Hamlet

[ohgar]

What's the best film adaptation? I've seen the worst one (MST3K riffed on it; it was made for German TV).

[Sigz]

I was under the impression the 1996 one is the best.

[alirocker08]

The BBC version was really good, it had most of the actors from the RSC show, David Tennant and all that lot, I don't know if you can buy it/stream it though

[Gadough]

I'm in a Shakespeare class right now, but we didn't do Hamlet because it's a 6 week class and it would take up way too much time....

[WDADU]

Definitely the Kenneth Branagh adaptation.

[El Barto]

You have to see them all.  Between Gibson, Olivier, Brannagh and the BBC version, they're all different to the point of being nearly different stories.  Gibson deals more with the Oedipal aspect.  Brannagh's adaptation is nice, with some great casting choices, and his portrayal really comes across as pretty much batshit.  Also, Derick Jacobi is excellent as Claudius.  Olivier does a good job with projecting the ambiguity of Hamlet's mental state.  The BBC adaption is quite good (as most of their Shakespeare works are), with Derick Jacobi as Hamlet and Captain Piccaard as Claudius.  Along with Gibson's, it's the shortest of them. 

If you're already well versed in the story, then you can start with any of them.  Brannagh's is the only unabridged one, so it takes a little more understanding to get into.  If you're not real familiar with the going's on, then I'd start with Mel Gibson's. 

As for my favorite, I'd probably go with Brannagh's.  The man's just got a good understanding of it all.  Plus, some of the casting choices are pretty interesting.  Heston as the player king was inspired.

[Orbert]

Because Brannagh's is the only unabridged one (thanks, I was trying to think of the right word), it's the only one that really feels like a filmed version of the play.  The others all feel like adaptations.  Okay, they're all film adaptations, but when someone takes it upon themselves to edit Shakespeare, it automatically goes down at least one notch for me.  Brannagh seemed like he really wanted to be true to the original text, not just present "his version" of the story.

[El Barto]

If I'm not mistaken, Hamlet is often abridged for the stage.  I don't think many companies put on the entire three and a half hour production.  And truth be told, it's hard enough to follow the language nowadays.  Knocking a superfluous hour off of it doesn't trouble me too much. 

Also, the BBC version is unabridged, as well. 

[ariich]

The BBC version was really good, it had most of the actors from the RSC show, David Tennant and all that lot, I don't know if you can buy it/stream it though

THIS!

Fantastic adaptation, in my opinion. Patrick Stewart is good, but Tennant steals the show as Hamlet. Really brings out the humour in the character, and makes him so relatable.

[Orbert]

Wasn't the BBC version originally a miniseries, though?  Not that it makes that much difference, I guess.

[El Barto]

The BBC version was really good, it had most of the actors from the RSC show, David Tennant and all that lot, I don't know if you can buy it/stream it though

THIS!

Fantastic adaptation, in my opinion. Patrick Stewart is good, but Tennant steals the show as Hamlet. Really brings out the humour in the character, and makes him so relatable.

Y'all are talking about a new BBC production.  I'm only familiar with the earlier version from the BBC's complete Shakespeare series.  It was Patrick Stewart's first turn as Claudius, and Derek Jacobi played Hamlet.  I did see some snippets of the David Tennant version, and he looked pretty solid.  I seem to recall it was a contemporary adaptation, though, and those always blow it for me. 

[ariich]

Yeah I'm not familiar with the older one actually, but I love Derek Jacobi so I should probably check it out.

And yes, the RSC/Tennant one is a contemporary adaptation, but it's pretty inobtrusive. The whole set is very simple, as it's simply a televisation of the stage production that they did around the country.

[alirocker08]

Wasn't the BBC version originally a miniseries, though?  Not that it makes that much difference, I guess.

I know BBC did some Shakespeares as a miniseries- Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, ones like that, as contemporary shows, but the Hamlet one was the full production from the stage shown on Boxing Day. Grandma got to see the stage show, lucky cow.

[ariich]

Yeah I know some people who went to see it as well, but hey at least we have a televised performance so we're not missing out!

[masterthes]

Anybody want to mention the Ethan Hawke version?

[MetalJunkie]

Damn it, I've missed you, Ohgar. You bring a certain amount of culture to the board that no one else seems to be able to. It's like you bring balance to the Force.

[hefdaddy42]

The best I've seen is the Branagh version, and I doubt it will be topped.

[alirocker08]

Yeah I know some people who went to see it as well, but hey at least we have a televised performance so we're not missing out!

It was pretty amazing! First Shakespeare performance to make me well up!

The best I've seen is the Branagh version, and I doubt it will be topped.

David Tenant in a muscle shirt. Get it seen.

[El Barto]

As fine as the production was, I think the biggest problem with Brannagh's Hamlet was Brannagh as Hamlet.  I think his lunacy was a bit over the top.  To me, part of the interest in the character is the ambiguity of his mental state.  The best portrayals have walked a line between crazy and angry acting crazy, so you're never entirely sure where his footing is.  Brannagh just plays him as completely nuts.  I'd still recommend his movie, but his portrayal is probably my least favorite.   

[masterthes]

Yeah, he definitely seemed a tad overdoing it, but I still love it. Kate Winslet was hot as Ophelia