Product Details

• Actors: Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Jean Simmons, Leslie Banks, Felix Aylmer
• Directors: Laurence Olivier
• Writers: Laurence Olivier, Alan Dent, Colley Cibber, Dallas Bower, David Garrick
• Producers: Alexander Korda
• Format: Box set, Black & White, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Criterion
• DVD Release Date: August 1, 2006
• Run Time: 448 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FILVO6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,665 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Olivier's Shakespeare (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III) (The Criterion Collection)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Dubbed the greatest actor of the twentieth century, Sir Laurence Olivier, the classically trained and majestically handsome English theater veteran, first transplanted his passion for Shakespeare to the big screen in the 1940s, and in so doing, allowed Elizabethan verse to break free of its stage-bound origins. Olivier directed only five films in his sixty-year career, yet his three Shakespeare adaptations (Henry V, Hamlet, Richard III), presented here together on DVD for the first time, are still widely considered the definitive film adaptations. Faithful to the playwright’s words yet open to the unique possibilities of the cinema, these works transcend both screen and stage with timeless passion. Criterion is proud to present this unprecedented filmmaking legacy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THREE GREAT MOMENTS... OLIVIER... SHAKESPEARE... CRITERION..., August 23, 2006

By 

Paulo Leite (Lisbon, Portugal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olivier's Shakespeare (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III) (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

Basically, these are three great Criterion Editions boxed together - which gives it a nice sense of continuity between these films.

HAMLET is, perhaps, Shakespeare most widely known and popular work. And Olivier gives it the film performance to which all others are compared. Period. And it is a great film with a striking cinematography and (naturaly) a great cast. A classic. Criterion, as always, does a fine job in terms of image and sound... although this disc has no extras.

RICHARD III tells the story of the evil duke of gloucester and his murderous machinations to get the throne of England. Another great performance. Great Technicolor cinematography. Here, Criterion gives us a two-disc edition full of nice extras: an Olivier interview, a featurette, etc.

HENRY V is another tour de force as the king who must battle all odds in order to achieve the greatest victory. The Agincourt battle scenes are a wow!!! Another Tecnicolor triumph.

So, here you have three great Shakespeare adaptation at a better price (you can buy the separately) by Criterion.

I say look no further.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic, Criterion, Olivier, brilliance., August 15, 2007

By 

EliteLamo "too weird to live, too rare to die" (Manhattan Proper) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olivier's Shakespeare (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III) (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

1. Criterion; enough said.

2. Five stars for shelling these three classics together.

3. Laurence Olivier is one of the most captivating and most talented actors to ever grace the craft. His honing and mastering of timing, process and realism is bar none compared to the actors of this day and age as a whole. He was masterfully involved in every facet of a production.

4. Clearly 'Henry V' is his shining tour de force, although the majority will say it was 'Hamlet'. A Classics teacher I had once freshman year, a true inspiration of a hero, said "Olivier is the crowning jewel of a lost empty space." Olivier's Henry V unchains Shakespeare from most Elizabethan limits. He commands the performance with mobility and tenderness, yet brings Shakespeares poetry into a new light. He masterfully illuminates the complete package.

I remember seeing Olivier play Master Nikodemus in Zeff's potrayal of the life of Christ in 'Jesus of Nazereth', (I am forever the agnostic, but Zeff's film was mesmorizing) and even there, even there in that simple tiny, forgotten role, we see that illumination at first hand. A gentle hovering spirit that soared to the very upper echelon of his profession.

Thank you Criterion for understanding majestic raw talent, pinnacle acting and directing from a superstar, in which the likes of will surely not be matched for some time, if ever.

Thanks

Ken

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Olivier's best Shakespeare..., September 12, 2009

By 

Patrick Selitrenny (Switzerland a.k.a. Helvetia Felix) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olivier's Shakespeare (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III) (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

Who can deny that for his time, Laurence Olivier was the absolute pioneer in Shakespeare adaptations for the screen.

This masterfully crafted boxed-set by Criterion contains three of his best versions of the Bard.

The first is "Henry V", filmed during WWII, and as such it reflects a bit of the mood and the propaganda needs,

that were prevailing in England during those days.

Despite of this, Olivier shows us filming techniques, which for those days, were considered revolutionary.

Of course the speeches are held for an audience in need for motivation and are far less naturalistic than, say,

in Kenneth Branagh's own version.

