William Shakespeare Filmography
updated (12/01)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

10 things I hate about you. 1999. 1 videodisc (97 min.). Cameron falls for the most beautiful girl in school. However, she is forbidden to date until the most hated girl in school, her ill-tempered older sister, goes out too. A twist on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. DVD 195

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. 1985. 1 videocassette (48 min.). An evening with Hamlet: John Carradine as Hamlet's ghost helps the Nelsons act out the play in their living room. -- Halloween: Ozzie and Thorny join the children in dressing in costume in the spirit of the occasion. VHS 2479

All's well that ends well. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 3 videocassettes (ca. 160 min.). A dramatization of Shakespeare's play about Helena, the new wife of Count Bertram, who resorts to chicanery to win the respect and affection of her husband. VHS 903

Antony & Cleopatra. 1989, orig. 1983. 2 videodiscs (179 min.). A dramatization of Shakespeare's famous play, set in the days of ancient Rome, which explores the calamitous consequences of an overwhelming passion and the conflict between public duty and private desires. VDD 62

As you like it. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (151 min.). A pastoral romance set in the Forest of Arden in medieval France. Rosalind and Orlando meet at the court of Duke Frederick (who has usurped it from his brother, the rightful Duke and Rosalind's father). Both Rosalind and Orlando (whose father was the rightful Duke's friend) end up being banished to the Forest of Arden. Features lions, cross-dressing, love poems and romantic mixups. VHS 905

As you like it. 1991, orig. 1936. 1 videodisc (96 min.). Adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy about the star-crossed lovers Orlando and Rosalind, a pastoral romance set in the Forest of Arden in medieval France. Starring Laurence Olivier. VDD 63

Behind the scenes with Julie Taymor. Behind the scenes. 1992. 1 videocassette (30 min.). Theater director Julie Taymor gives children a glimpse of herself at work staging scenes from The Tempest. The children are also given a taste of the kind of visual theater created by using puppets, masks and music. VHS 1930

The changeling. 1997, orig. 1994. 1 videocassette (92 min.). In this Jacobean parody of Shakespeare, Beatrice is contracted to marry Alonzo, but is in love with Alsemero. She hires the deviant DeFlores to kill Alonzo. DeFlores, enamored of Beatrice, is blind to the terrible price he will pay. VHS 6099

The comedy of errors. Shakespeare plays. 1984. 2 videocassettes (111 min.). A comedy about the confusion between twin brothers and their slaves who are also twins. VHS 906

Coriolanus. 1986, orig. 1951. 1 videocassette (VHS) (60 min.). Live television adaptation of Coriolanus in modern dress. The settings of ancient Rome are turned into Fascist Italy. VHS 6559

Cymbeline. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (174 min.). Tragicomedy involving Imogen, the daughter of Britain's King Cymbeline, whose evil stepmother persuades the King to have Imogen's husband, Posthumus, banished so that Imogen will be free to marry the queen's thick-witted son, Cloten. Posthumus flees to a Italian friend's home in Rome and makes a wager on Cymbeline's virtue. The friend steals Imogen's token and displays it before Posthumus who thinks his wife has betrayed him. Posthumus sends a servant to kill Imogen who is forewarned and escapes disguised as a boy. VHS 908

Cyrano de Bergerac. 1985. 2 videocassettes (176 min.). Royal Shakespeare Company production of the play by Edmond Rostand based on the life of the 17th-century French soldier and writer. "I decided to excel in everything!" proclaims Cyrano de Bergerac, the poet, philosopher, and gallant soldier famed for his incomparable swordplay and wordplay. But Cyrano will never excel at what he wants most: winning the love of beautiful Roxanne. His large, deformed nose makes him hideously ugly -- so Cyrano uses his heartfelt eloquence to woo Roxanne for a rival. VDD 180

Cyrano de Bergerac. 1990. 2 videodisc (177 min.). "I decided to excel in everything!" proclaims Cyrano de Bergerac, the 17th century poet, philosopher, and gallant soldier famed for his incomparable swordplay and wordplay. But Cyrano will never excel at what he wants most: winning the love of beautiful Roxanne. His large, deformed nose makes him hideously ugly -- so Cyrano uses his heartfelt eloquence to woo Roxanne for a rival. VHS 266

A Double life. 1995, orig. 1947. 1 videocassette (107 min.). Anthony John (Ronald Colman) is a famed Broadway actor. When he and his ex-wife, who is also his leading lady, accept a new play "Othello" his off-stage life becomes murderously blurred with his on-stage role of Othello. As John becomes immersed in his character, he becomes caught in the grip of its powerful influence and his resulting "double life" makes him a threat to those around him. Directed by George Cukor. VHS 5723

Exploring a character. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (51 min.). Under John Barton's direction, two members of the Royal Shakespeare Company explore Shakespeare's character Shylock to demonstrate how Shakespeare develops a character and the multiplicity of ways in which his characters can be understood. Given the same text from The merchant of Venice and the same direction, the different readings of the part demonstrate the infinite variety of Shakespeare's work. VHS 301

Falstaff (Chimes at midnight) = [Campanadas a medianoche]. 1966. 1 videocassette (115 min.). Story of the friendship between the bohemian, boisterous Falstaff and the young Prince Hal, the future King of England. It dramatizes the betrayal of that friendship, and Falstaff's disillusionment when the prince does become king. Directed by Orson Welles. VHS 2671

Hamlet. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 4 videocassettes (206 min). Shakespeare's tragedy about a Danish prince tortured by his duty to his murdered father and by the guilt and fear he feels at the prospect of revenge. VHS 909

Hamlet. 1988. 1 videocassette (114 min.). Presents a performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet with Nicol Williamson in the title role. VHS 6561

Hamlet. 1988, orig. 1948. 2 videodiscs (155 min.). Performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet, the tragic story of the Danish prince tortured by his duty to his murdered father and by the guilt and fear he feels at the prospect of revenge. Directed by and starring Laurence Olivier. VHS 391 & VDD 35

