Shakespeare's works captivate audiences, from stage to screen

by Adam Greenberg assistant a&e editor

"Shakespeare in Love" is the dominant film heading into this year's Academy Awards.

The romantic comedy, which imagines the legendary William Shakespeare experiencing writer's block, surprised many by trumping Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" with 13 nominations, compared to the war epic's 11.

The swell in Shakespeare's cinematic popularity started with 1996's successful, modem take on "Romeo and Juliet," which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Now, with "Shakespeare in Love," Hollywood has "discovered" a gold mine of "new" ideas for movies.

Even Cabrini is getting into the act with the theater department's upcoming production of "Naked Shakespeare;' which parodies Shakespeare's works. Of course, revisiting works that have remained popular for centuries is a no-brainer for creativelychallenged movie producers, but what do these films do for the celebrated wordsmith?

Dr. Jerome Zurek, chair of the English/communication department, said that he believes movie versions of the classic plays stir interest in Shakespeare's works.

While some purists may have bristled at the 1996 version of "Romeo and Juliet," Zurek thought that it had some value.

"My 11-year-old wanted to see it twice," Zurek said.

It seems that the imaginative rethink of "Romeo and Juliet," with its youthful cast, introduced Shakespeare's words to younger audiences.

While Zurek acknowledged that the film had this effect, he also added, "I hate Leonardo."

Zurek said that "Shakespeare in Love" is great because it shows audiences a youthful Shakespeare, without a receding hairline, as opposed to the por-

Shakespeare in film

Some of the more notable Shakespeare-inspired films coming to theaters in the near future.

• A modern-day adaptation of "Taming of the Shrew" called "Ten Things I Hate About You" is expected to hit theaters on March 31.

• Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" is being adapted into a 1930s musical by director Kenneth Branagh, with Alicia Silverstone as the film's star.

• "0," a modem version of "Othello" will be set on a basketball court.

• Ethan Hawke will star in "Hamlet," which is slated for 2000 and will be set in New York City in the 1990s.

• Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" will be set on a high school football field in ''Near in Blood."

-Entertainment Weekly trait everyone typically sees.

Despite his enthusiasm for the movie, Zurek is puzzled by the success of "Shakespeare in Love."

"I think it's a tough film to grasp," he said. However, he said that the themes, stories and characters in Shakespeare's work are still effective, so they can successfully be translated to films that will entertain today's audiences.

Dr. Marilyn Johnson, professor of English, agreed that Shakespeare can be well-produced on the silver screen.

"I don't mind if they change the visuals, as long as they stick to text.

"I loved the way they did the exact words of the text," Johnson said of the 1996 "Romeo and Juliet." Johnson said that plays and films offer two distinct experiences and that they cannot be compared.

"Being there is such a difference," she said, referring to Jive performances.