Looking For Richard Pacino Analysis

Our values and morals remain timeless as they form the basis of our interaction with each other and are instilled as part of our humanity defining us as beings. The Shakespearean play, “King Richard III” and its hybrid doco-drama appropriation, “looking for Richard’ directed by Al Pacino, reveal inherent values of power in relation to our morality and justice. As Shakespeare focuses on the human psyche and the role of god’s Devine retribution in the Elizabethan era, Pacino on the other hand emphasizes the American context to allow audiences to re-evaluate the significance of the political and social values present in KRIII, thus enriching our understanding of the original text.

The prominence of power within both texts highlights the
the low camera angle focusing up on Pacino's face accompanied by the chiaroscuro lighting conveys the multifaceted nature of individual it to Shakespeare's actor like characterization of Richard. the low camera angle foreshadows Richard's rise to power as he towers over the citizens below him with a sense of arrogant superiority. in contrast the lack of power amongst the citizens highlighted through the distant high camera angle shots looking down upon from the balcony with a mournful non-diegetic music accompanying the utterance of the phrase 'All hail King Richard, England's worthy king'. the smirking glare of Richard in contrast to the naivety of the citizens within this scene is highlighted in looking for Richard with a facial close up of the psychotic look in Pacino's eyes directed at the camera creating an evoking a sense of intimidation amongst the audience. This smirk although cannot be visually represented within the original text due a differences in form as a consequence of contextual influences however the cacodemon nature of Richard is implied through characterization of Richard as 'the vice' p and amoral figure through the animalistic imagery as "thou foul dog". Not only does this serve as political propaganda to support the Tudor myth but also likens the psychological manipulation
This difference is highlighted between Richard and looking for Richard through the reasons the audience seeks justice towards the character of Richard. The Shakespearean audience would hold the outlooks of Margaret from the beginning of the play as she states, "if heaven have any grievous plague in store exceeding those that I can wish upon thee o let them keep it till thy sins be ripe". Shakespeare encapsulates the tension created by Margaret’s curses in order to question whether justice is truly defined by man or god. The deviation from the iambic pentameter followed throughout the act exemplifies Margaret from the blind sited courts men within the room, ignorant towards Richard’s devious schemes. The omission of Margaret’s curses within the film and the omens present within the dream once more reflect the deflection from the religious traditions to address a more contemporary audience. The distinct emphasis on the psychological deterioration and conscience within character highlights before the murder of Clarence and the young princes stating, "Faith, some certain dregs of conscience are yet within me." Additionally, the hesitant manner of the murder conveys the role of our morality and personal beliefs in our action rather than those defined by