By this reviewer's opinion, no one working in motion pictures today can hold a candle to Kenneth Branagh for his eloquent revivals of Shakespeare on film. Blessed with the brilliant showmanship of a Michael Todd and the superb stage presence of a John Gielgud, Branagh reigns supreme as movie-land's arbitrator of chic good taste.
Resurrecting the Bard of Stratford on Avon is not as easy as it looks. Over the decades, many have tried. Few have succeeded. Yet Branagh, for a brief span between 1985 and 1996 consistently proved he had the knack - nee bravado and good sense God gave a thespian - to breathe life into the eternal words of arguably the world's foremost playwright.
Unquestionably, Branagh's premiere contribution to that body of work remains his adaptation of Hamlet (1996). To date, Branagh’s Hamlet is the only film to embrace the bard’s full text – incorporating all scenes and dialogue from the first folio and second quarto; a gargantuan undertaking that Branagh would later admit became his obsession. Drawing from a pool of actors spanning the decades; from the classically trained to contemporary pop favourites, Branagh's cast features prominent names from both stage and screen. The resulting roster is a potpourri varied, imaginative and impressive. Not that anyone at Castlerock Entertainment – the studio funding the film’s $18 million bottom line – shared in Branagh's verve for this assignment.
On the contrary, and despite the fact that Branagh's previous Shakespearean outings had consistently sent box office registers ringing around the world, executives at Castlerock were weary of Shakespeare and arguably, with good cause. Studio execs hoped against hope to convince Branagh to shoot an ‘abridged version’ that would be released simultaneously with the planned four hour epic; since the latter's lengthy run time all but guaranteed that the film could not play in theatres during peak business hours (7pm and 9pm respectively). In the end, Branagh won the creative argument but lost the ultimate battle. Castlerock gave the full version of Hamlet a limited theatrical engagement in select theatres where it was unanimously praised by the critics but rarely seen by the general public. In the end, Hamlet only garnered 4 Oscar nominations with NO wins!
In the film, Hamlet (Branagh) is the great Dane and the rightful heir to the throne of Denmark. However, this paternal promise of succession has been usurped by Hamlet's Uncle Claudius (Derek Jacobi) who has married Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude (Julie Christie), thereby become the new sovereign liege. But that isn’t what perplexes or haunts the very fibres of Hamlet’s being. Rather, he suspects foul play in the death of his own father – a suspicion made ruthlessly whole when his late father reappears to Hamlet as a ghost (Brian Blessed) to reveal his poisoning in the garden at Claudius’ hands. How best to avenge that murder and reveal this fraud to the court of Denmark? How, indeed?
While Hamlet skulks about Castle Elsinore plotting his revenge, his mother suspects that he is suffering from some great mental malady – a depression perhaps, capable of pushing him to the brink of insanity. Hamlet’s tender and loyal girlfriend, Ophelia (Kate Winslet) makes valiant attempts to rid her lover of his inner demons. But her own inability to conceive what Hamlet already knows, coupled with Hamlet’s growing paranoia that Ophelia’s father, Polonius (Richard Briers) – the prime minister, and therefore Claudius’ right hand – might be manipulating his own daughter in service to hatch a new murder plot against Hamlet – sends the young heir into an emotional tailspin from which only great tragedy and death results.
Hamlet hatches a plot to test Claudius. He hires a vagabond troop of play actors fronted by the Player King (Charlton Heston) to enact Hamlet Sr.'s death scene thinly disguised as a new play. The rouse works and Claudius is incensed. He charges Hamlet's two boyhood friends from the academy, Rosencrantz (Timothy Spall) and Guildenstern (Reese Dinsdale) to spy on Hamlet and report what they learn back to him. Meanwhile, Hamlet and his trusted friend, Horatio (Nicholas Farrell) plot further the necessary manoeuvres to expose Claudius' treachery to Gertrude.
Hamlet spurns Ophelia and later, in Gertrude's bed chamber, accidentally murders Polonius who has been eavesdropping from behind a curtain. The death of her father sends Ophelia into the depths of utter madness from which she never returns, thus forcing her brother, Laertes (Michael Maloney) to seek his revenge on Hamlet through a show of swordsmanship. Claudius arranges for a poisoned cup of wine for Hamlet to drink but as fate would have it, the cup is tasted first by Gertrude who swoons. Claudius' backup is to poison the tip of Laertes sword. In the resulting duel, Laertes wounds Hamlet but not before Hamlet fatally wounds Laertes.
Gertrude swoons and dies and Laertes confesses with his dying breath that Claudius is behind the plot. Hamlet avenges his father, murders his Uncle and dies a hero's death; burned on a pyre by Fortinbras (Rufus Sewell) the new heir to Denmark's throne.
Loosely situating the action somewhere during the latter half of the 19th century allows for a spectacular update and lavish locations including Blenheim Palace for the exteriors and gargantuan sets built at Elsestree Studios in London. It also affords Branagh the opportunity to carry off the play’s most celebrated soliloquy ‘…to be or not to be’ in front of a double-sided mirror, presumably making his own exchange in private; all the while being cautiously observed on the other side by the scheming Claudius and obtusely innocent Polonius.
Hamlet is a veritable potpourri of acting talent, including Judi Dench as an engaging Hecuba; Robin Williams - a delightfully obtuse Osric - and Billy Crystal, foppishly coy as the Grave Digger. True enough, Jack Lemmon’s Marcellus and Gerard Depardieu’s Reynaldo are mere flashes of dialogue – as in the play - and master talents like Sewell and John Mills, as Old Norway - are wasted in cameos.
Branagh however, has taken his cue and made a valuable study of the all star spectacles a la the cheek and girth of Michael Todd’s Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) – while borrowing from the bard’s own quill: ‘the play is the thing.’ What is therefore memorable about this Hamlet – in addition to its stellar roll call, is how many big names and even bigger talents appear in brief support, yet to utterly marvellous effect. This is the Hamlet to put all others (save Olivier’s Oscar winning 1949 film) to shame. Without a doubt, it is the grandest Shakespearean entertainment of its own lifetime!
Warner Home Video’s Blu-Ray modestly bests its superb DVD release from 2005. The Blu-Ray's higher bit rate renders a startling clarity unseen since the film’s original 70mm road show engagement. Colors are vibrant, rich and fully saturated. Branagh’s piercing blue eyes are blue. Claudius’ bridal attire is blood red. Fine details are evident throughout. Close ups of actors reveal minute lines and wrinkles in their faces and superb textures in clothing.
The DVD was spread across two discs. The Blu-Ray renders the entire lengthy presentation with Intermission on one disc without sacrificing bit rate. The audio has been magnificently remastered to Tru HD with exceptional clarity. Patrick Doyle’s music cues are the real benefactor, but dialogue too seems more robust and subtly nuanced.
Extras include an audio commentary from Branagh and noted Shakespearean historian Russell Jackson that is light, yet thorough. Vintage featurettes with interviews from some of the cast and crew and an anamorphic trailer for the film round out your viewing enjoyment. Hamlet is highly recommended. At every level it remains a spectacle NOT to be missed!
FILM RATING (out of 5 - 5 being the best)
5+
VIDEO/AUDIO
4.5
EXTRAS
3
0 comments:
Post a Comment