Product Details

• Actors: Michael Hordern, Gemma Jones, Derek Godfrey, Helen Mirren, John Cleess
• Directors: Jonathan Miller
• Format: Box set, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: BBC
• DVD Release Date: August 1, 2003
• Run Time: 696 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000APNTV
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,280 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Five More Of The Ambrose Series!, September 12, 2004

By 

Richard R. Carlton (Ada, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BBC Shakespeare Comedies DVD Giftbox (DVD)

This is the BBC series marketed by Ambrose Video that many colleges and libraries have purchased (see ambrosevideo.com). These DVD packages are a very good deal because the original videos are prohibitively expensive (although I broke down and purchased several of the plays that are simply not available on any other media - when was the last theater run you saw of Cymbeline, Henry VIII, or Troilus And Cressida?). The 37 play VHS series is still >$2,500, the DVD series ~$3,000, selected 5 play sets on DVD $150, and individual plays around $100. The series was remarkable in that it actually included all 37 plays in full with a solid set of players (many famous) who worked hard at maintaining as much historical accuracy as possible, but especially with the verbiage.

This set makes a total of 15 of the plays now available at reasonable cost on DVD. There are 3 five play DVDs now available as follows:

Tragedies

Romeo & Juliet
Hamlet
Macbeth
Julius Caesar
Othello

Histories

Henry V
Richard II
Richard III
Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part II

Comedies

As You Like It
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Merchant of Venice

The Comedies Series has some of the best, so it is well worth the expense. The problem is that many of the scenes are less than sparkling....it's very much like watching the filming of the series of plays instead of watching a movie or TV version.....even the Bard himself would have struggled to keep the life in them with no audience. Sometimes the effort for accuracy actually shows in some of the acting. You have to give the various troups credit for sticking to the goals of the series, but realize that it is done with some sacrifices to the thrill and magic at some points.

What I like about the BBC series is the hard-to-find plays.....like All's Well That Ends Well, Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Measure For Measure, Henry VI, Henry VIII....it's nice to see the whole Wars Of The Roses historical series with the same troup.

Here is the information on each play in this series (as given by Ambrose Video):

As You Like It
Shakespeare at his sunniest, posing serious questions in the most lighthearted tone. Is there a natural difference between a Duke's daughter and a commoner? Are men really stronger than women? Or is it just society's role? Some of these characters briefly discard the roles they've played, while others adopt new one. All learn something about themselves. Stars Helen Mirren, Brian Stirner and Richard Pasco. Running Time: 150 minutes.

The Taming of the Shrew
This comic confrontation between the sexes is one of the most frequently-staged plays. Its sparkling wit and rich characterization are matched with an outstanding cast. John Cleese, of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers gives a portrayal of Petruchio that wins unanimous critical acclaim, praised as "an object lesson in serving Shakespeare to a present-day audience. ̈ Running Time: 127 minutes.

The Tempest
A dramatic romance, weaving fancy and realism into a plot that speaks to audiences today. This timeless stage is set on an enchanted island, where an exiled Duke and two young lovers encounter the occult, finding good and evil in their own natures. Starring Christopher Guard, Michael Hordern and more. Running Time: 150 minutes.

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Three plots intertwine: the entangled love affairs of Demetrius and Helena, Lysander and Hermia, the comic performance of a "play within a play" by the tradesmen of Athens and the antics in fairyland of King Oberon and Queen Titania. The strong cast features Helen Mirren and Peter McEnery, Pippa Sward, Brian Clover and Phil Daniel. As the New York Times states "they are all accomplished performers, but the director has given the extra dimension of using them brilliantly in terms of television." Running Time: 112 minutes

The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most famous comedies. It has become most celebrated for its captivating villain, Shylock. Blending tragedy and comedy, this play presents contrasts and ambiguities. The complexity lies in the character Shylock. Is he a villain, a buffoon or tragic hero? Starring: Warren Mitchell, Gemma Jones. Running Time: 157 minutes

204 of 219 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contents - found a photo on bbcamericashop.com, November 1, 2003

By 

A. Potterton (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BBC Shakespeare Comedies DVD Giftbox (DVD)

I have not seen this item but I wanted to know what was in the pack, when I found out I thought other people needed to know too!
Hence this "review"!

The BBC site shows the contents to be

As You Like It (1978) Stars Helen Mirren, Brian Stirner and Richard Pasco.

Taming of the Shrew (1980) John Cleese

The Tempest (1980)Starring Christopher Guard, Michael Hordern.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1981): features Helen Mirren and Peter McEnery, Pippa Sward, Brian Clover and Phil Daniel.

Merchant of Venice (1980): Starring: Warren Mitchell, Gemma Jones.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Quality Control Poor, June 2, 2006

By 

Jennifer Frick-Ruppert (Brevard ,NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BBC Shakespeare Comedies DVD Giftbox (DVD)

The plays are excellent, exactly as I had hoped and remembered from the original TV broadcasts. My set, however, arrived with a defective copy of "The Tempest." Although the disc was free of mars or scratches, ACT III is corrupted and unplayable on any of several machines. Despite Ambrose's assurance that they will replace damaged discs, my emails have gone unanswered.