O |  | Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Actors: Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Andrew Keegan, Julia Stiles, Rain Phoenix
Category: DVD
Buy New: $14.99
as of 2/10/2010 09:51 EST details
New (1) Used (2) from $14.54
Seller: mirmedia_movies_and_music
Rating:  111 reviews
Format: NTSC
Language: French (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
UPC: 870581500622
EAN: 0807581500628
ASIN: B000065SJ1
Theatrical Release Date: August 31, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
When you compare O to William Shakespeare's Othello, you'll realize just how well this modern adaptation really works. Shakespeare's tragedy transfers nicely to the film's contemporary private school setting, where Othello is now Odin (Mekhi Phifer), star of the basketball team and the school's only African American student. Desdemona is Desi (Julia Stiles), the dean's daughter and Odin's girlfriend, and Iago is Hugo (Josh Hartnett), the coach's steroid-shooting son, who jealously plants seeds of doubt that fester in Odin's mind, leading them all to a tragically violent fate. As directed by Tim Blake Nelson (who played the dimwit Delmar in O Brother, Where Art Thou?), this is a clever and serious interpretation of Shakespeare that, sadly, was shelved for two years when its distributor balked at potential comparisons to the Columbine massacre. Such fears were pointless; this well-acted film delivers an anti-violence message that younger viewers will readily appreciate. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
 From Shakespeare's poetry to monosyllabic grunts January 30, 2010
Lady Prudence (New York)
Although this movie takes place in a high school, I could never show this film to my high school English Class.
First of all, there's the language. I could take the occasional "f" word for emphasis, but these kids (and even the teacher) speak in nothing but monosyllabic grunts -- are they even remotely interested in sounding like educated, intelligent people? Every other scene has repeated f words and g-damns so profusely done it's embarrassing. To go from Shakespeare's sublime poetry to this shows how, on some level, culturally backward we've become. If I ever spoke to one of my students the way Martin Sheen's character talks to his students I'd get fired.
Secondly between the drug use, violence and gratuitous sex scenes --is this what adults think of teens? Showing unmarried teens having sex is almost a perverse pedophiliac peep-show; there is no moral context (Othello was an adult married to Desdemona, which places the relationship in an entirely different context and Shakespeare never shows them having sex) here. What are we teaching teens, that this behavior is acceptable? The idea of real, mature love, or commitment is never presented here (oh, yes, there is that scene when O places a rubberband on his girl's ring finger -- how profound). O is a kind of too-good-to-be true, wide-eyed, unbelievably innocent stock character without depth or intelligence. The plot is only superficially related to Shakespeare's Othello, with the main character not nearly as memorable or tragic. In fact, O is a big bore interesting only when he's shooting hoops. This film is pure tripe about horny teenagers in the American South which is, of course, according to Hollywood, still racist beyond belief; the film is full of stereotypes and is an insult to teenagers and teachers everywhere --to say nothing of the Immortal Bard himself.
If you are going to make a movie about teens, at least try to illustrate some understanding of the complexities and deep conflicts that goes on in the minds of teenagers; if you are going to discuss racial issues there clearly are more profound discussions than O explaining why he could say the "n" word while his white girlfriend can't. The genius of Shakespeare is the way he tackles these issues through his characters and language -- Romeo and Juliet deals with teenagers, their insecurities, their raging hormones, hatred, bigotry and tragedy i a masterful way. O the film tries to be Othello-meets-Romeo and Juliet but the task is too big for the director.
Skip it. Buy it, if you must, for the silent version of Othello on CD 2 -- you won't hear Shakespeare's poetry, but at least you won't have to cover your ears in pain.
The movie was on point! September 19, 2009
K. Smalls (Decatur GA)
This movie was different from the original picture othello. It has different scence in this picture. Mekhi Phiffer and Julia Styles play a very awsome role in this picture. Well, i receive the two-disc special edition but it's all good. The movie was on point, i'm not saying it's the best, but on point. Thanks Amazon.
Dee Smalls
Decatur GA
Josh Hartnett only real reason to watch,OTHERWISE! June 30, 2009
Sylvia T. Bosarge (Mobile,AL. USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
5 stars for JOSH HARTNETT'S stunning,tour de force portrayal of the WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE villian Iago(renamed Hugo for the film),but only
just a star for the actual movie itself.First of all,I would like to
mention that this film had ENORMOUS POTENTIAL!But unfortunately,Hollywood
once again commited the outright ACT OF SACRILEGE to the TRUE WORKS OF
SHAKESPEARE by setting his "OTHELLO" in present day NORTH AMERICA!Not
only that,they once again resort to throwing in every modern OBSCENE
thing with the exception of your proverbial KITCHEN SINK just to draw
in every REBELIOUS TEENAGER OFF THE STREET THAT THEY CAN FIND to BRING
IN THE DOUGH AT THE BOX OFFICE!!!!!!!!!This TEENIE BOPPER movie has it
all: VULGAR LANGUAGE,DRUG USE,STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT AND DIALOGUE,AND
VIOLENCE!Yepper,that'll draw'em all in!PUUUUUUUUH-LEEEEEEASE!If they kept the same AWESOME cast of young thespians,were strictly faithful to SHAKESPEARE'S original,and had it set in the right time
period,the movie would be a TRUE CONTENDER without question!!!!!!!!
 LOVE IT! March 29, 2009
Ash
I hate reading Shakespeare but I LOVED this movie. It is definitely a must-see suspense film that is really worth watching.
0 (Two-disc SE) February 20, 2009
Cory J. Shaw (PA, TX)
This was one of the best movies of all times. It doesn't get any better than this.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 111
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