Product Details

• Actors: Laurence Olivier, Colin Blakely, Anna Calder-Marshall, Jeremy Kemp, Robert Lang
• Directors: Michael Elliott
• Writers: William Shakespeare
• Producers: David Plowright
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Kultur Video
• VHS Release Date: April 16, 1995
• Run Time: 158 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301516079
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,505 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

King Lear is a violent storm on a grand scale. It is a timeless tale of greed and lust for power. It is the story of a sick old man, his scheming children, and lost loyalties. King Lear is arguably Shakespeare's greatest work, masterfully adapted for the screen by Sir Laurence Olivier, unquestionably one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of the 20th century. 158 minutes.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Maybe Olivier's best performance, January 6, 2000

By 

Michael S. Conaway (Union, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have to disagree with the negative reviews posted above. This is possibly Olivier's best recorded performance, and the bulk of the other performances are excellent as well, particularly that of Diana Rigg. The actors speak their lines so casually and easily that, even if you're not used to Shakespearian dialog, it'll soon all seem perfectly natural. The set is minimalist, true, but if your enjoyment of Shakespeare is dependent upon set design then I recommend you never attend a stage performance. If I have one complaint about this production it's that the actors, while individually turning out great performances, don't appear to be relating to each other very well--as if they're each giving their rendition of their characters without letting their performances be informed by the performances of those around them. Still and all, this is an extremely moving production of one of the most powerful plays in the canon.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars you WILL cry, January 4, 2003

By 

K. McDermott (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King Lear (DVD)

This is not the best Lear, or the most complete, but it's the one I use in my classroom because Olivier's performance is so accessible and moving. His final scene makes you marvel at the emotional power an actor at the end of his career could muster -- and almost allows you to forget "The Betsy"! The supporting actors are very good, particularly Diana Rigg as Regan and John Hurt as an empathetic Fool. The language is crystal clear and the neolithic-Britain setting gives a better sense of the historical context for this legend than do the many modern-dress updates.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laurence Olivier's Finest Performance. His Last Major Screen Role-Absolutely Fitting That It Should Be Shakespeare., February 27, 2006

By 

HAMLET - See all my reviews

This review is from: King Lear [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The late Sir Laurence Olivier's final major screen role, five years before his death in 1989, is one of his most legendary and best performances. It equals every other Shakespearean role that he did in greatness. He also adapted the play for the screen and produced it (though he took no credit for that). How appropriate that the final major screen role of the greatest Shakespearean actor of all time, Kenneth Branagh close behind, should be a Shakespeare production. A fitting end to a long and illustrious career (see my reviews of his Shakespeare movies). As always, Sir Laurence Olivier is backed up by a strong supporting cast, including Diana Rigg ("On Her Majesty's Secret Service"; see my review of this much-maligned James Bond film) as Regan, John Hurt ("1984") as the Fool, Brian Cox ("Troy"; see my review) as the Duke Of Albany and Esmond Knight (Olivier's collaborator on "Henry V" and "Hamlet"; see my reviews on those films). I highly recommend this version for English classes. I have not seen other versions of this play, but until I see a better one, which I doubt, this version is the DEFINITIVE "King Lear." This final performance by the greatest Shakespearean actor is NOT TO BE MISSED. Not Rated.