Describe how the presentation of the fairies in the film version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ relies on it’s medium as a film, compared with a stage play

The music in the play reflects different parts. Gentle music reflects a calm gentle feeling. Rough music reflects a dramatic scene.

In the beginning of the film when the title 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' comes on, fireflies, which are fairies, are flying across the screen. The music is specialized for the fairies. In the play Puck says 'I'll put a girdle around the Earth in forty minutes'.

Puck means to say he can go around the Earth in forty minutes because the fairies can change in size. Puck believes he can do this. Oberon, in the play says

'I'm invisable'

He means to say that the fairies can't be seen. In the play an image isn't produced for them. This line that Oberon says is to say to the reader that the fairies are invisible and can't be seen by normal people. Although, when reading, an image is produced in the mind. Without this image the story would be boring.

The fairies are invisible to the humans. This is because the fairies are only our imagination and a fantasy. Humans can only see the fairies if they have had a magical spell put on them. The audience can see the fairies, so it as the audience have had a magical spell put on them. This is to make them feel more involved with the play. This is emphasized with Nick Bottom who has fallen in love with Titania, queen of the fairies.

When bottom is changed to a donkey. He sings, talks and laughs like a donkey. He has no control over himself. This is shown when bottoms clothes are changed to Greek clothes.

When the audience is watching the play they have to suspend their disbelief. Fairies are believed to be unreal, a fantasy. Real life humans have never seen fairies. This is why they disbelieve.

In the scene where they are having a party in the wood we see the fairies in a un-fairy state. In the film, to make them look like fairies, they have horns and wings. In the play the characters are described as wearing clothes made from natural things.

In the party we see some of the fairies playing musical instruments, which are different. They are like flutes of different pitches. They are made out of wood and dressed in leaves.

At the party were we see the fairies for the first time, we seen them in a human form rather than in a gentle, calm fairy form. The fairies, because they are in-human, they don't understand the human world that we live. Their make-up is worn differently. Their eye shadow is worn under their eyes. Both men and women wear glitter. The glitter represents a magical atmosphere. The fairies are linked closely with magic. They don't understand human belongings. For example the gramaphone, the bicycle. An example of this is when Puck plays around with a bicycle that he has found in the forest.

The special effects used in the film allow the presentation of though fairies in a more magical way. An example of this is when Puck goes into another fairy's cup. Puck is very mischievous. These special effects give the director his personal touch to the play he is directing. Although the play is modernized some parts have been kept original to give it Shakesphere's touch. In my opinion if the director put too many effects in the play, the story wouldn't be Shakesphere's play.

In the play 'red' is used a lot. Red symbolizes love, fire flames and mischief. This is shown by special effects and costumes. Puck wears red to represent his mischievous side as a fairy. He uses a red rose to cast love spells. Another special effect that I think is very important is when the flowers in the field turns from being white to red.

Another special effect is when wood changes to gold water. This shows us the magic effect. This magical effect is done in-between the fairies and the next scene.

When we see the fairies they have horns and wings. There are two types of fairies, a two headed called Janus a roman God and a snake headed one Medusa, which refers to Greek mythology. These refer to Roman and Greek mythology. These would be more obvious to Shakesphere's audience.

After watching the film you would think that Shakesphere is trying to create a 'sexy' image and that Shakesphere is just like that. This 'sexy' image is made by the fairies casting love spells.

At the end it is confusing to the audience because they don't know what to believe if fairies are real or not. After this confusing ending, it maybe argued that fairies are real.

I believe that the film was more interesting than the play. The special effects made the play more interesting and easier to understand. Shakesphere's language isn't spoken anymore, so these special effects make it more appealing to the audience.

Nicola Birchall Page 1 5/1/2007