Shakespeare on Film: The IndiePix Collection

by Douglas Polisin | Published September 17, 2008

Laurence Olivier stars in Henry V.

To see or not to see? That is the question. Well, with the recently released DVD collection from IndiePix based upon Shakespeare’s plays, themes and motifs, the answer is clear: To see.

The 10 films within the collection, which range from Laurence Olivier’s classic interpretations of Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1955) to Bollywood’s own Maqbool and Omkara (renditions of Macbeth and Othello respectively), allow a wider scope to be brought to the universal themes Shakespeare attempted to evoke and incite.

The various cultural interpretations provide an interesting way of shedding new light on Shakespeare’s work, bringing him into “a new media” and offering students another way of examining his themes amongst a global background, according to Shreekant Pol, Catalog and Acquisitions Manager at IndiePix. “Shakespeare is on the curriculum in schools and colleges throughout the world and his plays are loved by audiences old and young,” Pol says. “Our collection of 10 films, which includes both drama and documentary, offers interesting insight into how these plays have been interpreted around the globe.” He adds, “In recent years, Hollywood had produced some outstanding Shakespearian works but it is often the independent community that can display cultural and real-life portrayals of the ‘universal’ themes that Shakespeare tackles.”

So, Anthony Hopkins take note, unless ye be a fool: If you want to fully fit the role of King Lear next year, it may be wise to check out the IndiePix collection.