Together they imagined a film that everyone might understand, with characters everyone would care about and be intrigued by. "In the full text of Th. original play, the story can seem over-complicated -- so for clarity's sake, we have removed those supporting characters who detracted from the central story. Our aim was always to keep whatever in the play was pertinent 400 years on.
"As Ian and I worked together on the final screenplay, I began to appreciate Shakespeare from a professional point of view. His imagery which rollercoast along and his wonderfully descriptive dialogue, are really appropriate to film. The dialogue encapsulates thoughts and ideas so concisely and articulately that it allows us all to be more flamboyant with our own imagery, style, locations and camera work."
The end result is a film that looks and sounds like no other. Loncraine is enthusiastic about the filmic advantages of the 30s setting. "We've used over 40 locations in and around London, with a look that is contemporary and full of action -- from ballroom to mortuary, from railroad stations to urban battlefield."
Richard Loncraine won the BAFTA award as Best Director in 1981 for the TV drama "Blade on the Feather" by Dennis Potter. he collaborated again with Potter two years later on the feature "Brimstone and Treacle" starring Sting. A mark of Loncraine's work for film and television is his imaginative casting, always encouraging actors to work at their very best. In "The Missionary", Loncraine directed its writer and star Michael Palin to give one of his funniest and most original performances. Ian McKellen says "If my performance in Richard III works on screen, it will be because of Loncraine's care and support. He directed everyone with the same enthusiasm and detail from Annette Bening and Dame Maggie Smith to the non-speaking extra."
Originally, Loncraine had intended to be an actor himself. His family toured the country by train and horse, performing Shakespeare in tents and in the open-air at London's Regent's Park. However, on leaving school, he was more attracted to art and design. He taught himself to draw, studied sculpture and the Central School of Art and had shows at the prestigious Institute of Contemporary Art.
He also designed toys for fun and realised he could turn his hobby into a profitable business when he saw the commercial potential in "Newton's Cradle" which he marketed as a very popular executive toy.
Instead of taking up a place to study theatre design at the Bristol Old Vic, he spent three years at the Film School of the Royal College of Art. During his first year he boldly approached Yorkshire Television and directed a documentary THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOTEL IN THE WORLD about a 1930s hotel in Le Toquet on the north French coast. On graduation from the RCA, he joined the BBC TV's flagship science programme, TOMORROW'S WORLD, directing 75 ten-minute episodes over two years.
Two of his expertises combined, when John Schlesinger asked him to design the toys and props featured in SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY. Schlesinger introduced him to Jim Garrett, whose TV commercials company is the most established in the United Kingdom. To date, Loncraine has directed 420 commercials, which are noted for their style and originality and for which he has won numerous awards.
His feature debut FLAME was produced by David Puttnam twenty years ago, followed by FULL CIRCLE starring Mia Farrow. Since then, for British television he has directed the movies THE VANISHING ARMY and SECRET ORCHIDS. His most recent features are the thriller BELLMAN& TRUE for Island Pictures and WIDE-EYED & LEGLESS which was nominated for a BAFTA award as Best Drama and released in the USA by Miramax as THE WEDDING GIFT.
On completion of RICHARD III, Loncraine intends to film his own original screenplay in France.