Looking for Richard
Al Pacino (director): Looking for Richard (1996)
In this documentary the American actor, Al Pacino is looking for information about Richard III. In interviews with scholars he learns about the historical Richard and various interpretations of Shakespeare’s play. In the process, he acts out central scenes from the play and talks to the public about what Shakespeare and Richard III mean to them and to modern people in general.
- According to the documentary very few people know William Shakespeare’s play Richard III, and yet it is the most played of his dramas. Think of reasons why that is.
- Account for the course of the War of the Roses.
- Why is the American audience so reluctant when it comes to Shakespeare’s plays?
- Why are American actors self-conscious about playing Shakespeare?
- What is Richard III’s motive for wanting to marry Lady Anne?
- Does this desire prove that he is a lover as well as a villain?
- Why is the ghost scene so significant according to the documentary?
- What does Richard III come to learn about himself?
- Does the documentary succeed in making Shakespeare and Richard III more accessible to people?
