Hamlet
(1996)
(1996)
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Kenneth Brannagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Kate Winslett,
Judi Dench, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Charleton Heston
Rated: PG-13 for some violent images and sexuality
The epic of Shakespearean adaptations, Kenneth Branagh’s unabridged, colossal scale retelling of Hamlet is a spectacle for the ages. Shot on pristine 70mm film (the most recent of films to have done so), this adaptation is played out by acting greats such as Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslett, Julie Christie, Michael Maloney, Judi Dench, Gerard Depardieu, Richard Attenborough, and Charleton Heston, as well as comedic cameos from Billy Crystal and Robin Williams (both of which must be forgiven for their lack of English accents.) The performances (particularly Maloney, Branagh, and Winslett) are dynamic and the cinematography and score are wondrous. And despite the laboriously long scenes for a movie, Branagh utilize films’ strength by editing shots outside of the scene into the various acts, which not only makes the story more powerful, but also re-emphasizes what the character is talking about, which is helpful for those like me who don’t always understand Shakespeare’s dialogue. (Perhaps this isn’t always a bad thing: Branagh’s adaptation has some gruesome moments, and includes some cut-aways of a sex scene between Hamlet and Ophelia, which is implied in Shakespeare’s script but never shown.) As massive and long (over 4 hours) as this adaptation is, it still is missing the power of the story and even of other film adaptations. This is no fault of Shakespeare, and certainly not of Branagh. It’s simply because theatrical plays (which are dialogue driven) don’t adapt well to cinema (which are visually driven.) Despite the strength of Shakespeare’s story and dialogue, as well as Branagh’s vision, when it comes to Hamlet, the play is still the thing.
Judi Dench, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Charleton Heston
Rated: PG-13 for some violent images and sexuality
The epic of Shakespearean adaptations, Kenneth Branagh’s unabridged, colossal scale retelling of Hamlet is a spectacle for the ages. Shot on pristine 70mm film (the most recent of films to have done so), this adaptation is played out by acting greats such as Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslett, Julie Christie, Michael Maloney, Judi Dench, Gerard Depardieu, Richard Attenborough, and Charleton Heston, as well as comedic cameos from Billy Crystal and Robin Williams (both of which must be forgiven for their lack of English accents.) The performances (particularly Maloney, Branagh, and Winslett) are dynamic and the cinematography and score are wondrous. And despite the laboriously long scenes for a movie, Branagh utilize films’ strength by editing shots outside of the scene into the various acts, which not only makes the story more powerful, but also re-emphasizes what the character is talking about, which is helpful for those like me who don’t always understand Shakespeare’s dialogue. (Perhaps this isn’t always a bad thing: Branagh’s adaptation has some gruesome moments, and includes some cut-aways of a sex scene between Hamlet and Ophelia, which is implied in Shakespeare’s script but never shown.) As massive and long (over 4 hours) as this adaptation is, it still is missing the power of the story and even of other film adaptations. This is no fault of Shakespeare, and certainly not of Branagh. It’s simply because theatrical plays (which are dialogue driven) don’t adapt well to cinema (which are visually driven.) Despite the strength of Shakespeare’s story and dialogue, as well as Branagh’s vision, when it comes to Hamlet, the play is still the thing.
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