King Lear / Jones, New York Shakespeare Festival (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Rating:
Summary: Raving and Drooling!
Review: This is not only the finest Lear I've seen - Jones delivers one of the best personal performances I've ever witnessed - on stage or screen. This is an unabridged 3-hour King Lear that adeptly handles the entire range of difficulties and dynamics that challenge any reader, director or actor fortunate enough to attempt it. The supporting cast is fine - the late Raul Julia as the conniving Edmund is especially good - but Jones overpowers all - as he should - and his booming, spitting, crying, sceptre-tossing ferocity, despair and madness cut to the quick of Shakespeare's play. This is a 1974 outdoor performance and despite digital remastering, the audio is 8-track quality at best - fortunately the acting and staging overcompensate for the sound and whatever else one might consider shortcomings, though there aren't many, and for my money I'll take Jones over Olivier any day.

Rating:
Summary: Raving and Drooling!
Review: This is not only the finest Lear I've seen - Jones delivers one of the best personal performances I've ever witnessed - on stage or screen. This is an unabridged 3-hour King Lear that adeptly handles the entire range of difficulties and dynamics that challenge any reader, director or actor fortunate enough to attempt it. The supporting cast is fine - the late Raul Julia as the conniving Edmund is especially good - but Jones overpowers all - as he should - and his booming, spitting, crying, sceptre-tossing ferocity, despair and madness cut to the quick of Shakespeare's play. This is a 1974 outdoor performance and despite digital remastering, the audio is 8-track quality at best - fortunately the acting and staging overcompensate for the sound and whatever else one might consider shortcomings, though there aren't many, and for my money I'll take Jones over Olivier any day.

Rating:
Summary: The Emperor Jones
Review: This live performance of The Public Theater's 1974 production of "King Lear" is refreshingly straight-forward and offers abundant proof that the play -- one of Shakespeare's very greatest -- cries out to be acted, not just read. By any standard, the acting (with a few surprising exceptions) is well above average; compared to more recent Shakespeare productions at The Public Theater, the acting is astonishingly fine.

James Earl Jones gives a performance of awesome power and ferocity -- perhaps the greatest of his career. The sophistication and subtlety of his reading may surprise audiences unfamiliar with his work prior to his ubiquitous telephone company commercials. For the rest of us, this superb performance of a great artist at the height of his powers is cause for celebration, even as it is cause for sorrow: for here, too, is a stinging reminder of the scarcity of suitable roles for actors of Mr. Jones' refinement, technical mastery and colossal intensity. Are there no authors besides Shakespeare worthy of this extraordinary actor?

Of course, no one but a churl would begrudge Mr. Jones the comfort and pleasure his commercial success apparently brings him -- long may he prosper! Then again, who but a churl could fail to grieve at the waste of an artistic life of such immensity and grandeur?

Rating:
Summary: A near perfect introduction to that world of Shakespeare.
Review: While attending High School in Michigan, I took a 9 week course in Shakespeare. Monday through Friday, for an hour, I would sit and study the words of the man often referred to as the greatest single writer that ever used the English language. In this class, we were exposed to both audio and video productions of various plays.

After 4 weeks, I became fully convinced that anyone that said that they read or attended Shakespeare for entertainment purposes was either a liar or severely mentally unbalanced.

Then I was shown this production, and my mind expanded.

The production was taped from a Shakespeare in the Park festival, live. There are points during the production when it becomes apparent, yes it is live. It is also vital. It lives, it breathes, it is wildly passionate and elegent and bold and gentle, often within the space of one line to another.

The cast is nothing short of astonishing. Rosalind Cash, Raul Julia, Paul Sorvino and Rene Auberjonois are stunning. These four actors, in and of themselves, make this particular performance a (what is now the hyped phrase) Must See.

What makes it a Must Own is James Earl Jones.

Mr. Jones is, IMHO, possibly the single greatest actor living today. He is also IMHO the finest voice in the industry, and has been from the time I became aware that this production existed.

His Lear is a vain man, a proud man, and a man that is falling apart before our very eyes. He is indeed King, and a king that has brought himself low. Kingship does not imply wisdom.

Any flaws in this production only remind us that Shakespeare was once performed live in the presence of those who would hoot and toss things at the actors if the audience was not happy with what they were seeing.

Superb!

Rating:
Summary: Televised Lear a powerful presentation
Review: William Shakespeares tragedy KING LEAR is at its heart, a story of familial deceit where a loving king's generosity is turned on him by two plotting daughters. This production from the New York Shakespeare Festival is wonderful and it is great that it has been documented! Done with minimalist sets and shot at an outdoor ampitheatre, the plays charms are accented by car horns and airplanes travelling overhead. And quite often you see the cameras and audience members, which only helps give you that 'we are there' expereince. The cast is stellar, each with a great handle on the language. James Earl Jones is the King, playing him with a strength not often seen in the role. (He is normally portrayed as a frail, old man). The other amazing performance comes in from the late Raul Julia as , Edmund. He gives the portrayal that Keanu Reaves was supposed to give in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Like all Shakespeare, I always feel it is good to watch with some knowledge of what you are going to see and knowledge of the world Shakespeare wrote in. That will make your experience that much greater.

Rating:
Summary: Televised Lear a powerful presentation
Review: William Shakespeares tragedy KING LEAR is at its heart, a story of familial deceit where a loving king's generosity is turned on him by two plotting daughters. This production from the New York Shakespeare Festival is wonderful and it is great that it has been documented! Done with minimalist sets and shot at an outdoor ampitheatre, the plays charms are accented by car horns and airplanes travelling overhead. And quite often you see the cameras and audience members, which only helps give you that 'we are there' expereince. The cast is stellar, each with a great handle on the language. James Earl Jones is the King, playing him with a strength not often seen in the role. (He is normally portrayed as a frail, old man). The other amazing performance comes in from the late Raul Julia as , Edmund. He gives the portrayal that Keanu Reaves was supposed to give in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Like all Shakespeare, I always feel it is good to watch with some knowledge of what you are going to see and knowledge of the world Shakespeare wrote in. That will make your experience that much greater.

Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Words cannot describe my love for this production of King Lear. This is definitely the greatest live taping of a Shakespeare play I've ever seen. Most of the actors were simply amazing. Had I been at that performance that night, I would have given a a standing ovation. James Earl Jones was phenomenal. He brought a new King Lear to the stage. I was thrilled as he cursed his daughters and sons in law as violent thunder symbolically rumbled over the actors' heads. Even the audience was thrilled. They applauded when he exited. The show had more jokes than I thought. I thought that the Fool brought the only jokes to the show. My favorite funny part was when Edmund said, "I am rough and lecherous", made an offensive sign, and a farting noise. It was so funny. Raul Julia was simply amazing as Edmund. He portrayed Edmund with such perfection. Tom Aldredge was great as the Fool. When I first heard him talk, I realized, "Oh, my God. Is that the Narrator from Into the Woods?" I was truly shocked. The woman who played Goneril was very sexy indeed. I had to take off a star for a few reasons.

1. The woman who played Regan overacted.

2. Cordelia was wearing boots similar to Go-go boots in one of her scenes (by the way, she was good too.)

3. The guy who played the doctor had an afro and his acting wasn't good.

These two touches of the 70s were somewhat out of place in a Shakespeare play. Those are minor reasons why I gave this DVD four stars. I think that if you want to see a great play on video or DVD, the Broadway Theatre Archive is the place to go. King Lear rules. Shakespeare rules. James Earl Jones rules.