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Blu-ray Review Richard III (1995) Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

Matt Hough

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Richard III (1995) Blu-ray Review

Modern dress interpretations of Shakespeare’s classic plays aren’t a new trend; it’s been done on stage for years, and the movies are merely catching up to what stage directors have been doing for centuries. The 1995 version of Richard III may plop everyone into 1930s clothes and stage it in a martial manner with the duplicitous title character mounting war in tanks and pre-World War II artillery, but the language and story remain the same only neatly condensed to fit a less than two-hour running time. The slate of actors lined up for this version is impressive indeed, and even if some of them aren’t quite up to the task, it’s still a marvelously entertaining retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most popular history plays.



Studio: MGM

Distributed By: Twilight Time

Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA

Subtitles: English SDH

Rating: R

Run Time: 1 Hr. 44 Min.

Package Includes: Blu-ray

clear keep case

Disc Type: BD50 (dual layer)

Region: All

Release Date: 04/14/2015

MSRP: $29.95




The Production Rating: 4/5

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (Ian McKellen) will do anything it takes to become king, and he begins plotting against his brother Edward (John Wood), who has just ascended to the throne after a bloody civil war. To reach his goal, Richard seduces and weds Lady Anne (Kristin Scott Thomas), whom he made a widow during the war, admitting to her frankly that he did indeed kill her husband (but lies in saying it was for love of her). With the help of some loyal henchmen (Adrian Dunbar, Jim Broadbent), Richard succeeds in murdering those ahead of him in the succession: his older brother Clarence (Nigel Hawthorne), which so upsets Edward that he dies. Next, the crown falls to the young Prince of Wales (Marc Williamson), and Richard is assigned to be the young king's protector, but instead, he has the boy and his brother jailed in the Tower of London and later killed to be certain they can’t succeed their father. Richard then seizes control of the country, but his ruthless quest for power eventually makes him powerful enemies including his mother the Duchess of York (Maggie Smith), his sister-in-law and the dowager queen Elizabeth (Annette Bening), and most importantly Henry Richman (Dominic West) whom he must defeat to remain king.

Star Ian McKellen and director Richard Loncraine have collaborated on the script for the movie and have skillfully pared down Shakespeare’s four-hour play to a screenplay that runs less than two hours. While that eliminates an enormous amount of verbiage (Olivier’s 1956 period dress version ran two-and-a-half hours), the story doesn’t suffer as a result, and Richard’s devious maneuvers to eliminate his rivals and capture the crown remain sharp and clear. Director Loncraine also keeps the movie from ever becoming a static play. While the leading character continues to address the camera/audience to reveal the machinations of his mind before his plans are carried out, Loncraine takes the action outdoors whenever possible (some stunning seaside shots in Bristol are really impressive), and the battle scenes which open and close the film are much more expansive than one might be expecting. He also plots some startling camera angles (a hanging murder comes right into our faces filmed from below) and stages the murders gruesomely but without excessive gore. There are some other concessions to modern day tastes: a couple of sex scenes (one which precedes a murder), some drug usage, and the continual smoking by almost everyone in the cast (whoever controlled the tobacco concessions on this movie made a fortune; McKellen is rarely without a cigarette in his hand or mouth and often lights one from another).

It’s a marathon role for Ian McKellen, of course, but he’s more than up to the challenge and does the part proud with his scheming and insincerity barely masking the vile monster that he is. And, his realization that loyalty to him can only be gained through threats and intimidation rather than through love is rather touching near the end as all his dreams turn to ash. Many among the large cast do outstanding work including Nigel Hawthorne as the trusting Clarence, Jim Broadbent as the scheming Buckingham, and most especially Annette Bening as Queen Elizabeth, by far the best of the American actors hired to play foreigners in the company. Robert Downey Jr. as her brother Earl Rivers is less successful (though, to be fair, his role is a rather small one in the finished script). Maggie Smith’s role as the Duchess of York is likewise small, but you won’t soon forget her couple of dozen lines as she plays them with growing passion and barely controlled fury.



Video Rating: 4.5/5  3D Rating: NA

The film’s 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio is faithfully produced in this 1080p transfer using the AVC codec. Sharpness is very good to outstanding throughout, and color is well delivered with realistic and appealing flesh tones. Black levels are fine, but contrast may be a trifle inconsistent in certain scenes. There are no age-related marks like dirt or scratches to mar the viewing experience. The movie has been divided into 24 chapters.



Audio Rating: 4.5/5

The sound mix offered here is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and it’s a track alive with booming, bracing effects especially during the battle scenes with really impressive use of bass. The music by Trevor Jones gets an effective spread through the fronts and rears, and the dialogue has been meticulously recorded and has been placed in the center channel. No age-related anomalies are present.



Special Features Rating: 2.5/5

Isolated Music and Effects Track: presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo.

Theatrical Trailer (2:48, HD)

MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (2:06, HD)

Six-Page Booklet: contains pages of impressive color stills, the original poster art on the back cover, and film historian Julie Kirgo’s lively essay on the film’s brilliant qualities.



Overall Rating: 4/5

The 1995 Richard III offers an interesting alternative to Laurence Olivier’s 1956 rendering of the play and one that’s equally entertaining and even more cinematic than its predecessor. There are only 3,000 copies of this Blu-ray available. Those interested should go to www.screenarchives.com to see if product is still in stock. Information about the movie can also be found via Facebook at www.facebook.com/twilighttimemovies.


Reviewed By: Matt Hough


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