Hamlet: Zeffirelli vs. Branagh Essay

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.

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

Kenneth Branagh made it seem like Hamlet was following his father’s orders even though in the play he wasn’t. This made the audience feel better about Hamlet because he was actually taking action. Although Kenneth’s version of Hamlet’s character took action it is not as tragic as Hamlet’s character in the play because by Hamlet not taking action it shows how sensitive and hurt he was.

I first want to dissect the 1996 movie in which Kenneth Branagh plays Hamlet. The “To be or not to be” scene is clearly one of the most important scenes of the entire movie, so the directors

Hamlet is a very well-known play across the world. Many students have been required to read the play in school. Although the poem has been read by many students, student usually don’t further their experience with Hamlet by watching the movie. There are many remakes of the play in movie form, new movies have been evolved since the play was originally made. There are movies that follow the play and the time period of the play and then there are newer or more modern versions of the play. The comparison being made in this paper is, the originally play versus the 2009 movie version of Hamlet.

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

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet there are many unanswered questions such as if Hamlet is really mad or if it is just an act. There are many film adaptations which use their movie elements in order to hint towards the answer of these questions. In Gregory Doran’s film interpretation Hamlet starring David Tennant, David Tennant truly shows the raw emotions of Hamlet. He shows how Hamlet feels through his movements and facial expressions. These little things allow the viewer to see the true meaning and intention behind Hamlet’s words.

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.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most produced plays of all time. Written during the height of Shakespeare’s fame—1600—Hamlet has been read, produced, and researched by more individuals now than during Shakespeare’s own lifetime. It is has very few stage directions, because Shakespeare served as the director, even though no such official position existed at the time. Throughout its over 400 years of production history, Hamlet has seen several changes. Several textual cuts have been made, in addition to the liberties taken through each production. In recent years, Hamlet has seen character changes, plot changes, gender role reversals, alternate endings, time period shifts, and thematic alternations, to

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.

In the Mousetrap scene of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” Hamlet devises an elaborate scheme involving a play to determine whether King Claudius is guilty of killing his father. In the production of “Hamlet” in which Hamlet is portrayed by actor David Tennant, the plot is developed rather differently than one would imagine by simply reading the play. The acting company’s interpretation, along with the acting choices, compose an excellent rendition of the play.

A comparative study of the film adaptation of Kenneth Branagh (1996) and the television adaptation of Gregory Doran (2009). This work aims to examine both works from a romantic and postmodern perspective. This memoir is composed of a theoretical part which advances the difficulties to adapt the works of Shakespeare before being specifically centered on the piece of Hamlet. The length of this one is particularly problematic and forced many directors to remove certain characters and scenes. The second part of this brief is intended to present the two directors, the singularities of their film and a statement of the criticisms they obtained. Finally, the last part consists of the comparative analysis of the two works. The views selected for this

William Shakespeare’s play called, “Hamlet” has been performed on stage numerous times and adapted into many films over time. Some actors and directors capture the true essence of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, while others prefer to make parody films of Hamlet by poking fun at Hamlet’s family, friends and even himself. Although, there are many film adaptions of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, what’s unique about the different film versions of Hamlet is the unique alterations directors and actors make in each film adaption of Hamlet, although given the same play. Three main versions of Hamlet, the classic, staring and directed by Laurence Olivier, the 1990 version starring Mel Gibson and directed by Franco Zeffirelli and the unforgettable 1996 version