- What was your favorite scene from the movie? Describe it and tell why the choices the director made worked particularly well.
- Would you like to watch a different movie version of Hamlet? Why or why not.
- If we were to watch one scene from three or four versions of Hamlet, what scene would you choose? Why?
Monday, February 22, 2010
Feb 22-28 Hamlet
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Crystal Nybo
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was the burial of Ophelia. This showed a lot of emotion and Laertes fought for his sister and an honorable burial to the priest. Hamlet also confessed how much he loved Ophelia and I thought this was interesting how we saw his swing of emotion. Only an act before Hamlet was being cruel to Ophelia. Who treats someone they love like that, to me this scene in the movie showed me Hamlets interesting character more in depth.
I think it would be interesting to view Hamlet in a different version because the story can be viewed so many different ways. Therefore, it would be interesting to see someone else's view point.
If I could see one scene in four version I would pick the scene where Ophelia is in the hall going insane with Gertrude present. I would pick this scene because it was a very intense scene and think it could be portrayed in very different ways.
Sarah Hale:)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was definitely just recently as we began to climb to the climax of the movie. When Laertes returns to the kingdom to find that complete chaos. (Polonious, his father, dead, the murderer, Hamlet, exiled from the country, and shortly after all of this, Ophelia commits suicide and drowns herself.) I love this scene because of not only the acting (for it's much more dramatic than us reading the play aloud in class) but because of the way the director connected the pieces together so elegantly and efficiently.
I really wouldn't be all that interested in a different version of Hamlet. The script is already tough enough to understand, so in my opinion the most modern and up to date version of Hamlet is the easiest and most entertaining way to grasp the concepts of the play as well as enjoy the story.
One scene I would like to see from a couple director's points of view is the scene where Hamlet goes to speak with his mother Gertrude in her chamber. This scene was very intense during the movie with Hamlet pushing his mother onto the bed, shoving the picture of her two husbands in front of her face, shouting at her. I actually interpreted the scene much differently; I saw it as more of a conversation than a horrific dispute. I would be interested to see how other directors portrayed the scene!
Will Quattlebaum
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in the movie was when Hamlet gives his 3rd monologue before leaving for England. I thought it was well done. It was a tad cliche with the camera drawing back and Hamlet screaming, but I thought it was worth it. It got the point across which is what I liked.
If we were to watch another Hamlet movie, I would want it to be a shorter version of the movie so we don't have to spend weeks on watching the movie. But if it was a shorter movie, I'd be fine with it.
If we could see a scene in many different movies, I would choose the Ghost scene. I thought it was well done in this version, and would want to see how other movies do it.
Kiera Wesley
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was the duel between Hamlet and Laertes. I liked this scene because it was creative and fun to watch. It was action packed, and I liked when Hamlet swapped foils with Laertes, it was different than I had pictured it while reading.
I am not very interested in watching another movie version of Hamlet, unless it had also been modernized. I would like to watch clips of other movie versions of Hamlet, but preferably not the entire movie.
I would like to see the scene in which Hamlet first sees the ghost of his father Old King Hamlet. I think it would be really fascinating to see how different directors portrayed the ghost.
Bridget Cook
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene was the grave diggers digging Ophelias grave and talking to Hamlet about the skulls. There was alot of humor between the men and flashbacks to Hamlets childhood because of the Jester who was in the grave. The atmosphere of the grave yard, dark and foggy, worked well for scene and the actor who played the grave digger was casted well.
I think watching another version of the play would give us a different perspective because of the directors choices. Because the words are the same I dont think it would help us understand the play an more than this movie.
If I could choose one scene to see in three or four different versions, I would like to see the ghost scene with Hamlet in the forest. This scene could be interpreted many different ways so it would be interesting to see how each director portrayed it.
