As You Like It

I have never watched any movie adapted films from the works of Shakespeare other than Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet. At around past 9 this evening, I was browsing through the different channels in the television, hoping to watch something for the sake of watching with no other thoughts in mind. As I reached HBO, a soft narration captured my attention. At first, I thought it was Memoirs of Geisha because of the Japanese background, but then I was wrong. After the narration was a few lines full of meaning. Darn it I wasn't able to get them. I guess I have to wait for the movie to be played again. So there, I saw the title, As You Like It, which is from William Shakespeare. At first I thought it would be somehow boring, but the lines of the actors really bedazzled me. It felt so real and the poetry was so alive.

After the movie, I searched over the www for the synopsis of the literary piece. http://www.bardweb.net/plays/asyoulikeit.html The adaptation made by HBO Films was good enough to exhilarate the watchers as it did to me. Oh, it's kind of Romantic and Comedy in nature according to Mr. Wiki. Correct me if I'm wrong but I seldom read those old literary pieces unless it is a school requirement. haha. Maybe it would be boring for others, but I like it much. Their version was not that far from the real version of Shakespeare. (according to my judgment). Although there was a touch of modernization, just like no racial discrimination, Rosalind (American/European), Orlando (African/American), still, the essence and meat of the piece was still there. Some of the sources spell the main character as Rosalynde and some would spell it Rosalind. Try to watch it in HBO, I'm sure it'll still be aired sooner or later.

Here are some of the few lines from the different characters that I like so much. Btw these lines are from different scenes.

Orlando: I do desire we may be better strangers.
Orlando: Neither rhyme nor reason can express how much.
Rosalind: I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad.
Rosalind: I warrant him heart-whole.
Rosalind: Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.
Touchstone: So-so is good, very good, very excellent good; and yet it is not; it is but so-so.
Rosalind: No sooner met, but they looked; no sooner looked, but they loved; no sooner loved, but they sighed; no sooner sighed, but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy.
Touchstone: We quarrel in print, by the book, as you have books for good manners: I will name you the degrees. The first, the Retort Courteous; the second, the Quip Modest; the third, the Reply Churlish; the fourth, the Reproof Valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck Quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with Circumstance; the seventh, the Lie Direct.

For me those lines profoundly hides the true meaning of each words from the different characters. It gives readers a touch of inquisitiveness that makes them read between the lines. It's not that hard to understand because once you get the clue on how Shakespeare writes, you'll easily blend with the literary piece. It's as if you are included in the plot.