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starring: Penelope Allen, Vincent Angell, Madison Arnold, Alec Baldwin, Larry Bryggman
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786304393079
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
ISBN: 6304393075
Label: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 29, 1997
Running Time: 111 minutes
Sales Rank: 6339
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: October 11, 1996
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Description:
The camera follows the cast and crew throughout rehearsals, eavesdropping on the behind-the-scenes process that goes into creating characters and mounting a production. With appearances from Sir John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh, Vanessa Redgrave, James Earl Jones and Kevin Kline. 'Looking For Richard' is 'outrageous fun' (Rolling Stone).
Amazon.com:
This strange and charming documentary by Al Pacino, in which he also stars, is an exploration of several topics: Shakespeare and his hump-backed villain, the impulse to act, the way actors work--and Pacino's single-minded effort to make the Bard accessible to all audiences and not just the effete few. Over the course of the film, Pacino alternately discusses the role and the text; roams Manhattan, talking about Shakespeare with everyone from scholars to people on the street; and re-creates scenes from the play in a production staged at the Cloisters, an evocative castle-like museum on the north end of Manhattan. He assembles a cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Winona Ryder, Estelle Parsons, and Alec Baldwin to perform the scenes, and he slips back and forth between text and discussion of the play in a way that makes Shakespeare comprehensible and fascinating to viewers who know or care nothing about his writing. --Marshall Fine
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Pacino gets to the truth about Shakespeare's Richard III
I really enjoyed this film because it makes accessible one of the greatest written English stories to another generation on whom otherwise it would be lost. The Bard's play is a story written after the fact during the victorious Tudor era. Hence the creation of a dark hearted villain and his manipulative lust for power. Richard really was a brave king who died in battle at the head of his troops at Bosworth in 1485, the victorious Henry Tudor's family thus having the opportunity to enjoy Shakespeares ... Read More
Rating: - Good directing debut by Al Pacino
Al Pacino's directing debut is a (sort of) documentary of him as he prepares to film Shakespeare's Richard III (with him on the title role, of course). We see him researching the material, going to Shakespeare's house in England, rehearsing with the actors, interviewing people on the street about Shakespeare, interviewing scholars. As the film progresses, we actually see him performing (parts) of the play with the actors (including Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder, among others). Its enjoyable and informative, ... Read More
Rating:  - Pleasure-filled peek at performing the play...
I learned a lot that I did not know about Shakespeare's "Richard III" through this documentary, and I also saw a side of Al Pacino I did not know existed...a very appealing side. If you like the Bard, or his plays, or theater in general, or documentary films about the arts, this one's for you. I saw it on the Independent Film Channel via Dish Network, because the DVD apparently is not currently available in the USA, although it can be purchased in Europe. Whoever owns the rights to this 1996 film ought to get ... Read More
Rating: - Scarface does Shakespeare.
Most people associate Al Pacino with The Godfather, Serpico, and Scarface, but Shakespeare? Looking for Richard (1996) is a documentary directed by and starring Al Pacino, which not only explores a stage production of Shakespeare's Richard III, but also examines Shakespeare's relevance in contemporary culture. Stated differently, this is a film about Pacino's passion for Shakespeare. Just imagine Shakespeare's villainous hump-backed Richard III roaming the crowded streets of NYC today. In the quick-witted film, ... Read More
Rating: - Fascinating
First off lets be clear, this is a documentary about Al Pacino making a version of Richard III. As someone who has very minimal knowledge of Shakespeare I found this to be very interesting and it made me want to watch a complete film or see it performed at a theatre.
Contrary to some previous reviewers I'd say that Pacino showed great respect to the material and to the more famous British actors who have been involved in versions of this story down the years. He interviews Sir John Guilgud and Kenneth ... Read More
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