My favorite scene from the movie was the one where Claudius and Gertrude had gotten married, everyone is celebrating, and just about everyone is leaving except Hamlet and others. The part where Hamlet is wearing all of his black, separated from everyone, and looking quite dejected is my favorite part. I like the way the director decided to contrast all of the celebration into a sudden camera shift where Hamlets obvious sadness is portrayed in his being and clothing, then having the camera shot be almost like he's in a hallway on the outside looking in.
ReplyDeleteI like Shakespeare and I like Hamlet but after the experience of sitting through several versions of Macbeth in Hockley's last year I don't think I could stand doing it again, with Hamlet that is. Plus I like this version of Hamlet, if I were to watch another it would ruin the beautiful memory of the one we just watched ;)
If I were to watch one scene in three or four different versions I would choose the very last scene where Laertes and Hamlet is fencing. I'd choose this scene because it's action packed and the "dun-dun-dunnnnn" moment of truth is thrown in. Depending on the setting, the equipment, the actors, or the director, pretty much anything can make it better or worse. Some things could have been changed in the original version we had watched, like the flinging of Hamlets sword at the king from a very long distance, the chandelier crashing into Claudius, and Hamlet's act of flying down to kill him was just too dramatic and out of place for the play in my opinion. That kind of stuff makes me think of corny horror movies where you just know the graphics are so bad and the kind of stuff people are spitting up is just a concoction of peas and red gravy...yick.
My favorite part was at the end with the battle scene. I always love the battle scenes of any movie. But it was interesting how they showed the statue of the Old King Hamlet before the dead body of the new King Hamlet. I don't know exactly why the director would put that in there, but I believe it's to show that Fortinbras has taken over the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want to see too many different versions because it'd be too much variation from director to director. Makes the plot that much more confusing.
I don't know if I could pick just one. Maybe when Ophelia goes insane because Hamlet used to her to get to Polonious and Claudious. But that's because you can pull off crazy in many different ways.
Gina Chenoweth
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in the movie was when King Claudius was murdered. Although the death was fake-looking and slightly cheesy, the performance of Hamlet’s part really conveyed his intense emotions while avenging his father. It was also very climactic because the antagonist of the play finally got what he deserved.
I wouldn’t mind watching a different movie version of Hamlet. I think it could be interesting to see some of the important scenes performed by different actors and seeing the choices other directors would make. I also think it would be a good supplement to watch Hamlet 2 in class.
If we were going to watch one scene from three or four different versions of the movie, I would want to see the scene at the very end. After all the main characters are dead, there isn’t really any performing going on and it would be interesting to see how each movie would show the ending differently.
Christine Nafziger
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in the movie was when Hamlet is talking to Ophelia about how he never loved her and she should go to a nunnery. Then he starts to wonder where her father is and questions her about it. Hamlet then drags her around the room look for Polonius behind the doors. This scene portrayed Hamlet as being viscous but you don’t see this in the play. The director choice to do this worked because it showed how Hamlet would react if he thought that Polonius was spying.
I think that watching different versions of Hamlet would be a good idea. We would be able to see different director’s perspective and choices they made to put into the movie Hamlet. By watching different versions I think that we would get more out of Hamlet.
If we were to watch one scene in a couple of different versions I would choose the play scene. I think that there are some different ways that directors would choose to portray this scene.
Jenn Hergert
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, my favorite scene was definitely at the end just after everyone has died, and Fortinbras runs in expecting some kind of showdown (obviously, that never happened). Honestly, it was a relief to get someone who is a strong character (IE- Not a little whiny pansy like Hamlet) finally in the play. I wish Fortinbras was in the story more often, although we did see more of him in the movie than in the script of the play. I also liked how the director showed the storming of the castle by the Norwegian troops at the same time as the duel between Hamlet and Laertes. I think it made the whole thing much more dramatic.
I would like to see a different version of the play, yes. Actually, by the end of this version I got tired of the director over-dramatizing EVERYTHING all the time. I would just like to see how someone else interpreted the script.
I think if were to choose one scene to watch several different versions of, it would be the scene where Ophelia goes crazy. There could be a lot of different interpretations for a scene like this, and I think it would be similar to watching versions of the "Out damn spot" scene from Macbeth like we did last year. I really liked studying the films in this way, getting to see all of the different interpretations.
