Shakespeare Marathon, part VII: Hamlet

To assume that I could add anything to textual analysis of Hamlet would be the height of arrogance. Having stated such, all I can add to the body of work done on this oft-analyzed tragedy are a few resources for those who enjoy cinematic adaptations of the play. To begin with, it is often stated that Olivier provided the definitive screen portrayal of the tortured Danish prince. Olivier, who also gave us Henry V (1944) and Richard III (1956), filmed this version of Hamlet in 1948.

http://www.amazon.com/Hamlet-Criterion-Collection-Laurence-Olivier/dp/0780021312/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319060001&sr=8-1

Equally impressive is a Soviet adaptation by Kozintsev that premiered in 1964. To purchase it from Amazon, here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Grigori-Kozintsevs-Original-Widescreen-Special/dp/B004Q87DBQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319060085&sr=1-3

1964 was also significant for this work as Richard Burton brought the character of Hamlet to life on the Broadway stage. A non-dress rehearsal of the play has been released on DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Burtons-Hamlet-Burton/dp/B00000JMON/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319060142&sr=1-1

The BBC has proven to be the greatest resource for Shakespeare purists, and Hamlet is part of the series undertaken in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Derek Jacobi plays the tortured Dane in this particular production.

Purists were alarmed at the prospect of Mel Gibson, previously known primarily for action films, as Hamlet. Franco Zeffirelli, who had already given us the definitive Romeo and Juliet in 1968, was at the helm for this offering. It's available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hamlet-Mel-Gibson/dp/B00019072G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319060818&sr=8-1

Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is, along with the BBC version, the most faithful to the original text. Although not a commercial success, his 1996 version is well regarded. One can obtain further details here: http://www.amazon.com/William-Shakespeares-Hamlet-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B00005JLCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319060904&sr=1-1

Updated to modern-day Manhattan, Ethan Hawke's Hamlet  (2000) finds the tormented soul pitted against the barons of corporate America. Bill Murray and Kyle MacLachlan also star.
http://www.amazon.com/Hamlet-Ethan-Hawke/dp/B00004Z4RP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319061369&sr=8-2

For something even more unorthodox, Akira Kurosawa, who many believe gave us the ultimate in King Lear with Ran (1985) and Macbeth with Throne of Blood (1957), also gave a modern take on Hamlet with a corporate setting. This film is known as The Bad Sleep Well and is available at Amazon as well: http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Sleep-Well-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000BR6QCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319061587&sr=1-1