Hamlet (Blu-ray) (1996)

Editor's Note Director Kenneth Branagh returns to Shakespeare following his ground-breaking HENRY V and whimsical production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. This classic tale tells the story of Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh), the prince of Denmark, a man suffering from grief at the death of his father, the king. His mother (Julie Christie) has quickly married Claudius (Derek Jacobi), Hamlet's uncle, who now reigns as the new king. Late one night Hamlet is visited by his father's ghost, who comes to tell him that Claudius poisoned him in his garden to win the crown, and that Hamlet, as his son, must now avenge his death. The prince's course of action sets the wheels of this great tragedy in motion, as the corruption of the Danish court begins to engulf everyone around it, including, finally, Hamlet himself. Branagh has assembled a stellar cast (including Kate Winslet, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams) for this titanic enterprise, which presents HAMLET in its four hour entirety. Shot in 70-millimeter film, Branagh's HAMLET takes on the epic sweep associated with the films of Cecil B. DeMille or David Lean. By restoring Shakespeare's tragedy to its full length, Branagh has created a film of striking size and scope.

	Jack Lemmon
	Rosemary Harris
	Derek Jacobi
	Robin Williams
	Julie Christie
	Billy Crystal
	Kenneth Branagh
	Charlton Heston
	John Gielgud
	Kate Winslet
	David Barron - Producer
	Neil Farrell - Editor
	Alex Byrne - Costume Designer
	Alex Thomson - Director of Photography
	William Shakespeare - Story
	Patrick Doyle - Composer
	Kenneth Branagh - Screenwriter
	Tim Harvey - Production Designer
	Kenneth Branagh - Director

HAMLET is director Kenneth Branagh's full-text adaptation of Shakespeare's timeless tragedy. After his father's death, Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh), the prince of Denmark, must avenge him, while the kingdom crumbles in dissent. A grand production in keeping with the Bard's original masterpiece, the film features a diverse international cast within a visually stunning framework. Variety
"...A full-bodied, clear-headed, resplendently staged rendition of HAMLET that rewards the time required to experience it..." 12/09/1996

Entertainment Weekly
"...It's like an Elizabethan version of THE SHINING....Kate Winslet does marvelous work..." 01/24/1997 p.35-6

Los Angeles Times
"...Handsome and compelling....Branagh brings the Bard's greatest tragedy passionately alive on screen....He has done it with remarkable clarity and meaning..." 12/25/1996 p.F20

Chicago Sun-Times
"...We enjoy Branagh's visual showmanship: In all of his films, he reveals his joy in theatrical gestures....Kate Winslet is touchingly vulnerable..." 01/24/1997 p.31

Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- "The fencing finale is still a stunner..." 10/01/2007 p.136

Premiere
"[A]n absolute delight for Shakespearian loyalists....Branagh uses the entire play..." 08/17/2010