It took me a few reads (and a helpful breakdown on the Sonnet Project page) but I did get the hang of this sonnet. Not the most flattering to the woman to say the least since, among many other sexual things, it basically says that if she is putting it out all around town, why isn't he getting a taste? Or, to paraphrase the sonnet, her sexual desire is like the sea – she drowning in it. The sonnet features the word 'will' many times and it is odd at first to try and read it, but once you understand some of the clearer sentences where it is used, I did get the sense that, even if I didn't get it completely, it is basically sex we're talking about here.
The idea of the talking down to the woman while trying to achieve the goal of sleeping with her is combined in this film with the word play involving the reoccurring words and, in a way I can see why the director Politis found herself making the connection to a rap battle. This is what the film is as two indie artists are featured; I Am Many and Kalae Nouveau (aka Kalae All Day), with the male artist (Many) confronting the woman in front of Shakespeare's statue, although what he makes of it is anyone's guess. The sonnet is delivered as battle rap and in some ways this helps the tone of the sonnet and also some of the playful/suggestive aspects of it. At the end of this section the film threw me totally by then allowing Kalae her "verse".
I think only in one other short film in the series so far has there been a few lines of dialogue to help establish narrative, but in this case the original material is as long as the sonnet itself. It is a nicely written retort though and by virtue of the woman defending herself it does help the understanding of how the sonnet was delivered. If I were better educated then maybe I would be outraged at the original material, because it seems to mash up lines and phrases from other Shakespeare works, but I quite liked it as an idea. The weakness of the film is that maybe all these ideas didn't totally come together and the goal of making a hip-hop inspired sonnet film saw the film lose its focus a little. As such we get the sonnet delivered twice for no real reason other than having lots of other ideas (split screens, text cards and other horseplay). I do not know either of the artists involved but both deliver with energy and expression, as one would expect I guess – and they along with the generally delivery of the film make it fun and give it a lively feel.
I do think it could do with a strong ending after Kalae's verse rather than retreading the sonnet again, and that a tighter leash on it could have reduced the way that it does feel like it is maybe trying too hard to be different, but I enjoyed it for what it tried to do and for taking me by surprise with something the other films haven't done. It is not in my favorites thus far, and I do have issues with it – but for sure it is a memorable entry in the Sonnet Project!
The idea of the talking down to the woman while trying to achieve the goal of sleeping with her is combined in this film with the word play involving the reoccurring words and, in a way I can see why the director Politis found herself making the connection to a rap battle. This is what the film is as two indie artists are featured; I Am Many and Kalae Nouveau (aka Kalae All Day), with the male artist (Many) confronting the woman in front of Shakespeare's statue, although what he makes of it is anyone's guess. The sonnet is delivered as battle rap and in some ways this helps the tone of the sonnet and also some of the playful/suggestive aspects of it. At the end of this section the film threw me totally by then allowing Kalae her "verse".
I think only in one other short film in the series so far has there been a few lines of dialogue to help establish narrative, but in this case the original material is as long as the sonnet itself. It is a nicely written retort though and by virtue of the woman defending herself it does help the understanding of how the sonnet was delivered. If I were better educated then maybe I would be outraged at the original material, because it seems to mash up lines and phrases from other Shakespeare works, but I quite liked it as an idea. The weakness of the film is that maybe all these ideas didn't totally come together and the goal of making a hip-hop inspired sonnet film saw the film lose its focus a little. As such we get the sonnet delivered twice for no real reason other than having lots of other ideas (split screens, text cards and other horseplay). I do not know either of the artists involved but both deliver with energy and expression, as one would expect I guess – and they along with the generally delivery of the film make it fun and give it a lively feel.
I do think it could do with a strong ending after Kalae's verse rather than retreading the sonnet again, and that a tighter leash on it could have reduced the way that it does feel like it is maybe trying too hard to be different, but I enjoyed it for what it tried to do and for taking me by surprise with something the other films haven't done. It is not in my favorites thus far, and I do have issues with it – but for sure it is a memorable entry in the Sonnet Project!