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Hamlet (2009) (BBC)
Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
DVD
January 4, 2010 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
—
| $76.30 | $52.80 |
Watch Instantly with | Rent | Buy |
Hamlet (2009) | — | — |
Genre | Drama |
Format | Color, Subtitled, Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC |
Contributor | Various |
Language | English |
Number Of Discs | 1 |
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Product Description
Product Description
David Tennant and Patrick Stewart star in this critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s masterpiece from Britain’s renowned Royal Shakespeare Company. No recent stage production in Britain has attracted the excitement and nearly unanimous critical praise as this Hamlet. Tennant's interpretation was recognized as defining the role fora generation, and Stewart’s complex Claudius won the Olivier award, Britain’s highest stage honor. In this specially-shot screen version, filmed on location rather than in the theater, Tennant and Stewart reprise their roles. Dynamic, exciting and contemporary, it breathes newlife into Shakespeare's greatest play.
Amazon.com
It's to director Gregory Doran's incredible credit that his staging of that most familiar of English-language plays, Shakespeare's Hamlet, should be completely reinvigorated by a modern interpretation of the tragedy as a true psychological thriller. This Hamlet, filmed in 2009, presents the inner torment of the Danish prince Hamlet as a believable, relatable controlled explosion of emotions, each more unmanageable than the last. Besides the director, the casting is also brilliant, including the Scottish actor David Tennant (Doctor Who) as Hamlet and Patrick Stewart as Hamlet's uncle Claudius and the ghost of Hamlet's father--who, Hamlet becomes convinced, was killed by Claudius. The direction is brisk, and the acting is first rate. Tennant plays a heartbreaking Hamlet, whose paranoia and weird inner reflections are given a modern spin by the lush, shiny mirrorlike surfaces in the palace, as well as by small but excellent details, like a closed-circuit camera system. And Stewart is menacing but completely collected as Claudius, and unnerving as his brother's ghost. Other strong performances are contributed by Penny Downie as Hamlet's mother, Gertrude; Mariah Gale as Ophelia (who's not quite up to par with the rest of the cast, until she goes mad; then boy does she ever go mad); and Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius. But it's Tennant as the mad prince who is riveting in Hamlet. His "To be or not to be, that is the question" soliloquy--perhaps the best-known speech in English theater--is delivered in a hushed, anguished, all-too-believable manner--occasionally addressing the camera, which is fixed close on Tennant's face. The DVD also includes a must-see documentary on making Hamlet, which includes great interviews with director Doran, cast members and the art directors, set designers and others who give this Hamlet a fresh, polished sheen--while keeping the ages-old tragedy of Shakespeare's words and the explosion of needless death close to the original. The impact is unforgettable; this Hamlet is a terrific achievement. --A.T. Hurley
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.78:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Product Dimensions : 7.75 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 0.8 ounces
- Item model number : GPHM401
- Director : Various
- Media Format : Color, Subtitled, Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC
- Run time : 3 hours and 2 minutes
- Release date : May 4, 2010
- Actors : Various
- Subtitles: : English
- Language : English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
- Studio : BBC Home Entertainment
- ASIN : B0038RSJ0U
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #37,420 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #6,197 in Drama DVDs
- Customer Reviews:
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Hamlet, to my understanding is an indictment of courtly manners and the insecurity of the backbiting nature of courtier-ship and the hard situation for maintaing one's status and reputation at court in the midst of nearly constant intrigue. Hamlet fails, but his failure is built in to his quest from the outset. It is not his failure to act as many contend which is his fall, but that he has neither the training nor the ability to meet his need as he has no grand strategy by which to protect his standing at court and no meaningful allies by which to manage the attacks possible from all sides. Merely killing his uncle might suffice for the short term, but it leaves him with a mother dostracted and largely holding herself free from her now grown son and only Horatio from his schooling who has any interest in his future. He has neither an advisor he can trust or an idea of a policy by which he might proceed if Claudius meets his maker. He is virtually without any manageable future, but impelled to act in some fashion royal when his training for such an end is all but absent to him. One can hardly depend on good fortune to manage the various grasping hands of all those about you without the experience and the trusted cohorts.
I decided almost immediately that I needed to own this theatrical masterpiece. So, naturally, I asked my mother to order it for me. (I am borrowing her account to write this, actually). After receiving my own copy of this version of "Hamlet" on DVD, I did not hesitate to begin watching it from the beginning. Although it took three hours and two minutes to actually watch it all the way through, it was worth it.
This version of "Hamlet" is without a doubt the best interpretation I have ever seen. I have read William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" at least seven times, in its complete, unabridged form. However, the artistry and creativity with which this particular cast performed was utterly breathtaking. The flawless, witty, seamless delivery of classic lines gave me an unfamiliar feeling; this version of "Hamlet" almost made me feel as though I was watching a different play. The familiar quotes and story aside, I still internally shook with anticipation. I became so carried away in the brilliant acting, that I would hardly recognize my favorite play. That is not to say that one does not recognize "Hamlet" because of any change of script or detail from the original. The screenplay adhered almost exactly to William Shakespeare's intended version of this work. Considering the lack of changes in dialogue, the slight twist to the recognizable classic made for the perfect combination of poetic license and modesty.
The faithfulness to the original play is remarkable, despite the few modern touches. The use of a gun, a switchblade, a hand-held video camera, and a security surveillance camera are the technologically advanced additions to this play. Although they are notable, they do not distract from the dialogue or the story unfolding. In fact, the surveillance cameras add the undetected, ominous impression of spying. In order to prevent spoilers, that is all I will say as far as the use of unconventional props. The set is comprised mostly of a black, mirrored room that is decorated accordingly for each scene. (This excludes the outdoor scenes, of course). This simple design is sophisticated and tasteful, and it gives the feeling of a traditional, theatrical setting.
David Tennant deserves to be recognized in some way for his portrayal of Hamlet. As I previously stated, this story has such familiarity in the hearts of literature-junkies. Hamlet's character is one of the most contemplated characters in the history of modern English literature. Even after his journey, his true nature is unknown to the audience, and the characters surrounding him. Tennant is the quintessence of unpredictability as Hamlet. There are parts when he acts completely sane; normal, aside from the overwhelming grief. And, there are moments of a lovable, loopy sort of humorous madness. Then, of course, there are moments of raw fury. Of all the actors I have seen take on the role of Hamlet, David Tennant has been my favorite. His expressions, the emotions in his voice, the original and witty delivery of his dialogue, have redefined Hamlet's character. The next time I read "Hamlet", I will picture Tennant's delivery of Prince Hamlet's lines. Patrick Stuart also did a phenomenal job as the quintessence of evil, Hamlet's uncle Claudius. The cunning and malice with which he speaks, and the sophisticated delivery of his lines are uncannily chilling. Side-by-side, these two make the centerpiece for one of the greatest productions of "Hamlet" to date.
I think it goes without saying that I definitely recommend this version of Hamlet. I recommend this particularly to those who wish to see a new, fresh, dramatically ingenious production of this classic. It is definitely worth the money, and worth your time to watch it.
-Amelie Carter
Top reviews from other countries
There are tweaks that I saw of Mr Tennant's former & current characters from the film being released in 2009 and then future characters also in relation to the film. The main two that I picked up on were The Tenth Doctor (former and current as David was in the role from 2005-2010) and future characters Crowley from Good Omens (2017), my personal introduction to Mr Tennant...I have to say if he keeps up these kind of roles then he's got a fan for life.