Hamlet

( 15 )

Overview

The third Shakespearean adaptation for renowned filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, Hamlet earned two Academy Award nominations in 1991 and allowed star Mel Gibson to flex some of his more dramatic acting chops. On this DVD release from Warner Home Video, the film is presented in the widescreen format with an anamorphic transfer. The original English soundtrack has been rendered in Dolby Digital 2.0 sound with English, Spanish, and French subtitles available. Along with an introduction by Gibson, the film is ...
See more details below
DVD (Wide Screen)
$13.51
BN.com price
(Save 9%)$14.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (DVD)
  • All (21) from $5.10   
  • New (16) from $6.80   
  • Used (5) from $5.10   

More About This Product

Overview

The third Shakespearean adaptation for renowned filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, Hamlet earned two Academy Award nominations in 1991 and allowed star Mel Gibson to flex some of his more dramatic acting chops. On this DVD release from Warner Home Video, the film is presented in the widescreen format with an anamorphic transfer. The original English soundtrack has been rendered in Dolby Digital 2.0 sound with English, Spanish, and French subtitles available. Along with an introduction by Gibson, the film is supplemented by a pair of featurettes: "Hamlet: An Actor's Journey" delves into the process of performing the bard from a thespians point of view, while "Mel Gibson: To Be or Not to Be" takes viewers behind the scenes for glimpses at the making of the film.
Read More Show Less

Special Features

Closed Caption; Hamlet: An actor's journey; Mel Gibson introduces the movie; Making of documentary Mel Gibson: To be or not to be; Theatrical trailer; Subtitles: English, Français & Español
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide
Frequent Shakespeare interpreter Franco Zeffirelli gives Hamlet a go with this gritty and unglamorous version, starring Hollywood actors like Mel Gibson and Glenn Close. Gibson may have struck some viewers as quite the wrong choice, destined to be overmatched, but he displays surprising subtlety and range, not to mention wearing the cropped hair and scraggly beard to good effect. The actor's playful flickers of madness (his calling card in the Lethal Weapon movies) translate quite well to the scenes in which Hamlet gleefully toys with those he's trying to confuse. Close and Helena Bonham Carter are effective in the smaller roles of his female tormentors, with Carter offering a particularly touching breakdown scene. Ian Holm is also a scatterbrained standout as Polonius. As he has done in his other adaptations of the Bard, Zeffirelli (the first to filmmaker to cast actual teenagers as Romeo and Juliet in 1968) aims for accuracy in his production design, forgoing the anachronisms some directors use to amplify themes. Hence, the dank Danish castle feels like the genuine article, purposely lacking in grandeur. But the director continues to betray Shakespeare in familiar ways, too; not only does he truncate the text, but he even commits the cardinal sin of blending several scenes, which is usually avoided. It's decisions like this that rob the film of some depth and emotional resonance, not to mention scholarly respect. In fact, this Hamlet was likely an important motivator for Kenneth Branagh in his decision to film an elaborately unabridged, four-hour version of the play six years later.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 2/24/2004
  • UPC: 085391903321
  • Original Release: 1990

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Home Video
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
  • Language: English
  • Time: 2:15:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 3,664

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Mel Gibson Hamlet
Glenn Close Gertrude
Alan Bates Claudius
Paul Scofield The Ghost
Ian Holm Polonius
Helena Bonham Carter Ophelia
Stephen Dillane Horatio
Nathaniel Parker Laertes
Sean Murray Guildenstern
Michael Maloney Rosencrantz
Trevor Peacock The Gravedigger
John McEnery Osric
Richard Warwick Bernardo
Christien Anholt Marcellus
Dave Duffy Francisco
Vernon Dobtcheff Reynaldo
Pete Postlethwaite Player King
Christopher Fairbank Player Queen
Marjorie Bell The Player
Roy Evans Player
Justin Case The Player
Roger Low Player
Ned Mendez Player
Joyce Nettles
Sarah Phillips Player
Pamela Sinclair Player
Roy York Player
Technical Credits
Franco Zeffirelli Director, Screenwriter
Vincenzo Cerami Art Director
Bruce Davey Producer
Christopher de Vore Screenwriter
Dante Ferretti Production Designer
Michael Lamont Art Director
Dyson Lovell Producer
Richard Marden Editor
Maurizio Millenotti Costumes/Costume Designer
James Morahan Art Director
Ennio Morricone Score Composer
Francesca Lo Schiavo Set Decoration/Design
Alan Tomkins Art Director
David Watkin Cinematographer
Read More Show Less

