The Films of Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh is not only the finest Shakespearean actor of his generation, but a major filmmaker as well. Between the release of Henry V in 1989 and Love's Labour's Lost in 2000, Branagh directed eight major films in a wide variety of genres, ranging from film noir to horror to comedy, and continually startled audiences around the world with his audacious and energetic film style. Initially following in the footsteps of Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier, Branagh has placed himself among the small collection of actors who have transformed themselves into award-winning directors as well. In this, the first comprehensive treatment of Branagh's feature films to appear in the English language, Crowl delves deeply into the work of this bold artist, demonstrating the means by which Branagh manages to produce films that appeal to the general public even while treating texts and themes that are traditionally relegated to the realms of academic institutions and high art. And as with Branagh's own work, readers cannot help but be entertained.