ESSAY CEMETERY

The 1973 National Theater film production of The Merchant of Venice packs several surprises, particularly in terms of the heated controversy over Shylock's character. Although sympathetic interpretations of the villain aren't uncommon, director John Sichel manages to keep the play fresh with a few clever cinematic manipulations of Shakespeare's text. The movie occasionally becomes overly sentimental to create pathos for Shylock; however, Sichel's portrayal of Antonio's character, Bassanio's character, and Shylock's relationship with Jessica results in an unusual and generally convincing take on the Shakespearean play. To invoke sympathy for Shylock, Sichel makes Antonio and Shylock into ostensible doppelgangers. In the courtroom scene, Portia cannot tell them apart, implying that the two are similar not only in appearance but in essence too. The two are of similar height, both well into middle age, and in some scenes identically garbed in black suits and a t...

The 2001 film A Knight's Tale , written and directed by Brian Helgeland, is set in medieval Europe. The film contains era-appropriate themes such as courtly love, nobility, and chivalry. However, the depiction of events and actions frequently deviates from the ideals and conventions held in medieval times. These deviations can be seen to appeal to different kinds of audiences, to create interest and comedic effect on different levels. Three kinds of audiences can be identified, each possessive of a different degree of familiarity with the film's subject matter. First is the lay modern audience that is unfamiliar with the medieval era. For this audience, the deviations from medieval conventions serve to make the movie more accessible. The film incorporates physical love scenes and contemporary comedy for this type of audience, whose interest would not have easily been maintained by chaste, moralistic courtly love. Second is the audience that has a general knowledge of the co...