"By this time I had had two experiences of filming Shakespeare and
my film-maker's instincts made me long--even as I explored it within a fine production
like Adrian's--to take the play into the cinema in its fullest form. I longed to
allow audiences to join Fortinbras on the plain in Norway, to be transported,
as Hamlet is in his mind's eyes, back to Troy and see Priam and Hecuba. I felt that all
my experience was leading me in one direction." (Kenneth Branagh, from the introduction
to his screenplay of HAMLET)
Enthusiastic, highly-visual, and determined. As the recent National Film Theatre retrospective in London shows,
Branagh knows how to make it happen. Bravo to the NFT for helping to celebrate his contributions to the world of film.
As well as offerings of his film and broadcast work, the retrospective included an interview, and a taste
of Branagh's upcoming Loves' Labours Lost.
But it was also funny.
Although quite serious about all of his film work, which has distinct visual stylings and uses recurring favorite tools, Branagh's filmmaking also--by design--incorporates joy and fun in both process and product. Branagh is ready with a quip or barb, aimed at himself as often as anyone else. This theatrical banter and ability to put his actors at ease is one reason why many actors enjoy working with him again (and again). By all accounts, Branagh tries to encourage a truly collaborative feeling to "making a film"--much in the style of a theatre production.
The film diary for Hamlet was written by Russell Jackson, who is a Shakespeare scholar and Branagh's textual advisor. It reveals Branagh's dedication and relentless energies in making a four-hour tour-de-force an enjoyable experience for everyone involved--while making his movie. It's as if he said, "Okay, we're making a four-hour epic of Hamlet -and we're going to have FUN!" Sure, it's a tall order, but who better to undertake the task?
"There was an obsessional quality about wanting to do this and getting it done," Derek Jacobi says. "Without that, without the passion he put into it, it would never have gotten off the ground. When you think of the idea of a four-hour 'Hamlet' on film, it needed someone of Ken's obsessive nature." Branagh quibbles with that characterization of his effort. "Passionate enthusiasm, I suppose I'd prefer to call it," he says. "In order to make any kind of film, you have to be faintly obsessive about persuading people."
The text of Hamlet from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
The following are images from his film masterwork, Hamlet.
Click here for an audiofile on
the making of Hamlet.
For the Guardian interview with Kenneth Branagh at the NFT Retrospective, go here.
For the National Film Theatre Programme Notes for the
Kenneth Branagh retrospective, go here.
For an interview with Kenneth Branagh during the film production of
For an account of the London screening of Hamlet to benefit
the Panico Media Workshop, go here.
For "The Readiness is All: The Making of Hamlet" go here.
For a review of "Discovering Hamlet" a short film which documents Branagh's early take on the stage role
under the direction of Sir Derek Jacobi, go here.
For a New York Times article on the last major production
of Hamlet before the year 2000, at the Joseph Papp Public Theater,
go here.
To listen to "Adapting Shakespeare for Film", a real audio stream interview with Kenneth Branagh, go here. Courtesy of Voices from the Smithsonian Associates.
And now for something completely different.
Warning: This flash animation Hamlet consists almost entirely of irreverent and rude language, insults, and implications which some viewers may find offensive. Let's say, beyond innuendo. Younger viewers are encouraged to either forego it altogether, or ask an adult to preview it, to determine its suitability for you. If you're not a teenager yet, come back in a few years. (You'll think it's more funny then, anyway.)
There are two major faults of this version of Hamlet. The first fault is the film's ending. Since it is labelled the no-effort Hamlet, you have to respect its truth-in-advertising. The second is that it uses Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet icon without ackowledgement, a definite no-no, since Chris Coutts claims all artwork as original. However, as you have been disabused of that error, penance is paid in the form of a quid pro quo: a link to the film, below.
(Besides, the animator has the sense to use the likes of Massive Attack and Radiohead in his no-effort work.)
NB: This Hamlet is the second installment of "Tales of the Leet". If you're a NOOB to chat/IM lingo, and its commonly mispelled words, then GL. Just go with the flow; not all jokes are that far inside. An ROTFLMAO addition to the Hamlet canon, with apologies to Horatio on Chris' behalf. If you're ready, here's the Tales of the L337 Hamlet.
Hamlet De-briefed: What is L33tsp34k?
L337 means LEET, which phoenetically, is L-eet, or "elite". Compy-snobs, chatters, gamers, hackers and other people who have their own techno-speak (no offense to any of you) use number keys as well as visual shorthands and intentional misspellings to create a more exclusive circle of insiders.
An example of Leet speak--I @m 4 l337 h4xour jo0 4r3 4 l@/\/\3 no0b.
Useful links: Definition of Leet and Leet article.
If any of the external links above fails to work, please let us know.
Do you have any Hamlet film or stage photos you'd like to share?
>
Hamlet. In a .swf film.
Or perhaps some Hamlet wav. sound files to share? Please drop us a line here.
FRONT PAGE
News/
The Good BitsSHAKESPEARE in PERFORMANCE
THE HAMLET PAGE
links/LINKS
What's Up: STAGE
What's Up: BOOKS
What's Up: MUSIC
What's Up: FILM
Fictional Characters
What's Up:
ARTToday's Special
Sure We
Thank You