Lexy Kaftan
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was the last one with everyone dying including hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Laertes and so on. The start of the scene started with Hamlet and Laertes fence or duel, Hamlet doesnt know that Laertes' rapier is posioned to kill him. Hamlet forces Laertes to switch rapiers so Hamlet has the poisoned one. Hamlet is scratched by the poisoned rapier then the same happens to Laertes. Laertes tells everyone about Claudius' sins and then he dies. Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup and dies. Hamlet kills Claudius before making one last speech and then dies very dramatically.
I particularly liked the part where the chandelier comes flying into Claudius while he sits on his throne of sins and after that Hamlet throws the rapier and hits Claudius in the chest then forces him to drink the poisoned wine that was meant for Hamlet.
I would like to watch a different version of Hamlet but only of a few selected scenes because i feel that some of the scenes in the movie could have done better, such as the one where Polonius and Claudius are hiding behind the mirror as Hamlet and Ophelia are talking.
I would want to watch the last scene to see how the other actors who played hamlet died and how they say the last speech and to compare to other directors.
Derek Decker
ReplyDeleteMy personal favorite scene from the movie is when Hamlet looks at the skull of Yorick. Hamlet meditates on the contrast between the man that was and what all men and women are in the end. What I liked about this scene is that the movie actually shows flashbacks of Yorick and his antics because it really shows this contrast.
I liked this version for the fact that it was unabridged. I'd be okay with taking out the scene with Polonius and Reynaldo, but many other versions apparently take out Fortinbras, which I think makes the ending awkward. Any version of Hamlet that I would want to see has to have everything except for the scene with Reynaldo.
If we were to watch several different versions of Hamlet, the scene I would want to see is the scene in which Hamlet is bashing Ophelia, because there's definitely room for interpretation. In this version, Hamlet clearly knows that the King and Polonius are watching, but is this really so? Perhaps other versions will have different interpretations.
Savannah Guillen
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie is when Hamlet has the opportunity to kill Claudius and is holding the dagger close to his head, ready to strike. I thought this scene was portrayed very well by the director, because it showed Hamlet’s hesitation of not wanting to accidentally send Claudius to heaven instead of hell. It was a very dramatic scene because Claudius had no idea that Hamlet was on the other side of the wall, ready to stab him.
I would definitely enjoy watching a different movie version of Hamlet because I enjoy comparing the similarities between books and movies. Seeing another version would also help me understand more specific details about the play that I overlooked in the first movie. We watched several versions of Macbeth last year, and I enjoyed watching the various portrayals of different directors.
If we were to watch one scene from another Hamlet movie, I would choose to watch the scene I just described, where Hamlet is contemplating whether or not he should kill Claudius. However, the scene with Hamlet and Gertrude talking in her bedroom would also be interesting to see because Hamlet is so violent towards her.
My favorite scene in the movie was when Hamlet was verbally trashing on Gertrude, and then the ghost of old King Hamlet appeared. I thought that they did a good job of making it look like Hamlet like he was going mad while he was talking to the ghost. Overall it was a very powerful scene for me.
ReplyDeleteI would want to compare other Hamlet movies to this one because I feel that this was a very well made movie of Hamlet. All of the lines and details were included, but it did not make it a boring movie that just dragged on. It felt that the movie was in constant motion. I'm not sure that I would be able to find another Hamlet movie that I would like better than the one we watched.
If I was going to watch one more scene in 3 or 4 other Hamlet movies, I would want to watch the scene where the players are acting out old King Hamlet's murder and Hamlet is trying to get a reaction out of Claudius. I felt that in that scene Hamlet was so over the top obnoxious that it was almost to much. It was very entertaining to see him harrass Ophelia, Gertrude, and Claudius, but I think that other directors would have had their actors act more subdued in that scene.
