In the first movie, the BBC version, there was a lot more left to the viewers. The director allowed for more ambiguity and such so that it wasn't just his interpretation of the play. While I hated this version when I first watched it, now I can say it wasn't too horrible. There are a lot of different ways to go about making this play into a movie, and I kind of liked the way it stayed close to the play. The scenes and props were terrible, Hamlet overacted way too much and was a bit too angry... but I can appreciate it more after watching the other versions.
In the next Hamlet movie, Branaugh's (?) version, I was more visually stimulated but decided less things on my own. The director really based a lot of this on his interpretation of the play, especially when he had Fortinbras invade Denmark. Overall I felt it easier to watch this version and concentrate, but there wasn't much left up to interpretation.
In the last movie, it was a much more modern version of the play, visually at least. There are cameras, modern clothes, ect. Again, I was able to pay more attention to everything because it was visually set up very well and felt I could relate more due to the modern take. I especially like how they did the ghost, but the director made everything his interpretation. There was an emphasis on the beginning when Horatio says Hamlet is mad when he follows the ghost... and from that point on... he seems very mad. In this version, Hamlet goes crazy from the beginning, which is arguable compared to the play.
In class we have also started mood and atmosphere practice.... which apparently I missed the best day to do this. But basically, we look at a picture and a piece of poetry or prose and write about the mood of the picture.
Hey Alexis,
ReplyDeleteI would agree, the first version was a bit... dry, for lack of a better word. It was a nice way to engage the traditional playhouse view of it into a movie, although a soundtrack wouldn't have hurt! I liked the second one best as well, I really think it was more cinematically complex. As a whole, how did these movies match up with your idea of Hamlet from our first read? I personally never thought he was crazy so I liked the Branaugh version best!
Erin Donahue
Watching the different movies was an interesting way to see how Hamlet can be interpreted. After watching the "heroin Hamlet" movie I have come to appreciate all these movies A LOT more. The first one I also agree was ambiguous and we got to decide a lot of things on our own, but I do appreciate this and it might be my favorite movie. Maybe putting in some connections with the movies would help make this post even better. Also connections with the mood and atmosphere practice too. You could write about how maybe you read something in a book and now you see how the author used DIDLS to set the mood.
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