A Visual Understanding

The play Hamlet is well portrayed in Branagh’s film Hamlet. Branagh uses the text from the play throughout the whole movie. This gives the reader a better understanding of the play because the actors are using the same text as the play, which creates a better visual for the reader, and makes the film easier to follow, it also allows the reader to see a different interpretation of Shakespeare's play. As you are reading Hamlet, I think it is important to consider all the emotions a character could have, and to see other peoples perspectives of the character, for example if the queens character married her husbands brother to stay queen or because she loves her son Hamlet, and wanted him to have a chance at becoming king. I thought the film portrayed Gertrude, as loving Hamlet, and wanting to protect him, while the book made her seem more selfish, and not caring about the death of Hamlets father. I think knowing different peoples opinion’s about the play, lets us discover the less obvious themes in the play, and helps us reach a better conclusion about what truly is happening.

Media Studies: Comparing film adaptations of Hamlet

We have viewed portions of two adaptations of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In the comment section below this post, I would like you to begin discussion comparing and contrasting the two film versions. You may wish to do the following in your comment:

• Chose one or two of the film elements listed below and consider how Branagh’s version (1996) and Zeffirelli’s version (1990) compare and contrast
• Compare and contrast the adaptations by examining the portrayal of major characters or a character
• Respond to another student’s comments (NB: identify who you are responding to by using the tag “@” such as @Socrates if you are responding to me)

Please post your comments by Monday, January 24th.

Film Elements to consider:

Sound Elements:

• Sound effects, background noise in the scene
• Soundtrack, music, voiceovers and other sounds put on over the scene

Language Elements:

• What lines are emphasized?
• What lines (if any) are noticeably cut, included, or altered?

Performance and delivery:

• Facial expressions
• Gestures and mannerisms, body language
• Tone of voice and inflection
• Fluctuation, Pauses, and Volume of voice

Physical Elements: (Settings, props, and costumes)

• Where is the scene taking place physically?
• What do props and costumes tell us about the characters and about the time period?
• How are the props/setting used and what might they mean/signify?

Camera Elements:

• How long does the director stay with shots?
• How often are there cuts and transitions?
• When does the camera take the view of a character?
• Were there close ups, long shots? To what effect?

The Big Questions:

• What is the effect of each of these aspects on the scene?
• How does each director establish the tone of the scene?