Othello

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Teddy B It does condense Shakespeare's text quite drastically, but Orson Welles's pensive direction and brilliant performances save this film and make it very enjoyable and thought-provoking throughout. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/09/24 Full Review Alec B A fascinating adaptation. It's true to Shakespeare's text but remixed and cut down to the bare essentials while using close-ups and clever editing to communicate the character's inner psychology. All the more impressive once you realize Welles had to beg, borrow, and steal for three years to complete the movie. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/24 Full Review Christopher R +JMJ An absolute classic. One of Welles' greatest films and performances alongside Citizen Kane and A Man for All Seasons. Gripping from start to finish. I'd dare to say that this is one of the best Shakespeare film adaptions to date. In Welles fashion, the cinematography is both technically genius and beautifully presented. The sound effects and music are wild but are nonetheless successful in setting the tone of the film. Every cast member breathes the life of authenticity into his or her role. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/13/23 Full Review Audience Member While it's not without its weak moments (e.g. the unconvincing, poorly executed murder scenes), "The Tragedy Of Othello: The Moor Of Venice" is a captivating film, balancing deftly between Shakespeare's beautiful, demanding dialogue, the theatrical elements and an atmosphere more akin to that of a thriller. The story's tragicalness comes through, the score is excellent, some of the shots are very inspired, MacLiammóir is great as Iago, and Welles gives a terrific, nuanced performance as Othello. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member My number 1 Orson Welles film hands down. I knew Welles held the Spot for best Director and Actor after watching his other critically acclaimed productions. Othello outshines them all. Every scene surrounding the breathtaking city of Venice is so artfully depicted.The contrasts between lights and shadows are simply breathtaking . Its cobblestone roads illuminated by moonlit very much reminded me of Carol Reed's Noir stylistics. An inspiration drawn from a picturesque work of art. Shakespeare's visions for Romance and Drama are heightened with every single interaction between Protagonist and Villain alike.The Pathos of discernment between Truth and lies immerses the viewer all the way ,until the bitter end. The discovery of how quickly one rumor demolishes so many lives is uncanny and typical for Shakespeares dramatic turn of events. Yet when all is said and done True Love and Truth Conquers all. This particular masterpiece has earned its finale to conclude in many a puddles of tears! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Audience Member The movie starts with the scene after the events of the story. Without dialogue, we see the doomed Othello and Desdemona in a funeral procession, while Iago is placed in a suspended cage as punishment for his crimes. A powerful scene-but unfortunately the depiction of the story fails. The fatal error was the fact that while the dark visuals are impressive, I found the dialogue literally impossible to understand, let alone follow. This made the story genuinely impossible to follow- and the story did not even seem to much follow the original Shakespeare play. I cannot comment on how the original film might have been, but the restoration is a failure. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Othello

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