Product Information
Director Tim Blake Nelson sets Shakespeare's OTHELLO in a modern day private high school and the result is a dark, somber teen tragedy. Mekhi Phifer (CLOCKERS) stars as Odin James, an African American star basketball player at the otherwise all-white school. The coach of the team (Martin Sheen) loves Odin like a son, which causes real son Hugo (Josh Hartnett) to squirm with jealousy and plan an elaborate revenge. Julia Stiles (a modern dress Shakespeare regular, having also co-starred in HAMLET and TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU) is Desi, the virginal daughter of the dean, with whom Odin is in love. The ensuing outburst of tragic teen violence is a shocking denouement that elevates the already dangerous mood of the film to full-fledged terror. Because of the intense violence in the film, it was shelved for years by a nervous Miramax in the wake of the real-life Columbine high school massacre. Finally, it was picked up by Lion's Gate Films. Upon viewing the film, such worry seems needless, as the film does nothing to glorify the violence it depicts. It explores themes of class, race, and all-consuming jealousy. Shakespeare's original dialogue is abandoned in favor of hip-hop-flavored modern language, but the tale's timeless relevance remains unaltered.Product Identifiers
UPC0031398791126
eBay Product ID (ePID)3369540
Product Key Features
ActorJulia Stiles, Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett
Edition2-Disc Deluxe Edition
DirectorTim Blake Nelson
FormatDVD
Release Year2002
GenreDrama
Additional Product Features
Region CodeRegion 1
Number of Discs2
Country/Region of ManufactureUSA
Display Format2-Disc Deluxe Edition
Leading RoleJulia Stiles, Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett
Film CountryUSA