Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Ranked #17,679 in Entertainment, #214,537 overall

You've never seen Shakespeare like this before!

Witty, absurd and hilarious. Playwright Tom Stoppard turns the Bard's revered play Hamlet upside down through the eyes of the two most minor characters in the story, the prince's friends from school summoned from England. Gary Oldman and Tim Roth are excellent as the oddly matched duo in this adaptation. Richard Dreyfuss is mysterious and funny as "The Player", leader of the traveling drama troupe.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Cast

overview, first billed only

Gary Oldman ... Rosencrantz
Tim Roth ... Guildenstern
Richard Dreyfuss ... The Player
Livio Badurina ... Tragedian
Tomislav Maretic ... Tragedian
Mare Mlacnik ... Tragedian
Srdjan Soric ... Tragedian
Mladen Vasary ... Tragedian
Zeljko Vukmirica ... Tragedian
Branko Zavrsan ... Tragedian
Joanna Roth ... Ophelia
Iain Glen ... Hamlet
Donald Sumpter ... Claudius
Joanna Miles ... Gertrude
Ljubo Zecevic ... Osric

William Shakespeare Portrait

The Genius of The Movie

There are so many reasons to love this movie. Except for the soundtrack, it doesn't date itself at all. It is an amazing riff on the classic Shakespearean drama. Top Stoppard's screenplay is full of word play and philosophical flights of fancy. Hamlet is one of the most quoted plays of all time. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is also full of quotable lines. Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Richard Dreyfuss are perfectly cast and give great performances. The chemistry between Roth and Oldman gives warmth and brings out the comedy. It was shot in Yugoslavia, which undoubtedly was good for the budget but also provides great scenery and atmosphere. The troupe of traveling players was brilliantly played by local actors in pantomime style.

Quotable Quips

The Player: We're actors! We're the opposite of people!

Movie Poster 

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on Amazon

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Quotes

courtesy of IMDB

This has all of the best exchanges and absurd musings. Including the monologue about whether life in a box is better than no life at all.

Memorable quotes from the film

Quotable Quips

Rosencrantz: I don't believe in it anyway.
Guildenstern: What?
Rosencrantz: England.
Guildenstern: Just a conspiracy of cartographers, then?

Salon Article about Tom Stoppard

By Amy Reiter

This is an interesting article with some biographical information about the playwright. She discusses several of his plays, including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Fan Page

Stark Raving Sane has information and links related to the play, Tom Soppard, and recent projects of Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfuss. There is even a section on writing that includes a couple of fan fiction pieces. Also in the writing section is a transcription of the script to download for your reading and quoting pleasure.

Musical Montage of Theater Performance of the Play

The song, "Intermission" by Scissor Sisters, is the perfect choice. It sounds like a cheerful vaudeville romp but the words are a little twisted. This is very well done!

Quote from song lyrics: "Happy yesterday to all, we were born to die."
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
by LadyKerowyn | video info

18 ratings | 9,512 views
curated content from YouTube

Highlights of Tom Stoppard's Screenwriting Credits

Shakespeare in Love (1998) Another Shakespeare inspired comedy. In this fictional farce, Shakespeare is paralyzed by writers block and pursued by creditors. He finds inspiration in a surprising romance. He also uses a device that Shakespeare often used, hidden or mistaken identity. Stoppard also plays a bit with the controversial scholarly issue of the true authorship of Shakespeare's plays.

Empire of the Sun (1987) The story of an English boy's struggle for survival under Japanese occupation during WWII. An adaptation of the novel by J.G. Ballard. Directed with epic scope and emotion by Stephen Speilberg.

Brazil (1985) A surreal vision of the future. The social commentary is slightly Orwellian but not quite as dark. One hilarious and frighteningly accurate prediction is a scene about obsession with plastic surgery. Directed by Terry Gilliam with a keen visual sense. Gilliam also worked on the screenplay.

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  • JaguarJulie Jan 3, 2011 @ 9:10 am | delete
    Ahem ... "Happy yesterday to all, we were born to die."
  • The_Homeopath Oct 29, 2008 @ 4:12 pm | delete
    I read the play in school and loved it. I was (and still am) thrilled with the movie. Gary Oldman was absolutely brilliant!
  • WritingforYourWealth Sep 14, 2008 @ 12:26 am | delete
    I remember reading this in high school (and it being one of the few assigned books I enjoyed). I should definitely see it performed sometime. :)
  • Stazjia Sep 1, 2008 @ 7:30 am | delete
    I saw this on stage performed by the Young Vic company and I absolutely loved it.
  • chefkeem Jun 13, 2008 @ 11:06 pm | delete
    I need to see this! Soon. Now!
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cappuccino136

I am a freelance writer living in the magnificent Pacific Northwest. Formerly I taught ESL to adults in Korea and in the US. I have always expressed m... more »

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