISBN: 6304393075 Label: 20th Century Fox Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: 20th Century Fox Release Date: 1997-04-29 Running Time: 112 Studio: 20th Century Fox Theatrical Release Date: 1996-10-11
The camera follows the cast and crew throughout rehearsals, eavesdropping on the behind-the-scenes process that goes into creating characters and mounting a production. With appearances from Sir John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh, Vanessa Redgrave, James Earl Jones and Kevin Kline. "Looking For Richard" is "outrageous fun" (Rolling Stone).
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Pacino gets to the truth about Shakespeare's Richard III Comment: I really enjoyed this film because it makes accessible one of the greatest written English stories to another generation on whom otherwise it would be lost. The Bard's play is a story written after the fact during the victorious Tudor era. Hence the creation of a dark hearted villain and his manipulative lust for power. Richard really was a brave king who died in battle at the head of his troops at Bosworth in 1485, the victorious Henry Tudor's family thus having the opportunity to enjoy Shakespeares re-write of history as they clung to power.
The villain is a true monster and has been the basis of many a similar character that Pacino himself has played in a more modern setting.
I studied the play at school and at first was baffled by the language. I persevered with it, and suddenly the sheer brilliance of it became apparent. I've loved it ever since and have seen it performed in Statford, seen all the movies etc etc. Pacino get's together a powerful bunch of actors who illuminate the characters. Alec Baldwin's Duke of Clarence, Kevin Spacey's Hastings all get to the nub of what Shakespeare intended.
Thinking person's film. Highly recommended. Customer Rating: Summary: Good directing debut by Al Pacino Comment: Al Pacino's directing debut is a (sort of) documentary of him as he prepares to film Shakespeare's Richard III (with him on the title role, of course). We see him researching the material, going to Shakespeare's house in England, rehearsing with the actors, interviewing people on the street about Shakespeare, interviewing scholars. As the film progresses, we actually see him performing (parts) of the play with the actors (including Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder, among others). Its enjoyable and informative, though it is sometimes irritating when Pacino asks questions to the scholars he already knows the answer to. It's a bit self-indulgent, also, though Pacino does come as a likable person. But his unpretentiousness seems a little too studied, a little too forced (hey, Shakespeare is for normal people too, he seems to say, a little too many times). Customer Rating: Summary: Pleasure-filled peek at performing the play... Comment: I learned a lot that I did not know about Shakespeare's "Richard III" through this documentary, and I also saw a side of Al Pacino I did not know existed...a very appealing side. If you like the Bard, or his plays, or theater in general, or documentary films about the arts, this one's for you. I saw it on the Independent Film Channel via Dish Network, because the DVD apparently is not currently available in the USA, although it can be purchased in Europe. Whoever owns the rights to this 1996 film ought to get the DVD into the stores and on-line distributors in 2008. It may be a British play, with several British/Irish actors in it, but essentially, this is an American product made by American masters: Pacino, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Estelle Parsons, Penelope Miller and others are in the play portions, and James Earl Jones, Kevin Kline and several others do some commentary. Watching this gave me great entertainment for a couple of hours on a cold and lonely night. Customer Rating: Summary: Scarface does Shakespeare. Comment: Most people associate Al Pacino with The Godfather, Serpico, and Scarface, but Shakespeare? Looking for Richard (1996) is a documentary directed by and starring Al Pacino, which not only explores a stage production of Shakespeare's Richard III, but also examines Shakespeare's relevance in contemporary culture. Stated differently, this is a film about Pacino's passion for Shakespeare. Just imagine Shakespeare's villainous hump-backed Richard III roaming the crowded streets of NYC today. In the quick-witted film, Pacino plays himself and the title character of Richard III. Filmed mostly in the streets of Manhattan, in Central Park, and the at the Cloisters museum, the documentary focuses on several pivotal scenes in the play, featuring minor performance segments by the other cast members including Kevin Spacey, Winona Ryder (as Lady Anne), Alec Baldwin, and Aidan Quinn. (Roughly one-fourth of the play is actually performed in the film.) Others contributing their insights to the film as experienced Shakesperean actors include Kenneth Branagh, Sir John Gielgud, Kevin Kline and Vanessa Redgrave. (Kevin Kline confesses that his first exposure to Shakespeare came while making out with his girlfriend at a performance of "King Lear." In true Shakespearean form, the amorous couple left the play at intermission.) This is a truly fascinating film that not only illuminates the challenges of performing one of the Bard's most difficult plays, but for Pacino fans, Looking for Richard offers us a rare window into the way he totally immerses himself into a character, whether it is Tony Montana in Scarface or Shylock in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. This film will leave viewers with an inspiration for Shakespeare, and while Looking for Richard is currently unavailable as a single DVD, it is in rotation on the IFC channel and also available in the four-disc set, Pacino: An Actor's Vision (Chinese Coffee / Looking for Richard / The Local Stigmatic).
G. Merritt Customer Rating: Summary: Fascinating Comment: First off lets be clear, this is a documentary about Al Pacino making a version of Richard III. As someone who has very minimal knowledge of Shakespeare I found this to be very interesting and it made me want to watch a complete film or see it performed at a theatre.
Contrary to some previous reviewers I'd say that Pacino showed great respect to the material and to the more famous British actors who have been involved in versions of this story down the years. He interviews Sir John Guilgud and Kenneth Brannagh to try and understand what the lines he is saying really mean. I have no doubt that if Sir Lawrence Olivier had still been alive Pacino would have wanted to interview him about his famous performance.
Pacino proves himself to be an engaging and intelligent presenter, and his Richard III, whilst undoubtably heavily influenced by Oliver is a striking performance. If like me you have never studied Shakespeare, and have little understanding of what is now frankly almost a foreign language then this film gives you the opportunity to be educated and entertained at the same time.
