A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a 1999 film directed by Michael Hoffman, based on Shakespeare’s famous comedy, written around 1595.
Hermia is a girl of ancient Athens, who is bound, under threat of death, to marry Demetrius within four days. But she loves Lysander, a beautiful young man of Athens, and plans to flee with him to a safer place where they can get married. She confides her plan to her friend Helena, who is desperately in love with Demetrius. Since she reveals the plan to Demetrius, he follows the fugitives into the forest and Helena follows him in her turn. They all wander in the fairy world of the forest. Oberon and his servant Puck cause a lot of confusion among the lovers with a magic potion. Meanwhile an amateur theatre group is rehearsing a play for the Duke Theseus. Mischievously, Oberon uses a magical potion to make Titania fall in love with Bottom, one of the actors.
Entirely shot in Italy, the film transposes the original Renaissance setting at the turn of the 19th century, yet retaining, faithfully enough, the enchanted fairy atmosphere of Shakespeare’s work. Notwithstanding some changes in period costumes and the presence of various belle époque aspects, such as the appearance of the early bicycles, the production doesn’t strike a false note. Moreover, the film is directed with elegance and performed by a top class cast and can thus offer a fully enjoyable entertainment.
So, what are you waiting for? We highly recommend this film.
Autori: Guglielmo Longo, Alice Nalesso, Fiamma Ricato, Elena Susanu e Martina Taffarello
