Download or read book Shakespeare Films written by Peter E.S. Babiak and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-05-23 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study reexamines the recognized "canon" of films based on Shakespeare's plays, and argues that it should be broadened by breaking with two unnecessary standards: the characterization of the director as "auteur" of a play's screen adaptation, and the convention of excluding films with contemporary language or modern or alternative settings or which use the play as a subtext. The emphasis is shifted from the director's contribution to the film's social, cultural and historical contexts. The work of the auteurs is reevaluated within present-day contexts, preserving the established canon while proposing new criteria for inclusion.