My college professor says that Othello may be Shakespeare's finest drama. I don't know if I agree with him yet. I bought this video version of the film. First I love Kenneth BRanagh as Iago, he was perfectly complicated and worked very well in this adaptation. SUrprisingly, he didn't direct it but played a role. Lawrence Fishburne shows that American actors can play Shakespeare just as well as British actors can do. not that there was a British vs. American issue about it. In fact, if we all work together then Shakespeare can reach the masses which it richly deserves to do. Apart from other Shakespeare tragedies, this is dealt with the issue of race. Something that has existed since the beginning of time. The relationship between Iago and Emilia could have been better and shown the complicatedness of their union together. While Othello loves Desdemona with all his heart, he is weak for jealousy and fears losing her to a non-Moorish man like Cassio. It's quite a great scene at the end of the film but I won't reveal the ending. IT's just worth watching. I think they edited much of the lines to 2 hours but they always edit Shakespeare.

Having loved Shakespeare's play since my third year at secondary school, and also the Welles and Olivier films, I heard much about this film. And I was very impressed; I am not sure whether I can add much to the other wonderful reviews here but I'll try.

Some people may find this is not their most ideal Othello, some may despair at the cuts and the short length, but on its own and as a introduction to Shakespeare films it is very impressive. Just for the record, the Olivier film is perhaps the one I recommend the most for its amazing performances especially, though the Welles film is also superbly made, atmospheric and Welles himself directs and acts Othello in an extraordinary fashion.

This Othello, this being said, is a very well made film, with beautiful locations and cinematography, and the score is suitably sweeping. The story even with the cuts is still the incredible, complex story that I fell in love with. The love scenes have such a haunting and erotic quality to them especially. The very final scene is perhaps a tad too drawn out but it is also very beautifully played especially by Fishburne and the last moments are moving. The dialogue is wonderful as you would expect, it is not always the Shakespearean language but it is still intelligent and thought-provoking with a lot of complexity.

Oliver Parker brings an assured and efficient touch to his direction, and the acting is superb. Michael Maloney, Nicholas Farrell, Nathaniel Parker and especially Anna Patrick are excellent in support, but the standouts were Laurence Fishburne's brilliant and very powerful yet restrained Othello and Kenneth Branagh in a literally seething albeit sometimes human account of the evil-incarnate character of Iago. Irene Jacob wasn't quite as good, Desdemona is a very delicate and poignant character, and while Jacob does what she can looking suitably delicate and beautiful her performance was a little on the dull side for me.

I also have to agree on a side note that those into opera should see or hear Verdi's Otello, the music is phenomenal and Iago's Credo is living proof in my opinion that the original source material can be improved upon as you see much more of Iago's villainy. Overall though for this 1995 Othello, this is an excellent film and while not my favourite I do recommend it. 8.5-9/10 Bethany Cox

It wasn't actually my choice to watch this film based on the story by William Shakespeare, it was part of a study in Secondary School. It wasn't directed by him, but I really like Kenneth Branagh in this film. Basically in the old days of England, black people weren't liked that much and were mostly slaves, and Othello (The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne) was a black man who tried to possibly become hero or king, whichever, of Denmark. At the same time, with his villainous lying skills, the nasty bastard servant Iago (the very well cast Branagh) tried to become king himself, and get people against each other. There are some good bloody moments, and good acting, I suppose I would want to see this again for my own purposes. Worth watching!