student often ask me why i choose this version of othello . shakespeare text be strongly truncate and the film contain material which earn it an r rating . i have several reason for use this production represent first and i have not see a depiction of the moor that actually make me sympathetic to othello until i saw fishburne play him . i saw james earl jones and christopher plummer play othello and iago on broadway and and it be wonderful . plummer energy be especially noticeable . but in spite of jone incredible presence both physically and vocally and the character he play just seem too passive to illicit from me a complete emotional purgation in the aristotelian sense . jones and in fact and affirm what i felt when in an interview he note that he have play othello a passive see iago a basically do him over . unfortunately this sap my grief for the character destruction . thus and i felt sympathy for jone moor but not the horror over his corruption by an evil man . in contrast and fishburne othello be a strong and vigorous figure familiar with take action . thus and iago temptation to actively deal with what be present to othello a his wife unfaithfulness be a perversion of the general positive quality to be active not passive . 1 the horror of the story be that this good quality in othello becomes pervert . fishburne depiction be therefore classically tragic . second and fishburne be the first black actor to play othello in a film . both orsen well and anthony hopkins do fine film version and but they be white men in black face . 2 why be this important . why should a black actor be the black man on the stage . 3 certainly in shakespeare day they use black face just a they use boy to make girl . perhaps then and the reason be the same . female actor bring a special quality to female role on the shakespearian stage because they understand best what shakespeare genius be try to present . a gifted black actor should play the moor because his experience in a white dominated culture be vital to understand what shakespeare genius recognize represent the pain of be marginalize because of race . an important theme in othello be isolation cause by racism . although it be a mistake to insert american racism into a shakespearian play and there can be little doubt that racism be still work among the character . many and include desdimona father and think that a union between a venetian white christian woman and a north african black christian man be unnatural . third and shakespeare be never g rat . he never have be . his stage production be always typify by violence and strong language . but shakespeare genius use these element not a sensationialism but for artistic honesty .