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Editorial Reviews
Review
A sumptuous collection for both students and adults --Booklist
Highly Recommended 3 1/2 STARS --Video Librarian
Highly Recommended 3 1/2 STARS --Video Librarian
Product Description
Winner of 3 Emmy Awards these exceptional animated stories have been designed to introduce children and young adults to some Shakespeare's most popular works. Each play has been animated in it own unique style by the exceptional talents of the leading directors of Russia's Christmas Films. Actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company and stars of stage and screen, including Antony Sher, Joss Ackland and Jenny Agutter, provide voices for the characters which were recorded and produced by BBC Wales. In Russia, art and animation has long been used as a veiled form of satire, education and political protest. This has inspired scores of Russian animators to develop fascinating and highly individual techniques, a prolific kaleidoscope of styles from which the animation artists were chosen for these stories of Shakespeare-The Animated Tales.
Giftbox Contains 12 Animated Plays on 4 DVD's: The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Richard III, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
65 of 65 people found the following review helpful
By R. Jersak
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a wonderful find! Aficionados of animation know how hard it can be to find the work of Russia's Christmas Films on DVD (Operavox and The Miracle Maker being the only other North American releases that I'm aware of). This is a great set, with twelve of the Bard's famous works presented in various styles of lush animation:
Disc One
The Tempest - Stop-Motion Puppetry
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Cel Animation
As You Like It - Oil Paint on Cel
Disc Two
Hamlet - Paint on Glass
Julius Caesar - Cel Animation
King Richard III - Paint on Glass
Disc Three
Romeo and Juliet - Cel Animation
Othello - Cel Animation
The Winter's Tale - Stop-Motion Puppetry
Disc Four
Macbeth - Cel Animation
The Taming of the Shrew - Stop-Motion Puppetry
Twelfth Night - Stop-Motion Puppetry
There are some incredible moments in these films: the magical fluidity and strange forms of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the ghostly image of Ophelia floating down the corridor's of the castle, Caesar's blood-red cape flowing and wrapping around his corpse. Although each play has been truncated to 30 minutes, the performances (both animators and voice actors alike) are sharp and the essential meanings and messages have been retained. These films are marvelous, and if you enjoy the works of William Shakespeare and/or the work of great animators, I'm certain that you'll enjoy this set.
Now here's hoping for The Canterbury Tales!
Disc One
The Tempest - Stop-Motion Puppetry
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Cel Animation
As You Like It - Oil Paint on Cel
Disc Two
Hamlet - Paint on Glass
Julius Caesar - Cel Animation
King Richard III - Paint on Glass
Disc Three
Romeo and Juliet - Cel Animation
Othello - Cel Animation
The Winter's Tale - Stop-Motion Puppetry
Disc Four
Macbeth - Cel Animation
The Taming of the Shrew - Stop-Motion Puppetry
Twelfth Night - Stop-Motion Puppetry
There are some incredible moments in these films: the magical fluidity and strange forms of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the ghostly image of Ophelia floating down the corridor's of the castle, Caesar's blood-red cape flowing and wrapping around his corpse. Although each play has been truncated to 30 minutes, the performances (both animators and voice actors alike) are sharp and the essential meanings and messages have been retained. These films are marvelous, and if you enjoy the works of William Shakespeare and/or the work of great animators, I'm certain that you'll enjoy this set.
Now here's hoping for The Canterbury Tales!
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Any fan of animation or Shakespeare should think about buying this set. The set does not seem to have the Robin Williams introductions (and they are missed) but otherwise everything is here. Can't say enough good about this set. Makes it very clear how dull regular TV programming is. Priceless stuff.
20 of 25 people found the following review helpful
By Amy Wong
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I grew up watching Shakespeare The Animated Tales on Discovery Kids Latin America... back when it was for kids and not babies.
Anyway, it's nice to get to see it again, and some of the animation is pretty cool (e.g. Hamlet episode). I also have a predilection for the stop motion episodes.
Despite the decent digital transfer of the video, the sound is poor. I have to watch the discs on the highest volume possible, and even then it's hard to listen to it in parts.
Also, the $70+ price tag is a turn-off, when even 13-episode series range from $20-35.
Anyway, it's nice to get to see it again, and some of the animation is pretty cool (e.g. Hamlet episode). I also have a predilection for the stop motion episodes.
Despite the decent digital transfer of the video, the sound is poor. I have to watch the discs on the highest volume possible, and even then it's hard to listen to it in parts.
Also, the $70+ price tag is a turn-off, when even 13-episode series range from $20-35.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yeah
Awesome way to engage early aged children. I recoommend the claymation! Watch out for Romeo and Juliet since there is a brief scene of side cartoon female parts.
Published 3 months ago by Julie Kowalchick
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new approach to the Bard.
I enjoyed these novel adaptations of Shakespeare's work. I haven't seen some of the minor plays, but now I'm anxious to do so.
Published 3 months ago by Earl Walton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what I needed
And it arrived so quickly!
They are a great set and I look forward to using them in school!
Thanks!
They are a great set and I look forward to using them in school!
Thanks!
Published 5 months ago by Paul Michael Fontana
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely, lively intro to Shakespeare
this set is a wonderful bridge for the younger set who may struggle slogging thru the language but who really want to understand what's going on in all these cool Shakespeare... Read more
Published 12 months ago by tbik
5.0 out of 5 stars
Toss the pillows around
I remember watching this series on HBO when I was a teenager. This was the series that truly made me love Shakespeare. Read more
Published on February 17, 2011 by Annalee Vogel
5.0 out of 5 stars
The reason I got into Shakespeare
This use to come on HBO in the mornings when I was about 10 years old. It was my first real introduction to Shakespeare and I've been hooked ever since. Read more
Published on January 3, 2011 by Stephanie L
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for learning & loving the Bard!
I wrote an entire curriculum for my 6th graders a few years ago introducing them to Sharkespeare in the best way I knew how...through video and in-class plays. Read more
Published on November 11, 2008 by S. M. Groves
2.0 out of 5 stars
HIt and Miss--mostly miss
Many of these animated tales are laughable and are certain to make kids dread the Bard. While fans of animation might marvel at some technical achievements, it much like film... Read more
Published on December 24, 2007 by Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
As a high school English teacher, I'm always looking for ways to make Shakespeare accessible to a generation who could sometimes seem to care less about classical literature. Read more
Published on August 5, 2007 by Jennifer L. Spiwak Levi
1.0 out of 5 stars
Shakespeare:The Animated Tales
I did not like the "animation" at all..
It spoilt the text of the plays..
I will rate this item 0 stars!! Yes that bad..
It spoilt the text of the plays..
I will rate this item 0 stars!! Yes that bad..
Published on August 31, 2006 by June Stafford
