"To be, or not to be--that is the question"(Hamlet, III,i, 57). The most famous lines in English literature. But do you know the next 32 lines? All right, let's make this easier...the next 3? If so, congratulations, you can impress/annoy/confuse your friends and
family. If not, study up and watch Kenneth Branagh's long, er...complete...full...wonderful version of Hamlet if you haven't already. Chances are, you have/are/will be studying Shakespeare's play in some sort of educational institution so what better way to learn it than with this glorious production? For once, Hamlet does not have an Oedipus complex nor does he live within the confines of a gothic castle complete with men in fluffy, white shirts and tights, although his Hamlet does sport "quite tight trousers". In fact, this movie was filmed in 70mm (sharper images) complementing the visually stunning interiors designed by Tim Harvey, and grand exteriors filmed on location at Blenheim Palace. Yes, the film is four hours long (four hours of Ken! For some that's a good enough incentive) but, as Ken says, it's "long in time, short in feel". Trust me, it's worth the time. And, now that it's on video, you can watch in slow motion, stretching the viewing experience to an unprecedented 8 hours or more! Not only is it an excellent interpretation of the play, it's also accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack by
Patrick Doyle. Don't believe my completely unbiased opinion? Here's 178 more reasons to view/buy/drool over it. And while you're at it, see what others have to say in the following collection of over 300 Hamlet reviews, interviews, and articles. Enjoy!
Hamlet on DVD: August 2007 |
Order your copy today
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To begin with, here is a short Hamlet FAQ.
What's New? (Last updated: July 2, 2007)
I'll be adding more as I find them so come back again! If you have or find any reviews that you don't see here or if a link is not working properly or if you just like to chat, please let me know and I will add/fix/discuss it!
Thanks to Sunster, Penny Hummel, Joanne, Ngoc Vu, Jude Tessel, and Cindy Williams for contributing to this collection.
