Murder and violence, revenge and intrigue, sex and desire, paranoia and madness - the heady brew of passion and emotion that makes up Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet has intoxicated audiences of all ages. The story of the Prince of Denmark who seeks revenge for his father's murder at the hands of his perfidious uncle, delves into fundamental issues about humanity and the nature of being. What, it asks, does it take to be a human being?
These were the elements that have intrigued and obsessed Kenneth Branagh ever since he first saw the play at the age of 15.
"I was completely struck by the power of the play," recalls Branagh. "It even seemed to affect me physically, I had the shakes. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was astonished by what a terrific thriller it was. It had everything - murder, violence, intrigue, passion, a ghost - and I experienced a part of what made Hamlet so profoundly exciting and powerful. It was utterly compelling."
For his cast, Branagh assembed a rich mixture of talents. Thanks to his international reputation as an actor and a premier director of Shakespeare on film, he was able to hand pick a team of stars from both sides of the Atlantic. It is a cast that combines the great Shakespearean actors of the stage - Derek Jacobi, Richard Briers, Michael Maloney, John Gielgud, Judi Dench, Rosemary Harris, Charton Heston - with those who have never performed the Bard, such as Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Billy Crystal, Jack Lemmon and Robin Williams.
It was in September 1994, a year after he starred in the sell-out Royal Shakespeare Company staging of the play, that Kenneth Branagh, his producing partner David Barron, and regular production designer Tim Harvey, first began to conceptualise a feature film based on Hamlet. Less than a year later, the team secured backing from Castle Rock Entertainment. In a unique distribution deal, Castle Rock will release a full-length version of the film in 70mm as well as a shorter version in 35mm.
Branagh wanted to make a full text version as well as a convention length film because, he argues, "by filming the entire play, you have Shakespeare's complete entertainment. I do not want the audience to be filled with dread by the fact that we are using all of the text. In practice, it's a bonus. There are so many additional exciting elements to take advantage of. For instance, Hamlet is one of the wittiest plays ever written, with some of the bleakest and the broadest humour. This comic element is a necessary complement to the play's emotional demands. But whatever the length of the play is, it's difficult to resist the power of the drama itself. From the very first moment it rivets the attention."
Branagh decided to transform the play from a medieval setting into one from the 19th century. He also chose to shoot the film in 70mm under the direction of cinematographer Alex Thompson. If one thinks Hamlet by necessity means gloomy castles, dour costumes and pudding-bowl hairstyles - think again.
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