King Lear (1998) starring Ian Holm and directed by Richard Eyre

This King Lear is a television adaptation of the much-celebrated Royal National Theater production, which earned Ian Holm and Richard Eyre numerous accolades and awards when it premiered on the London stage. Though the transition from to stage-to-screen is not wholly successful, Holm’s fresh take on the part is more than worth a viewing.
King Lear, [...]

Welles' Lear, staged by Peter Brook, on DVD

Press Release:
The Archive of American Television in partnership with E1 Entertainment is releasing Orson Welles 1953 dramatic Television debut as King Lear on DVD. The release date is January 26, 2010 with a list price of $29.95.
The DVD will come with over 80 minutes of bonus features, including:
* Interviews and rehearsal footage [...]

Uh, Hopkins also Lear?

We reported two days ago the news that Al Pacino was set to play King Lear in a new adaptation directed by Michael Radford. A little internet searching on the subject yielded another surprise… apparently, Anthony Hopkins is also tapped to play the more “sinned against than sinning” monarch. Strange that a 400-year old play [...]

Pacino To Play Lear

Joblo.com is reporting that Michael Radford, director of 2004’s The Merchant of Venice, has just tapped Al Pacino to play King Lear! Response to this news will probably be mixed, but we’re personally very excited at the prospect of Pacino testing his acting chops after the execrable double-whammy of 88 Minutes and Righteous Kill (I [...]

McKellen's LEAR on PBS…fully clothed

The news has been making it around the web that PBS, which is broadcasting a performance of the Trevor Nunn production of King Lear starring Ian McKellen on March 23, had decided to Bowdlerize the televised version by eliminating McKellen’s full frontal nudity in one scene, presumably the “Blow, winds!” mad scene. Sir Ian, with [...]