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Sir Ian McKellen on Shakespeare's Richard III from the BFI

In this lively Q&A, award-winning actor and writer Sir Ian McKellen and director Richard Loncraine reveal the creative thinking behind their 1995 film adaptation of Richard III.

Transposing the action from the Middle Ages to a dystopian version of 1930s Britain and drawing on the aesthetic of the Third Reich; this vision of the play deftly manages to be highly original, cinematic and true to Shakespeare. How did they do it? What happened when they ran out of money? And what would Sir Ian ask Shakespeare if he could meet him?

Filmed at BFI Southbank, and streamed to cinemas around the UK as part of the BFI’s Shakespeare on Film season, Richard III is part of an international touring programme and has recently been re-released on DVD and Blu-ray, with brand new additional material.

Duration:

22 minutes

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