Hamlet (III. i. 64-96)
To be or not to be – that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep –
No more – and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to – `tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep –
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry
And lose the name of action.
1) 1948 - The timeless performance by Laurence Olivier.
2) 2000 - Ethan Hawke's Hamlet drifts into a Blockbuster video. Notice which section he walks
through.
3) 1996 - Kenneth Brannah's Hamlet speaking a mirror image of himself (Note: Hamlet's Uncle Claudius and Polonius are hiding behind the glass).
4) 1990 - Mel Gibson's Hamlet - Notice the choice of location and the intensity of the performance.
2) 2000 - Ethan Hawke's Hamlet drifts into a Blockbuster video. Notice which section he walks
through.
3) 1996 - Kenneth Brannah's Hamlet speaking a mirror image of himself (Note: Hamlet's Uncle Claudius and Polonius are hiding behind the glass).
I personally hate very old movies and they freak me out so I'd would have to say the least effective, for me, was the the 1948 movie. I wasn't sure if he was just thinking the words or actually saying them.
ReplyDeleteIn the Brannah version, he didn't sell his mood as well as Mel Gibson did. He was too happy while contemplating whether to kill himself or not. He acted really as if he wanted to kill himself because he didn't seem frightened enough.
The Mel Gibson scene was easily the best acted scene and really sold me on his lines. His mannerism, especially his speech, made it seem that he was really tilted by his thoughts. To the point that he was disturbed by himself for thinking of killing himself because he didn't know what it would lead to.
John M
DeleteI felt the oldest version we watched was definitely not as insightful as the Kenneth Brannah version, his intensity gets the message across much more effectively as he shows the disgust towards hamlets uncle through his malice look at the mirror. Laurence Oliver's performance just seemed to unrealistic maybe due to the fact it is from 1948 but personally it was my least favorite, also Oliver seems to be missing the anger as he delivers the soliloquy . Also I felt Brannah's version added suspense by using the mirror with Polonius and the King on the other side listening to Hamlet's disgust.
ReplyDelete- Sean H
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the best was Kenneth Brannahs Hamlet was the most affective, since you know that they are spying on him right behind the mirror that he is staring into and holding a knife at the mirror. The scene really gives it a more intense feeling knowing he thinks he has such a deep dark secret about to kill himself while they are just understanding this side of him too. I think the least effective was the modern day spin on Hamlet. Since it really just didn't make sense being in a Blockbuster and walking along the isles its not as intense since its a really crazy action he is debating, thats why I think Mel Gibsons and The Timeless performance were better than the modern day version.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think the version with Mel Gibson is the best scene. The way he says the lines, I can feel a sort of emotion I didn’t get from the others. The other scenes, the actor was just reading the book, staring blankly. Mel Gibson was moving around and looked highly unsure of what to do in this time. It was a hard scene to depict, because there is just so much emotion in it, that if it’s not displayed emotionally it can sound pointless. Mel Gibson’s version of this scene is one to take notes from if they were ever to re-do Hamlet for whatever reason
ReplyDelete- Adam Theeb
I feel that the best was Mel Gibson because of how well he acted out the scene and how much emotion and effort he put into it. The second best to me was Kenneth Brannah's version because of the spin that was put on it with the two way mirror and how well he knew the lines and role. The other two i feel are equally bad simply for video quality, sound, and the wrong emotions if there were any to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI think the Mel Gibson Hamlet was the best one. He kept me engaged because he was moving around and he gave a lot of different voice to his speech. He put a ton of emotion in his voice for the speech so the tone kept me listening. The worst one for me was the 1948 one. I couldn't keep focus at all during that one it was very boring. His tone was very boring as well and I didn't want to listen at all. I didn't like the black and white and he barley moved, there was nothing to keep me engaged.
ReplyDelete-Jussy Reppucci
Kate Lyons
ReplyDeleteI personally felt that the Lawrence Oliver and Ethan Hawke's versions of "to be or not to be" were the least effective. I felt no interest or captivation by either of the actors, I felt like they were just reciting lines. Although in Kenneth Brannah's version, Hamlet really caught my attention and I wanted to watch and listen. When he pulled the dagger out and held it to his temples you felt as though he was debating killing himself as he watched himself in the mirror.
In the 1948 film, the lines were said with not much feeling to them at all and the mood felt kind of bland. Also, half the time his mouth was barely or not moving at all which made it more confusing whethere he was thinking out loud, or if was just messed up during filming. Mel Gibson however, sold his lines incredibly well and kept the audience engaged throughout the whole speech. He acted scared of what would happen if he killed himself and really showed every emotion that came into the speech. Kenneth Brannah's version was not bad, but not as good as Mel Gibson's because of the fact that he didn't put as much emotion into the speech and really didn't show the veiwers how terrified he was. I did, however like that Polonius and the King were behind the glass.
ReplyDelete- Michael Long
I found the Mel Gibson version the easiest to fully understand and be drawn in to. His take on the scene allowed me as a viewer to internalize his words and create my own feeling about them. Where all the other ones were dry in their own ways. The Kenneth Brannah version was really interesting because his uncle and Polonius could see him, which we knew and he may or may not have, but his expression was limited and his voice was very monotone so it was harder to understand his feelings.
