Shakespeare's play is set in the late nineteenth century for this movie. There's bicycles, parasols, and fox hunting. The text and character names are unchanged, however, which puts the film in a fantasy setting even before the fairies get there.
Brief plot synopsis: an eloping couple and two other dysfunctional people run around the woods at night and get noticed by the fairy king who sends his servant to help them but craziness ensues; a group of commoners put together a terrible (but hilarious) rendition of Pyramus and Thisbe; the fairy king and queen fight childishly; all is resolved.
There's a long list of good actors here: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Stanley Tucci, and Christian Bale are the biggest names, but everybody else is good too. And hey, that's Sam Rockwell!
There is a heavy emphasis on sensuality in this movie. Not just in the sense of, "Let's all be sexy now," although there certainly is that, but the movie also takes the time to enrich the cinematography, costuming, and score so that our eyes and ears can truly feast. I quite appreciate that. Also, the fairies are covered in glitter, and you know I likes me some glitter.
This next clip features two of the four lovers in the play. Helena continues to chase after Demetrius for reasons she should probably see a therapist about, but some of what she says at the end really speaks to me, as she puts into words what I've always thought whenever I fail to run down a man with a bicycle.
This movie is weird. To me, though, it's a good weird, and its mashup of old and new (or I suppose, old and less-old) inspired the music samples for today. Enjoy.
Nuttin' But Stringz - Broken Sorrow
genre: cinematic score meets hip-hop
ideal for: imagining a medieval fantasy, but with gangstas
Youtube
Black Violin - Dirty Orchestra
genre: classical with a bounce
ideal for: flavoring your next recital with some unexpected spice
Youtube
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