Hamlet Movie Versions

Theatrical 1948Laurence Olivier first inkling of oedipal attraction,to be or not to be at top of tower,prologue: vicious mole of nature
Olivier’s Ophelia 1948 virgingives rosemary to Hamlet’s chairdressed in all white
1. Hamlet’s chair2. Ophelia’s archway3. Jesus’ statue4. Gertrude’s bed 4 motifs in Olivier version
BBC 1980Rodney Bennett Hamlet: Derek Jacobi
Theatrical 1990Franco Zeffirelli Hamlet: Mel Gibsonlong kiss with Gertrude (oversexualized)violent/rapyghost appears in room but G doesn’t see
Zeffirelli’s Ophelia 1990 Ophelia NOT virginno flowers, but bonesno implication of suicide
Theatrical 1996Kenneth Branagh Kate Winslet as Ophelia4 hours long…every single speech includedmirror motif/passageways19th-early 20th century (surrealist)
Branagh’s Ophelia 1996 straight jacketsex flashbacksimaginary flowers in handskey in mouth to escape to commit suicide
theatrical 2000Michael Almereyda Hamlet (hipster): Ethan HawkePolonius: Bill Murraymodern version in corporate NYCto be or not to be videomousetrap movieguns
Almereyda’s Ophelia 2000 wired to determine Hamlet’s madnesspolaroid images of the flowers
Royal Shakespeare Co TV 2009Gregory Doran Hamlet: David TennantClaudius: Patrick Stewartbroken mirrorssurveillance camerasreflective floorgunssurrealist
Doran’s Ophelia 2009 scratched and bruisedundresses during song