Which Hamlet?

Custardpi

Thinking of renting/

torrenting

a screen version of Shakespeare's Hamlet in the next few days but not sure which one to go for -the two main ones are obviously Kenneth Branagh & Laurence Olivier. I really liked Olivier in Richard III when I saw it a while back - fantastic as the archetypal amoral slimeball. However, reading about his version of Hamlet apparently there was a lot of criticism of the extent that the original play was cut down to suit the film. On the other hand the Branagh version is from the 1990s so I'm worried that it would fall prey to the Baz Lurman style of "modernisation". For people who have seen both versions of Hamlet which is the best one to watch for a casual Shakespeare fan?

antocann

just watch hamlet 2 better tbh

krudler

clearly this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCVc5TaPpe8

Nolanger

Check out:
Bad sleep well
Ophelia
Hamlet goes business
Rosencrantz and Guildentern are dead
The banquet

Phony Scott

Custardpi wrote: »

Thinking of renting/

torrenting

a screen version of Shakespeare's Hamlet in the next few days but not sure which one to go for -the two main ones are obviously Kenneth Branagh & Laurence Olivier. I really liked Olivier in Richard III when I saw it a while back - fantastic as the archetypal amoral slimeball. However, reading about his version of Hamlet apparently there was a lot of criticism of the extent that the original play was cut down to suit the film. On the other hand the Branagh version is from the 1990s so I'm worried that it would fall prey to the Baz Lurman style of "modernisation". For people who have seen both versions of Hamlet which is the best one to watch for a casual Shakespeare fan?

The Mel Gibson one is probably the most accessible and it has great performances and, if I remember correctly, isn't as long.

The Branagh version is lavish, and should only be watched on a large TV screen or projector. It’s unabridged, but I found some of it overwrought and some of the casting distracts from the story in a bad way.

The Olivier version, I think, is the best. The scenes with Hamlets father are eerie and gothic. It is like a good hammer horror! It’s hugely atmospheric, instead of being overly grandiose for the sake of it.

bnt

I've only seen the Branagh, and it's not modernised in any real way, but some of the "stunt casting" is distracting. I thought Jack Lemmon as Marcellus was poor, Billy Crystal as the Gravedigger was anachronistic ... and Ken Dodd as Yorick (in flashback) was just weird.

On the plus side, though, it is visually stunning, Branagh is very good, as is Derek Jacobi as Claudius. Seeing Ophelia (Kate Winslet) decline in to madness is quite disturbing. It's unabridged, and since you'll have the ability to pause the film and take a break, I see no reason to go for a shorter version.

podgemonster

Doesn't Branagh version completely skipped over Claudius speech of guilt. One of the most important moments in the play?

I found the modern day adaption with Ethan Hawke as Hamlet was really cool. Liev Schreider, Kyle McLachlan, Julia Stiles and Bill Murray also star. Opehlias madness is portrayed brilliantly and Hawke is perfect.

Morag

Egh not Branagh and never Gibson.

If you are looking for a good production were the cosutme and set is more modren
with nothing abridged and with a wonderful cast then it has to be, the BBC made for TV
Royal Shakespeare Company production, with David Tennat as Hamlet and Patrick Stewart as his uncle.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1449175/