Breanna Taylor
ReplyDelete1. I liked the end scene after Hamlet died because of the way Hamlet was being held when the men were carrying him how his arms were all sprawled out all awkwardly even though it looked kind of funny it was a powerful scene because of how centered he was being carried by the men it showed really well how important he is.
2. I think it would be interesting to watch a different version just because it would help with my comprehansion of the play, it would be more interesting to watch and compare to the book and the other movie, and see other ways the director makes the scenes and the different tones the actors take to portray their meaning more.
3. If I had to watch a scene again it would be when Hamlet was yelling at Ophelia because i didn't understand that one very much and I feel like its important as it has so much to do with Ophelia's death and understanding her craziness.
Jaina Shah
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene of the movie was Act 5 Scene 1 the burial of the Ophelia. This showed a lot of feeling and emotion of Hamlet. Hamlet talks about how he loved Ophelia so much and He would do anything for her. He talks about that he would be buried alive with her and drinks anything for her. I thought that just showed a lot emotion from him.
No, I do not think I would enjoy different version of Hamlet. This movie basically had great acting and followed a book very well. Sometimes, from book to movie the movie turn out to be really different and doesn’t usually follow the book.
The one scene I would like see is the end of the movie, when Hamlet and Laertes fight. I thought that was interesting ending. When I read the book I didn’t think they would show it like this. It turned out to be something different. I would like to see how other movie maker portrayed the fight.
Katie Martens
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
My favorite scene from the movie was the last scene with when Laertes and Hamlet were fencing. This is not only because it was the most action packed part of the movie, but because it made the book more clear for me. In the book, this part seemed to go by fairly fast, but the movie spent more time with the characters actually fighting. Also, it made the who exchange of the poison make more sense to me.
I do think that I would be a good idea to watch a different version of the movie Hamlet. Right now I have it in my mind exactly what each of the characters look like according to the movie we just watched. I would like to watch another version just to see which one I agree with more. I also want to see if another movie portrays certain scenes differently.
If we were to watch another scene I would want to see the scene when Hamlet kills Polonius. This is because I feel like it can be interpreted in many forms. Also, in this scene the ghost is talking to Hamlet at the same time and i would like to see how the movies show the ghost.
Brody Hovatter
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in the movie was the one just before Hamlet is sent off to England and disrespects King Claudius by saying that he is the same as his mother. I thought that the actors in this scene did a very good job, and you could feel the tension between them. With the way the actors were positioned to one another, and the dialogue between them, you could easily tell how much they hated each other.
I would definately want to watch another movie version of Hamlet. Although Branaugh's version was pretty good, there were a few scenes I didn't like and some of the acting was a little lame. Watching another movie would allow me to make comparisons between the two and could offer new perspectives on the play.
If I were to watch one scene from several different movie versions of Hamlet, I would probably decide to watch the scene where Hamlet is deciding whether or not to kill himself. I would pick this scene because it is probably the most famous scene (ie "To be or not to be..." and because it is one of Hamlet's most important monologues. Branaugh's version of this scene was pretty good, but it would be interesting to see more versions of this scene.
Anna Billmaier
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was when Hamlet recited his "to be or not to be" sililoquy. I liked how he was looking at himself in the mirror while contemplating the idea of death and the unknown world that goes along with it. I thought that it was well thought out and fit perfectly with the words being spoken. I was impressed how all of Hamlet's sililoquies were acted out well and it didn't seem out of place or like he was just standing there talking to nobody, which is what I was expecting.
I think it would be interesting to watch a different version of the movie of Hamlet to see how other directors interpreted and worked with the play. For me it was hard to put a picture to the words and characters when we were reading the play and watching the movie in class made stage directions more clear and the play a lot easier to comprehend. I think it would be interesting to compare a differnt version of the movie to the first version we watched and to the book.
If we were to watch one scene from several movies I would like to see the scene in the graveyard because it is so distinct and different from all the other scenes. It does involve a little humor and I feel like it can be acted out and interpreted in many ways and it would be interesting to see the different interpretations of several directors.
