Two Words, One Answer.
Sir Ian
 Great Performances: King Lear $24.99 The role of Lear is famously difficult for the many contrary demands it places on the actor, and it must be said at the outset that Ian McKellan acquits himself admirably in this production. Romola Garal's Cordelia and Sylvester McCoy's Fool are also carefully interpreted, as is Jonathan Hyde's Kent. Ben Meyjes' Edgar begins as a nerdy older brother and completes the metamorphosis through Poor Tom the madman to avenging hero in a way that stretches the role: I was left wondering if that initial Edgar would even know how to handle a sword, so in the end there may be some unanswered questions about the character. Beyond this, pacing and filmic quality are good, despite the inevitable risks in trying to shoot a stage production on film. McKellan's interview, the only special feature here, is also a "don't miss"--the great actor meditates on his profession. The problem is the rest of the cast--an Edmund (Philip Winchester) who couldn't hold a candle to Robert Lindsey's dynamic performance in Olivier's production, a Goneril and Regan (Frances Barber and Monica Dolan) who rarely capture the intricacies of their roles. Despite the flaws, this film makes a worthy addition to my collection, though it does not rise to the intense pathos of Olivier's tenderly heartbreaking agony or the mythic, heroically tragic Lear of Kosintsev.  Living Proof: Courage in the Face of AIDS $9.98 "[P]hotojournalist Carolyn Jones' vivid and life-affirming portraits capture people from all backgrounds, ages, and races, living with HIV and AIDS. Their faces and their stories are proof that AIDS doesn't look like anyone--it looks like, and ultimately is, all of us. All royalties donated to Design Industries Foundation for AIDS (DIFFA). 75 photos."--? zebraz |
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