My version of Hamlet would combine elements from Branagh and Cumberbatch’s interpretations with some original ideas. The setting would be similar to Branagh’s version, and it would consist mainly of tracking shots. Hamlet would walk through a maze in his garden where Polonius is also wandering. The camera zooms out and shows and aerial view of the maze. It zooms back in on Polonius as he reaches Hamlet and the scene unfolds.
However, Kinnear’s portrayal is not as good as Kenneth Branagh’s, as Kinnear fails to capture Hamlet’s anguish and rage in his expressions as well as Branagh does. Kinnear’s voice in the soliloquy is very clear with a sad tone expressing Hamlet’s displeasure of his mother’s marriage. His bodily movements from slamming his hands on a table to shrugging at Cornelius when compared to Hamlet’s father all express Hamlet’s feelings effectively, yet despite this Kinnear is missing something. Kinnear lacks the brimming rage that Branagh displays throughout his soliloquy by keeping a disapproving sneer as he talks about the marriage of Hamlet’s mother. By failing to show Hamlet’s teenage emotions ready to break free and try to fix the recent marriage, Kinnear expresses a less passionate Hamlet which is inferior to
In Branagh’s version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ‘To be, or not to be’ speech is interpreted differently than other actors’. Branagh’s character, Hamlet, knows he is being watched by Claudius and Polonius. His disclosure about not committing suicide for fear of the afterlife is part of his plan to keep Claudius at bay until he can convince himself that Claudius is the assassin and find a way to get revenge. The set of this scene includes mirrors and mirrored doors but it is difficult to tell them apart. These are used very intriguingly by Branagh.
The interpretation that is best is the, Kenneth Branagh. The interpretation the acting company is trying to convey is a very dramatic staging by making the Mousetrap a very public play to the people from Denmark. The company wants to include the people from Denmark so they could witness the indirect accusations from Hamlet to King Claudius about his father’s death and his mother’s marriage. They convey an interpretation in which what is said by Hamlet is not private, but heard by the audience. They also display reactions from the audience.
The best portrayal of Hamlet’s “To Be, Or Not To Be” soliloquy is the Kenneth Branagh interpretation of the scene because, in my opinion, Branagh does the best to demonstrate Hamlet’s feelings of madness through his tone and body language. Even though Branagh’s speech is quite slow, and in my opinion too slow, the speed at which he is speaking allows him to place more emphasis on the topics that drive Hamlet insane, such as “Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay…” The slow listings of these flaws Hamlet sees in today’s world places emphasis on each and every one, as well as an emphasis on the total flaws themselves. Branagh also does an excellent job of demonstrating Hamlet’s madness
Shakespeare can be considered the greatest writer of the Hollywood scripts, and they make many versions of his works. On Hamlet several movies have already been made. In 1990, Franco Zeffirelli directed aversion of Hamlet starring Mel Gibson. In 1996, Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is not only the longest version, but also the most luxuriant version of Shakespeare’s great revenge tragedy on film. In these two different versions of Hamlet, the way that the ghost is presented in the scenes creates a significant contrast in the persona of the ghost and Hamlet's perception of the figure.
Hamlet is one of the most remarkable tragedy plays in the world, thus there are many reproductions to create same sensation. Films of Hamlet are the most famous versions of these and there are so several films created. These include Branagh’s version released in 1996 and Tennant’s version released in 2009. Branagh 's film is four hours long movie trying to create the exact version of story Hamlet on the screen and Tennant’s is three hours long television film, famous because it is a modernized version of Hamlet. Although Branagh’s and Tennant’s versions films have vast differences, they are both be able to convey the play’s theme of madness in their films.
His performance also becomes more dramatic due to the setting being in what looks to be a mausoleum. In addition to the setting and his body language making the performance more dramatic, the dim lit setting and the way the camera flips from Gibson distraught and indecisive looking face to the skeletons and tombs around him makes it more emotional. The look on Gibson's face makes the performance exceedingly more emotioal due to the way he seems to be giving what he is saying a lot of thought and as the camera focuses in on his face his eyes give off a distraught and depressing look, which leads to why the performances s a also depressing. The scene is depressing because not only is Gibson projecting a depressing mood but the way he delivers the lines so slow,dreadful and lifeless makes the audience feel sorry for him.
Hamlet’s “To be or Not to be” soliloquy, played by Kenneth Branagh, is threatening. Branagh’s character seems as though he is speaking to those behind the mirror, as he is addressing the mirror. His desire is for his speech to sound like a threat. To accomplish this tone, Branagh speaks in a slow, effective whisper and uses serious facial expressions throughout the scene. This casts an eerie presence over the audience and depicts Hamlet’s mental state.
After watching both the Kenneth Branagh or David Tennant for this assignment I have to say that I prefer the David Tennant version. I personally think that David Tennant is an amazing actor and was a great choice for the way that the acting company attempted to intercept the scene. He is very charismatic and can act more in a more light-hearted manner that fits very well with the interpretation of the company. The interpretation is of a more comedic atmosphere and Hamlet acted in a more natural way. The Kenneth Branagh meanwhile had a more dramatic scene with the hamlet acting much more bipolar and yelling in a public event with all the lords watching.
It’s amazing how different directors can interpret the same exact scene in their production of Hamlet. The four scenes of Shakespeare’s Hamlet are unique in their own way with each director breathing life into their production of a classic Shakespeare play. The differences in each production whether subtle or extreme can make or break the film adaptation. The actors, costuming, music and set design also play a pivotal role in comprehending a production such as Hamlet. There are those who appreciate a more pared down simplistic version of Shakespeare’s work or, like myself, yearn for a complete visual masterpiece that not only seduces the eyes but also speaks to the mind as well as the heart.
There are many productions of Hamlet, but the two most popular are the 2009 film featuring David Tennant and the 1996 film featuring Kenneth Branagh. Overall, I believe that Hamlet was portrayed better in the movie with Kenneth Branagh, rather than the movie featuring David Tennant. One of the most significant scenes of the play is Act V Scene 2, where Claudius dies. In the Kenneth Branagh film, the costumes in this scene are very fitting of the time period of when Hamlet was alive. The men were mostly wearing tight pants with trousers and patterned jackets, while the women were all wearing colorful, poofy dresses.
The famous soliloquy from the Shakespearean work, Hamlet, titled “To Be or Not to Be,” has been read and performed by countless actors over time. Even in acting, the presence of literary devices is still essential to a good soliloquy. Three actors in particular have utilized tone, body language, facial expressions and theme in their own unique way to perform this famous speech. Both Ethan Hawke and Kenneth Branagh have strong elements in their depictions of Hamlet, yet I believe the presentation by Mel Gibson captures the mood, theme and overall soliloquy in the best and most confident way.
The Impossibility of Certainty “Hamlet” is one of the most famous and well-known plays written by William Shakespeare. “To be, or not to be” (Shakespeare: 3:1:65) is the opening statement given by Prince Hamlet. This prince is known to be focused on for his indecisiveness. This statement is illusive to indecisiveness and confusion, which ties into the foreshadowing of the theme of impossibility of certainty. This play was written in the fifteenth century, between 1599 and 1601.
Death impacts characters strongly by influencing their choices and thoughts. Death, as a result, personifies as various characters which impact the cast in different ways. In Hamlet, “Porphyria’s Lover,” and Wuthering Heights, death is characterized as controlling because of its impact on the characters’ emotions and actions. The act of death influences a character’s perceptions through the various ways that death is personified in each story. Personification creates death as an authoritative figure, a god, and manipulative.
