Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 682. Friday, 29 October 1993.
From: Stephen Orgel <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 28 Oct 1993 10:19:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: 4.0679 Two Re: Videos: Q: *Ado*; Catalog
Comment: Re: SHK 4.0679 Two Re: Videos: Q: *Ado*; Catalog
There is now a VCR made by AIWA that will play tapes in all formats
through US video machines, and will also enable one to copy them in
the US format. It lists for $479, but I've seen it advertised in
NY for around $300; I bought one, and the quality, except for an
occasional peculiar moment, is fine, and the color is really
beautiful. This enables me to play a whole bunch of British and
Italian tapes, including the Olivier MV, now available in US format,
which is terrific, and even better, a 12N with Guinness as Malvolio,
Richardson as Sir Toby, Plowright as Viola, and Tommy Steele (!) as
Feste--this works better than you might think, though the songs
have dated rather badly. The Italian tapes--Strehler's great Lear and
Tempest--seem to me worth the price of the whole setup. I've no idea
where one obtains European videos (I bought these on the spot), but
since our library just acquired the whole set of Strehler tapes,
there must be some US distributor. Hooking the whole thing up is so
simple that I didn't even need to get one of my undergraduates to
do it.
Stephen Orgel