Cinema Junkie by Beth Accomando

Saturday, January 20, 1996

KPBS Public Broadcasting

Richard III
Sir Ian McKellan leads the cast of Shakespeare's Richard III (MGM)  

British actor Sir Ian McKellen first brought his brand of Shakespeare to San Diego in 1987 when he performed his Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare at the Old Globe Theater. Earlier this month, he stopped by the KPBS studios to speak with These Days film critic Beth Accomando about his latest film Richard III.

IAN McKELLEN: It begins very quietly, no words are spoken, its the tap of a Morse code, its the whine of a dog, its the scrap of a knife and fork on the plate as Richard's first victim has his last supper. Then a dog starts barking and in comes Richard III riding on a tank. Then the sound continues and we hear Richard's heavy breathing through the gas mask hes wearing [takes deep breaths in and out] and I'm breathing in the rhythm of blank verse whether you know it or not and then I shoot my second victim and the movie starts.

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