Yes, Hamlet is probably the finest piece of fictional literature ever. It is cerebral and daring and exciting and beautiful, but like so many pieces of literature, films should not be made of it. Frakenstein is very similiar but yet Kenneth (I use his first name for I am not comfortable with addressing him properly after watching this film) also made a film of that. In Frankenstein he was too interested in making it all look neat. But Frankenstein was about the language, the concept, the plot, not the imagery.
Hamlet cannot be made into any more movies because it is so personal. People feel connected to it like the memory of a departed loved one. Everyone has their own image of Hamlet and I feel very sorry for the poor fool who thinks of Hamlet and pictures Kenneth swinging on a chandelier and throwing rapiers like they were spears. For me, Hamlet would be like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, expressionistic, symbolising inner struggle and possible madness, the prison of Denmark Hamlet can't get away from, but that's my vision and not anyone elses. Kenneth had a vision, but it wasn't anybody else's. His performance is at times too fast or too slow. I never understood his Hamlet, I couldn't sympathize with him. Without that, it's not Hamlet. No, it's just some guy reciting Shakespeare while pretending to be a non-Dumas swashbuckler.
Kudos to his Henry V, it's incredible, but this is candy.
Hamlet cannot be made into any more movies because it is so personal. People feel connected to it like the memory of a departed loved one. Everyone has their own image of Hamlet and I feel very sorry for the poor fool who thinks of Hamlet and pictures Kenneth swinging on a chandelier and throwing rapiers like they were spears. For me, Hamlet would be like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, expressionistic, symbolising inner struggle and possible madness, the prison of Denmark Hamlet can't get away from, but that's my vision and not anyone elses. Kenneth had a vision, but it wasn't anybody else's. His performance is at times too fast or too slow. I never understood his Hamlet, I couldn't sympathize with him. Without that, it's not Hamlet. No, it's just some guy reciting Shakespeare while pretending to be a non-Dumas swashbuckler.
Kudos to his Henry V, it's incredible, but this is candy.