I know what you want to know, I do :)...if not, click here. If you've made it to my web page, you have most likely seen the movie so I don't have to tell you who's in it or what it's about. Here are some answers to questions that I'm frequently asked and they may be just what you're looking for.
When is Hamlet coming out on DVD?
I honestly don't know the answer to this one. DVDfile.com lists the title as "in production" without a release date (titles with no set date are automatically given a date of December 31), but I'm not exactly sure what that means. All I know is it hasn't come out yet even though it's an oft-requested item at the video store.
Also, you can check out Michael's Hamlet site devoted to the virtues of seeing the movie in DVD.
Never mind the DVD, what happened to the video?
It was gone for a while but now it's back and in WIDESCREEN to boot. You can order yourself a copy from Amazon.com. Enjoy!
Can I buy Hamlet come on laserdisc?
Yes, the movie is set in widescreen on the laserdisc. It comes in a three disc box set but unlike other laserdiscs, does not include any extras like "The Readiness is All" documentary. Here is a short description, courtesy of Doug Finton:
The Hamlet laserdiscs have about 53 min. sides; the intermission comes at the end of side 3. Side 5 is CAV (also known as the "fast speed", which allows you to freeze frames and step through scenes frame by frame) and lasts a bit over 20 min. All sides have "chapter stops", making it easy to access specific scenes directly, like playing cut #5 on a CD. The back cover of the box lists the chapters.
What happened to the official website? I used to visit it everyday!
It's gone, wiped off the face of the earth, obliterated, vanished, not even the domain name exists. *sniffle* You can, of course, e-mail the people at Zentropy and asked them what happened to it. This is really unfortunate because it was one of the best websites on the Internet for any subject (in my opinion, of course :).
Is there a screenplay available?
Yes! Any good bookstore should have it :). It includes the full text of Hamlet plus Branagh's entertaining commentary, a film diary written by textual advisor Russell Jackson, and some beautiful pictures from the production. It'll cost you $17.00 US or $22.99 CDN, but well worth it!
ISBN #: 0-393-31505-3
There is also a hardcover signed and numbered edition of the screenplay available for $100 US. At the moment, you can purchase it at Barnes & Noble.
ISBN #: 0-393-04519-6
Here is a description from Doug Finton:
It is approx. 6 3/4 inches by 9 3/4 inches, and bound in blue cloth boards. There is a blue slip-case, with a sticker version of the trade paperback's cover on the front. On the fly-leaf opposite the inside cover is a page stating:A
signed, limited edition
of
HAMLET
by William Shakespeare
Screenplay and Introduction by Kenneth Branagh
[Branagh signature]
Copy number x of 250
When is this Hamlet CD-ROM game I keep hearing about going to be released?
OK, here's the deal: it is called Hamlet - A Murder Mystery and, yes, it has been released but you'll have to work hard to find it! It was available for some time on the Internet but apparently that retailer has sold out. I obtained my copy from Tower Records in London so you can try there to see if they have it or can order it for you. The price is/was £34.
Tower Records, London
Mail order phone number: 44-(0)-171-287-1510
Fax: 44-(0)-171-434-2340
That's wonderful but will I be able to play it on my computer?
The game requires a Pentium 90 with at least a 4x speed CD-Rom.
So why should I be all hyped up about it anyway?
Here's what's on the back of the box:
TO BE... As Young Hamlet, you must avenge the terrible murder of your father and become the new King of Denmark. Use cunning, courage and nerves of steel to survive five levels of gameplay and win the crown in a last and vicious sabre duel in cyber space. Become "whole and complete" in body and spirit by collecting all ten wits of man. Your task is to kill the King, but prevent the deaths of the innocent!
NOT TO BE... is the complete and unabridged text of the original Hamlet play. Each page is linked to scholarly commentary and insights into the Renaissance world. Fifteen "Books of Lore" provide fascinating clues on topics including Renaissance Love and Marriage, Flowers and Herbs, Poisons and Potions, Archery, Fencing and much more.
25 exciting action and adventure games.
40 minutes of full screen film clips from the motion picture.
Stunning 3-D virtual graphics.
Renaissance Man, your guide, awaits you in the Observatory of Elsinore Palace. Revenge your father's death by killing King Claudius, but saving Queen Gertrude. Follow the clues in the forest to the willow tree where Ophelia, gone mad with love, awaits your rescue. The final duel has arrived. Will you meet your match? Before taking on your adversary...master the ten wits of man through 25 challenges.
And here is a synopsis, from Jude Tessel:
I have to tell you that I have been playing the Hamlet CD Rom game for over 3 hours and it is awesome! The film footage is used well and shows quite nicely on computer. There have been clips from every scene so far. I've even caught a few frames of film that weren't in the movie, or trailer...like a side shot of old Hamlet's body while he's talking to Hamlet.
For each step of the game you take, you have to find a particular spot in a room and activate it, which often leads to a puzzle that must be solved to move on. The activation points are a challenge to find in themselves. For instance, to hear what the ghost of Hamlet's father has to say, you have to search the forest to find where the ghost is standing in the shadows. To hear him describe his murder, you first have to solve a garden maze to get to the place where he has been napping. To hear Polonius' instuctions to Reynaldo you have to find the door to the room they are in and peer through a peephole in the door. It is Mega KEWL!!
Is there anything else I should know?
Well, uh, here is a description of what the box looks like. It is black with red and white lettering and the American poster as the main picture, plus a small Ken with sword decorating all sides of the box. Ken with sword is the picture on the CD Rom box.
Most of the CD-ROM info is courtesy of Jude Tessel. Thank you so much!
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