Olivier's Hamlet: This version is really old fashioned. It's in black and white, and has a very dated feel to it.I didn't enjoy it because the actor's emotions didn't match what I thought they would be. I didn't think it was believable. The text is already hard enough to understand, and the way the actor was talking didn't make me want to pay attention to what he was saying. It was hard to stay focused and interested. He was really calm and emotionless. It was just too dull in my opinion. I did like the fact that he was on a mountain top, it makes sense to be somewhere peaceful and to be alone while contemplating serious things.
Zeffirelli's Hamlet: I like this version a lot. It really seems like he's doing SERIOUS thinking and contemplating. His emotions are so much more believable than Olivier's version. I like the fact that he's speaking in the room with dead people in it.The lighting played a big part in this too. I liked when it shone in his face when he referred to God.
Branagh's Hamlet: I really enjoyed Branagh's emotion in this scene. It was creepy and believable. I enjoyed the use of props. The knife and the mirror gave me chills. I really liked the mirror also because it makes it obvious that he's talking to himself. I also liked when he held the knife to himself.
Almeyreda's Hamlet: This scene takes place in a video store. I have such a hard time taking that seriously. I really like Hawke's emotions. I like how sarcastic he is, and the way he's speaking makes it easy to understand what he means. I noticed that the director puts a lot of subliminal messages n this scene and the movie as a whole. Throughout this scene, there is a TV showing images of fire and explosions. Hamlet walks through the action section throughout a lot of his soliloquy. I see that as representing how all these terrible things happen to him, and he hasn't taken action towards them yet.
Hello Lexus, I agree with you on every single point that put up there. Oivier's Hamlet was exactly how you described it very old school and it gave a certain feel to the whole scene. Yet I disagree with you on the mountain top because I think that it added to his thought of suicide because a jump off mountain would kill him.
ReplyDeleteAs for the other three I agree with you completely. I also enjoyed Branagh's version and the mirror played a very important role in the scene for me. And Yes!!!! Thank you for talking about him in the catacombs because it seemed so real.