SHAKSPER 1998: Avengers; Reckless Kelly

From: Hardy M. Cook (editor@ws.bowiestate.edu)
Date: 08/16/98 

The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 9.0769  Sunday, 16 August 1998.

From:           Richard A. Burt <burt@english.umass.edu>
Date:           Friday, 14 Aug 1998 17:05:55 -0400 (EDT)
Subject:        Avengers; Reckless Kelly

There are three references to Shakespeare in the newly released film,
_The Avengers_.  Mrs. Emma Peel (introduced to us as Dr. Peel) was in
charge of "the Prospero program."  "Ah, Shakespeare's magician," remarks
Steed.  The villain, Sir August de Wynter (allusion to _Rebecca_?) says
"Now is the winter of your discontent" as manmade snow falls on London.
And when Steed and Mrs. Peel encounter a dead man in a teddy bear suit,
Steed remarks "Alas, poor Teddy," and Mrs. Peel responds, "I knew him,
Steed."  The film lacks entirely the wit and transgressive violence of
the TV series (at least the episodes starring Diana Rigg).  The film's
boring plot and cliched characterization are relieved only by the
appearances of Uma Thurman in some very hot outfits, the last of which,
a skintight leather jumpsuit, is a slightly more slinky version of the
one Diana Rigg wore in the TV series.  The film has been justly panned.
Unless you're interested in the allusions and / or in Uma, I would not
recommend seeing it.  (By the way, I don't remember any allusions to
Shakespeare in the TV series.)

Reckless Kelly (1993), starring Yaoo Serious, is about an Aussie
gunfighter who, by becoming a Hollywood movie star, saves part of
Australia from being exported as an island.  His girlfriend wants to
become a Shakespearean actress.  At one point, she gives Kelly a copy of
Shakespeare's collected works, and he reads the opening lines of Jacques
set speech, "All the world's a stage . . . "  The comedy has its
endearingly stupid moments.


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