Hamlet. 1991. 2 videodiscs or 1 videocassette(135 min.). Film portrays Shakespeare's immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds. Hamlet, a prince of medieval-era Denmark, senses treachery behind his royal father's death. His mother is all too dangerously entangled in that treachery. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. VHS 955 & VDD 36

Hamlet. 1997. 2 videocassettes (ca. 242 min.). An adaptation of Shakespeare's greatest creation - an immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds. Hamlet, a prince of Denmark, senses treachery behind his royal father's death. His mother is all too dangerously entangled in that treachery. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. VHS 4890

Hamlet. 1999, orig. 1964. 1 videodisc (191 min.). Staged in plain modern dress without historical props, this is a "final run-through" rehearsal of Richard Burton's performance in Hamlet which opened on Broadway April 9, 1964. The action is recorded by cameras placed in the audience. Directed by John Gielgud. DVD 198

Hamlet ein rachedrama. International film classic. 199? , orig. 1921. 1 videocassette (135 min.). This Hamlet remains one of the least known partly because the title role is played by a woman and the plot also borrows from Danish legends and a German play. For reasons of state the heiress to the throne has been brought up as a boy, and she has conceived a hopeless passion for Horatio. Dying she gets the longed-for kiss from him, as his wandering hand encounters a breast. "Death reveals thy tragic secret!". VHS 5764

Henry IV. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 3 videocassettes (147 min.). Against the background of civil war, Prince Hal, heir to the throne, spends his days among the lowlife of the London taverns in the company of the irresponsible Sir John Falstaff. VHS 910

Henry IV Part II. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (156 min.). The revolt against Henry is finally crushed; the king, tired and sick, dies, and his son Hal is crowned Henry V. VHS 911

Henry the Sixt[h]. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 6 videocassettes (611 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's historical play which recreates Henry's days as King. Part I: Centers on the French wars and the activities of Joan of Arc, while glimpsing the beginning of the civil wars between the Houses of Lancaster and York. Part II: Henry marries Lady Margaret of Anjou, but she despises him for his meekness and takes Suffolk as a lover. The new Queen, who also hates the Yorks (the White Roses), becomes the inspiration of the Lancastrians (the Red Roses). She and her followers are pitted against Richard, Duke of York, and his supporters, who include the Earl of Warwick, also known as "the King maker." In Part III, the Wars of the Roses begin. York, as victor at St. Albans, contemptuously forces Henry to give him succession to the crown. The merciless Margaret captures and taunts York before having him killed, only to be captured herself and compelled to watch as the Yorkists slay her son. In a powerful soliloquy, the vile and dangerous Duke of Gloucester reveals his plans to murder Henry VI. VHS 913-5

Henry V. 1978, orig. 1944. 2 videodiscs (137 min.). Adaptation of Shakespeare's patriotic historical drama that celebrates the English nation and the greatness of its King. Includes medieval battle sequences with a recreation of the Battle of Agincourt. Directed by and starring Laurence Olivier. VDD 83

Henry V. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 3 videocassettes (163 min.). Dramatic depiction of the emergence of England's most admired national hero, Henry V, as he strives to claim the crown of France. Henry unites his people as he embarks on the invasion of France, deals justly with traitors, tirelessly leads his soldiers to victory and ensures future peace by his marriage to the Princess of France. Shakespeare examines these qualities that make a successful ruler and shows the prince in terms of isolation and responsibility that his success entails. VHS 912

Henry V. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (175 min.). Presents William Shakespeare's play which portrays the emergence and leadership of King Henry V as he unites his people, deals justly with traitors, tirelessly leads his soldiers to victory, and ensures peace by his marriage to a French princess. VHS 2074

Henry V. 1991. 2 videodiscs (138 min.). Young King Henry of England asserts a hereditary claim to the throne of France, gathering an army and embarking on a course that will lead to one of England's greatest battlefield triumphs and forever change the face of Europe. Shakespeare's historical play of King Henry V of England who, thrust onto the throne at a young age, struggles to become a decisive leader and win the loyalty of his subjects. After being insulted by an emissary of the French king, Henry asserts a hereditary claim to the throne of France. He gathers an army and embarks on a course that leads to one of England's greatest battlefield triumphs that will forever change the face of Europe. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. VDD 29 & VHS 1502

Henry V. 1999, orig. 1944. 1 videodisc or videocassette (137 min.). An adaptation of Shakespeare's patriotic historical drama that recounts the reign of Henry V and recreates the battle of Agincourt. Laurence Olivier's brilliant adaptation dissolves from a play-within-a-play from the Globe Theatre to the wide vistas of the battlefield at Agincourt - with the talents of Krasker's magnificent color photography and a superlative cast, led by Olivier in the title role. VHS 111 & DVD 84

Henry VI. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (150 min.). A dramatization of William Shakepeare's historical play which recreates Henry's days as King. Part I centers on the French wars and the activities of Joan of Arc. Part II focuses on his marriage to Lady Margaret of Anjou and her dissatisfaction with his weakness. VHS 2075

Henry VI. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (178 min.). The struggle for the throne continues. Henry surrenders his throne to the Duke of York, but Queen Margaret revolts against the disinheriting of her son. Following the battle of Tewkesbury Richard, Duke of Gloucester, murders Henry. VHS 2076

Henry VIII. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (180 min.). Story of the intrigues during the first part of Henry's reign, his divorce from Katharine of Aragon, and marriage to Anne Boleyn, who is delivered of a baby girl, Elizabeth. VHS 916

Irony and ambiguity. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (51 min.). John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and dramatization of Shakespeare's use of irony and ambiguity. Barton analyzes some of Shakespeare's texts with the actors, and demonstrates how understanding the intended irony in a phrase or speech totally changes the perception of the character speaking. VHS 302

