Watch Looking for Richard For Free

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

the audience applauded

best movie i've ever seen.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Though I have watched this documentary many times I find that now after watching it during my enrollment in a documentary film class I am able to appreciate the film all that much more. Pacino's passion as an actor is vividly captured in this documentary and the breaks that he offers in order for the audience to "catch-up" illustrates that he understands his notions as an actor place him in a better understanding of the Shakespearean play, Richard III; but, he does not impose that notion upon the viewer. He is dedicated to helping the viewer understand the play and in doing so gives off a great sense of authority over the play and the production. I enjoyed the rehearsal readings that showed the actors were somewhat in the same boat of misunderstanding as the audience was. By walking the streets of New York and discussing Shakespeare in the most usually of places demonstrates how Pacino envisioned Shakespeare to be a more intricate part of our daily lives. As a participatory film, Pacino demonstrates the art of documenting by choosing the scenes in which he is selecting the settings for the shots to be filmed, he controls the dialogue that takes place on camera and decides which scenes of the play with be discussed more extensively on camera. This film gained a new appreciation from an old fan by noticing the different cinematic techniques that Al Pacino considers while they take place on film.

I have to study Richard III and Looking For Richard for school and, lucky for me I like Shakespeare so I understand it. When I was told we were studying Looking For Richard as well, I was skeptical because often the English staff choose bad movies but I really did enjoy this film immensely.Al Pacino had a brilliant idea to try and make Shakespeare more accessible to the modern public, more so the modern American public and he does a brilliant job of this. It is different though because he does not really change it too much.The cast is also very good and contains a number of famous names. Even though I have to study this film for an English class I would gladly watch this film anyway which is a testament to the film. Absolutely fantastic.

Pacino's directing debut is a (sort of) documentary of him as he prepares to film Shakespeare's Richard III (with him on the title role, of course). We see him researching the material, going to Shakespeare's house in England, rehearsing with the actors, interviewing people on the street about Shakespeare, interviewing scholars. As the film progresses, we actually see him performing (parts) of the play with the actors (including Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder, among others). Its enjoyable and informative, though it is sometimes irritating when Pacino asks questions to the scholars he already knows the answer to. It's a bit self-indulgent, also, though Pacino does come as a likable person. But his unpretentiousness seems a bit too studied, too labored (hey, Shakespeare is for normal people too, he seems to say, a little too many times).

Frequently fascinating film that is mostly documentary-based, with footage of a Richard III production inserted. Interviews are conducted and we see Pacino visiting key places in Shakespeare's history as well as interviewing actors (such as Vanessa Redgrave and John Gielgud) as well as academic historians. Lots of insight is given into the acting process as well as the difficulties Americans in particular may face when dealing with Shakespeare. Indeed, Pacino and his colleagues themselves are self-deprecating and frank when it comes to admitting what they do or do not understand, historical moments, and so on.Certainly one that Pacino fans should admire, as well as there being something quite perceptive for fans of the bard, also. The production of Richard III that we see in between other pieces of footage still manages to be stirring, and is memorably performed. It's hard not to get a kick out of actors like Pacino and Kevin Spacey discussing their craft and then seeing it in motion.