Word: hamlets
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...high school, and so a larger number of people read his works. But Shakespeare has also leaped across the divide of "high culture" to popular culture. Kenneth Branagh recently had a hand in making Shakespeare a common Hollywood name with Henry V, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing and now Hamlet...
...sleepy hometown of Chappaqua, New York was rudely awakened by the arrival of a Rite-Aid store in its downtown area. This is not such an unusual event; Rite-Aids, Blockbuster Videos, Staples and similar retail outlets are springing up in cities across America. But to a small suburban hamlet whose downtown district could easily fit inside the walls of Harvard Yard, the coming of such a superstore provided weeks of check-out counter chit-chat. We already had three drug stores within a mile or two of each other. Each was unique: Cadman's had been in business...
Otherwise, Branagh's interpretation of the Bard's work is fairly uncontroversial, barring his sometimes pointless use of flashbacks, sudden cuts to action elsewhere, and repeated footage of the same scene. Branagh makes sure we don't miss his rebellious declaration of his interpretation of the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia (Kate Winslet) by showing multiple flashes of their steamy love-making. Of course, Branagh's chest hair plays a prominent role in all. In reminding the audience of King Hamlet's gruesome death, Branagh feels it necessary to show over and over a close-up of his ear, bubbling...
...subtly played, his motivation portrayed not in a devilish light, but more as ambition that has gotten in the way of morality. Horatio, always a difficult role to play, is handled deftly by Nicholas Farrell, who conveys the emotion of his part without over-emphasizing his relationship with Hamlet. Laertes, a role often overlooked in modern productions, is carefully played by Michael Maloney, who shows the dichotomy between being the puppet of Polonius and a man sucked into Claudius' rage and ambition. Charlton Heston turns in a wonderful performance as the Player King...
Despite problems with the concluding portion of the film, "Hamlet" is saved by the brilliance of its actors...