Unexpected Rise of a Hero? Or Downfall of a Villain?
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Richard Briers, Kate Winslet, Nicholas Farrell, Michael Maloney, Rufus Sewell, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams. Hamlet is perhaps one of the most famous of Shakespeare’s play written around the 1600’s. Over time the play has varied, however I consider this version I watched this afternoon directed by Kenneth Branagh in 1996 to be one of the best by my standards. Branagh passion for the play fueled his desire to direct an un-bridged version of the play. Captivating audiences of all ages. The opening scene is notified of his father’s unexpected death while away attending school in Germany. Hamlet returns home in Denmark to bury his father, …show more content…
Branagh proved to be a noble choice for Hamlet with a stellar performance. Derek Jacobi as King Claudius captivates the audience as a decisive king, making it effortless to hate his character. Julie Christie as the queen Gertrude keeps the audience guessing, is she really that naïve to King Claudius actions? Kate Winslet proved to be an endearing young sweet Ophelia. Richard Briers as Polonius demands respect as the Lord Chamberlain, its no wonder his children take him so seriously. Nicholas Farrell as Horatio is very likeable in the role of Hamlets only true friend. Michael Maloney as Laertes, Polonius son and Ophelia’s brother. Robin William as Osric proved to be amusing, as he took on a serious role-inviting Hamlet to a duel with Laertes (Polonius) however this did not affect the overall quality of the acting. In an interview titled Kenneth Branagh With Utter Clarity, Paul Meier interviews Branagh in which he stresses the importance of the actors truly understanding the Shakespeare actors they are portraying. They need to learn to speak like Shakespeare actors, which speak quickly. As a director Branagh has the actors focus on vowels and consonant providing the audience with aural scaffolding. This method has truly paid off, while watching the movie Hamlet you can appreciate the beauty in the
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Richard Briers, Kate Winslet, Nicholas Farrell, Michael Maloney, Rufus Sewell, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams. Hamlet is perhaps one of the most famous of Shakespeare’s play written around the 1600’s. Over time the play has varied, however I consider this version I watched this afternoon directed by Kenneth Branagh in 1996 to be one of the best by my standards. Branagh passion for the play fueled his desire to direct an un-bridged version of the play. Captivating audiences of all ages. The opening scene is notified of his father’s unexpected death while away attending school in Germany. Hamlet returns home in Denmark to bury his father, …show more content…
Branagh proved to be a noble choice for Hamlet with a stellar performance. Derek Jacobi as King Claudius captivates the audience as a decisive king, making it effortless to hate his character. Julie Christie as the queen Gertrude keeps the audience guessing, is she really that naïve to King Claudius actions? Kate Winslet proved to be an endearing young sweet Ophelia. Richard Briers as Polonius demands respect as the Lord Chamberlain, its no wonder his children take him so seriously. Nicholas Farrell as Horatio is very likeable in the role of Hamlets only true friend. Michael Maloney as Laertes, Polonius son and Ophelia’s brother. Robin William as Osric proved to be amusing, as he took on a serious role-inviting Hamlet to a duel with Laertes (Polonius) however this did not affect the overall quality of the acting. In an interview titled Kenneth Branagh With Utter Clarity, Paul Meier interviews Branagh in which he stresses the importance of the actors truly understanding the Shakespeare actors they are portraying. They need to learn to speak like Shakespeare actors, which speak quickly. As a director Branagh has the actors focus on vowels and consonant providing the audience with aural scaffolding. This method has truly paid off, while watching the movie Hamlet you can appreciate the beauty in the