Shakespeare Lecture Series: From Stage to Screen

This lecture explores the enduring influence of Shakespeare’s works on cinema, tracing the evolution of his plays from stage to screen. We’ll examine how filmmakers across generations have adapted his texts, from faithful recreations to bold reinterpretations that reimagine his themes, characters, and language for modern audiences. Through clips and discussion, we’ll analyze key adaptations by directors such as Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh, Baz Luhrmann, and Akira Kurosawa, uncovering how Shakespeare’s stories continue to shape film language, storytelling, and cultural discourse. Whether set in medieval castles, modern cityscapes, or dystopian futures, Shakespeare’s words remain as powerful on film as they were on the stage.