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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
William Shakespeare (play)
Kenneth Branagh (screenplay)
Release Date:
25 December 1996 (USA) more
Plot:
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother remarrying the murderer, his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(9 articles)
Bww TV: Video Show Preview - Broadway's Hamlet
(From BroadwayWorld.com. 8 October 2009, 2:48 PM, PDT)
Twilight director to Helm Red Riding Hood Movie
(From ReelzChannel. 21 August 2009, 7:06 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Brilliant version more (194 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Riz Abbasi | ... | Attendant to Claudius | |
| Richard Attenborough | ... | English Ambassador | |
| David Blair | ... | Attendant to Claudius | |
| Brian Blessed | ... | Ghost of Hamlet's Father | |
| Kenneth Branagh | ... | Hamlet | |
| Richard Briers | ... | Polonius | |
| Michael Bryant | ... | Priest | |
| Peter Bygott | ... | Attendant to Claudius | |
| Julie Christie | ... | Gertrude | |
| Billy Crystal | ... | First Gravedigger | |
| Charles Daish | ... | Stage Manager | |
| Judi Dench | ... | Hecuba | |
| Gérard Depardieu | ... | Reynaldo | |
| Reece Dinsdale | ... | Guildenstern | |
| Ken Dodd | ... | Yorick |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
William Shakespeare's Hamlet (USA) (complete title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some violent images and sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
242 min | 150 min (cut version)
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby Digital (35 mm prints) | SDDS (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Australia:PG (TV rating) | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6 | Netherlands:AL (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12/9 | Germany:12 (bw) | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Some pathologists conducted a study determining how long a person lasts before dying after being stabbed directly. A scene from the film where Hamlet kills Polonius was also viewed as reference to their study. In the end, it was found that a person, after being stabbed directly can only last as long as muttering the four words before dying. Which means that the timing that Polonius exclaimed "Oh I'm slain!" after being stabbed is precise and accurate. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Hamlet first appears, he puts his hands behind his back twice. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Shakespeare in Love and on Film (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
In Pace more
FAQ
Why Hamlet treat his mother and Ophelia badly?Did Hamlet really love Ophelia?
Is it true that Hamlet faked his madness?
more
more (194 total)
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I must say that, looking at Hamlet from the perspective of a student, Brannagh's version of Hamlet is by far the best. His dedication to stay true to the original text should be applauded. It helps the play come to life on screen, and makes it easier for people holding the text while watching, as we did while studying it, to follow and analyze the text.
One of the things I have heard criticized many times is the casting of major Hollywood names in the play. I find that this helps viewers recognize the characters easier, as opposed to having actors that all look and sound the same that aid in the confusion normally associated with Shakespeare.
Also, his flashbacks help to clear up many ambiguities in the text. Such as how far the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia really went and why Fortinbras just happened to be at the castle at the end. All in all, not only does this version contain some brilliant performances by actors both familiar and not familiar with Shakespeare. It is presented in a way that one does not have to be an English Literature Ph.D to understand and enjoy it.