Peter Babakitis's new film William Shakespeare's Henry V reveals a darker side of patriotic ambition. Peter Babakitis, Emmy award-winning director of the film Kuksu, has chosen to explore the darker aspects of Shakepeare's tale of the medieval warrior-king, in dramatising parts of the text that have been cut from other film adaptations.
"I was attracted by this play because I thought it would be fascinating to get into the mind of this rather cold-blooded killer who believes he's doing God's work." Explains Mr. Babakitis, "Shakespeare gives us a sinister underside to the glory of conquest; an aspect of the play that I thought was lacking in other productions that I've seen."
"He is an isolated character, a victim of his own competence as a leader, and of the faith placed by others in him. His midnight wandering on the night before the battle of the most interesting self-reflective writing in all of Shakespeare, revealing the emptiness in the eye of the storm that this man had created."
Included in this version are: A female chorus, performed by Sabaa, from Saudi Arabia; The siege of Harfleur speech in full as a terrorist threat against a civilian population; Scenes of tax collecting and Abu-Ghraib style torture at the hands of Henry's troops; The "Man that once did sell the lion's skin" speech at Crispin's day, undercutting the stirring Crispin's day speech with a grisly threat and curse to the French; the massacre of the French prisoners by the English captors.
"I was attracted by this play because I thought it would be fascinating to get into the mind of this rather cold-blooded killer who believes he's doing God's work." Explains Mr. Babakitis, "Shakespeare gives us a sinister underside to the glory of conquest; an aspect of the play that I thought was lacking in other productions that I've seen."
"He is an isolated character, a victim of his own competence as a leader, and of the faith placed by others in him. His midnight wandering on the night before the battle of the most interesting self-reflective writing in all of Shakespeare, revealing the emptiness in the eye of the storm that this man had created."
Included in this version are: A female chorus, performed by Sabaa, from Saudi Arabia; The siege of Harfleur speech in full as a terrorist threat against a civilian population; Scenes of tax collecting and Abu-Ghraib style torture at the hands of Henry's troops; The "Man that once did sell the lion's skin" speech at Crispin's day, undercutting the stirring Crispin's day speech with a grisly threat and curse to the French; the massacre of the French prisoners by the English captors.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
