Henry V (1989)
(Kenneth Branagh, UK 1989, 137 min., 35mm, English, French, and Latin w/English subtitles)
Kenneth Branagh’s approach to William Shakespeare’s plays has always been a hybrid of styles - honoring the past while bringing a twentieth century method approach to the dialogue. A precocious twenty-seven while filming his first adaptation, he brought his approach to Henry V to the big screen. Established Shakespearean actors such as Judi Dench, Ian Holm, and Derek Jacobi are combined with a new generation, including Emma Thompson, Christian Bale, and Branagh himself as Hal. Similarly, this film marks the debut of composer Patrick Doyle who joined Branagh’s Renaissance Company just before production. With a strong understanding of the music of the past, Doyle incorporates it into modern lush, orchestral scores, making him one of the most sought-after composers today.
Introduction by and post-screening Q&A with Mark Watters, Director of the Beal Institute at the Eastman School of Music
The Art of Music in Movies is supported by the Rodney Hatch Family at the Rochester Area Community Foundation.