A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)

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Movie
German title A midsummer night's dream
Original title A Midsummer Night's Dream
Country of production Italy , UK , USA
original language English
Publishing year 1999
length 116 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Michael Hoffman
script Michael Hoffman
production Michael Hoffman,
Leslie Urdang
music Simon Boswell
camera Oliver Stapleton
cut Garth Craven
occupation

A Midsummer Night's Dream (original title: A Midsummer Night's Dream ) is a film adaptation of the theater play by William Shakespeare from the year 1999 . Directed by Michael Hoffman , the leading actors include Kevin Kline , Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Everett . The film received the rating of particularly valuable from the German Film Evaluation Center FBW in Wiesbaden. The film opened in German cinemas on October 21, 1999.

action

Theseus, Duke of Athena , and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons , want to get married. Egeus, an Athenian, appears. His daughter Hermia is in love with Lysander, whom Egeus doesn't like. Lysander loves Hermia too. But Demetrius is also in love with Hermia and has already asked Egeus for her hand. When everyone is gone, Lysander and Hermia decide to flee Athena. Helena, a friend of Hermia's coming. Hermia tells her about the plan. But Helena reveals to Demetrius that the two want to flee. She hopes, since she is in love with Demetrius, to get his attention this way.

A little later, six craftsmen meet. Under the direction of the weaver Bottom (German: Zettel) they want to perform the play Pyramus and Thisbe (after Ovid) at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. They distribute the roles and arrange to meet for a rehearsal in the forest.

In the same forest in the evening Oberon, king of the elves , and Titania, queen of the elves argue . Oberon gives his trusted elf Puck, who is also called Robin Goodfellow, the order to fetch a certain flower. The nectar of this flower, he comes into the eyes of a sleeper, makes him fall in love with the next living creature he sees. Oberon wants to play a prank on Titania. While Puck is on the way, Demetrius, looking for Lysander and Hermia, and Helena, who followed him, arrive. Oberon observes the argument between the two and, when he returns, instructs Puck to use the flower to make sure that Demetrius loves Helena.

A little later, Oberon finds the sleeping Titania and drips the nectar of the flower into her eyes. Then Hermia and Lysander come and go to sleep. They hardly sleep when Puck comes and thinks Lysander is Demetrius. Then come Helena and the real Demetrius. Helena stumbles upon Lysander, who falls in love with her and follows her. When he leaves, the craftsmen come to rehearse their piece. Puck arrives and transforms Zettel's head into that of a donkey. He then leads him to Titania, who wakes up and falls in love with the note with the donkey's head. Oberon, who is very amused about it, soon discovers Puck's mistakes. He orders Puck to use the flower on Demetrius. Then both Lysander and Demetrius love Helena. Oberon recognizes the chaos and orders Puck to undo it. He arranges the sleepers next to each other and uses the flower again. Thereupon Oberon disenchants Titania, who then loves him again.

The next morning Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus find the sleeping lovers and give their consent to their wedding. The craftsmen find pieces of paper that Puck has freed from his donkey's head and play their piece at the triple wedding.

criticism

“Despite the prominent cast, Michael Hoffman's version of William Shakespeare's comedy did not turn out as good as the version by theater icon Max Reinhardt . Except for Kevin Kline as the arrogant snob and Stanley Tucci as the funny gnome Puck, hardly anyone convinces here. Michelle Pfeiffer plays incredibly stiffly here. Otherwise all her make-up would probably have popped off her face. Despite all the criticism, this is still pleasant entertainment. "

- prism

“[…] An opulent, opera-like piece of equipment that comes close to kitsch and cannot be saved even by the widespread comedic artisan scenes. Only the main actor puts a highlight on the game. "

- Lexicon of international film

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ A Midsummer Night's Dream. In: Prisma.de. Retrieved June 25, 2017 .
  2. ↑ A Midsummer Night's Dream. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed June 25, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used