VHS : Hamlet

Rating: - Gloomy means lightless
This Play is one of the most important pieces of drama and poetry in Shakespeare's complete works. A cycle of peace and quiet is disturbed by an incestuous crime, both the murder of a brother and the hasty and sensuous marriage of the murderer with the victim's wife, a marriage which is totally against the normal Christian and feudal rules of the time : you are not supposed to covet the wife of your brother. Then havoc falls onto the kingdom of Denmark. Hamlet is forced to play deranged and crazy to save his life and to cover up his violent defense against dangers around him. Ophelia will get deranged to the point of drowning herself. Then the cycle of disturbances will go on to its utter end which means the destruction of all the protagonists. Shakespeare's vision does not stop there : equilibrium is reintroduced in this disturbed kingdom by the arrival of a distant cousin, Fortinbras, who seizes power by force though he represents the last touch of legitimacy available. But this film takes two interesting options. The first one is the will to be as realistic as possible about the real living conditions of the time in the Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Gloomy, dark, shadowy, life is nothing but a shady dream accompanied by ambitious social climbers who are ready to do anything to have power and privileges. The film insists on the fate of some of these smiling hypocrites, like Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern who are shown in their last living instant just before the axe of the executioner falls on their necks in London. The film also insists on the filth of such a life and concentrates this dirt onto Ophelia. This realistic choice gives to the play a dramatic density that it deserves entirely. At times it verges onto a melodramatic dimension, especially when dealing with the mother who is an unsensitive ambitious woman who does not want to lose the status of Queen and is ready to do anything to keep that crown. In fact she cannot love Hamlet because he represents a danger to her queenhood. Zeffirelli shows her nearly as being repentant. The second option is the cutting off of the last scene, the arrival of Fortinbras to seize power by force and legitimize the return to equilibrium since he is the only surviving relative of this blood line and he had been banned out of Denmark because he was against the strange crowning of the brother of the dead King due to his marrying the dead king's wife, which is incestuous as we have seen. This change in ending cuts off any historical and political meaning in the play, and that is a shame because Shakespeare is a great historian in a way, definitely a historical playwright who has a full vision of fate and time. Why did Zeffirelli do that ? We can hardly know. Maybe he wanted to balance his Romeo and Juliet with a second drama of the same type. Maybe it is his vision of Shakespeare, even if it is a reduction.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne

---

Rating: - Since brevity is the soul of wit ...
I will be brief; though whether witty, too, as this production is ... why, I know not.
For 'tis not a trifle thing to take a play like Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and cut its length
Almost in half, without thus giving up half of its meaning. Yet, Signor
Franco Zeffirelli: even he, who aught already did for "Romeo
And Juliet," hath made his mark again here in most splendid fashion.

The Prince of Denmark's been portrayed by Thespian royalty near and far,
First among these the great Sir Laurence. Yet here now comes Mel Gibson: a most
Unusual choice, 'tis true; and better known for other roles. But although
Action star and ladies' favourite, this venture made him humble; justly so:
"The play's the thing," he says as Hamlet, and as himself, he adds: "Hamlet belongs
On stage." And he deplores that merely one of his enactments of each scene
Should be preserved on film forever, and that he never had the chance
To delve into the role anew from night to night. - Fear not, good Sir: I think
You did great honour to the Bard's intent; well understood unhappy Hamlet's
Scorn, his rage, his doubts, his terrible paralysis, all his tormented soul.

I also do agree that although ten years older than the prince when you
Took on the part, those extra years provided further insight of the kind
That's needed for this complex role. Hadst but maintained you this same sense of
Hamlet's gravitas until the end, of my full'st praise you wouldst have been assured.
Alas, the levity that you let creep into the final duel with Laertes
In my view ill becomes that scene, and although Hamlet on its eve hath had
A premonition of his death; hath spoke of providence and sparrows,
And looking at the sunset sighed, I doubt that when he meets Ophelia's brother,
He's so far gone beyond all caring that he'd make light of their encounter.
("The rest is silence," too, would have impressed me more without the lisp.)

