Ok, this movie’s been a long, long time coming. I first mentioned this Disney project about red versus blue garden gnomes back in April 2006!
Well it’s four years later and the trailers are here!
I have to say, I’m disappointed. This looks like it’s got about as much Romeo and Juliet as Camp Rock 2 did. Inspired by? Sure. But from the trailer it looks more like West Side Story than Shakespeare.
I hope I’m wrong, I hope I discover that the gnomes do occasionally spout actual Shakespearean dialogue. I don’t expect it, of course, but it’ll be a nice treat. It’s an animated Disney movie, so of course my kids will end up seeing it even without the Shakespeare connection. But it’s going to be very upsetting if we’ve waited 4 years for nothing more than a Shakespearean storyline 🙁
I love the way in all of descriptions of these films based on a Shakespeare play you can hear the less than humble claim "Shakespeare's (insert name of play here"). Wouldn't "Based on" or "adapted from" or "inspired by" or anything that doesn't slyly infer that it's somehow "Shakespeare's" actual work in any really substantial way be slightly more honest and accurate?
The film looks like it might be fun for kids anyway.
BTW, I did hear "Parting is such sweet sorrow" in the trailer, if it makes you feel any better 🙂