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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Kenneth Branagh adeptly
handles William Shakespeare’s most adroit and
least dated romantic comedy; Much Ado About
Nothing (1993) with lusty full-blooded cinematic
aplomb. Drawing on an international cast of
established stars and up and comers, Branagh
weaves a masterful filmic experience from this
‘wordy’ material that is both light and airy while
remaining faithful to the bard’s original prose.
The tale concerns the pending nuptials of winsome
and virginal Hero (Kate Beckinsale) to military
soldier, Claudio (Sean Patrick Leonard). His
regiment, fronted by the intellectual Don Pedro of
Aragon (Denzel Washington) and playfully arrogant
Benedick (Branagh), goad the young newlywed-to-be
about what he can expect from married life –
curious advice indeed, since neither Pedro or Ben’
are with wife themselves.
Ben’ at least has a prospect in the feisty and
rather feministic eldest daughter to the manor
born, Beatrice (Emma Thompson) who is quick to see
right through her would-be lover’s eyes and
straight into his rancid little heart. The two
tear at one another like a pair of wild cats -
each refusing to budge an inch on their
expectations of the ideal mate.
Meanwhile, plans for Hero’s lavish wedding
commense. But a fly in the ointment appears with
Don John (Keanu Reeves) who conspires to lead
Claudio into believing that Hero has been
unfaithful.
The film is, as the title predicts ‘much ado about
nothing.’ Though Claudio takes temporary leave of
his senses and doubts his beloved’s true heart, in
the end their wedding caps off an otherwise
pleasant comedy of errors. What is quite
remarkable about the film is how fresh and vital
it remains. Branagh’s break with conventional
staging of Shakespearian masterworks ‘opens up’
the play with lavish sets and scenery in Tuscony,
capturing the flavor as well as the words behind
the romantic longing.
Due to a curious rights issue, Sony Home
Entertainment no longer owns the rights to Much
Ado About Nothing – a film produced under the
Columbia banner. There are two DVDs currently
available for this title; one – the out of print
but still attainable Sony transfer, the other a
reissue from MGM Home Entertainment which
currently owns the rights.
Both DVDs exhibit virtually identical transfer
quality: anamorphic widescreen with rich saturated
colors, consistent contrast levels and a refined
and detailed image with fine details readily
available throughout. Occasionally, age related
artifacts are present but do not distract. Digital
anomalies are a non-issue. This is a smooth visual
presentation. The audio is 5.1 Dolby Digital and
quite hearty and robust throughout. There are no
extras on either version. |
