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Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

United States, United Kingdom

1990

117 Min
Color
1.85:1
English
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
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DIR Tom Stoppard

EXEC Thomas J. Rizzo, Louise Stephens

PROD Emanuel Azenberg, Michael Brandman

SCR Tom Stoppard, William Shakespeare

DP Peter Biziou

CAST Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Richard Dreyfuss, Iain Glen, Joanna Miles, Vili Matula, John Burgess, Ian Richardson

ED Nicolas Gaster

PROD DES Vaughan Edwards

MUSIC Stanley Myers

Venice (Competition): Golden Lion, Pasinetti Award, Stockholm (Absolute film!)

Synopsis

Showing events from the point of view of two minor characters from Hamlet, men who have no control over their destiny, this film examines fate and asks if we can ever really know what’s going on? Are answers as important as the questions? Will Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (or Guildenstern and Rosencrantz) manage to discover the source of Hamlet’s malaise as requested by the new king? Will the mysterious players who are strolling around the castle reveal the secrets they evidently know? And whose serve is it? —IMDb

Director

Original

Tom Stoppard

Sir Tom Stoppard, OM, CBE, FRSL (born Tomáš Straüssler; 3 July 1937) is a British playwright, knighted in 1997.1 He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. He co-wrote the screenplays for Brazil and Shakespeare in Love and has won one Academy Award and four Tony Awards. Themes of human rights, censorship and political freedom pervade his work along with exploration of linguistics and philosophy. Stoppard has been a key playwright of the National Theatre and is one of the most internationally performed dramatists of his generation.

In 1939, Stoppard left Czechoslovakia as a child refugee, fleeing imminent Nazi occupation. He settled with his family in Britain after the war, in 1946. After being educated at schools in Nottingham and Yorkshire, Stoppard became… read more

Wall

Displaying 4 of 8 wall posts.
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nadka

7Jan13

i saw this film in late teens, thought it's magical. a 30+ years me, a lot more cynical and bitter, still finds it to be so.

Picture of DT

DT

20Feb12

Strangely diverting, errant existential comedy spin-off from Hamlet, if one that does eventually outstay its welcome. Even so, Stoppard’s dialogue is often loaded with wit, with Roth and Oldman creating effortless volumes of repartee and rapport to round off this light, irreverent take.

Picture of María

María

19Aug11

Best Duo Ever.

Picture of Owun Birkett

Owun Birkett

2Jun11

One of the best British comedies ever made! A very philosophical and observational driven story about two background characters from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. It doesn't rely on cheap slapstick comedy like recent comedies (i.e. The Hangover) Both Tim Roth and Gary Oldman make brilliant performances, along with Richard Dreyfuss who's fun to watch! An intellectual comedy that makes you think but, above all, laugh!

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