Tragedy Of Prince Hamlet: Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet

The purpose of this report is to compare and contrast two movies made about Hamlet. I will present and discuss different aspects of the version directed by Kenneth Branagh to that of Franco Zefirelli. During this paper you will be presented with my opinions in reference to determining which version of Hamlet best reflects the original text by Shakespeare. I will end this paper with my belief and explanation of which movie is true to the original play.

Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Hamlet emphasized different importance's of the play. His version differs from that of Zeffirelli’s because; he makes use of the entire text from Shakespeare’s original work. Branagh also does not hold the time period authentic. Although his version of the play was not altered as much as Zeffirelli’s, he is still able to hold the attention of modern critics and viewers. However, by transfiguring the play into a Victorian background, Branagh’s film completely alters the mindset and feel of a true Shakespearean play.

Hamlet is an acknowledging Shakespearean play that was later filmed in 1990 by Franco Zeffirelli and in 1996 by Kenneth Branagh. Both these directors interpret the play differently adding unique twists and turns of their own to help focus on one thing than the other. In their contrasting films, these two directors depict the character of Ophelia very differently. Through Zeffirelli’s film, Ophelia, played by Helena Bonham Carter is portrayed as a dreamy, naive, childish character, however in Branagh 's version; Kate Winslet portrays Ophelia as a more mature, sensible and strong willed character. These different portrayals of Ophelia can be further analyzed through cinematography, set and costume designs and through the actor themselves.

The difference between the setting shows how modern the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet is compared

Tony Robbins said, “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others”. Shakespeare’s writing has had many different ways of being presented because people perceive it in different ways. Whether it is a literal representation or a spin, directors like to show viewers the way they perceive the text. In the movie version of Hamlet the director, Kenneth Branagh, wanted the viewers to find Shakespeare interesting and full of action and drama. Kenneth chose the right direction to go in to keep the audience’s attention but it

Many directors choose to make many different decisions when producing their version of Hamlet. Every actor portrays the character Hamlet in several ways making each version almost a new story. Mel Gibson's 1990 version and the 2009 David Tennant films are very different in style, scene omissions and several other aspects.

The play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about a king that was murdered by his brother and the main character Hamlet, who is the prince and also the king’s son was told by the ghost of his father to avenge his murder. In the play Hamlet, there are many differences compared to the movie “Hamlet 2000” directed by Michael Almereyda. The reason to these differences is to show a modern setting in the movie “Hamlet 2000”, to show the audience a better understanding of the characters, and the difference in the way the movie ends compared to the original play by Shakespeare.

In comparing the David Tennant version of Hamlet to other movie adaptations, it is clear that each one has it’s own unique way of presenting the story. The Mel Gibson version of hamlet takes place in a more traditional and medieval time. In adapting the play, this take on

Over the course of the past fifty years there have been many cinematic productions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, some of which remain true to the text while others take greater liberties with the original format. Director Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 production of Hamlet was true to Shakespeare’s work in that the film’s dialogue was delivered word or word as it is presented in the text. In contrast, Franco Zeffirelli conducted his 1990 production of Hamlet in a much more liberal direction in which lines, scenes and characters were omitted from the film. I argue that from the perspective of an individual with moderate knowledge in Shakespearian literature, that the best film versions of Hamlet are those that take the most liberties from the text. I

Franco Zefferelli’s film, Hamlet, adapted from Shakespeare’s text, Mel Gibson’s Hamlet, struts and frets his life in Denmark, convincing almost everyone that he is “mad.” The film bases the question of whether or not Hamlet is actually insane almost solely on Gibson’s acting interpretations, but Zefferelli’s editing choices assist in making the point that Hamlet is not insane, but either in a fog of confusion and anger from his grief, or pretending to be mad to manipulate others.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet has countlessly been formatted into film depictions of the play. Each film seemed to be on one end of the spectrum of either being closely interpreted or completely remodeled a different idea of what Hamlet is. The film version of Hamlet released in 2000 seems to follow closely to the play in some aspects, yet at the same time having its own unique identity Despite there being many differences with the play Hamlet and the film adaptation of Hamlet (2000) by Michael Almereyda there are three categories that really stand out, those are the character portrayal, interrelationship between the characters, and some of the essential themes differ as well. Although there are many differences, one aspect that remains the same is the dialogue of the characters which stays true to the Shakespearean dialect.

Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 filmic translation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a dramatic telling of the classic story which is as well acted as it is entertaining. Aside from these points, Zeffirelli's (and co-scripter Christopher Devore's) screenplay is an edited, and re-mixed version of the original which has many lines cut, as well as the entire sub plot concerning Fortenbras, completely removed. Franco Zefirelli's private interpretation of Hamlet, although divergent in some ways from Shakespeare's version, still remains a superior rendering, due to the continuity of the screenplay.

The film Hamlet (1996) directed by Kenneth Branagh was produced in a more modern form of Shakespeare to bring the famous play to life. Although Kenneth Branagh managed to portray William Shakespeare’s ideas on screen as accurately as possible while staying within reasonable adaptations, there were a few issues. One of the main issues that caught my attention was the use of a straight jacket and padded room when Ophelia was deemed too ill to be amongst the others. Although it was a nice modern touch, it was a tad over done like much of the acting. In the written play Hamlet there was a brief scene of Ophelia’s death, however, Branagh seemingly abandoned her very existence and importance in the film. As the film comes to an end there is the final

Hamlet has captivated audiences, as well as readers for many years, and the initial thing to take note of is the fact that he is mysterious. There are continuously more mysteries when it comes to him when weighed against the additional characters within the performance that people are able to figure out. In addition, even the utmost vigilant and clever readers finish the play with the sense that they do not make out everything that entails to Hamlet as a character. He in reality tells other characters within the play that there is a lot more to know about him than what meets the eye, notably, Guildenstern, his mother, as well as Rosencrantz, however, his captivation takes in a lot more than what is seen. The minute Hamlet speaks, he

Hamlet is perhaps William Shakespeare's most famous of his many plays. Even people who have not read the play or seen it performed or watched one of the many film versions knows that basic elements of the plot. Young Hamlet is mourning the death of his father who, as it turns out has been murdered by his uncle so that the latter can take over the throne and marry the queen, his brothers' widow. Hamlet decides to be crazy in order to determine his Uncle Claudius's guilt in the act. Over the course of the story, people die and the play culminates in the final duel between Hamlet and Laertes wherein both young men die as well as Claudius and Queen Gertrude. Nearly every country of the world has created an adaptation of the story to fit their cultural and national perspectives. In the western world, adaptations of Hamlet have been more concerned with psychological or military theories regarding the story more than the inclusion of their unique cultures. Hamlet has been called by some as a universal story because it appeals to such a large array of different peoples. Each adaptation of the play chooses to focus on different aspects of the play in order to draw audience attention to certain points or hidden themes with the filmmakers believe are most important. Director Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 adaptation of Hamlet stars Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, and Helena Bonham Carter. More than any other aspect of the Shakespeare play, Zeffirelli's version of the story