Julius Caesar. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (180 min.). Julius Caesar's rise in power arouses envy. Following his murder, his successors continue to engage in war and political intrigue. VHS 917

Julius Caesar. 1989, orig. 1970. 1 videodisc (116 min.). As Rome's greatest emperor, Caesar (John Gielgud) holds absolute dominion over the conquered world. But his jealous rivals in the Roman senate wish to take his power - by taking his life. Led by the ambitious Cassius (Johnson) and reluctantly joined by the patriotic Brutus (Jason Robards), the conspirators secretly plot to assassinate Caesar. Even the leader's political ally and friend Marc Antony (Charlton Heston) cannot keep him from his brutal fate; a violent death that will divide the empire's ruling forces and ignite a war for honor, vengeance and power. VDD 165

Julius Caesar. 1989, orig. 1953. 2 videodiscs (122 min.). Shakespearean classic that provides a portrait of the political infighting and lust for power of a turbulent, blood-stained era. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. VDD 61

King Henry IV. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (172 min.). Henry IV, who usurped Richard II's crown, is now King. The Earl of Northumberland, who helped him to the crown, has turned against him. The King's son, Prince Hal, spends his time in the taverns of Eastcheap with the disreputable Falstaff. Hotspur, Northumberland's son raises a rebellion against Henry IV, advancing the claim of Edmund Mortimer (Hotspur's brother-in-law) to the throne. Hal joins the King to fight the rebels and kills Hotspur at the Battle of Shrewsbury. VHS 2072

King Henry IV. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (151 min.). As Prince John and Sir John Falstaff prepare to meet the rebel forces once again, King Henry IV lies dying in London. Following the death of Henry IV, Falstaff loses favor, as the king's son and successor, Henry V, effectively takes control of the kingdom. VHS 2073

King Lear. Shakespeare plays. 1982. 4 videocassettes (185 min.). Story of a foolish king who divides his realm between two ungrateful daughters. VHS 919

King Lear. The Shakespeare plays. 1983. 2 videocassettes (ca. 182 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's play in which tragedy occurs when an old king divides his kingdom between his daughters. VHS 2838 and VDD 220

King Lear. 1984. 1 videocassette (158 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's timeless tale of a foolish king who divides his realm between his two ungrateful daughters. Starring Laurence Olivier. VHS 5015

King Lear. 1989, orig. 1953. 1 videocassette (90 min.). A foolish king who divides his realm between two ungrateful daughters, while disinheriting his youngest daughter who loves him truly. Starring Orson Welles and directed by Peter Brook and Andrew McCullough. VHS 2807

King Lear. 1990, orig. 1984. 2 videodiscs (158 min.). Shakespeare's timeless tale of a foolish king who divides his realm between his two ungrateful daughters. Starring Laurence Olivier. VDD 31

King Lear. 1992, orig. 1987. 1 videocassette (91 min.). Set at an exotic European resort, film features a vast array of characters whose bizarre personalities and troubled lives bear an eerie resemblance to the delirium of Shakespeare's classic. William Shakespeare Jr., the Fifth struggles to reinterpret his ancestor's tragic tale of passion and madness. In the process, he finds himself under the influence of Don Learo, an aging mobster and his daughter. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. VHS 2798 King Lear. 1998, orig. 1970. 1 videocassette (VHS) (132 min.). Shakespeare's tragedy of the conflict between parent and child, pride and wisdom, expectation and fulfillment. Directed by Peter Brook. VHS 6709

King Lear = Korol Lir. 198?, , orig. 1969. 1 videocassette (140 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's play in which tragedy occurs when an old king divides his kingdom between his daughters. VHS 451

King Richard the Second. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (157 min.). The story of a rebellion against the corrupt Richard II. Shakespeare's focus is on the struggle between Bolingbroke and the king, and by extension the questions "who shall be king, what is a king?". VHS 929

Kiss me Kate. 1986, orig. 1953. 1 videocassette (110 min.). Lilli Vannessi and Fred Graham, a battling, once-married couple, are reunited to star in a musical version of The taming of the shrew. On stage they fight it out and backstage they continue to clash. But backstage and downstage, viewers get to see lavish numbers and hear wonderful Cole Porter tunes. Directed by George Sidney. VHS 1765 & VDD 223

Language and character. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (51 min.). John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and dramatization of Shakespeare's use of language to define character, and his characters' use of heightened language to achieve their intentions. Explores the Elizabethan relish of words and the use of Elizabethan English in the development of Shakespeare's characters. VHS 303

The Life & death of King John. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (156 min.). Shakepeare's play in which Faulconbridge, the bastard, becomes the champion of England in the days of the weak Bad King John. VHS 3918 Looking for Richard. 1997. 1 videocassette (112 min.). Al Pacino narrates and plays Richard III as he documents the staging of Shakespeare's gripping drama of power, lust and betrayal. In an effort to make the play accessible to a broader audience, Pacino has 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. He also seeks a wide variety of opinions on both sides of the Atlantic from actors, scholars and people on the street. VHS 5230

Love's labour's lost. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (120 min.). Satire directed against intellectual pride and pedantry, the play tells how the King of Navarre and three of his lords vow to spend three years in study and not to see any women. But when the Princess of France arrives on a diplomatic mission with her three ladies, the men break their vow and fall in love with them. At the end news comes of the death of the King of France and the ladies depart, refusing to marry until their suitors have undergone a year's probation - hence the play's title. VHS 920

Love's labour's lost a romantic musical comedy. 1999. 1 videodisc (ca. 94 min.). The King of Navarre (Alessandro Nivola) and his friends think that they cannot love again. When the Princess of France (Alicia Silverstone) and her attendants arrive for a visit, their plans are completely turned upside down. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. DVD 194

Macbeth. Shakespeare Plays. 1976. 3 videocassettes (140 min.). Macbeth, driven by his wife's ambition, kills King Duncan and attains the throne of Scotland. He is forced to counter both real and imagined challenges to his position with equal savagery, until he, too, is killed. VHS 921

