Rating: 
Summary: King Lear turned Cowboy
Review: The story line followed closely with the concept of King Lear. The adaptation from a B.C. English setting into a more recent, western setting, was portrayed well. That is a very difficult transition and the setting worked. It wasn't the best western movie, but the story line from King Lear was transformed the best way it could be.
Overall the plot followed Shakespeare's play the best it could have, with the new setting in mind. The storm scene was very closely related to the storm in Act III scene ii of King Lear. John Lear was portrayed closely to King Lear, the emotions were there; and the viewer could really feel for him. The situation his daughters put him in was unbearable for a man of his caliber. The Shakespearian version portrayed Lear as a crazy man, while in the movie I felt Lear suffered from dementia. Lear's character showed a weakness-- a great and powerful man who feels that there is nothing that can bring him down, nothing that can knock him out of his saddle, but in truth is due to age and his sickness his daughters see a ... in his armor, much like when he falls off his horse in the storm, and take advantage of the moment.
The only disappointment in Lear was that he was more stubborn than proud in the movie. The two oldest daughters disappointed me, compared to the play; their characters were not harsh enough. Goneril and Regan were bitter and wicked, compared to the daughters in the movie who despite what they did to there father still felt sympathy for him.
I felt the movie was closely related to the originated play, and worked with what it had to show the weakened Lear, and which characters truly loved him and not his wealth and power.
Rating:
Summary: King Lear turned Cowboy
Review: The story line followed closely with the concept of King Lear. The adaptation from a B.C. English setting into a more recent, western setting, was portrayed well. That is a very difficult transition and the setting worked. It wasn't the best western movie, but the story line from King Lear was transformed the best way it could be.
Overall the plot followed Shakespeare's play the best it could have, with the new setting in mind. The storm scene was very closely related to the storm in Act III scene ii of King Lear. John Lear was portrayed closely to King Lear, the emotions were there; and the viewer could really feel for him. The situation his daughters put him in was unbearable for a man of his caliber. The Shakespearian version portrayed Lear as a crazy man, while in the movie I felt Lear suffered from dementia. Lear's character showed a weakness-- a great and powerful man who feels that there is nothing that can bring him down, nothing that can knock him out of his saddle, but in truth is due to age and his sickness his daughters see a ... in his armor, much like when he falls off his horse in the storm, and take advantage of the moment.
The only disappointment in Lear was that he was more stubborn than proud in the movie. The two oldest daughters disappointed me, compared to the play; their characters were not harsh enough. Goneril and Regan were bitter and wicked, compared to the daughters in the movie who despite what they did to there father still felt sympathy for him.
I felt the movie was closely related to the originated play, and worked with what it had to show the weakened Lear, and which characters truly loved him and not his wealth and power.
Rating: 
Summary: Shakespear meets John Wayne
Review: This is an interesting take to Shakespear's play "King Lear". It's set early in the century, in the great state of Texas. The production was done well, with a good cast of characters. The director did a decent job translating Shakespear into a modern "shoot 'em up" western. The movie follows the play pretty consistantly, up untill the end, where a few details were changed. This made for T.V. movie was over-all well done. As a teenager, some of this movie seemed a little tacky (for instance, Patrick Stewart's Character, Lear, giving off a distictly "moses" impression in the end). Some of the acting was slightly questionable, and my audience of peers found the movie slightly humerous, but generally entertaining. I give this movie 3 stars; it wasn't ment for the silver screens of Hollywood, but as for the television in my living room, it'll do just fine.
Rating:
Summary: Shakespear meets John Wayne
Review: This is an interesting take to Shakespear's play "King Lear". It's set early in the century, in the great state of Texas. The production was done well, with a good cast of characters. The director did a decent job translating Shakespear into a modern "shoot 'em up" western. The movie follows the play pretty consistantly, up untill the end, where a few details were changed. This made for T.V. movie was over-all well done. As a teenager, some of this movie seemed a little tacky (for instance, Patrick Stewart's Character, Lear, giving off a distictly "moses" impression in the end). Some of the acting was slightly questionable, and my audience of peers found the movie slightly humerous, but generally entertaining. I give this movie 3 stars; it wasn't ment for the silver screens of Hollywood, but as for the television in my living room, it'll do just fine.
