Tuesday, May 3, 2011

To be or not to be (Hamlet)

In Olivers'version of the to be or not to be scene I remained in suspence.  The fact that he was on the top of a castle while giving a speech about death made it very suspenseful. It added a very specific, deep tone to the film.  It made it easier to comprehend the speech given by Prince Hamlet. As I was watching this film, Prince Hamlet seemed very unpredictable.  I wasnt sure if he would suddendly just jump or happen to fall of the top of the castle into the ocean. Oliver played Hamlet very well. In my opinion, this was the beswt out of the three versions.
In Branagh's version I was very confused and did not understand the speech as much as I did in Olivers' and Zeffierllis' version.  The whole scene when Hamlet was starring into the mirror fit the speech very well because there are two ways that one can interperet the speech as there are two sides to a mirror. However, his tone wasn't as intriguing and meaningful as it was in the other two versions. It was as if he was just talking and his voice and his tone was indifferent.  All I could do was listen, I werent really in suspense and didnt really feel any emotion.
Zeffierellis' version with  Mel Gibson was very well played.  Mel Gibson portrayed a very depressing tone and set a very cheerless, upsetting mood.  In this version, it was the easiest for me to comprehend Hamlets speech.  The catacombs all the way at the bottom of the castle was a very good spot to set Hamlets speech.  One of the main differences that I noticed from Olivers' version to Zeffierellis' version was the setting.  In Olivers' version, Hamlet was at the very top of the castle outside where you can see and hear the ocean as oppose to the setting in the Zeffierellis' version where Hamlet was at the very bottom of the castle and there was no music at all.
In Almereyda's version, Hamlet is walking up and down in a Blockbuster.  This was the most modern film.  It was easy to understand but it was too intense.  Hamlet was in the action movie section.  All the movies in the background had fire and the sound was not calming.  It was very different from the other three versions of the "To be or not to be" speech.

1 comment:

slim said...

good job, i agree with many things that you said in your reflection.