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Credits [2:16]
2. Royal Sorrow and Joy [4:53]
3. I Know Not Seems [3:26]
4. Too Solid Flesh [1:43]
5. Family Advice [4:24]
6. Amazing News [5:33]
7. Silent Apparition [3:46]
8. Murder Most Foul [5:28]
9. More Things in Heaven and Earth [4:29]
10. Cause of Hamlet's Lunacy [5:46]
11. Prince and Fishmonger [2:44]
12. Madness in Great Ones [4:33]
13. To Be or Not to Be [1:42]
14. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern [2:42]
15. The Play's the Thing [4:48]
16. Get Thee to a Nunnery [4:54]
17. The Mousetrap Sprung [4:11]
18. Witching Time [6:04]
19. Death in the Queen's Chamber [3:28]
20. Words Like Daggers [2:42]
21. A Visitation [2:16]
22. Bound for England [4:26]
23. Ophelia's Distraction [4:44]
24. Turning the Tables [6:21]
25. Laertes Returns [1:21]
26. Fall into a Weeping Brook [3:47]
27. Alas, Poor Yorick [1:48]
28. Sweets to the Sweet [3:40]
29. Unfriendly Wager [3:22]
30. The Challenge Begins [5:18]
31. Death to Three Schemers [5:54]
32. The Rest Is Silent [6:12]
33. End Credits [2:29]
Read More Show Less

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Scene Selections
   Special Features
      Hamlet: An Actor's Journey
      Mel Gibson: To Be or Not to Be
      Theatrical Trailer
   Languages
      Spoken Languages: English
      Subtitles: English
      Subtitles: Français
      Subtitles: Español
      Subtitles: None
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 15 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(6)

4 Star

(3)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(4)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 15 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    A Midsummer Night's Dream

    The Best Hamlet!

    This is really an unforgettable Hamlet! It draws you in and even in Shakespearian language makes it easy to understand. Some very funny moments interact in crucial and significant scenes. Mel Gibson and Glenn Close were outstanding. Actually, the whole cast was. I highly recommend this movie. You will watch it over and over again. The whole family will enjoy this one.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Wonderful

    The best version of Hamlet. Mel Gibson proves he is more than an action hero with this performance...a must see!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Shakespeare for the new age

    I love this version of Hamlet, it has just the right elements to help those who don't read a lot of Shakespeare (like some people in my family) to appreciate the bard. The entire movie is well cast and Franco Zeffirelli again delivers a Shakespeare movie, the kind of which has not been seen since his Romeo and Juliet.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    My favorite version of Hamlet

    I LOVE this version of Hamlet! After waiting 14 years to have a copy, I'm so excited that it's finally being released on DVD. Mel Gibson is wonderful - his handling of the dialogue is never forced or overly dramatic, as many actors seem to have a problem with when performing Shakespeare's plays. Glenn Close and Helena Bonham Carter also give much more depth to their characters than one normally finds when reading the play; the combined performances make this version a very strong, human, and emotional one.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2003

    An appropriate interpretation

    Hamlet in its original is excessively long and verbose. While the soliloquies are classic, the rest is a ponderous mess. This interpretation thankfully removes most of Shakespeare's detritus from the original play, keeping the best of his writing, the best of the characters, and the best of the story.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2002

    Mel Gibson as Hamlet

    This movie is an excellent portrayal of Shakespeare's book Hamlet. Mel Gibson and others performance is amazing. The only problem that I had was the old English vocabulary, but is more comprehendable in the movie than the book. I reccomend this movie before you read the book. It clears up some misconseptions. by the way...mel is very cute in this movie and really looks like he is 20ish :)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 4, 2002

    Excellent!

    It is true that the movie does exclude a lot of what is in the original play. However, it was appropriate for the audience of this day and age. The storyline was kept and there were no drastic changes. The modifications only made the movie more entertaining. The acting was suberb and very believable. Mel Gibson's delivery of the famous 'To be or not to be' monologue was marvelous. I feel this movie deserves a lot of credit.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 24, 2000

    Superb acting make this Shakespeare adaptation thoroughly enjoyable.

    Though many point out this movie was not entirely true in form to the original, I still found it to be a very entertaining and enjoyable film. Mel Gibson gives a very convincing performance which draws you into the character of Hamlet and his dialemmas. I would suggest it to anyone who wouldn't be offended by liberties taken which aren't completely true to the original play.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Don't waste your time.

    This movie is a sad disappointment. It is unfortunate that no one ever taught Mel Gibson how to act,(instead of just standing around and looking pretty). It is very evident that HE DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT HE IS SAYING! He spouts all the lines with the same voice and the same face, it is almost laughable. Everything that Hamlet said had a meaning, he wasn't just talking to hear himself! Also, the whole Oedipus thing with Glenn Close was weird and misplaced; a little too Freudian for me. If you want to see a quality version see the Kenneth Branagh one, it is longer, but MUCH better. The only redeeming value this movie has is Helena Bonham Carter's performance as Ophelia. She is a wonderful actress and made the best of being in a movie with those less talented than she is.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Is this a Joke?

    In pre release interviewes, Glenn Close states: 'Gertrude must have been a very strong woman... and I wanted to play her that way'. Enough said.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 15, 2000

    Alas, poor Gibson, he didn't really know him, Horatio...

    This play's really NOT the thing to catch the conscience of the king... And what happened to Ophelia? This American Dane does not have the power of the Bard...

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 2, 2000

    oh how does hollywood americanize movies

    This movie was horrible it skiped through half the play and was so americanized that it lacked any signifigant beauty whatsoever

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 19, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 8, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 28, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 15 Customer Reviews