This is my officially favourite Richard III from now. Not only because of Benedict - he was as perfect (or even more perfect) as it was to be expected. But IMO he was helped very much by an intelligent approach to the script of Power's and cinematographic instinct of Cooke's: kudos to them both for the courage and imagination. Whereas the first HC series was just a theatrical playes transplanted to the television and helped by excellent performances, Cooke transformed theatre into movies and did it brilliantly.
Loved the first scene with Okenedo. TBH the only one I was not totally convinced by, was Judi Dench. She is already something of living legend, so it is not allowed to say anything against her performances, but I think she is simply too old for the part. Her deliverance of the lines was beatiful, but her body language and her face especially didn't convey that much expressivity.

besleybean wrote:

I Having said all of that, I actually preferred last week's episode

 I think in a way I preferred it, was well, not because it was "better" than last night Richard, but - because it was something new. Richard is so well known, or at least I know the play so well, having read it at watched for dozen times if not more, so the main pleasure is kind "how will they do it this time?". Henry VI was a revelation, so fresh and compelling.I loved Richard II, but watching Henry IV and V I wondered at times whether they couldn't have been bolder - the director and the screenwriter, I mean. TV is not the same medium as the theatre and IMO you need to take it into consideration, if you don't want to stop at just "filming" theatre (not sure I make sense).
 

@besleybean: The Roman series? If I remember correctly, the only plays that are in a way consecutive are "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra" since they both have Mark Antony as a character. Do you know more about this project? Will they be doing "Coriolanus" and "Titus Andronicus" as well? 

Thank, this sounds very promising. 

As for HC: I cannot add much others have not said before. It was amazing, wonderful performances, brilliant cinematography. I loved the repeated motives of the drumming fingers and the reflections in blades. Benedict again allowed us glimpses into the soul of a man who is cruel and detestable but who somehow became this monster. And to be told your own mother that she hated you from the moment of birth does explain some thing or other. Which if course does not excuse his deeds but - and this is what Benedict is always going for - it shows the human being contained within the villain. 

 

 

And then there's this... 

He does, and they are big! 

York died in 1460, roughly twenty-five years before the events of this episode, at the age of 49. 

As for Dench - her part was not really strong compared to Margaret of Anjou, Queen Elizabeth, and Lady Anne. All other female parts were stronger than hers, so might have been partly due to the text itself. Tbh, during her speech with Richard I kept thinking, poor guy, to be hated like that from birth explains a lot of things. 

Last edited by SusiGo (May 23, 2016 8:39 am)

Yes, you are right, the three were all more memorable than Judi Dench. And I agree that Cecily's behaviour throws an interesting light on Richard's childhood and youth. To be detested by your own mother and probably outshone by your physically healthy brothers would be hard in any period and even more so in this. Which is why I love Shakespeare: even here he allows a subtler approach although on the surface Richard is just a cruel monster. 

No love lost between him and his mother:

That scene with Judy made me think of the one in Sherlock...