Shakespeare
What was Richard's main motivation throughout the play?
Power
Ambition for power
What type of film is Looking for Richard classified as?
A docudrama
Who fought in the War of the Roses?
The Yorks and the Lancasters
What is notable about Richard's appearance in the docudrama?
Pacino emphasises Richard's deformity.
Why does Richard order the murder of Clarence?
Richard orders the murder of his brother, Clarence, as a crucial step in his ruthless scheme to seize the English throne. By eliminating Clarence, Richard removes a direct rival to the crown and then manoeuvres to place blame on others, particularly Queen Elizabeth's family, which serves to further his political agenda and consolidate his own path to power.
What is stichomythia?
What year was Looking for Richard released?
1996
What location were the young princes confined/imprisoned to?
The Tower of London.
What is a vox pop?
The popular opinion as represented by informal comments from members of the public, especially when broadcast or published.
Derives from vox populi meaning 'voice of the people'
What dynasty was Richard III from?
The Plantagenets
What is providentialism?
Providentialism is the belief that a divine power, such as God, actively guides and controls all events, shaping history and the universe according to a divine plan with a specific purpose or end goal.
What is Pacino's purpose? What does he want his audience to learn through his docudrama?
Al Pacino states in his docudrama, Looking for Richard, that he wants his film to show that Shakespeare’s King Richard III is about “how we think and feel today.”
Why does it seem strange that Lady Anne agreed to marry Richard?
It seems strange that Lady Anne agreed to marry Richard because he was directly responsible for the murders of her husband and father-in-law, making the proposal a blatant act of manipulation and cruelty.
Name 3 different filming locations used in the film
New York City
Los Angeles
United Kingdom - London, Westminster, The Globe Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Canada - Montreal
What was the last important fight during the War of the Roses?
The Battle at Bosworth Field
Outline why Shakespeare wrote Richard III
Tudor chroniclers who influenced Shakespeare, had an interest in portraying the defeat of the Plantagenet House of York by the House of Tudor as good conquering evil.
Shakespeare constructed the play as 'Tudor Propaganda' to impress Elizabeth I. Through this play Shakespeare could highlight the corruption of the nobility and the crown.
What does Pacino emphasise about power in the context of the text?
Pacino emphasises that power is comprised of individual agency, and it is the complicit nature of others rather than dictations that define it. This reflects the idea that power is not solely determined by external forces, but rather by the actions and choices.
What animal is Richard often compared/referred to?
Richard III is often referred to as the boar because it was his heraldic symbol and a badge of his personal device. In Shakespeare's play Richard III, characters consistently call him a boar, representing his aggressive, destructive, and violent nature.
What broad question does Pacino (and the film) try to answer about Shakespeare and his works?
Pacino wants to prove that Shakespeare still speaks to audiences today and how societies of can relate to his work.
Who is Margaret? Why is she important?
Margaret is the wife of the late King Henry VI which makes her a Lancaster. The audience meets Margaret as a cursing, resentful, aged widow, unable to contain her rage. She represents a woman who has lost it all: her son, her husband and her position as Queen. She wants to see Richard held to account for his actions.
How does the representation of power differ between 'Richard III' and 'Looking for Richard'?
The representation of power differs between 'Richard III' and 'Looking for Richard' in that 'Richard III' reflects a hierarchical structure, while 'Looking for Richard' presents power as a human or social construct. As a consequence, this reflects the different societal values.
How does Al Pacino's interpretation of conscience differ from Shakespeare's portrayal?
Pacino sees conscience as a kind of moral and psychological reflection of personal choices and behaviour. Shakespeare attaches conscience to the dealings of God through Christian belief in providentialism.
Who was Richard III fighting on Bosworth Field?
Henry Tudor (Richmond)
Explain the controversy with Lady Anne's portrayal in the docudrama.
Many would argue that Pacino sexualises Lady Anne's character, which is supported by her age and being a 'young Hollywood star'.
Pacino adds the stage action of Richard kissing Anne - something that Shakespeare never included.
How does Shakespeare use women in the play?
Shakespeare emphasises the value of conscience and compassion through the role of women in the play because they represent a voice of reason, conscience and compassion, serving as a contrast to the evil and cruelty depicted in the play.