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Summary: Boffo Shakespeare!!!
Review: This book is an amazingly comprehensive study of Shakespeare in contemporary American mass culture. If you want to understand why Shakespeare is showing up everywhere so explosively, particularly in new teen films like "10 Things I Hate About You" (based on the Taming of the Shrew) or"Never Been Kissed" (based on As You Like It), then read this incredibly sophisticated and entertaining study.
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Summary: A book everyone should have on his/her book shelves.
Review: This insightful book shows how Shakespeare has permeated the American popular culture, from the exportation of some quotes to the inspiration of whole porn film scripts. Richard Burt proves not only that a scholarly, cogent discourse can be held on pop (even trash) culture, but also that the line between the so-called 'high' and 'low' cultures is much more porous than it seems. 'Unspeakable Shaxxxspeares' is written in a style which is both highly rigorous and accessible, and should appeal to scholars as well as readers interested in Shakespeare, cinema or cultural studies in general.
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Summary: Top Shelf ShaXXXspeare
Review: Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares addresses the use of Shakespeare in American popular culture, especially film. Richard Burt is particularly interested in the way Shakespeare is rewritten or repositioned in teen movies, cult cinema and pornographic films. Shakespeare is either a covert presence as in 10 Things I Hate About You, or is foregrounded through mis/quotation to illustrate a character's status as cool or nerdy, as in Clueless or Never Been Kissed.Richard Burt's ideas on the loser and kiddie culture underpin his investigation of Shakespeare at the periphery of American popular culture. Academic scholarship has been slow to address these rewritings and appropriations of the playwright and his work up until now. However, one of the many joys of reading Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares is to discover just how accessible it is to scholars and non-scholars alike. Dr. Burt's playful ruminations upon the intellectual winner as a loser figure and vice versa is both entertaining and startlingly poignant. Finally, Unspeakable ShaXXXpeares is a book which opens the way for further exploration of Shakespaeare's multi-faceted presence in the mass media.
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Summary: Brilliant analysis of Shakespeare and popular culture
Review: Unspeakable Shaxxxspeares is a brilliant analysis of how Shakespeare has thoroughly infiltrated all corners of our culture. Our notion of "Shakespeare as classic" will never be the same. It gives a whole new meaning to cultural studies, and will infuriate everyone who has a stake in patrolling the boundaries between popul and high culture, whether in the hopes of subverting or maintaining them. Burt is particularly good at diagnosing the forms of "academic fantasy" by which professors hope to instruct, politicize, and identify with the populace and the younger generation. And this book is fun to read! The discussions of film, TV episodes, porn movies, and music are great. Now I need to go to the video store, and see more of the stuff he writes about.
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Summary: A virtuoso piece of cultural channel surfing
Review: Unspeakable Shaxxxspeares is a virtuoso piece of cultural channel surfing. Burt boldy goes where no Shakespeare critic has gone before, to provide brilliant readings of Shakespeare's presence in recent films, television, pornography, music, web sites--and what you will. His analyses are penterating, provocative, and always fun to read. They suggest important new directions for both Shakespeare scholars and students of popular culture. This book may infuriate or delight you--but it cannnot be ignored.
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Summary: On the Money
Review: Whatever you think about Shakespeare, it is impossible not to agree with the points Burt makes in this book. His analysis is right on the money and you will never be able to look at Shakespearean movies or literature in the same way. A fantastic book and a must read.
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