Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Merchant of Venice (2004) - Official Trailer

I found this clip interesting because a trailer is supposed to sum up the play's plot, and this trailer depicts Shylock as a two-dimensional villain while painting Antonio as the beloved protagonist.

The video is interesting to me because you see how modern audiences (this came out circa 2004) still view the Merchant of Venice as a tale of a man found in debt because of his love for his friend to get the girl he wants. Instead of portraying the play as being a multi-thematic, multi-interpretational play, it plays towards the more likable, simpler plot of Antonio, Portia, and Bassanio.

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