Laura Ahlrep
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in Hamlet was the scene when the actors went on to preform the play Hamlet had written for the King to determine is he was guilty or not. I like out outragous Hamlet was acting, much more loud and out there than I had imagined it in the book. The director reallyu brought out that "crazy" look that Hamlet developed and the guilt of the king. Also the way he treated Ophelia in that scene was a lot more abbusive than I read it, in the book I thought he would of done it in a more calm manner than in that scene.
I think watching another version of Hamlet would be interesting because then you can see the different ways directors interpreted the play instead of just that one version we watched. Some scenes you can read and take in so many ways so it would be interesting to see.
I would choose the ending scene to watch in different films because I thought it was the easiest to stay focused with because of all the action and most interesting because it is the climax of the whole play.
Dan McMillan
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene of the play was when Hamlet was watching the play and somewhat nararrating the play based upon what he is seeing and he rudely shares it with everyone else all while making a big deal.
I would say the only other version of Hamlet i would want to watch would be the one that is most up to date. I say this becasue it would be easier to relate to and understand.
The scene I would like to see in many different ways would be the final fight at the end of the play. I would like this becasue it would be interesting to see how other playwrites and directors would remake this scene.
Nik Toor
ReplyDelete1. My favorite seen from the movie, that hasn't been previously stated above, was the scene where Hamlet was in the woods confronting the ghost for the first time. This scene made it very obvious what Hamlet was talking about when he made the other men swear on the sword. I also liked the suspense and shacking the movies used to portray the scene.
2. I would like to see a different version of the play because there are usually some very interesting and different ways to depict Shakespeare's plays. I also think it's a good idea to see what other people think of the play.
3. Since it hasn't been mentioned yet I would have to say the part in the woods again. I think this mostly because you could get really creative with the ghost and camera angles and so on during that scene.
April Dick
ReplyDeleteI thought the scene where Ophelia goes insane was one of the best scenes in the play. It was difficult to tell just by reading that Hamlet's influence on her caused her to go crazy but the movie made it clear that she had lost her mind.
I wouldn't mind watching another version of Hamlet because there is more than one way to interpret Hamlet. Though the basic concepts and themes would remain the same, a different director may emphasize certain characters or motifs that we hadn't thought of before.
One scene that would be worth watching in a few different versions is the fight scene at the end because there's a lot of room for creativity on the part of the director. The only thing the director has to do is stick with the lines and the rest of the scene (character placement, movement, etc) is entirely up to them.
Tori Weisel
ReplyDelete1. My favorite scene in the movie was when they showed the flashback of when King Claudius killed Old King Hamlet. I thought this was a cool scene because the color contrast used in this scene was very vibrant and made it so anyone watching it would know it's an important part of the play. It gave anyone watching the play a chance to see and just not read about how Claudius actually killed Old King Hamlet.
2. I would like to watch a different version of Hamlet because I think it is good to watch a lot of different takes on the same thing because some people have different thoughts about how this play should be acted out. So it helps to really learn more about the play by getting to see everyone's takes on it.
3. I think I would choose to watch the scene where Old King Hamlet gets murdered because I think that there are a couple different ways that you could portray this whole scene and I would like to see different kind of takes on it.
Denisse Manrique
ReplyDelete1. My favorite scene in the movie is when Laertes is confronting the king and queen and Ophelia runs in singing. I thought that Kate Winslet did a great job depicting Ophelia. I liked how the director played out the scene and the despair in Laertes seeing his sister go mad. I thought the scene was powerful and well done.
2. I would like to see another version of Hamlet because it would be nice to see the character being played by different actors. I would like to see how other directors interpreted Hamlet and altered it. I would definetly like to watch another version of Hamlet.
3. I would like to see how other directors depicted the soliloquy where Hamlet says " to be or not to be..." since its a very famous line. Most people would be waiting for that line so I'm sure that directors would spend a lot of time on that scene.