Macbeth. 1985, orig. 1948. 1 videocassette (89 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's tragedy. In this classic story of murder, witchcraft, and revenge, Macbeth, driven by overwhelming ambition and an unscrupulous wife murders the King of Scotland and claims the throne for himself. He begins a violent reign of terror and execution in a desperate attempt to maintain his power. Haunted by ghosts and vexed by witches, he and his wife rapidly descend into the depths of madness and paranoia as the weight of their crimes proves their undoing. Directed by Orson Welles. VHS 223 and VDD 149 (112 min. version on Videodisc)

Macbeth. 1986, orig. 1971. 1 videodisc (139 min.). A nightmarish vision of Shakespeare's classic tragedy about the lust for power, and its bloody consequences. The insane ambition of Macbeth, a Scottish war hero, unleashes a cycle of violence. Prompted by the supernatural prophecy of three witches, Macbeth is goaded by Lady Macbeth into slaying King Duncan and assuming his throne. Macbeth plunges further into murder and moral decay to keep the unsteady crown on his head. While his wife crumbles away in guilt and madness, the haunted Macbeth fights to prevent another dark forecast which may doom him. VHS 161

Macbeth. 1987, orig. 1979. 2 videocassettes (150 min.). Shakespeare's tragedy of a Scots nobleman driven to regicide by an ambitious wife and his own lust for power. VHS 371

Macbeth. 1990. 2 videodiscs (119 min.). Driven by overwhelming ambition and an unscrupulous wife, Macbeth murders the King of Scotland and claims the throne for himself. He begins a violent reign of terror and execution in a desperate attempt to maintain his power. Haunted by ghosts and vexed by witches, he and his wife rapidly descend into the depths of madness and paranoia as they crumble beneath the weight of their crimes. VDD 59

Macbeth. The Voyager Shakespeare. 1994. 1 computer optical disc. Multimedia version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Includes 1,500 annotations, 24,000-word commentary, audio reading of the complete play, QuickTime video clips, essays on the history and language of the play, concordance, searching and note-taking functions, and karaoke section which allows the user to play the role of Lord or Lady Macbeth in two dramatic scenes. CDROM 36

Macbeth. 1996. 1 videocassette (ca. 150 min.). VHS 6558

Measure for measure. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (145 min.). Cruel Angelo is left in charge of Vienna when the Duke pretends to leave town. He revives an old law against fornication and sentences Claudio to death for seducing Juliet, Claudio's betrothed. Claudio's sister, Isabella, pleads for his life and Angelo offers to spare him in exchange for her virginity. His corruption and severity are punished when the Duke reveals that he has witnessed it all. VHS 922

The Merchant of Venice. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 3 videocassettes (ca. 240 min.). A greedy, vengeful money-lender and a wise, fine and beautiful young woman encounter one another in a story of the use and misuse of wealth, love, and marriage in sixteenth-century Venice. VHS 923

The merchant of Venice. Literary masterpieces. 1993, orig. 1973. 1 videocassette (131 min.). Set in 1860s Venice, a young Venetian borrows money from a Jew who gives him the money on the security of one pound of flesh. Upon default the Jew insists on payment of his bond and the young Venetian is rescued by the heroine disguised as a male lawyer. Starring Laurence Olivier. VHS 6560

The Merry wives of Windsor. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (167 min.). Sir John Falstaff, knowing that Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page control the money in their respective households, decides to seduce them, but they learn of his scheme and resolve to make a fool of him. VHS 924

A midsummer night's dream. Shakespeare plays. 1981. 2 videocassettes (108 min.). Presents William Shakespeare's play about devilish fairies, bedeviled lovers, and tradesmen-actors. Plots intertwine as we watch entangled love affairs; the comical performance of a "play within a play" by the tradesmen of Athens, and the antics in fairyland among King Oberon, his queen Titania and the frolicsome wee folk. VHS 925

A Midsummer night's dream. 1988, orig. 1982. 2 videocassettes (165 min.). Presents Shakespeare's comedy of magic, mistaken identity, reconciliation, and self-discovery. VHS 4297

A midsummer night's dream. Family classic. 1988, orig. 1968. 1 videocassette (120 min.). Shakespeare's fantasy-comedy including a play within a play and four star-crossed lovers The complete play is recreated for the camera from the stage production of the Royal Shakespeare Company. VHS 577

A Midsummer night's dream. 1992, orig. 1935. 2 videodiscs (ca. 150 min.). The story follows the trail of a pair of young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, who take refuge in the forest to escape the wrath of the Duke of Athens. There, their lives are intertwined with a group of actors and a wonderful collection of supernatural creatures of the night, whose own romantic problems make for great mischief. Directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle. VDD 65 and VHS 2409

A midwinter's tale. 1999. 1 videocassette (98 min.). Joe Harper is in a rut. His girlfriend just left him and he hasn't had an acting job in over a year. In a last-ditch effort to build his self-esteem and renew his faith in his chosen profession, Joe spends the last of his savings (plus a loan from his agent) to direct a Christmas production of Hamlet in the sleepy English village of Hope. Joe enlists six eccentric characters who each have problems of their own. Joe and his eclectic band of thespians tackle both the Bard's greatest play and their own inadequacies and fears, with surprising-- and often hilarious-- results. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. VHS 6563

The Moor's pavane. 1965. 1 videocassette (22 min.). The basic story of the Moor, Othello, presented in dance form through many variations, shows the destructive power of jealousy. The choreography features the Renaissance style of dance to coordinate with the story, music and costumes. VHS 2536

Much ado about nothing. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 2 videocassettes (138 min.). Hero, an innocent, slandered heroine, is denounced for unchastity by her intended bridegroom, Claudio, at their wedding. A happy ending is brought about by the bungling constable Dogberry. VHS 926