Yet, the entire production, which actually starts on a stage at the "Globe" Theater in Shakespeare's times, just

to slowly switch to actual exterior shots (especially in the final Agincourt Battle), runs smoothly and very

entertaining.

Names such as Robert Newton, Leslie Banks, Leo Genn, Esmond Knight and many other famous British actors of the

time grace and crowd the screen with powerful performances.

The DVD transfer, at least to me, seems extremely well done.

Sharp images, vivid colors and details that on a VHS tape and even on the Laserdisc looked somewhat washed out

are now fully restored to their original showing vision.

The sound is impeccable, despite being in Mono, it is now more rounded up and fuller than previous versions

The second is "Hamlet", in which Olivier truly takes center stage, both as a director and as an actor.

This one is in Black and White, but due to the gloomy and complex subject involving the title character, it seems

very appropriate and adds to the "gray" mood that pervades the whole plot.

By now, Hamlet had already established himself as a leading actor and this is even felt in his directing of this

movie. One can feel his confidence with the subject, as well as with the optical side and visual depiction of scenes.

This time Elsinore is represented as a rocky island in the midst of nowhere, in a somewhat surrealist vision of

Denmark, surrounded by depressing fog. Rare are the clear and sunny days.

All this contributes to a scene of uneasiness and impending doom looming on everyone involved.

The cast again, is worthy of mention, with again Leslie Banks, Esmond Knight and Niall MacGinnis, almost carried

over from "Henry V" as competent Shakespearean actors, and adding later screen household names such as Patrick Troughton

(appearing later in Hammer movies), Anthony Quayle (Lawrence of Arabia, The Fall of the Roman Empire, The Guns of Navarone),

Peter Cushing (another Hammer star and the original Doctor Who, as well as starring in Star Wars), Stanley Holloway

and Jean Simmons.

Again, and like the above, the Digital restoration and transfer are impeccable with smooth contrast variations and its

sound has been greatly improved, compared to earlier versions.

Dialogues are very clear and the sound effects are somewhat discreetly enhanced.

The third and final selection, can be considered to this day, Olivier's masterpiece: "Richard III" in a double-DVD version.

This is not your usual screen adaptation, but the dark look in an even darker corner of one of Shakespeare's more hated, and

at the same time, loved characters ever written on paper.

If one would set aside the historic figure of Richard III Plantagenet for a moment and take this, as his stereotyped and

simplified alter ego, then one could immediately jump into the character as depicted in this Elizabethan Drama.

Olivier's vision is impeccable, starting as he does, from the ending of "Henry VI" and dragging us swiftly by the hand, into

the plots and handlings of the Man who wanted a Crown, a Kingdom and ultimately be, the sole ruler of England.

Taking as a true premise and excuse the fact, that he was the legal Plantagenet heir to the throne, and therefore the only

true legitimate contender for this title, he then operates his plots.

But poor Richard makes a fatal mistake. He belongs to a long bygone era of battlefield warriors, absolutely not well versed

in diplomatic backstabbing and as such totally unfit to play such games.

The entire plot is revealed to us step by step and we are involved in it, as co-conspirators.

The decision by Olivier to address the Camera (therefore us), every time he is about to dispatch someone to his doom, was a

very risky one, but one that paid off handsomely, considering that he pulls us in with him, into the play and never to let us

lose.

In the end, at the resolution of the movie, one cannot but feel pity for this man's ultimate demise, precisely because by now,

we are one with the character.

As said, a very risky decision, but dramatically very clever and successful one.

Once again we are served with a cast worthy of such a movie. Starting from Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Claire Bloom and

Cedric Hardwicke, to Laurence Naismith and again Esmond Knight and John Laurie.

Add Stanley Baker, Michael Gough, Douglas Wilmer, Pamela Brown and Michael Ripper and you have some of the finest actors

assembled in one movie.

Like the other two, we are again served with an impeccable Digital remastering and transfer of the Film elements, and this

time, with more natural looking colors than ever and what seems to be a wide spectrum Digital Mono sound.

On Disc one you get the Movie, a very interesting and thorough commentary.

On Disc two you get an old, but highly informative and interesting interview with Laurence Olivier himself plus various

tiny gems and an essay by film historian Bruce Eder.

If one is really interested to watch true acting, good directing and well adapted versions of Shakespeare's plays, this

collection must be considered an insurmountable one.

It is an imperative one to have, even if you may have learned to appreciate newer versions of the same.

In such a case, they become a comparative study of what was, with what is and nevertheless a must for any scholar, or

passionate classic collector of movie gems such as these.