A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

The 1999 Midsummer Night's Dream, is a romantic comedy fantasy film, based on the play
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.
It was directed by Michael Hoffman. It was a Hollywood film. Hollywood films pay
attention to the visual spectacle. The production company of the film was Regency
Enterprises. This film is special instead of Shakespeare's Athens, Hoffman dreams
his Dream in a gorgeous Tuscan hill town in the 19th century. Furthermore, there is an
emphasis on social and family relations.
Besides, the music of the film was composed by Simon Boswell. The film made use
of Felix Mendelssohn's incidental music for an 1843 stage production, including the famous
Wedding March, alongside operatic works from Giuseppe Verdi and so on.
The film begins with few quotations giving us information about the setting and the
use of bicycles, in fact this film is known as the bicycle Midsummer. As it is set in the 19th
century, the things are different. It is a little strange to see Theseus and Hippolyta wearing
that clothes. Hippolyta is presented as a genteel aristocratic lady. She has no words; she is not
free to speak whatever she wants. While discussions about Hermia’s suitor are happening,
she is not there, she is excluded. Her future husband, Theseus, lacks the authority that the
play demands because his lines were made short in keeping with the near-contemporary
Italianate setting.
Moreover, Theseus has no palace. It is set in the garden, although he is still the Duke.
It does not happen in other adaptations which have really been set in a palace, for example,
The 1935 Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The language is like that of the book. It does not change. We feel tension in the first
minutes of the film, because of the struggle between Lysander and Demetrius for Hermia’s
love. Hermia is hearing and she has not voice. She remains in silence as Hippolyta’s case.
Now, turning to another point, when we are in the piazza, we are introduced with
opera music, which translate us immediately to Italy. The song is Brindisi, which is part from
La Traviata, a Giuseppe Verdi’s song. We met there the group of the mechanicals surrounded
by a lot of people. This group is very important. They are going to represent Thisbe and
Pyramus in the duke’s private theatre.
Firstly, we met, Bottom, a mechanical. There is a foreshadow because as he appears,

an ass appears too. It is like an advance of what he will become in the future. Another
remarkable point is that this version has assigned a wife for Bottom. In the book it is not said
that he is married. His wife only speaks in Italian and very briefly, they are not Shakespearean
words. Bottom is afraid of his wife and he enjoys the play of Pyramus and Thisbe in order to
avoid being at home. Bottom is a very important character in the film, he could be even the
main character. He tries to interpret all the characters. He wants to stand out and to become
the leader.
Another, important idea is the one of the bicycle. It was considered subversive that
women at that time rode a bicycle. Helena, is one of the characters, who rides one all the time.
In relation with the fairies that appear in this version. Hoffman turned to the
Etruscans. He filmed this fairy world in Rome's Cinecitta studios. The fairies are not
characterised as the typical ones. Their costumes are not so ethereal. For instance, Titania’s
fairies are dressed in a white dress and they have a veil. They do not appear in a forest dancing
or singing. They are having fun, eating, kissing, talking, listening to music... As they do not
fly, in its place they are replace by a shiny light when they are going to go to another place.
Their age change, they are adults.
One of those fairies is Puck, an elf. He is characterised in a different way than in the
1935 Midsummer Night’s Dream. In that version, Puck is a child, for example. Although, we
do not have any date telling us about Puck’s age in the book. He is here an adult. It is said
that he has a homosexual relation with Oberon, the king of the Fairies.
As Titania appears for the first time, we see the intensity of her presence. There is a
rockslide and even, the ground shakes. The weather changes, there are thunders, wind… She
has a conversation with his husband, Oberon, about the little Indian child. Oberon wants to
possess him. In order to get the child, he will ask Puck for help. Puck is not only go to lay the
love juice on Titania’s eyes, but in the lover’s eyes. The child that has been chosen in this
version is quite different. His body is blue. He has long hair and he arrives in a pony.
In his mission, Puck is surprised when he sees the bicycle of Lysander. He is even
afraid that it can be dangerous. It is because he belongs to another kingdom where it does not
exist. He is surprised by the mechanism, the light, the horn… We could say that supernatural
things and natural things merge at this point.
Another thing to comment on is Bottom’s transformation. He plays without an ass's

head. In its place, he has long ears and a snout with facial hair. He does not believe that he
has become an ass and that he will be treated as a king. While she spends her time with
Bottom, we will hear the song Casta Diva. In this film, the use of opera music is very
meaningful.
When the couples are not well – matched due to Puck’s fail. We find us in a stressing
moment. They are discussing about love. It is a chaos. They round even in circles. The bicycle
of Helena even hurts her when she tries to avoid her suitors. Helena and Hermia even fall in
a fond.
When the mechanicals are representing Pyramus and Thisbe. They do not take it so
seriously. It is more a comedy than a tragedy. Until, the role of Thisbe is taken seriously and
it even motives the audience. Previous minutes to the final part of the film, we will see how
it is remembered the supernatural. There are again that little shiny lights who are the fairies.
The final part is quite different. Puck is dressed as a citizen. Bottom feels nostalgia for what
he felt when he was with Titania. He is not sure about if that happened or not, but he also sees
the tiny shiny lights, one of them shines more than the other ones, it is special, it is Titania.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

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The 1999 Midsummer Night's Dream, is a romantic comedy fantasy film, based on the play

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.

Firstly, we met, Bottom, a mechanical. There is a foreshadow because as he appears,

Another thing to comment on is Bottom’s transformation. He plays without an ass's

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