Much ado about nothing. 1993. 1 videodisc (110 min.). At their wedding, an innocent slandered heroine is denounced for unchastity by her intended bridegroom. With his wedding a week away, hot-blooded Claudio can't wait to marry the beautiful young Hero. To distract him, his best friend Don Pedro devises merry mischief: a romantic trap for the sharp-tongued Beatrice and the man she loves to hate, Benedick. Their amusement is almost spoiled by the jealous scheming of the rakish Don John, but love and laughter prevail when the local constable unwittingly exposes the plot -- and all the trouble proves to be much ado about nothing. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. VDD 64

My own private Idaho. 1992. 1 videocassette (105 min.). A 90s road movie, film concerns two young hustlers who discover friendship and adventure on the road of life. Mike is a narcoleptic street hustler haunted by his idyllic memories of childhood and obsessed with finding his estranged mother. Scott is a runaway rich kid who's on a personal crusade to find the meaning of life, biding his time until he inherits his father's estate. Together they're lost in a bizarre world of wealthy strangers and stranger than life adventures. The film includes many allusions to Shakespeare's Henry IV. Directed by Gus Van Sant. VHS 1764

Otello/Othello. 1982. 1 videocassette (145 min.). Otello, a Moor appointed governor of Cyprus on behalf of the 15th century Venetian Republic, loves and is loved by his young bride, Desdemona. Soon, however, he is deceived by the evil Iago, his ensign, into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful to him. Otello's jealousy overwhelms him and he murders Desdemona. Upon learning the truth, he kills Iago and himself. VHS 724

Otello/Othello. Opera series. 1986. 1 videocassette (123 min.). Otello, a Moor appointed governor of Cyprus on behalf of the 15th century Venetian Republic, loves and is loved by his young bride, Desdemona. Soon, however, he is deceived by the evil Iago, his ensign, into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful to him. Otello's jealousy overwhelms him and he murders Desdemona. Upon learning the truth, he kills Iago and himself. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. VHS 703

Otello/Othello. 1988, orig. 1974. 2 videodiscs (141 min.). Iago's jealousy of Othello's success prompts him to exploit Othello's credulous nature by convincing Othello that his beloved wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. VDD 26

Othello. 1979, orig. 1922. 1 videocassette (81 min.). VHS 6562 Othello. Shakespeare plays. 1987, orig. 1982. 2 videocassettes (206 min.). Dramatization of William Shakespeare's play in which the evil Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello's mind about Desdemona's fidelity. VHS 927

Othello. 1992. 2 videocassettes (187 min.). A controversial and powerful interpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy; performed before a multi-racial audience in South Africa. Iago's jealousy of Othello's success prompts him to exploit Othello's credulous nature by convincing Othello that his beloved wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. VHS 2070

Othello. 1993, orig. 1952. 1 videocassette (93 min.). The valiant warrior Othello has secretly married the beautiful Desdemona, but their happiness is short-lived. Iago, an army ensign, swears to avenge Roderigo, whom Othello has promoted to lieutenant over him -- and the jilted soldier devises "a net shall enmesh them all." The events that follow form a classic plot of revenge and deceit. Roderigo's oath is just the first in a bloody chain of events that seals the downfall of many lives. Directed by Orson Welles. VHS 2078

Othello. 1996, orig. 1965. 1 videocassette (167 min.). Shakespeare's tragic story of how a great man's vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring about his downfall. Starring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, and Derek Jacobi. VHS 4551

Othello. 1996. 1 videocassette (ca. 124 min.). A great man's vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring about his downfall. Othello loves Desdemona "not wisely, but too well." Coming between them is their most trusted friend, Iago. On the outside he is honest and good -- but on the inside, he is perhaps the most cunning villain of all time, orchestrating an entire chain of fateful events. Through the power of an untrue word -- and a stolen token of a bond once thought unbreakable -- Desdemona becomes everything she is not, in the eyes of a man who can no longer see clearly. VHS 4699

Passion and coolness. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (52 min.). John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and dramatization of Shakespeare's use of passion and coolness. Barton and the actors demonstrate deliberate and striking inconsistencies in Shakespeare's characters; the characteristic Shakespearean mixture of deep feeling; choric elements; and the balancing of heightened language and naturalistic performance. VHS 304

Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (177 min.). Story, which first appeared in medieval literature, is that of the Prince of Tyre, who is pursued by the vengeance of King Antiochus because he discovered the monarch's incestuous relationship with his daughter. Fleeing from place to place, Pericles is shipwrecked, courts and marries Thaisa. Their child, Marina, raised by friends when Thaisa is believed to have died, is kidnapped by pirates and sold into a brothel before Thaisa is discovered alive and the family is joyfully reunited. VHS 928

Playing Shakespeare. 1979-1984. 11 videocassettes (ca. 50 min. ea.). John Barton guides Royal Shakespeare Company actors as they explore facets of Shakespeare's work: language, meter, and verse; the force of blank verse, broken lines and heightened language; how characters are defined; irony and ambiguity; clues to Shakespeare's emphasis and meaning; soliloquies and choric speeches, etc. VHS 301-11

Poetry and hidden poetry. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (53 min.). John Barton leads members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion of Shakespeare's use of poetry and hidden poetry in seemingly unpoetic lines. Barton and the actors demonstrate how polysyllables trip easily off the tongue, while monosyllabic lines and words are packed with thoughts and feelings. They also explore Shakespeare's use of the words "time" and "death," along with contrast and sudden changes that occur. VHS 305

Preparing to perform Shakespeare. Playing Shakespeare. 1979. 1 videocassette (ca. 60 min.). Members of the Royal Shakespeare Company present a workshop before a television studio audience to demonstrate how they rehearse and learn to perform Shakespeare's plays. John Barton works on a scene from Troilus and Cressida with members of the RSC ; Ian McKellen describes how an actor prepares for a major soliloquy ; Patrick Stewart contrasts two interpretations of Enobarbus' speech from Antony, "The barge she sat in...". VHS 306

