favorite film version.

Franco Zeffirelli, Kenneth Branagh, and Mike Almereyda are all directors whom recreated the play Hamlet. Kenneth Branagh’s remake of Hamlet is my favorite version, so far, because it is the truest version to the actual play. From just viewing the first five minutes and the opening scene, it is obvious that this version matches the play identically. Meanwhile, in the other two versions, the first scenes are different. In Branagh’s movie, the first scene is exactly what I pictured it to be as I was reading the opening scene in the play. From picturing the guards on top of the castle in the very first lines, to the ghost appearing: it is all included in the movie just how I pictured it. Besides that, I respected the fact that everything is included in this version of the movie, including the same language and script as the play. For example, Hamlet’s soliloquy is used in this film and is well done to understand his feelings and emotions. In general, three reasons I enjoyed this film version the most are because it is truest to the actual play so it is easier to understand Shakespeare’s work. Also, it reflects Hamlet’s character in the play and does a nice job interpreting his emotions. Finally, it is easier to understand the language and it is just what I pictured when reading the play. Hamlet’s character was portrayed most realistically in this version. First of all, his soliloquies are included in this film unlike the first one. His soliloquy showed true passion and feeling with the same type of language in the play. Hamlet’s character in the movie is closely related to the play’s interpretation of him. Altogether, this version had many more similarities to the play versus the other two movie versions. However, as similar as it is, if I could change one thing about the director’s work, it would be the appearances of the characters. Firstly, I think Hamlet should appear a little younger and more handsome. After all, he is the main character and is symbolizing young love, and sort of a “player” according to Ophelia’s father and brother, Polonius and Laertes. Other than that, the characters appear to look too “modern” for a movie like this one, especially when it reflects the play so well. In my eyes, I pictured a more medieval theme or look of the setting and characters in this movie.