Rating: 
Summary: Wild Bill Shakespear Goes West
Review: This is solid proof that great story and great characters are timeless. Like Julie Traynor's "TITUS", Baz Lurhman's "ROMEO & JULIET", and Richard Loncraine's "RICHARD III", "KING OF TEXAS" shows how The Bard's solid plots and characters work in any number of settings. Here, the tragic masterpiece, King Lear, translates seamlessly to a Western setting. Even the political situation at that time between Mexico and the US (just post-Alamo) fits like a glove with this story originally written hundreds of years ago. Amazing. (For another great Twist on Lear, seek out Kurasawa's "RAN". He turns this story of an aging king into a fantastic Samurai epic!) King of Texas, originally broadcast as a TNT movie, stars a long-haired Patrick Stewart magnificently leading a superb cast in a very authentic feeling Western. Shakespear and Western fans alike should be swept away by this expansive and epic story...even if they don't have a taste for the other genre! Don't miss this one just because it was a TV movie. It beats hell out of a lot of theatrical releases.
Rating: 
Summary: King Lear meets the Wild Wild West
Review: Those of you who enjoy those good old western movies, but are needing a bit of Shakespearean drama, then King of Texas is the movie you want to see. This movie is William Shakespeare's "King Lear" transplanted into a beautiful Texas setting. The major characters found within "King Lear" have been renamed and wonderfully refitted for a classic made for TV western movie. Besides a few minuet modifications to the story line, King of Texas is a close representation for "King Lear". I found this movie to be very entertaining. Patric Stewart delivers an excellent performance, and he doesn't look that bad with a beard. However, I did expect him to whip out a laser gun and kick [rear]... near the climax. Unfortunately, these hopes never came true, but Patric Stewart is the man none the less. This movie is a very nice change of pace of the average made for TV movie. It is very well made with a superb cast, and more importantly the plot stays true to Shakespeare's "King Lear". I would defiantly encourage anyone to watch King of Texas which is quite possibly one of the ton five made for TV movies of the year. So if you like Shakespearean plays and the old west, you will love King of Texas.
Rating:
Summary: King Lear meets the Wild Wild West
Review: Those of you who enjoy those good old western movies, but are needing a bit of Shakespearean drama, then King of Texas is the movie you want to see. This movie is William Shakespeare's "King Lear" transplanted into a beautiful Texas setting. The major characters found within "King Lear" have been renamed and wonderfully refitted for a classic made for TV western movie. Besides a few minuet modifications to the story line, King of Texas is a close representation for "King Lear". I found this movie to be very entertaining. Patric Stewart delivers an excellent performance, and he doesn't look that bad with a beard. However, I did expect him to whip out a laser gun and kick [rear]... near the climax. Unfortunately, these hopes never came true, but Patric Stewart is the man none the less. This movie is a very nice change of pace of the average made for TV movie. It is very well made with a superb cast, and more importantly the plot stays true to Shakespeare's "King Lear". I would defiantly encourage anyone to watch King of Texas which is quite possibly one of the ton five made for TV movies of the year. So if you like Shakespearean plays and the old west, you will love King of Texas.
Rating: 
Summary: Not even Captain Picard could save this doomed ship . . .
Review: To start, I must say that even for a Shakespearean play, King Lear was very dry and boring to me. For this reason, I could not appreciate this movie. However, King of Texas is a mostly accurate portrayal of the tragedy King Lear, and it is well-done in that respect. I'm sure Uli Edel had quite a strenuous time directing such a complex Shakespeare play, and he succeeded in bringing the story to life in a way anyone could relate to.
If you have not read King Lear, I would definitely not recommend watching this film. Seen only as a typical movie, this film would bore even the most attentive audience. The character of John Lear, played by Patrick Stewart, is very unbelievable and too melodramatic. I don't know whose idea it was to cast a Brit as a western cattle-baron, but the combination just doesn't work out. The same goes for Lear's three daughters: excellent portrayal of individual attitudes, but ruined by faked accents. I must admit that various other characters such as Westover (Gloucester), Rip (Kent and the Fool), and Thomas (Edgar) gave very interesting performances that lined up with Shakespeare's play almost to the line, and did it with convincing accents.
Altogether, I will say that I enjoyed seeing the movie, but only after I had thoroughly read King Lear. Without this added boon, one can't expect to enjoy this movie or benefit by watching it. However, anyone who is confused by Shakespeare's old English style will certainly appreciate the modern approach given in the movie. Overall, this movie deserves a 4 out of 5 for Shakespeare buffs, but only a 1 out of 5 for the rest of us.
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