British director Peter Hall's 1968 filmization of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, starring the Royal Shakespeare Company, is faithful to the text and to the main plot, which involves the "bewitching" of several groups of mortals by a covey of mischievous invisible fairies. So why did critics complain? Hall's handling of Shakespeare's prose and iambic pentameter didn't bother the purists as much as the director's visual choices. Hall was criticized for staging the film in a typically rainy British winter rather than the mid-Summer alluded to in the play's title. The director responded by pointing out that the fairies, led by Oberon and Titania, were deliberately toying with the expectations and sensibilities of the Mortals - thus, it made sense to confuse the "human" characters by playing havoc with the weather. Other stylistic alterations included updating the story to the 19th century, and the near-nudity of Judi Dench as Titania. Most of the film is shot in close-up (most effectively during the soliloquies of Diana Rigg, as Helena), not so much to hide budgetary deficiencies as to play better on television. Also featuring Ian Holm (as Puck) Barbara Jefford, Helen Mirren, Michael Jayston, Paul Rogers, Ian Richardson and David Warner, this Midsummer Night's Dream premiered in the U.S. on the CBS TV network on Sunday evening, February 9, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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A Midsummer Night's Dream Derek Godfrey, Barbara Jefford, Diana Rigg Synopsis: Puck's magic confuses the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and the Amazon queen Hippolyta in Shakespeare's play. Format: DVD Color: Color Rating: Not Rated Genre: Comedy Runtime: 120 Year: 1969 Director: Peter Hall

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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is one fo Shakespeare's earliest comedies yet still resounds with the brilliance and charm of his later works. Directed by Peter Hall using THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE ACADEMY's cast of actors, this 1968 version is one of the wittiest and wildest of all versions to be produced. Hermia (Helen Mirren) is in love with Lysander (David Warner) but are forbidden to marry. Together they set off into the enchanted wood to live together in happiness. Unknown to them, the couple is followed by Demetrius (Michael Jayston) who loves Hermia. Demtrius in turn is followed by Helena (Diana Rig) for she is in love with him. Their collective adventures are further compounded by the inhabitants of the wood the Faeries. Oberon (Ian Richardson) and Titania (Judi Dench), the King and Queen of the Faeries, helped by Oberon's servant Puck (Ian Holm), cast the lovers into turmoil through their magic and their own jealousies. With its cast of great performers, this film version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is a hilarious and tremendous production of one of the Bard's greatest work. A must have for all fans of Shakespeare.

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