'The Taming of the Shrew' Review

'The Taming of the Shrew' is an adaptation of Shakespeare's much loved comedy. This is one film that has been adapted many of times within this century. In 2005, the BBC rewrote their version of the events to make it more current for our generation to relate to & understand. With the movie starring Shirley Henderson, Rufus Sewell, Jaime Murray, Stephen Tompkinson, Twiggy Lawson & David Mitchell. Although it has been updated, you can still see the similarities to the Elizabethan ear, however they have shown this through all the characters instead of just one main character. 

http://www.shakespearefilms.com/images/taming-of-the-shrew.jpg

Katherine Minola is a successful politician who is tipped to be leader of her party. She has a nasty, short temper about herself & has also been single for the past 38 years of her life. They don't actually tell us in the film, but we are also lead to believe that this also means that she's a virgin, like the 'Virgin Queen' Elizabeth. Her party believe that, as the leader, she needs to find a man & get married so she will be listened to more by her people. Again, this is what Elizabeth was told to do, find a man to marry so her people will listen to her more & she would be seen to be a stronger queen for her country. The way that Kate looks, also makes me believe that she is seen to be like Elizabeth. She wears a skirt suit in almost ever scene that she's in, that is also pitched in at the waist with a larger open collar. This is just like how Elizabeth wore her outfits. Pinched in at the waist to show off her trim figure with her chest on show. Kate also wears her hair up in a formal bun with a centre parting apart from one scene where she is in bed with her husband after they get married. Once again, this is just like Elizabeth would do, have it up and out the way when in public & loose and down when in her chambers. 

Kate has a sister is called Bianca. She is a celebrity who made her career in modelling. Herself & Kate are nothing alike at all! Bianca is one for the finer things in life. She wears clothing made from velvet & fur, just like her mother does too. She's also seen to wear alot of white & purple which is seen to be royal & expensive colours. Bianca's house is very modern with pictures of herself all over the place. To me, this is a big similarity to Elizabeth because she also had lots of portraits of herself around her home. This also links to the fact that Elizabeth was able to control which portraits were created of her by Bianca choosing which images she has of herself in her own home because it's harder in today's times because of paparazzi. 

There are also similarities to the Elizabethan era throughout the film within all the other characters. For example, Bianca has a new, young, Italian boyfriend named Lucentio, in one scene Bianca & Lucentio are wearing matching fur jackets. This symbolises their wealth and the fact that they can afford the better things in life, much like Queen Elizabeth would.