Nora- To be or not to be

Film 1: Olivier: Olivier's film was the simplest one that we viewed. It opened with a camera shot looking over the side of a cliff with waves crashing onto the rocks below. The scene cut back to this shot a couple times. It contributed to the scene's setting, which was also the simplest. The majority of the scene was filmed at the top of a foggy cliff where Hamlet sat on a rock and gave his "To Be or Not to Be" speech. Hamlet was literally overlooking a sea of emotions. The scene only consisted of one prop, the dagger Hamlet was holding. The simplicity of the set and props used forced the viewers to focus on Hamlet and his thoughts and feelings. The director made sure there was nothing to distract the audience and keep their attention on Hamlet. Another element that directed the viewers attention to Hamlet was the fact that the scene was filmed in black and white. The setting, camera shots, and lack of color in the scene contributed to its simplicity and emphasized the importance of Hamlet's speech. For part of the scene, Hamlet's speech was expressed as his thoughts. His eyes were closed while the camera slowly zoomed in on his face. The camera and narration both stopped when Hamlet's started to rethink his decision. At this point, the music hit a climax and he opened his eyes. He then started his monologue and pointed the dagger away from him. This showed how his thoughts prevented him from taking action.

Film 2: Zeffirelli: Zeffirelli's version was filmed in a tomb in Elsinore Castle, Denmark. By filming the scene in a tomb surrounded by Hamlet's dead relatives, the director can show the results of the decision that Hamlet is considering making. If Hamlet commits to killing himself, he will end up in that tomb as another body. The scene is overall very dark, like the rest of the film. Hamlet starts to reconsider his decision while he is bending over one of the bodies praying. He begins to over think his decision and question what happens after death. The fear of not knowing is ultimately what gets him to change his mind. Throughout the scene Hamlet's emotions change back and forth from angry to melancholy. His emotions vary depending on what he is thinking about doing. Leading up to the climax of his speech he seems very angry and ready to take his life, but when he starts to question what happens after life ("to die, to sleep' perchance to dream") he calms down. In this version Hamlet's reactions show how stressful and emotional it is for him to make this decision. 

Film 3: Branaugh: Branaugh's version is very detailed with an interesting setting. It is set in Elsinore Castle with Hamlet looking into a one way mirror. On the other side of the mirror are 2 of Hamlet's friends who are listening and watching. The castle is beautifully decorated with nice tiles and details that can be seen in the mirror behind Hamlet. Throughout the scene, the camera slowly gets closer to Hamlet's reflection. It leads up to the height of Hamlet's speech where he hits the mirror and the people behind get frightened. Also leading up to this point was creepy opera music in the background. Like Olivier's version, Hamlet is also holding a dagger up to this reflection. This film was the only one that involved people other than Hamlet. Ophelia enters at the end of his speech, and he also has his two friends behind the mirror the entire time. Hamlet maintains constant eye contact with his reflection throughout the entire scene and stays very calm, almost whispering. The only point where he is not relaxed is when he hits the mirror. Although Branaugh's version had many elements that drew attention away from Hamlet, it had an interesting concept and way of portraying Hamlet's thoughts. I personally liked the setting and Hamlet's reactions.

Film 4: Almereyda: Film 4 was obviously the most modern, since it was filmed in a Blockbuster. During the scene Hamlet walks through the store with an expression on his face that makes him seem so lost and confused that he could be drunk. He only walks through the action aisle of the store, which was very symbolic. It showed how he was struggling with whether or not to talk action. Like film 1, the  scene starts as a mental monologue where the audience can hear what Hamlet's thoughts. While the setting wasn't as dramatic, it was an interesting way to modernize Hamlet. Throughout the entire scene there is dark music that compliments what he is saying. There are also flickering televisions all over the store. This is a representation of Hamlet's mental conflict and the way he keeps going back and forth with what to do. The scene ends with a shot of one of the televisions that has fire on it, while showing this Hamlet say "and lose the name of action." There was also a television showing chaos in the ghost scene. The director uses the scenes on the televisions as symbols for what is happening in Hamlet's life. This was a strong way to end the scene.

There are so many versions of this play because there are so many different ways that you can interpret it and convey its messages. Each director does so in a unique way that overall tells the same story with the same points and ideas. I think this proves that Hamlet encompasses several universal truths that everyone can relate to. My favorite version of the scene was Olivier's because the simplicity of his setting emphasized the importance of the scene. The props, camera shots, and decisions made by the actor enhanced the scene overall.