Richard Loncraine's interpretation of William Shakespeare's Richard III is memorable in its appeal to modern viewers, partly because it transfers the action of It plays in a fantasized 1940s Nazi Germany-style England, rather than retaining 15th-century England as the setting as Shakespeare originally intended. But while this approach undoubtedly allows the story of Richard III to be conveyed to a more diverse audience, its total rejection of historical fact, along with the way Loncraine skips text, cuts scenes and adds small but important details to the text . The aesthetics of Shakespeare's work can mislead the audience and therefore distract them from the original piece. Thus, it is for this reason that, although the 1995 film adaptation of Richard III is, for the most part, a very enjoyable interpretation of the play, the various modernizations to which Loncraine subjects the script and setting diminish the power of this famous story for the public. not only for those who have read Shakespeare's Richard III, but also for those who have not read it. It is no secret that our society is fascinated by war: many films portraying various aspects of military enterprise, success and failure make it to the big screen and are therefore successful, both at the box office and among the audiences who see them; Loncraine's version of Shakespeare's play is no different: the setting mimics Nazi Germany with both its iconography, especially after Richard comes to power (see the scene where Richard gives a speech to a roaring crowd) , and with his intelligent use of blunt terms. appearance of Nazi soldiers' uniforms. And while its approach clearly departs from the way more traditional directors of Shakespeare's Richard III create the setting of t...... middle of paper... Shakespeare's film differs from Shakespeare's Richard III in various ways; and while they all combine to create an aesthetically pleasing rendition of the play, they may mislead viewers who have not read Shakespeare's text or attended a live performance of the play. For example, if one were completely ignorant of the fact that the film is based on a seventeenth-century drama, one might mistake it for another film with "Gandalf" and flowery language. That said, while Loncraine's adaptation is a joy to watch, it's the modern elements that make it appealing to viewers who aren't English graduates or theater fanatics - elements like its time-shifting, lack of major scenes and most of all its ending - ultimately leaves viewers familiar with Shakespeare's Richard III with the feeling that something was lost in the making.