Silent Shakespeare
The Tempest
Silent Shakespeare
The Tempest
An early film version of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, made by British director Percy Stow in 1908, in black and white and without sound. (Copyright British Film Institute)
Visually imaginative and cinematically adventurous, this adaptation of The Tempest attempts a complete précis of Shakespeare’s play, staged specifically for the cameras.
Explanatory inter-titles link a series of mostly very brief scenes, shot both on location and in the studio, the latter being used to stage some elaborate tableaux reminiscent of the French fantasy film pioneer Georges Méliès.
It is accompanied by a new score specially commissioned from award-winning composer Laura Rossi
Watch more early films of William Shakespeare’s works from the BFI archives.