Customer Reviews

HAMLET (2 DVDs)/Gamlet

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Using Pasternak's translation, Kozinitzev has created visual images to contain the meaning of Shakespeare's words. And he has been so successful that though the language is Russian, in many ways he interprets the play in a more powerful way than, say, Olivier's Freudian perspective. The acting is outstanding; the sets are splendidly appropriate; the music, by Shostakovich, is quite right; the lighting (such as in the play within the play) is expressive. No other Hamlet so sharply brings out the sardonic (though the humor connected with Polonius is quite lost). This film is easily the most convicing forceful Hamlet ever conceived.

Gamlet is a 140 minutes, black-and-white film. Music played frequently throughout film and sets the mood of the scene. Many of Gamlet's soliloquies are voiceovers. Many lines from individual speeches are cut, but most scenes are included. Act 1, Scene 1 and the scene in which Fortinbras arrives in Denmark with his large army are exceptions, since they have been completely eliminated.

Overall, an interesting adaptation, which I recommend to those who really enjoy Shakespeare. However, for individuals who just want an adaptation to watch instead of reading the text, I recommend Hamlet (1996) starring Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet.



CHANGES OF INTEREST: *** Specifically designed for the Shakespeare afficiando.


Gamlet arrives at castle on horseback, assumedly after receiving news of his father's sudden death.

Elaborate scene is shown in which the castle's drawbridge is raised.

Gamlet does not appear to be particularly close friends with Horatio. Horatio seems to show great deference to Gamlet. [While later in the film, Gamlet appears slightly warmer to Horatio, they never become very touchy-feely with one another.]

In his speech, Polonius leaves out the phrase about not being either a borrower or a lender. [Of course, Polonius' speech also eliminates other lesser-important dialogue.]

Polonius seems almost like a grandfather figure to Ophelia. He gives her advice against becoming too familiar with Gamlet but does not shout at her or treat her cruelly.

Horses break free and run away in terror as the ghost of Gamlet's father appears to Gamlet.

Gamlet never sees the whole face of the ghost. The closest thing Gamlet sees is its eyes at the very end.

When Gamlet says that there is nothing he would rather part with than his life, Gamlet says the last part more to himself than to Polonius.

Gamlet's famous line: "there is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so" is eliminated.

Gamlet delivers his "to be or not to be" speech in front of the sea, on the beach alone. [Most of the speech is included.]

When Gamlet and Ophelia talk, the audience receives no clear cue that Gamlet knows Polonius and Claudius are listening.

Gamlet does not say that the play is the thing by which to capture the conscience of the king.
Claudius controls himself pretty well during the play (i.e. "The Mousetrap). However, he is clearly upset even though he claps at the end and pretends that nothing is wrong until after the play has finished.

Gamlet controls himself very calmly when giving his play upon a pipe speech to R & G. [Most of the speech is included.]

Gamlet never sees Claudius while Claudius is praying, and therefore, obviously cannot engage in the mental struggle about whether to murder Claudius as he prays.

Gamlet does not seem to lust after Gertrude, although Gertrude may lust after him.

Adaptation plays up Gamlet's worm eats carcass of king, fish eats worm, and person eats fish speech. Of course, the implication is obvious that Gamlet is trying to play down the belief that royalty is any more important that peasants since both are food for the people still alive.

Gamlet's insult where he tells Claudius to go to hell in search of Polonius is not included.

Film shows Gamlet on the ship bound towards England taking the king's original scroll out of a locked box, reading it, and replacing it with his own, which will send R & G to their deaths. [However, after Gamlet replaces the letter with his own, the audience receives no more information about the fate of R & G.]

Film keeps the scene in which Ophelia picks up sticks and gives them to others while believing they are flowers.

Film shows Ophelia dead at the bottom of a pond, her head facing the surface.

In the grave digging scene, Gamlet picks up Orlick's skull. In fact, this scene is pretty accurate in to the folio text, with the exception that the there is only one gravedigger. (Therefore the lines this gravedigger speaks to the second gravedigger are omitted). Also, the gravedigger is portrayed as a man who likes to drink.

Originally, Gertrude is not watching Gamlet and Laertes jousting.

It appears that Gamlet gives Laertes a wound that would have been fatal whether or not the sword in his hand had been poisoned.

Gamlet stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword before anyone can stop him. However, Gamlet does not force Claudius to drink any of the poisoned drink. Also, we do not physically see Claudius die.

After the jousting (which turned into a dual), Horatio and Gamlet walk outside the castle together and toward the ocean. Gamlet dies outdoors while leaning against a large rock.

Fortinbras never takes over the kingdom of Denmark.

Agreed, this is an excellent film version of Hamlet. It harkens back to the glory days of Russian cinema. The visuals are amazing. The ghost of Hamlet's father is worth the price of admission all by itself. The music, if overwrought at times, is mostly appropriate -- Shostakovich at his better.

The film is so visual, however, that this is a detriment. The language is one of the main draws of Shakespeare -- and any translation is going to suffer, even if translated back via subtitles to Shakespeare.

But the cuts. Knowing Hamlet well, it is difficult for me to judge, but I think that if the play is new to the viewer, the viewer will be missing quite a lot.

Still, the sound and the fury signify much.