A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Michael Hoffman

Writers (WGA):

William Shakespeare (based on the play by)
Michael Hoffman (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

Hold on to Your Heart. Cupid is Armed and Dangerous.

Plot:

Lovers lives are complicated by city law, feuding faerie royalty, and... love.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Lover | Fairy | Obsession | Mischievousness

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Kevin Kline	...	Nick Bottom
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Titania
Rupert Everett	...	Oberon
Stanley Tucci	...	Puck
Calista Flockhart	...	Helena
Anna Friel	...	Hermia
Christian Bale	...	Demetrius
Dominic West	...	Lysander
David Strathairn	...	Theseus
Sophie Marceau	...	Hippolyta
Roger Rees	...	Peter Quince
Max Wright	...	Robin Starveling
Gregory Jbara	...	Snug
Bill Irwin	...	Tom Snout
Sam Rockwell	...	Francis Flute

Also Known As:

Sogno di una notte di mezza estate (Italy)
William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Italy | UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (Approved No. 36060)

Filming Locations:

Caprarola, Viterbo, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Take a look at what some of the other performers are rehearsing while the Mechanicals are waiting for word from the Duke. One group of players is rehearsing the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex and another pair of players are rehearsing a scene from Shakespeare's play Othello.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The sound on the records when the gramophone is played is simply too good for a gramophone of that era, or a record, for that matter.

Quotes:

[Last lines]
Puck: If we shadows have offended, / Think but this, and all is mended, / That you have but slumber'd here / While these visions did appear. / And this weak and idle theme, / No more yielding but a dream, / Gentles, do not reprehend: / If you pardon we will mend. / Else the Puck a liar call. / Give me your hands, if we be friends, / And Robin shall restore amends.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game K N B: (2006-11-29)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Casta diva

A great classic Shakespeare film!

I believe that this film version of William Shakespeare's classic, "A Midsummer's Night Dream" is better than the 1968 Royal Shakespeare film version. Now I am not saying that the acting is much better, it could fare better with this cast like Kevin Kline, Michael Tucci, Calista Flockhart, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Straitharn, and others to mention. The quality of this film is superior to the 1968 version starring Dame Judi Dench C.H., Dame Diana Rigg C.B.E., and Dame Helen Mirren. The quality is shown by the location, costumes, and the expense it took to make this film look first rate. It tries to be faithful to the text and I believe it is more than satisfactory. I hope this film version is shown in schools because I believe that if you are going teach Shakespeare that you should do both comedy and tragedy. His comedies like "Much Ado About Nothing" and "A Midsummer's Night Dream" shows Shakespeare's sense of humor and playfulness with the living as opposed to watching a tragedy. Most high schools are working on the tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar but I think they should also do one comedy for each tragedy than maybe students would not cringe with distaste over doing Shakespeare at all. I gave it a 9 because I think the acting could have been better or improved.