Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3414 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-09
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Italian
• Subtitled in: Dutch, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
By far the best thing about director Michael Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream is the extraordinary all-star cast, which follows the precedent created by Kenneth Branagh's Italian-set romantic Shakespeare comedy, Much Ado About Nothing (1993), of mixing major Hollywood stars--here Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer--with top British talent, in this instance Christian Bale, Rupert Everett, Roger Rees, David Strathairn and Dominic West. Kline makes a fine Nick Bottom, with Pfeiffer equally good as the fairy queen Titania and Everett brooding effectively as Oberon. Unfortunately, while both look ravishing, it is hard to tell which actress between Anna Friel (Brookside) and Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) gives the most wretched performance. Both are completely out of their depth the moment they begin to speak, and utterly outclassed by the excellent Sophie Marceau.

Shot in Tuscany and set in the 19th century, parts of the film are extraordinarily beautiful, while other sections could have benefited from some judicious special effects magic. This is not a bad movie, but it is rather uninspired, lacking any real imaginative grasp of the play. In contrast, the much less well known and lower budget Royal Shakespeare Company version of 1996 positively revels in the fantastically surreal possibilities this timeless text. --Gary S Dalkin

Special Features
2.35 Wide Screen
16:9 Wide Screen
DVD 9
French\German\Spanish
English\German
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English French German Spanish
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dutch\French\German\Spanish

Synopsis
Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of Shakespeare's magical romantic comedy features an all-star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Anna Friel, and many others. Peasants, posh lovers, and faeries all collide in an enchanted forest, leading to mishaps and misadventure.

Customer Reviews

Bottom is top!
I was deeply unimpressed with the casting of this glossy version of one of my favourite plays, until Kevin Kline appeared on screen. Not only is his performance sublime, but he actually gave an interpretation of Bottom that I have never seen before, one that I found very human and moving. He is worth the admission price alone. Just as well since most of the other performances left me indifferent. Kline's performance lifts this to a four star rating, along with the fantastic incidental music - I've rarely heard the Mascagni used so effectively.

Enchantingly Beautiful
This film especially for those perhaps visiting Shakespeare for the first time will find the setting of this play curious, yet very beautiful - clearly Shakespere is for all ages and for all times. The acting is superb and I do admit that Calista Flockhart takes this journey into the world of Shakespere wonderfully well (talented and very Beautiful!) Not too diminish the charms of both Michelle Pfeiffer and Anna Friel who seems to have been overlooked on the credits (? why) but Calista as Shakespearian Actress demonstrates she is far more than Ally Mc Beal! The cast, costume and settings of this play can be summed up as magical, in sixty years I have to rate this film as the absolute best ever for me.

Film has become violent and quite blatant in its exploitation of sex. This film is undoubtedly sensual - like the classical music that backs the film is sensual, but it it also fun and the special effects add to this sense of sheer delight.

Give this film a chance - let yourself go - watch Shakespere for once - this is how Shakespeare should be - not dried out in the school classroom - but full of wonderful life - and not a little spice!

A dream for eyes and ears
I heartily recommend this star-studded and visually quite beautiful production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", whether you're studying Shakespeare or you just like him.

It's almost-modern-dress, set in a Nineteenth Century Italian country town, and the setting and photography create an appealing atmosphere. The cast list is impressive, and the direction of high quality. Special mention must be made of Kevin Kline, a man who seems incapable of turning in a bad performance, as Bottom. He conveys the rather bombastic extroversion of the character but also reveals an underlying insecurity and tender sadness in him.

The film is not perfect. Bottom is a bit too natty and well turned out for his station in life, some of the forest scenes are obviously stagey, and neither of the young female leads (Calista Flockhart and Anna Friel) is likely to be offered a job by the Royal Shakespeare Company. But the setting, the direction, and the sheer warmth of the production carry it forward and over these niggles. They also mean that the music - classical and well-known - never lapses into cliché but rather adds even more to the atmosphere.

The niggles would bring it down to four-and-a-half stars for me, but as I cannot award that I'll give it five.