Warner Bros. | 1996 | 242 min | Rated PG-13
The Bard’s longest and most frequently adapted play, Hamlet is as iconic and essential as they come; a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It has entranced audiences for centuries and given rise to countless adaptations, some brilliant, others utterly forgettable, and some that have carved out a niche in between, deserving of attention, only to fall short of greatness. Kenneth Branagh’s sweeping, Oscar-nominated film has long been hailed as one of the greats — several critics have even called it the finest Shakespeare adaptation committed to film – of course, it’s a matter of personal choice, but I place it right up there with Olivier’s 1948 adaptation for the screen.
Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is a project of epic proportions. As of this writing, this film was the last to be shot in 65 mm, and the spectacular sets and beautiful costumes were made for high definition. Branagh, who adapted the play for the screen, directed it, and stars, made several choices that separates his version from the rest. First, he decided to present Shakespeare’s work nearly as he wrote it. Though the Bard’s works are generally edited for film, Hamlet clocks in at a very long 242 minutes; admittedly, I found it engrossing enough to not notice the passage of time.
As I did, you’ll likely notice right away that Branagh updates the setting. Shakespeare wrote the play in 1602, but based the story on one that goes back as far as twelfth-century Denmark. Branagh sets his movie in the nineteenth century. This setting provides a closer link to today’s world and modern sensibilities, and the nineteenth-century costumes make the movie’s appearance a lot more colorful and epic in feel.
Most of the film was shot at Blenheim Palace, seat of the duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill’s childhood home. The interior sets, designed by Tim Harvey and Desmond Crowe, feature a throne room surrounded by mirrored walls, overlooked by a gallery and divided by an elevated walkway. The set puts much of the action onstage (members of the court are constantly observing) and allows for intrigue (some of the mirrors are two-way, and lead to concealed chambers and corridors. Other scenes were shot at Shepperton Studios. Surprisingly, especially given the all-star cast and length, Branagh’s budget was only about $18,000,000.
Most that’ve been through high school likely have a general understanding of the story of Hamlet. Hamlet (Branagh), the once care-free prince of Denmark, mourns the untimely death of his father (Brian Blessed). His mother, Gertrude (Julie Christie), rushes into marriage with Claudius (Derek Jacobi), her husband’s brother. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. And then the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears and claims he was poisoned by Claudius. What is Hamlet to do? He wants Claudius dead, but lacks the impulse to act out. He despises himself for his passivity. In tormenting himself he drives his mother to despair, kills Polonius (Richard Briers) by accident, and brings the kingdom to the brink of ruin and his love, Ophelia (Kate Winslet), to madness.
It’s in this very public place that Hamlet agonizes and emotes, as several people look on. Smartly, Branagh found new ways to stage otherwise familiar scenes, making the material seem fresh. Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy (“To be or not to be . . .”) is delivered into a mirror, so that his own indecision is thrown back at him. When he torments Ophelia, a decidedly private moment, we spy on them from the other side of a two-way mirror; he crushes her cheek against the glass and her frightened breath clouds it. When he comes upon Claudius in prayer, and can kill him, Branagh shows the blade of a dagger insinuating itself through the mesh of a confessional.
For all its merits, Branagh in the title role is what makes this film work. A gifted actor, Branagh doesn’t play Hamlet as a mopey sort, but rather an increasingly angry and unhinged young man. Kate Winslet is sweet and vulnerable as Ophelia, red-nosed and confused, as her world crumbles. Richard Briers plays Polonius as an adviser out of his depth. Of the familiar faces, the surprise is Charlton Heston who turns in a memorable performance as the Player. Billy Crystal is effective as the grave digger. However, Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon and Gerard Depardieu are somewhat distracting, their performances not overcoming our shock at their appearances in the film. If seeing one of their names on the blu-ray case means that someone will give the film a look, their appearances were worthwhile.
As an individual with a M.A. in American and British Literature, I have read all of Shakespeare’s plays. In terms of Hamlet, I have seen several versions; including Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Mel Gibson and Ethan Hawke. Though I learned something from every one, it’s was during the course of, Branagh’s that I felt I was finally picking up the nuances of the story; something that isn’t easy to do when you’re dealing with such a long, complex piece of work. Kenneth Branagh has had a stellar career; as of this writing, Hamlet is his finest film.
Branagh shot the film in Panavision Super 70 (65mm format processing) and showed it theatrically at 2.20:1 in 70mm and 2.35:1 in 35mm prints. Warner Bros. present the film on Blu-ray disc in its 2.20:1 ratio, and the results using a VC-1 codec look top-notch. Nighttime scenes are somewhat veiled by the dark, but in daylight shots and in brightly lit interiors, the screen is clear and vivid. While the delineation and detailing appear a little soft in spots, it’s hardly a distraction when the movies most prominent feature, its colors, show up so well. They are uniformly rich and strong throughout.
The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 reproduction displays some strong dynamics and memorable bass when necessary. Most of the tonal range is smooth and well balanced, with a particularly lifelike midrange rendering dialogue well, although the lower treble can be a bit much at times, especially in the strings. The front-channel stereo spread is wide; rear-channel activity is minimal. The ghost’s voice uses the surrounds to give it a spookier, more-ethereal quality, but that’s about it. However, this set up fits Hamlet rather well.
The special features carry over all the feature-related items from the previous DVD release, with the commentary providing the richest information.
Introduction by Kenneth Branagh (7:50, HD): Branagh describes his first exposure to Hamlet, his approach to adapting it for film, and reflects on the significance of what some consider his greatest work.
Commentary with Kenneth Branagh and Russell Jackson, Professor of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham: Students of the Bard should find plenty to appreciate in the commentary, which is filled with analysis about the play in general and the production in particular. Jackson was on set during production and offers some interesting anecdotes and observations.
To Be On Camera: A History with Hamlet (24:34, SD): Featurette produced in 1997 includes cast interviews, history of Branagh’s involvement with the play, challenges during production and highlights from behind the scenes.
Vintage Cannes Promo (12:07, SD): Covers similar material as the previous items, but includes some additional character analysis and anecdotes.
Trailer (1:39, SD)
Collectible Book: The nicely produced book-that-is-the-packaging includes written background about the production, an essay about its significance, cast biographies, and trivia.
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