Hamlet

UK, USA, 1996, 242’
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Cankarjev dom Cinema Hamlet

Written by: Kenneth Branagh, after William Shakespeare
Cinematography: Alex Thomson
Music: Patrick Doyle
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Julie Christie, Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Gérard Depardieu, John Gielgud, Jack Lemmon, Robin Williams...

The only unabridged cinematic adaptation of Hamlet. Kenneth Branagh’s version is famous for being the only integral version of the play, running just over four hours. Branagh makes bold directorial choices, putting his unique stamp on the adaptation, a lavishly produced spectacle set in the 19th century but retaining the original Elizabethan English.

Branagh’s version is faithful to the original play, published in 1623, but uses modern narrative techniques, numerous flashbacks, to variegate the narrative and depict scenes that are only described in Shakespeare but not performed, such as Hamlet's childhood friendship with Yorick, or scenes that the play only alludes to, such as Hamlet's sexual relationship with Ophelia.

Hamlet premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival and went on to win four Academy Award nominations. It will be screened in two parts with an intermission.

I think, I hope the way we have produced our vision is different and original. With things like Shakespeare, and Hamlet in particular, I think it's hard to claim any originality. I feel as though everything' s probably been done by minds much greater than mine, but we at least in choosing, for instance, to set it in a kind of impressionistic 19th century, in a much more colourful way than is perhaps usually done. Hamlet seems to be perceived as a very dark and Gothic play where all the characters are sort of predisposed to be manic-depressives.
Kenneth Branagh

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