Prospero's books. 1991. 1 videocassette (127 min.). Prospero's Books envisions a magical realm of exquisite beauty, where the innocence of love and dreams of revenge collide to create a tempest. Based on Shakespeare's The Tempest. Directed by Peter Greenaway. VHS 2405

Ran. 1997, orig. 1985. 1 videocassette (160 min.). Kurosawa's brillant rendition of Japanese history, Shakespeare's plot of "King Lear," and his own personal feelings about loyalty. In 16th century Japan, an aging ruler, Lord Hidetora, attempts to divide his kingdom among his three sons, who turn against each other and betray their father, triggering events that ultimately shatter the kingdom, destroy the family, and drive their father insane. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. VHS 257 & DVD 100

Rehearsing the text. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (52 min.). Concentrating on a scene from the Twelfth Night, John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and reading of the lines in search of Shakespeare's clues to character, language, and staging. Barton and the actors demonstrate how verse itself is a clue to the meaning. VHS 307

Richard II. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 2 videocassettes (145 min.). Richard II unsuccessfully defends his title against the challenge of his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke takes the title of Henry IV and sends the captive Richard to Pontefract Castle, where the latter is killed by one of Henry's friends. VHS 2071

Richard III. The Wars of the roses. 1990. 3 videocassettes (194 min.). The hunchbacked villain Richard III usurps the throne from his nephews ("the little princes in the Tower"). But retribution strikes when he is defeated by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth Field. VHS 2077

Richard III. 1994, orig. 1955. 2 videodiscs (158 min.). Set in England in the latter half of the 15th century, recounts the rise to the throne of the physically and morally deformed Richard and his fall at the hands of Richmond and his allies. Richard, duke of Gloucester, a self-proclaimed villain, usurps the crown from King Edward IV, and is later killed at Bosworth Field. Henry, earl of Richmond, ascends the throne as Henry VII, establishing the Tudor dynasty. Directed by and starring Laurence Olivier. VDD 84 & VHS 1423

Richard III. 1996. 1 videocassette (104 min.). Modern adaptation based on the famous National Theatre production of Shakespeare's tale of ambition, lust and murderous treachery. Set in a mythical 1930's fascist Britain which has emerged from a bloody civil war, the younger brother of the new King sets in motion a monstrous scheme to claim the throne for himself. To achieve his ends he will marry, murder and commit fratricide. VHS 4478 and DVD 85

Romeo and Juliet. Thames video collection. 1988, orig. 1976. 2 videodiscs (180 min.). Shakespeare's tragedy about a pair of teenagers who fall in love despite the fact that their families are engaged in a bitter feud. VDD 162

Romeo and Juliet. 1993, orig. 1936. 2 videodiscs (126 min.). Romeo and Juliet: Film adapts the Shakespeare play about star- crossed lovers from feuding families. Annie Laurie : Set in the late eighteenth century, war-torn Scotland, film is a musical about two young lovers, Annie Laurie (Ann Rutherford) and William Douglas (Dennis Morgan) whose clans are on opposite sides in the civil war. Directed by George Cukor. VDD 58

Romeo and Juliet. 1995, orig. 1968. 1 videocassette or 2 videodiscs(138 min.). Shakespeare's tragedy about two teenagers who fall in love, encounter opposition from their families, and take their own lives. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. VHS 4563 & VDD 222

Romeo and Juliet ballet in three acts. Ballet series. 198? 1 videocassette (124 min.). The story of young, tragic love is as enduring as the seasons. International ballet star, Margot Fonteyn, and Russian virtuoso, Rudolf Nureyev, create passion and intrigue on the screen as they portray star-crossed lovers in this legendary story. VHS 481

Romeo and Juliet = Giulietta e Romeo. 1990, orig. 1954. 1 videocassette (135 min.). Another version of Shakespeare's classic tale of two teenagers who fall in love despite a feud between their families. VHS 3294

Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 2 videocassettes (167 min.). Shakespeare's tragedy about a pair of teenagers who fall in love despite the fact that their families are engaged in a bitter feud. VHS 931

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are dead. 1991? 1 videodisc (117 min.). Inventive tale of Hamlet as told from the viewpoint of two of the work's supporting, but certainly more outrageous, characters. In this version the Shakespearean equivalents of Laurel and Hardy get a chance to take the lead role in a setting where illusion and reality overlap. Directed by Tom Stoppard. VDD 68

Set speeches and soliloquy. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (52 min.). John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in a discussion and dramatization of Shakespeare's use of dialogue and soliloquy for story and audience purposes. Barton explains the differences between the two, what they contain, and how they arise. VHS 308

Shakespeare in love. 1998. 1 videodisc (ca. 122 min.). When Will Shakespeare needs inspiration to break a bad case of writer's block, a secret romance with the beautiful Lady Viola starts the words flowing like never before! There are just two things he'll have to learn about his new love; not only is she promised to marry someone else, she's successfully impersonating a man in order to play the lead in Will's latest production. Directed by John Madden. DVD 76

The Shakespeare mystery. 1989. 1 videocassette (58 min.). Examines the perennial question of who actually authored the works attributed to William Shakespeare. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, Henry James, Sigmund Freud, and Charlie Chaplin all doubted that William Shakespeare of Stratford-on-Avon was the true author of the dramatic masterpieces that bear his name. Correspondent Al Austin investigates the latest controversial theory that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, a poet and intimate of Queen Elizabeth 1, was the real Shakespeare. Notes sparsity of physical evidence, passages thought to be clues to the author and the fact that not one manuscript has been found. VHS 773

Shakespeare Wallah. 1965. 1 videocassette (120 min.). The Story of two lovers, Lizzie and Sanju, one belongs to an obsolete English travelling theatre group, the other is a rich young Indian playboy. Their affair-sudden, electric, brief-provides the pivot for a story about the decline and fall of British power in modern India. Directed by James Ivory. VHS 6574

