Hamlet
Title: HamletRating: 4.5/5
Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
Starring: Laurence Olivier
After some fasting from reviewing, I shall continue with the grand representation of a film which was starred, directed, produced, and adapted by "Laurence Olivier". I am sure that anyone with the slightest knowledge in literature would be familiar with one of "Shakespeare's" masterpieces, if not THE masterpiece, about the Danish prince "Hamlet", and his famous battle with indecision. The way "Olivier" chose to represent this film, in the black and white style, remarkably suited the "Hamlet", as a story and as an individual. "Olivier" brought to us what might be the definitive version of this play ever to be brought on screen. He didn't change it to a melodrama, where each character would start posing around like an idiot with a long boring soliloquy, but cleverly brought us the inner and external conflict that faced the characters, especially that of the prince.
Of all the "Shakespearean" film performances, this of "Olivier" comes close into being the best one. I won't call it the best, but to me it's that close of triumphing over "Kenneth Barnagh" as "Henry V" and "Al Pacino" as "Shylock". "Oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt!" this is what we really experienced what we really beheld "Hamlet" undergo. This is a clever performance, there was no rely on clichéd antiques as much as there was a relying on expression. From the first soliloquy of "Hamlet", we notice that we're being prepared for something great. To those who have read the play, they surly know the question of sanity. Olivier defined that question again in this film. Is he feigning it? Is it just an act? These are some of the questions that make us wonder through this defining role. Although "Hamlet" isn't the only character, what we see basically lets us anticipate him. Doing something by "Shakespeare" and especially a something like "Hamlet" isn't an easy task, but the entire assembly brought us a praiseworthy performance. All of the famous soliloquies of "Hamlet" are presented marvelously.
"To be or not to be?" Two sides being debated, and with a careful visualization in black and white, adding to it carefully selected angles of shooting, brought to us the whole conflict of the story, yet at the same time leaves us to contemplate what happens. "Olivier" was delicate with dealing with how to represent these characters, and especially the character that he plays. From that delicate care we can share their feelings even if we didn't fully understand the symbolism of what they say and their meanings. There's always the issue of how to represent a soliloquy, "Olivier" dealt with that issue with a smart mix of verbal speech and thought from within. My only negative critic about this film, and I am sure many readers and admires of "Shakespeare" would have, is that "Olivier" took more liberty with the adapting the play than he should. He did omit some important minor characters, and did omit some lines and made some of the soliloquies shorter. The overall product is still a defining product, but I wish that he didn't do this. If he didn't, I think we'd encounter a much greater film.
This is one of those films that shall never die. Even if it's from the late 40s, I enjoyed was touched by watching it more than I have from many of the new films that I have seen. Some might hesitate by saying the language might be hard for them to comprehend, but the way "Olivier" brought us this film made it accessible to all. The film isn't extravagant, yet it isn't bland. It's what we'd desire a remarkable work like "Hamlet" to be. I have heard and read a multitude accolades about this film, and I agree, the film deserves the praise, and "Olivier" deserves the honors bestowed upon him. This vision might just be the definitive version of "Hamlet", and we can easily see its shadow casted over many adaptations this play.
Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
Starring: Laurence Olivier
After some fasting from reviewing, I shall continue with the grand representation of a film which was starred, directed, produced, and adapted by "Laurence Olivier". I am sure that anyone with the slightest knowledge in literature would be familiar with one of "Shakespeare's" masterpieces, if not THE masterpiece, about the Danish prince "Hamlet", and his famous battle with indecision. The way "Olivier" chose to represent this film, in the black and white style, remarkably suited the "Hamlet", as a story and as an individual. "Olivier" brought to us what might be the definitive version of this play ever to be brought on screen. He didn't change it to a melodrama, where each character would start posing around like an idiot with a long boring soliloquy, but cleverly brought us the inner and external conflict that faced the characters, especially that of the prince.
Of all the "Shakespearean" film performances, this of "Olivier" comes close into being the best one. I won't call it the best, but to me it's that close of triumphing over "Kenneth Barnagh" as "Henry V" and "Al Pacino" as "Shylock". "Oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt!" this is what we really experienced what we really beheld "Hamlet" undergo. This is a clever performance, there was no rely on clichéd antiques as much as there was a relying on expression. From the first soliloquy of "Hamlet", we notice that we're being prepared for something great. To those who have read the play, they surly know the question of sanity. Olivier defined that question again in this film. Is he feigning it? Is it just an act? These are some of the questions that make us wonder through this defining role. Although "Hamlet" isn't the only character, what we see basically lets us anticipate him. Doing something by "Shakespeare" and especially a something like "Hamlet" isn't an easy task, but the entire assembly brought us a praiseworthy performance. All of the famous soliloquies of "Hamlet" are presented marvelously.
"To be or not to be?" Two sides being debated, and with a careful visualization in black and white, adding to it carefully selected angles of shooting, brought to us the whole conflict of the story, yet at the same time leaves us to contemplate what happens. "Olivier" was delicate with dealing with how to represent these characters, and especially the character that he plays. From that delicate care we can share their feelings even if we didn't fully understand the symbolism of what they say and their meanings. There's always the issue of how to represent a soliloquy, "Olivier" dealt with that issue with a smart mix of verbal speech and thought from within. My only negative critic about this film, and I am sure many readers and admires of "Shakespeare" would have, is that "Olivier" took more liberty with the adapting the play than he should. He did omit some important minor characters, and did omit some lines and made some of the soliloquies shorter. The overall product is still a defining product, but I wish that he didn't do this. If he didn't, I think we'd encounter a much greater film.
This is one of those films that shall never die. Even if it's from the late 40s, I enjoyed was touched by watching it more than I have from many of the new films that I have seen. Some might hesitate by saying the language might be hard for them to comprehend, but the way "Olivier" brought us this film made it accessible to all. The film isn't extravagant, yet it isn't bland. It's what we'd desire a remarkable work like "Hamlet" to be. I have heard and read a multitude accolades about this film, and I agree, the film deserves the praise, and "Olivier" deserves the honors bestowed upon him. This vision might just be the definitive version of "Hamlet", and we can easily see its shadow casted over many adaptations this play.
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