ReplyDelete-Regan Grygiel
I personally feel that the third video made in 1996 was the most effective video out of the four. Due to the incorporation of the mirror in this scene, it added a sense of tension with the two men behind it. They know every word that is being said and present the tension onto the viewer. Also, the way he read it slow and with a soft voice made it more drawing to the viewer. it added a source of suspension to the scene. I feel that the first video made in 1948 was my least favorite clip out of the four. I left me feeling bored and not drawn to the scene as there was nothing added to it. there was no two way mirror or fathers grave added to it. I feel that if something else was added to the scene to make it more drawing and appealing to the reader it would have made it better.
ReplyDelete- Adriana DeSantis
I believe that Kenneth Brannah's Hamlet interpretation was the most effective because it showed Hamlet speaking to a mirror image of himself while Claudius and Polonius are hidden behind the glass. This emphasizes the madness of the character. Hamlet is not overcome by sadness but contemplates his situation in a different way, with his odd expression and the fact that he’s speaking to his own reflection. Hamlet's contemplation of death is not shown with sadness, but rage and anger. I believe Ethan Hawke's Hamlet interpretation was the least effective because it didn't make sense as to why he was in a blockbuster contemplating suicide.
ReplyDelete-Natalie B
In my opinion the best "To be or not to be" interpretation was the Kenneth Brannah version. I felt as if he grasp the attention of the audience. Being able to see his uncles reaction when he pulled out the dagger and held it up to the mirror as if he knew that someone, his uncle, was watching him contemplate. The least effective would have to be Ethan Hawke's version, he wasn't even speaking the lines it was more of the sound just following him walking around the store. It was too modern to really understand what was going on, and didn't make sense that he was in a Blockbuster store to begin with while he was debating if killing himself was a good idea.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Peck
DeleteThe really old version of Hamlet was not as effective for me and I barely payed attention when Ethan Hawkes version played, I didnt get a feel of the speech as much as I did watching Kenneth Brannah and Mel Gibson. I think the lines Mel Gibson had said and the overall acting was better in that was better but the emotion that was felt and portrayed was much better in the Kenneth Brannah's version.
ReplyDeletePaige B
The most effective performance that kind of brought me in wad the Kenneth Brannahs version. The reason why I say that was because of his tone in his voice got me hooked and the mood when it was calm and quiet and shows and I like how the uncle was able to see what he was dong through the mirror. The least effective performance was the modern day one that was made in a blockbuster store. It does not have the same feel ad the other ones because of how modern hamlet. They took the wrong approach of making that scene because the mood and tone did not feel right and could not get hooked on the film.
ReplyDeleteEvan Meltsakos
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the most effective version of Hamlet's suicide speech is the Mel Gibson scene from 1990. He showed great emotion and even used his body language and behavior to really sell what he was feeling at the moment. I feel Mel Gibson did a really good job in showing the intense battle between life and death going on in Hamlet's mind. Also performing this scene by the tomb of Hamlet's father sets the mood and gives you a better interpretation of the responsibility that Hamlet is struggling so much to deal with both physically and emotionally. To me the worst one was the 1948 version because the actor didn't sell the part enough. It was the most low budget version and seemed like he was just reading the the speech rather than actually performing it and making it believable.
I felt like Mel Gibson's performance was the best because of how expressive he was added with the fact that he was in a dark and eerie grave. It really felt like he had nothing to lose and was on the edge of committing suicide. The worst performance was by Ethan Hawke because of his environment. Having him walk through a blockbuster just made it seem less intense and more humorous which isn't what the poem is trying to express.
ReplyDeleteFor me Kenneth Brannah was the best. Out of all of them I felt his the most. The delivery along with the mirror thing added a lot to the scene. Mel Gibson was definitely a close second, but he didn't have the same impact. I think drawing a weapon definilty added a lot to the Brannah scene.
ReplyDeleteThe wort was easily Laurence Olivier. I'm sure it was amazing for the time, but since things have changed so much it's much less effective now. And the Ethan Hawke was just strange. I can't discredit someone else's art and I'm sure some people love it, but that was totally out of nowhere for me.
The Mel Gibson one was the most effective because I felt that he knew the meaning of this line and was not just saying a line all hopelessly. It felt like he had some emotion. The Kenneth Brannah one wasn't bad either, but it felt unconvincing until he pulled out the dagger. I thought the Ethan Hawke on was the least effective because there wasn't much to it other than him walking though a blockbuster store. It felt like it took the longest even though it was the shortest of all of them.
ReplyDeleteDereck Silvestro
I felt that the first one we watched was too old and not very enjoyable to watch. I also thought the second one we watched was not very realistic for Hamlet. My favorite was 1996 - Kenneth Brannah's version because it was interesting with the 2 way mirror, adding more suspense. Also the place that they were in seemed to fit with Hamlet. The Mel Gibson one was also good I enjoyed watching that one.
ReplyDeleteI believe Kenneth Brannah was the best at acting out to be or not to be, from hamlet. All though Mel Gibson showed complete emotion to the situation, Kenneth way of acting caught my eye. That being said, to see his uncles reaction when he pulled out the dagger and held it up to the mirror added a lot to the scene.
ReplyDeleteThe worst in my opinion would be Laurence Oliver, i don't mean to be basic but the old footage just didn't quite catch my attention compared to the others reenactments. Ethan Hawkes was also bland in my opinion because of the more modern day compared to the others. Brannah did a good job creating the environment
I think that the first one was least effective because it was too old and the actor was too subtle and calm during the speech, there was not enough true emotion in it. There was also not enough of the scene contributing to it. The last one with Mel Gibson was the most effective because of the intensity of his speech and his emotions seemed real as if it came from his heart. The scenery of it also added to the speech giving it a suspenseful and ominous vibe.
ReplyDelete- Nolan Brezinski