Siberian Lady Macbeth: Fury is a woman. 1992, orig. 1961. 1 videocassette (93 min.). Shakespearean tragedy collides with film noir in a remote Russian village in this dark fable from celebrated Polish filmmaker Andrzek Wajda ... Siberian Lady Macbeth observes the cruel machinations of Katarina, a ruthless woman who will let nothing threaten her affair with a mysterious drifter. VHS 4004

Silent Shakespeare. The Milestone collection. 1999, orig. 1899-1911. 1 videodisc (89 min). In the early days of the cinema, pioneer filmmakers created these seven charming films based on the plays of William Shakespeare. Considered a "lowbrow" medium, the fledgling movie industry sought to elevate its status by immortalizing the classics and hiring the actors of the day. Most of these early photoplays were only one or two reels long but whatever they gave up in language and length, they made up for in exuberance, cinematic artistry, visual wit and bravura acting. Some films feature original hand-stenciled color. DVD 193

Speaking Shakespearean verse. Playing Shakespeare. 1979. 1 videocassette (ca. 60 min.). Members of the Royal Shakespeare Company present a workshop before a televison studio audience in which they interpret the rhythms and pronunciation of Shakespeare's English. VHS 309 The Taming of the shrew. 1982. 2 videodiscs (116 min.). The story centers on two sisters and their suitors. Katherina, eldest daughter of a wealthy Paduan, Baptista, is beautiful, but so sharp-tongued and strong-willed that no man will have her. Her younger sister, Bianca, is much sought after but cannot be given in marriage until Katherina is first wed. Hence, a great stir is created when a swaggering young adventurer, Petruchio, appears, seeking a wife. While a battery of suitors vie for Bianca, the stormy courtship of Katherina and Petruchio unfolds. VDD 67

The taming of the shrew. 1983. 1 videocassette (126 min.). A comic adaptation of Shakespeare's play The taming of the shrew, in which Petruchio violently subdues his ill-tempered wife, Katharina. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. VHS 79

The Taming of the shrew. Shakespeare plays. 1987, orig. 1980. 3 videocassettes (127 min.). Comedy set in 15th century Padua in which the swaggering Petruchio tries to tame the vile-tempered but lovely Katherine. VHS 932

The Taming of the shrew. 1990, orig. 1929. 1 videodisc (94 min.). Taming of the shrew: Set in Padua, Italy, the story is a battle of the sexes between Katherine, a beautiful but headstrong woman, and Petruchio, a young man who has arrived with the intention of finding a wife. Kate's father will not allow his younger, more agreeable daughter Bianca to marry until his older daughter is wed, and Petruchio is convinced to try taming the shrew. The birth of a legend: depicts Mary Pickford's career in the early motion picture industry through excerpts from newsreels and her films. VDD 66

The Taming of the shrew. 1992, orig. 1967. 1 videodisc (127 min.). A film version of William Shakespeare's comic look at male chauvinism and women's lib. When Petruchio (Burton), a poverty-stricken gentleman from Verona, seeks a rich wife in Padua, he winds up with Katharina (Taylor), a self-willed shrew. Their honeymoon is a major war of wit and invective. But when the newlyweds return to Padua, Petruchio wagers that his Kate is now the most obedient of wives. Kate helps Petruchio win his bet, but she shows she has found a better way to dominate her mate. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli. VDD 37

A Taste of Shakespeare: Hamlet. 1994. 1 videocassette (38 min.). An adaptation of the story of a young prince facing the challenge of avenging his father's death. Key scenes from the play are acted out then explained by the actors. VHS 3613

The Tempest. Shakespeare plays. 1979. 3 videocassettes (124 min.). Prospero, a ruler with supernatural powers is exiled from his kingdom. The story tells how he uses his powers to win back his kingdom and a husband for his daughter. VHS 933

The Tempest. 1983, orig. 1960. 1 videocassette (76 min.). Shakespeare's play of a fantasy kingdom full of spirits, monsters and maidens whose ruler has supernatural powers. When the ruler is exiled from his kingdom, he uses his magic powers to win back his throne and also a husband for his daughter. VHS 546

The Tempest. 1989, orig. 1983. 2 videodiscs (127 min.). Dramatization of Shakespeare's play about Alonso, King of Naples, who is shipwrecked on an enchanted island by the magician Prospero. VDD 221

Tempest. 1995, orig. 1982. 1 videocassette (143 min.). In this modern-day version of Shakespeare's tale, Phillip Dimitrious flees from his stormy marriage to Antonia, going to Greece with his daughter Miranda. After meeting Aretha, the three achieve a fragile tranquility on a nearly-deserted island until Antonia arrives in search of Miranda. Directed by Paul Mazursky. VHS 6557

Throne of blood. 1961. This adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth set in feudal Japan tells the story of a Samurai lord who kills his master and usurps his power in fulfillment of a witch's prophecy. Throne of blood = Kumonosu jo. 1986, orig. 1961. 1 videocassette (110 min.). Film translates the story and much of the action of Macbeth to a sixteenth century Japanese setting. Tells the story of a Samurai lord who kills his master and usurps his power in fulfillment of a witch's prophecy. The central character is Taketoki Washizu (Mifune), a general, serving Tsuzuki (Sasaki), master of Cobweb Castle. Prompted by his wife, Washizu murders Tsuzuki and takes command of the castle. He is himself killed in battle when the son of a rival warlord, one of his victims, attacks the castle. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. VHS 1626

Timon of Athens. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 3 videocassettes (ca. 128 min.). Presents William Shakespeare's play which details transformation of a noble Athenian from a reckless spendthrift to a mad misanthrope. VHS 934

Titus. 2000. 2 videodiscs (ca. 162 min.). Presents the story of a victorious Roman general whose rigid code of honor and duty proves to be his downfall. A shocking journey into the depths of the human heart, a place where vengeance and passion reign supreme. Directed by Julie Taymor. DVD 197

