Shakespeare alive today than ever

Cast: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne, Dolly Parton, Hulk Hogan, Marty Robbins.
Director: Kelly Ashbury
Music: Elton John
Cinema: Eastgate
Running time: 83 minutes
Age restriction: All ages
Type of film: family/animation.

Born more than 350 years ago, and living only to the age of 52, it can be truly said that William Shakespeare is more alive today than ever.
Some of modern Hollywood’s greatest productions with the presentation of human nature in both subtle and complex incarnations owe their all to a man who in modern terms had not even a high school education.

Having died in 1966, Walt Disney, born in 1901, Shakespeare can be given credit with his inspiring, high minded repertoire of films.
That also include the desire of several generations of monetarily impoverished students to aspire higher than their fore-bears, to embed themselves in the arts even when remuneration will certainly not be forthcoming.
With at least five film productions of this Shakespeare masterpiece available to cinema audiences, Harare residents now have the opportunity to see a production which dares to deviate from “the script” in the most

important way imaginable, the two lovers are still alive and together, at the end.
In this film version of the classic, the two families are not referred to by the names originally given them by the Bard of Stratford on Avon: Montague for Romeo’s family; Capulet for Juliet’s.

Taking advantage of recent and almost legendary advances in film colouration, Romeo and all his kith and kin are referred to and are dressed all in Blue.
He himself comes to us under the name Gnomeo in this film all the characters are gnomes with Juliet and her family the Reds.

While assuredly and predictably all ends happily in the end, with the lovers locked and joined in what can be predicted to be eternal bliss, there is “hell to pay” along the way.
Both ancient and modern weaponry is brought into play which is surprising for a film aimed principally at a young audience a high degree of mortality and destruction.

Once again I refer to the recent Disney animated film Tangled – we have a film whose targeted audience is the schoolchildren, but whose parents would greatly enjoy. And benefit.