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William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
starring: Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Billy Crystal, Gérard Depardieu, Kate Winslet
directed by: Kenneth Branagh

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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0053939268324
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Release Date: August 14, 2007
Running Time: 242 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 1996
Sales Rank: 440
MPN: WARDC2683D

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Studio: Castle Rock Hm Video Release Date: 08/14/2007 Run time: 242 minutes

Amazon.com:
It's the greatest work of literature, but nobody had ever filmed Hamlet uncut--until Kenneth Branagh went about the task for his lavish 1996 production. The result is a sumptuous, star-studded version that scores a palpable hit on its avowed goal: to make the text as clear and urgent as possible. Branagh himself plays the melancholy son of the Danish court, caught in a famous muddle about whether to seek revenge against his royal father's presumed slayer… the man who now sits on the throne and shares the bed of Hamlet's mother. (Or, as the song "That's Entertainment" summarizes the plot: "A ghost and a prince meet / And everyone winds up mincemeat.") As a director, Branagh (who shot the movie in 70 mm.) uses the vast, cold interiors of a vaguely 19th-century manor to gorgeous effect; the story might scurry down this hallway, into that back chamber, or sprawl out into the enormous main room. With its endless collection of mirrors, the place is as big and empty as Citizen Kane's Xanadu.

That all works; what doesn't work is Branagh's tendency to over-direct the big dramatic moments. He indulges in quick cutting and flashbacks as though to fend off the audience's objections to the four-hour running time, and the style sometimes looks like wasted energy. The experienced Shakespearians in the cast come off nicely; Derek Jacobi's Claudius, Richard Briers' Polonius, and Michael Maloney's Laertes are just terrific. Julie Christie is a suitably attractive Gertrude, and Kate Winslet makes the most of Ophelia's mad scenes. Branagh's habit of folding in unexpected American performers is on the mark, too: Billy Crystal is surprisingly good as the Gravedigger, Robin Williams predictably camps up Osric, and Charlton Heston is an inspired choice as the grandiloquent Player King. The biggest irony here is that Branagh himself is not quite spot-on as Hamlet. Of course he speaks the lines beautifully, but Branagh's screen personality radiates certainty and clarity of vision; there's little of the doubt that might make him Hamlet-esque. Still, tremendous credit for fending off slings and arrows to get the movie made. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Good, but not great Dane
Branagh's Hamlet

Watching Kenneth Branagh's massive film of the complete text of Hamlet for about the fourth time, I realized that this film mirrors the talents and career of its talented actor/director. Ever since his highly successful film of Henry V, which ably competes with the classic version of Olivier, it seems that Branagh has been trying to film another great Shakespeare movie, but has not quite been able to repeat his early triumph. His long Hamlet has not been able to change that pattern. His use of certain unsuitable actors, his lack of real passion, and his inability to always keep things moving have made this a merely enjoyable movie rather than a great one.
... Read More

Rating:

- Shakespeare the way it was meant to be exeperienced
Before I go into the visual and interpretive masterpiece that is Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, let me begin by asserting my firm belief that Shakespeare was meant to be experienced, not merely poured over. While the language is obviously crucial to understanding the play as a whole, simply watching the emotional interactions and contemplations of this play can be just as powerful. If you don't have the opportunity to see a live performance of Hamlet (which would be the real tragedy) Branagh's adaptation is probably the next best way to experience Shakespeare's masterpiece. The majesty of the Edwardian set blends perfectly with the mysterious plot and shrouded characters and the visuals add life that viewers would expect of any performance.
Branaugh's adaptation, the full text of the original ... Read More

Rating:

- Know when to step aside.
Yes, this is one of Kenneth Branagh's productions of Shakespeare; and he typically saves the most interresting role for himself. He is a good actor, but in my opinion, the multi-emotional role of Hamlet is beyond his ability. When Hamlet is instructing the actors he hires for the play within the play, he begins to act, but then stops himself in deference to the troupe of real actors, headed by none other than Charlton Heston. Branagh should have taken a cue from Hamlet.

Rating:

- Branagh
Amazing version. Branagh makes Hamlet enjoyable for the Shakespeare buff or the reluctant viewer. Easy to follow, incredibly visual, epic performances from an all star cast. Highly, highly recommended.

Rating:

- Beautiful, Lavish, Magnficent: a Must See-- five stars
This is one of the greatest productions of Shakespeare I've ever seen, and I heartily recommend it to any student of Hamlet. I think seeing this breathtaking and magnificent film will greatly help high school students and college students who are approaching the play for the first time. Branagh is a genius and once again here he delivers Shakespeare's glorious lines in a way that makes them clear, and brings them to life with incalculable power. I know of no Shakespeare film that equals this film. I dream of what Branagh will do next. We need him to give us more of the Bard. ---- There is much else that could be said about this film. Every performance is wonderful, including that of Charlton Heston, and the sensitivity with which the play is interpreted is breathtaking. The spectacle alone is worth ... Read More

DVD : William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)