Hamlet's interpretation of Kenneth Branagh

Hamlet's interpretation of Kenneth Branagh

Hamlet Kenneth Branagh version

Same film, build on Nils’ presentation


Intro: Branagh plays on dramatising play and symbolic

Sticking to the text

I complete unabridged text= 4hours very long

-some scenes very fast moving =lot of action, dramatical, tense, scene play infront o f king
cameras switch very quickly btw characters >action tension, time shortened, goes faster and faster, music, lighting,   passionate, flaming discussions from Hamlet, film techniques>
showing the play fast moving between Hamlet, play , king,
Hamlet, king, play, Ophelia in several seconds one of turning points bc Hamlet finally understands that Claudius guilty, decides to act, Claudius understands Hamlet knows

symbolic: play represents the truth, sort of flashback in a way
scenenery king and queen at the top, Hamlet and Ophelia just underneath, courtiers down
allies both modernity and traditional text: modernity projectors
traditional Hamlet interacts wth players
focus on eyes (Horatio wth binoculars, courtiers Rosencrantz, XXX look at King, Hamlet too //focus on eyes ghost Hamlet scene
as film, “mise en abyme” because play inside play (well here film) = almost erases fact that Hamlet and co are just actors

-some scenes, lot of talk discussion= slower, a bit heavy in places Yorrick’s skull
symbolically theme of death, skull= death of happiness, laughter, time
film focus on internal thoughts of Hamlet who is let speak to skulla long time
Branagh chose to add scenes, changes time wth flashbacks here Yorrick
Notice constrast reality present gloomy, dark, fog outside, forest alone graveyard/ past inside, laughter, colours, >opposition btw 2 times//Hamlet’s frame of mind =choice of director (Laurence Olivier version, graveyard outside, bright day, open)

The Director’s Freedom

II Symbolic scenes

-symbolic scenes: talking wth ghost
special effects not great, same sort of atmostphere as graveyard so gloom outside associated wth...