Leslee Fall
ReplyDelete1. My favorite scene from the movie was during the graveyard scene when the King and Queen where in the middle of Ophelia's funeral and Hamlet comes out from hiding and expressed his feelings for Ophelia and made a speech on how he has every right to cry for her. I found this scene to be very powerful and most memorable.
2. I would like to watch a different movie version of Hamlet to see how other people saw the play. The movie we watched was very dramatic and i want to see if other people made it as dramatic as well.
3. I would like to see the final scenes of Hamlet if we watched a different version of Hamlet. I want to see how other people played out the scene when Hamlet was sword fighting and everyone dies. It is the most powerful scene in my eyes.
Erik Enselman
ReplyDelete1. My favorite scene of the movie was the closing scene between the fencing duel of Hamlet and Laertes. It was really clear what Laertes and Claudius were trying to do and it was very dramatic and intense. I like how Hamlet threw the sword and it stabbed through Claudius. I didnt expect the scene to be so violent but it was good.
2. I would like to watch another version of Hamlet just to see how other actors and directors made the movie. Im sure it would be very different but fun to see how they are different.
3. I would choose the closing scene as well for this one just because it is the most intense scene of the play and im sure it has been done differently in all of the plays.
Mark Galambos
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene in the movie was the scene where Polonius and Claudius stay behind the one way mirror and watch Hamlet's speech and watch Ophelia. This was presented in a very good way due to the fact that Polonius and Claudius were watching.
I would like to watch another version on the movie, probably the Mel Gibson one, or another one that could be tolerable to watch.
The ending scene would probably be best, usually is most significant.
Brian Gleadle
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was when Hamlet first goes out and meets the Ghost of his Father. All of the special effects were really cool for the time period this movie was made in. With fire and brimstone shooting everywhere and the ground steaming and bursting and shaking, it made it convincing that this ghost was from the depths of Hell.
I wouldnt want to watch another version of Hamlet because, all in all it wasnt a very good movie, and having that actor as Hamlet did make it bearable to watch, if we had to watch it with other actors, it would just be even worse.
I would choose the last scene with the fencing because that scene has the most open to interpretation, that could all be portrayed very differently because there are few words, so it would be cool to see what other directors do.
Craig Thomas
ReplyDeletemy favorite scene in the movie was in the beggining of the play where the Old King Hamlets ghost appears. I thought that the director did very good job portraying the scene as they could be crazy or real life. As well as they acting made the scene seem suspicious as to the real motive of the visit.
If we were to watch another version of Hamlet i would want it to be a shorter more condensed version. I felt that this version went on entirely to long and some scenes seemed to drag on forever.
If i was to choose one scene from the versions i would choose the one where the King is burrying Ophelia and Hamlet is expressing his feelings for her. I feel directors can change and minipulate that scene with everyones emotions and gestures. It would be fun to see how different directors/actors interperate that
Jade Baumann
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the sword fighting scene towards the end of the play. the director had it planned out so well in the way they were all hit with the poison, and just how everything worked. it was a good way to end the play.
No i would not like to watch a different version. The version we watched seemed to be as good as it gets with reinactments of Shakespears plays, i wouldn't want to ruin it watching a worse version.
The scene i would love to watch again would be the end of the play sword fighting scene. There are just so many ways this scene can act out yet get the same result, it'd be interesting to see other point of views.
Maxx Forde
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene from the movie was the last one when everybody was getting poisoned. Not because of the content, which is very intense in itself, but because I liked how Fortinbraus' forces were charging in on the castle throughout the scene. In the book, it only happens at the end but I like how in the movie, they began charging in on the guards at the beginning of the scene.
I would not like to watch another version of Hamlet because you said that this was the only one that went exactly according to the play. I think that by having it that way, the actors are forced to get the meaning across the way it was meant to be, rather than having the message conveyed to you with extra words. I liked it this way.
If I had to choose one scene to watch in four versions of Hamlet, I would probably choose the final one again, just because of all of the action. There are so many separate ways that this action could be carried out and I think it would be cool to see some different versions.