Titus Andronicus. Shakespeare plays. 1987. 1 videocassette (168 min.). A dramatization of William Shakespeare's tragedy set in Roman times dealing with the revenge by Titus Andronicus for the atrocities committed against his family by Tamora, the captive queen of the Goths, and her faction. VHS 935

The tragedy of Coriolanus. Shakespeare plays. 1983. 3 videocassettes (145 min.). Follows the career of Caius Marcius Coriolanus, a legendary hero of Rome, who is portrayed as hotheaded, inflexibly self-sufficient and with an aristocratic distrust of the common people that makes him an unsympathetic figure even before he turns to treason. When he banished from the city of Rome, Coriolanus seeks revenge by joining forces with the Volscians in an attack against Rome. VHS 907

The Tragedy of King Richard the Second. 1991, orig. 1981. 2 videodiscs (ca. 163 min.). A dramatization of Shakespeare's play about the 14th century rebellion against the corrupt King, Richard II. VDD 60

Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice. William Shakespeare. 1987? , orig. 1981. 2 videocassettes (195 min.). A stage production of Shakespeare's play in which jealousy leads to tragedy as Iago plots to bring about the downfall of the noble Moor Othello. Iago plots to exploit Othello's credulous nature to undermine his trust in Desdemona. Othello, completely consumed with jealousy through the work of Iago, goes to his wife's bedchamber and smothers her. When Othello learns of Iago's treachery, he wounds Iago in a fight, then kills himself. VHS 579

The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice. 1991, orig. 1984. 2 videodiscs (195 min.). Othello is a noble Moor in the service of the Duke of Venice. Iago, his lieutenant, is insanely jealous of the Moor's success and higher rank. Iago plots to exploit Othello's credulous nature to undermine his trust in Desdemona. Othello, completely consumed with jealousy through the work of Iago, goes to his wife's bedchamber and smothers her. When Othello learns of Iago's treachery, he wounds Iago in a fight, then kills himself. VDD 56

The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. 1995, orig. 1952. 2 videodiscs (92 min.). Dramatization of William Shakespeare's play in which the evil Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello's mind about Desdemona's fidelity. VDD 100

The tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. 1999. 1 videodisc (93 min.). A great man's vanity is manipulated by a jealous aide to bring about his downfall. Betrayal, deception and murder end the friendship between Othello, Desdemona, and Iago. DVD 74

The Tragedy of Richard III. Shakespeare plays. 1982. 4 videocassettes (228 min.). Through family machinations, political marriages and military coups, this play portrays the tumultuous reign of King Edward IV and the ascension of Richard to the throne. Richard of Gloucester, a self-proclaimed villain, usurps the crown from King Edward IV's sons and then meets a violent death at the hands of Henry of Richmond, who becomes Henry VII. VHS 930

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. 1990, orig. 1983. 2 videodiscs (170 min.). Video of a stage production of Shakespeare's play about two teenagers who fall in love and are opposed by their feuding families. VDD 57

Trial of Hamlet. 1994. 1 videocassette (129 min.). A trial is held before Justice Anthony M. Kennedy to determine whether Hamlet was criminally responsible when he killed Polonius. The program includes a preliminary briefing and interviews with participants. VHS 3248

Troilus and Cressida. Shakespeare plays. 1981. 4 videocassettes (189 min.). The tragic story, set during the Trojan War, of the ill-fated love of Troylus, son of King Priam of Troy, for Cressida, whose father deserted the city for the Greek camp. During a truce between the Greeks and the Trojans, Troilus and Cressida vow eternal love and faithfulness. But Cressida's father has gone over to the Greeks and exchanges her for a Trojan prisoner. Diomedes takes Cressida to the Greek camp, and, during a friendly feast between the Greeks and Trojans, Troilus discovers that Cressida has been unfaithful. VHS 936

Twelfth night. Shakespeare plays. 1980. 3 videocassettes (124 min.). With its practical jokes, lyrics, poetry, and haunting songs, this is the most subtle of Shakespeare's comedies. An aristocratic country house and its inhabitants set the stage for a portrayal of the varieties of love. Twins Sebastian and Viola are separated after a shipwreck and believe each other dead. Viola disguises herself as a page boy, Cesario, to work for Duke Orsino and falls in love with him, but he loves Olivia, who falls in love with Cesario. Seeing Sebastian one day, she mistakes him for Cesario and marries him. The confusion is cleared up when Viola and Sebastian meet again, and the Duke marries Viola. The subplot concerns the efforts of Sir Toby and Andrew to humble the presumptuous Malvolio. VHS 937

Twelfth night or, What you will. 1988. 2 videocassettes (165 min.). A comedy where order is restored, evil punished, and all who deserve it live happily ever after. Shakespeare uses the complications and confusions engendered by identical twins and a maid disguised as a page to explore various facets of love. Such themes as familial affection, unrequited passion and friendly attachment are interwoven with many humorous incidents from everyday life of the late 16th century. Starring Kenneth Branagh. VHS 2033

Twelfth night, or, What you will. 1997. 1 videocassette (133 min.). The tale of troublesome twins who win the heart of an entire kingdom. VHS 6556

Two gentlemen of Verona. Shakespeare plays. 1983. 3 videocassettes (136 min.). A comedy about the rivalry between two good friends who find themselves in love with the same woman. Close friends Valentine and Proteus become rivals for the hand of Silvia, daughter of the Duke of Milan, who has promised her to the foolish coward Thurio. Proteus has Valentine banished, but Silvia escapes to the forest to join him. Proteus follows, with Julia who dotes on him. After a confrontation, the Duke eventually allows Valentine and Silvia to wed, and Proteus marries Julia. VHS 938

The two traditions. Playing Shakespeare. 1984. 1 videocassette (50 min.). John Barton guides members of the Royal S