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A-Level English Literature`

Preparing for A-Level English Lit. We study:
Othello, Hand Maid's Tale, The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Any recommendations of videos/movies to watch related to each and where are they? I know The Great Gatsby is on Netflix, would it be helpful to watch in anyway/ relevant at least?
I studied every single one of those texts (Y13) so if you ever wanna discuss them feel free to pm me. There’s bootlegs of productions of SND floating around most of YouTube and there’s versions online if you’re willing to look around. Handmaid was on Sky Boxsets a while back and sometimes does reruns. It’s also on Hulu and dailymotion if you don’t have access to sky. For othello I would recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh version and maybe trying to track down the filmes Globe version (enables you to contrast it as a play and film). Definitely watch what you can but don’t get too hung up on it, the important thing is knowing the text. Whilst most adaptations are relatively faithful, stuff like THT detours a lot and I know some people ended up getting confused (however the tv show is still great even if it’s different). Good luck!!
I would recommend it if and only if you are able to keep what happens in the interpretation of the work separate from the work itself. I studied The Handmaid's Tale and A Streetcar Named Desire as well. We watched the Marlon Brando version of SND, and the TV series for THT started while I was studying it. There are naturally changes from the text to the screen/stage, but knowing about how directors reinterpret works is a part of the A Level. I would also recommend reading Brave New World and 1984 if you can, as these form vital parts of the context within which Atwood wrote THT. I have a copy of BNW where she gives a foreword! I'd speak to your teacher about The Testaments, and whether reading that is a good idea. It came out after I did my exams so I don't know how useful it is.

For Othello, I recommend seeing as many versions as you can find. See if you can get a copy of the Royal Shakespeare Company production to start.
Original post by allstoriesrtrue
I studied every single one of those texts (Y13) so if you ever wanna discuss them feel free to pm me. There’s bootlegs of productions of SND floating around most of YouTube and there’s versions online if you’re willing to look around. Handmaid was on Sky Boxsets a while back and sometimes does reruns. It’s also on Hulu and dailymotion if you don’t have access to sky. For othello I would recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh version and maybe trying to track down the filmes Globe version (enables you to contrast it as a play and film). Definitely watch what you can but don’t get too hung up on it, the important thing is knowing the text. Whilst most adaptations are relatively faithful, stuff like THT detours a lot and I know some people ended up getting confused (however the tv show is still great even if it’s different). Good luck!!

Yes, this is very true! I know people that got confused when we did Richard III and watched the Ian McKellan film. I personally collect versions of that play though (in my mind.) I've seen 4 or 5 versions of it so far (at least.) Fiennes did the best job, I think. Didn't care for Olivier, even though Patrick Troughton is in it for a bit.
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Original post by allstoriesrtrue
I studied every single one of those texts (Y13) so if you ever wanna discuss them feel free to pm me. There’s bootlegs of productions of SND floating around most of YouTube and there’s versions online if you’re willing to look around. Handmaid was on Sky Boxsets a while back and sometimes does reruns. It’s also on Hulu and dailymotion if you don’t have access to sky. For othello I would recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh version and maybe trying to track down the filmes Globe version (enables you to contrast it as a play and film). Definitely watch what you can but don’t get too hung up on it, the important thing is knowing the text. Whilst most adaptations are relatively faithful, stuff like THT detours a lot and I know some people ended up getting confused (however the tv show is still great even if it’s different). Good luck!!


Cheers. Started on reading the texts just needed something to help back it up. This will help so thanks

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