Hamlet: Screenplay, Introduction and Film Diary (Classic Drama - William Shakespeare) (Clasicos de La Literatura) (Publicaciones del Complejo Teatral de Buenos Aires, #2)

by William Shakespeare

Russell Jackson, Rolf Konow (Photographer), and Peter Mountain (Photographer)

Often credited with creating a popular movie audience for Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh has wanted for many years to bring to the screen the complete, full-length version of Hamlet, Shakespeare's greatest play.

"The film, like the play, will have something for everyone," he says. "Its a ghost story, a thriller, an action-packed murder mystery, and a great tragedy that is profoundly moving." With an outstanding cast of international actors--including Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Julie Christie as Gertrude, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, Charlton Heston as the Player King, Robin Williams as Osric, and Gerard Depardieu as Reynaldo--Branagh's version, in which he will play the title role as well as direct, is sure to go down in film history.

This beautiful volume includes Branagh's introduction and screenplay adaptation of Shakespeare's text, color and black-and-white stills, and a production diary that takes us behind the scenes for a day-to-day look at the shooting of his film.

• ISBN10: 0393315053
• ISBN13: 9780393315059
• Publish Date: 28 September 2012 (first published 1 January 1920)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 10 September 2005
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: WW Norton & Co
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 260
• Language: English

Reviews

[jeannamichel]

Kenneth Branagh is a genius among men. Most of this book is the transcript of Hamlet by Shakespeare since Branagh’s film uses the full story. Still, the film diary and Branagh’s introduction was enlightening. It certainly made me want to watch his film again.

[nightingalereads]

Loved Hamlet. (Both the character and the play)

[celinenyx]

Whew, old English people talk weird!

The only Shakespeare play I know is Romeo and Juliet, which I listened to as audio-play (is that a thing?). I missed a lot of what was going on in that one, but since it was people talking I didn't rewind to try to understand it better. When reading Hamlet as a book, I noticed I don't understand a thing this guy is saying.

Seriously.

I barely notice that I'm a non-native English speaker when I read normal books. I'm at that stage where you just understand the words instead of translating them to your own language in your head, and I read English as fast as I do Dutch. For me it seems that Shakespeare doesn't speak English at all at times. I understand the words - but in the sentences he makes they just don't make sense at all. I was constantly rereading parts to no avail. I understood what was happening and the general story, but once a character started a monologue I was completely lost.

I did enjoy the parts that I did understand. A girl that completely loses her mind, an incestuous marriage, emo dude that sees ghosts, what's not to like? People drop like flies in Hamlet, which I found amusing.

I'll try to watch the play - maybe that will help me understand it better. As for now, I feel a bit lost.

[Linda]

Reading this again started out like a chore, because I HAD to read it for classes, however, I liked it a lot more now than when I was in my teens - wonder why?
I guess I got the subtle things a lot more, and the betrayal that was all around. I wonder if such a story would be as famous if it was written now?