"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.