But let that be. For I do join you in applauding those who
With you hearkened the appeal of Signor Zeffirelli; and who
Most heartily deserve to share this feature's laurels. Princes of
British theatre: the late, great Alan Bates - usurper Claudius -
All ruthless power, cunning, even carnal, brushing away his pangs of guilt;
Yet, reck'ning he doth not escape. Paul Scofield, next, th' ill-fated ghost;
Not bearing arms, as Shakespeare wrote, but verily a perturbed spirit,
As Hamlet calls him, in his pain. And Ian Holm as counsellor
Polonius: not ponderous, nor slow of tongue and eye but quick, and yet
Slain by the prince, in Claudius's place. They all have stood on stage a hundred times,
And brought to life the Bard's great plays, so well doth it behove one new, as Master Gibson
Is, to Shakespeare's world to credit them for lessons learned; and not just for their acting.

Also permit me, pray, to speak about the ladies in this male-dictated play:
Glenn Close's Gertrude, youthful queen, who gives the lie to Hamlet's chide
And his unmerciful reminder of her flesh's humbleness, and of her
Age. A bit too Freudian, perchance, her and her son's relationship
(That's an approach I've never liked). But a commanding presence, all be told.
Yet, even more praiseworthy is Miss Hel'na Bonham-Carter; her
Ophelia well-neigh impossible to replicate, she's *that* convincing.
Now rose in bloom, in love; now in distress, now finally in lunacy; she wails,
Her hair is tangled, clothes in rags, prophetic words she speaks disguised as
Songs and flower talk, before she drowns and thus propels this drama's end.

What else? Oh aye, of course: Kudos must also go to David Watkin,
In charge of camera, and Signors Ennio Morricone and Feretti
- by first name Dante - for this film's score and the design of its production.
Faithful reporting, too, would be amiss without a word on Hamlet's foils:
Horatio, his school fellow, in Stephen Dillane's able hands, as is
Laertes in Nathaniel Parker's; and Trevor Peacock as the gravedigger,
Spot-on: a diamond in the rough. As player king, moreover, have a
Look out for Pete Postlethwaite; and unlike the movie by Olivier
This one includes both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - Michael Maloney and
Sean Murray. Fortinbras, though, you'll search in vain in this production, too.

The words, of course, are those of Shakespeare, though moved around a bit, but not in
Ways that by and large, methinks, the Bard would take exception to. Save, that is,
"Get thee to a nunnery," which doth assume a diff'rent connotation here:
A kinder, gentler Hamlet, who still contrives to show some care about Ophelia.
(But would he really? Nay, I think not.) "To be or not to be" not in the
Courtyard but the crypt, however, that is amazingly intense: both
The performance and the imagery. As generally Zeffirelli
In troth well uses film's ability to convey meaning visually, as
In the burial of Hamlet Senior, the prince's wordless visit to
Ophelia, and in the punishment of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

But let me close now. Brief I would be, that was my promise - well, there goes that.
Such is reviewing! Yet, what I wish, in faith, dear reader, thou hadst found
Within these lines is that I recommend this film. So go and watch it - presently!

---

Rating: - This is a Hamlet for today's audience.
This version of Hamlet is short and fast paced. It has plenty of energy and Mel Gibson is a convincing Hamlet. The balances of the cast are top-notch actors and are in excellent form. There is enough of the story to give cohesion. There are no stories or plays that could not stand a little reinterpreting. But some times this leave out the feel. Mel actually put more feel back in to the original intent. So do not compare while watching. And watch it again.

The story takes place in Denmark. Hamlet the prince is informed by the ghost of his father that his mother and uncle were responsible for his father's death. His mother and his uncle get married before the funeral meat is cold. How will Hamlet deal with the situation and what effect will it have on others around him?

---

Rating: - Not what I expected!
Not only was I sceptical about Zeforelli as director, I was also extremely sceptical about Mel Gibson as Hamlet! But I was so wrong! Gibson takes on the role perfectly in the shortened version of the play and the supporting cast complement him wonderfully! Extremely easy to watch, even for those not used to Shakespeare's language.

---

Rating: - Very good, if shortened interpretation
This is an ouststanding version of Hamlet, with Mel Gibson taking on the lead role very well. The film has been cut down, from around the usual 4 hours to around two. The major advantage of this is that you are less likely to get more and is more accessible but the disadvantage is that it misses out chunks of speech, which some would argue is crucial to the film. As well as Gibson turning in a superb performance, the other main players (Julie Christie, Helena Bonham-Carter, Ian Holm amongst others) all give excellent performances and this makes makes a worthy addition to the Hamlet family.

RATING : 4 STARS ****