"To Be or Not To Be..."

   Olivier's "To be or not to be" version is in black and white. It takes place on top of a castle looking out onto an ocean. This setting gives the scene some anticipation as to whether or not he will jump off. The music almost makes it seem as if is there to take his life. The fog gives it an ominous feeling along with the music. His prop give it a more dramatic effect. When he drops the dagger, to me it symbolizes him deciding to keep his life.

   Zeffirelli's Hamlet is played by Mel Gibson and takes place in a catacomb. Making the scene in a catacomb was a good choice because he is talking about life and death. I like that there is no music in this scene. He also turns to a tomb when he says things about death.

   Branaugh's Hamlet is different because he talks to himself looking in a mirror and there are people behind it. He also uses a dagger and points it at a mirror. There isn't music except for an occasional hum of  "angelical" voices. I enjoy the silence of the scene, it makes me engage in what he's saying even more. I love how Mel Gibson and Kenneth Branaugh do this Soliloquy. They both do it so intensely.

   Almereyda's version of Hamlet's "To be or not to be" took place in a Blockbuster. The music made the scene 10 times creepier than it seemed. There was a movie playing in the background with scenes of fire. His voice and the way he said the speech made it very depressing and careless. There are so many versions of this scene because everyone interprets thing from a different perspective. I loved the Branaugh and Zeffirelli version becacuse they set the mood of the scene without music.       

Analyzing the First Ghost Scene

How did the actors portray the characters?                                                                

   In the (Franco) Zeffirelli version during the ghost scene, i thought Hamlet was very over dramatic. I like the way Old Hamlet acted in this scene, it was realistic. Later on in the movie i thought Hamlet was very funny and well portrayed. 

   The (Kenneth) Branagh version didn't impress me at all during the ghost scene. I enjoyed the flashbacks because it helps you understand whats going on. The way Hamlet acted was fine, the reactions he gave were normal to expect. The only thing that really bothered me was Old Hamlet's voice. If he spoke normally maybe the Director wouldn't have needed flashbacks. It's a real shame because the ominous feeling that the woods gave was good. I understood why Old Hamlet spoke in a creepy voice, but it would be better without it.

  (Michael) Almereyda's version of the ghost scene was nice because of the Father/son moment they share before Old Hamlet Disappears. In the other versions, you feel fear being set in more than a nice moment between them. This scene was different than the others because it had more lighting and the settings were different. Although hotels can be creepy (the shinning for example) it doesn't give off the same feelings that the others do.

   Zeffirelli's version took place at night on top of a castle. Branagh's version of the ghost scene took place in the hair-raising woods. And Almereyda's version took place in a nicely lit hotel. They all have things that make them different, but i can't choose a favorite because they also all have things i dislike about them.