Hamlet

Cinematographically, this looks fantastic. That might be the most immediately striking thing about this grand Soviet adaptation of Shakespeare's play. The wide sweeping shots the castle, this cliffs, and and the story sea at this Estonian Elsinore as they are swarmed by medieval courtesans and armies is incredibly impressive. The scenes with the ghost of Old Hamlet may be some of the most simultaneously grand and spooky I have seen.

Though in some senses (such as costuming) a traditional Hamlet, this film, perhaps somewhat by virtue of being an adaptation in translation, has a outsider viewpoint that allows to to take liberties with sequence and setting while maintain a feeling of fealty. And this lends itself to the broad-scoped cinematic feel. We first see Hamlet upon his return to Denamrk, we follow him on the ship and on the way back. What changes there are only help suit the material to them medium of film.

Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy is a very good Hamlet and worth of the role. His baseline is quiet and solemn glumness (even for a Hamlet), which makes it the more impressive and disturbing when in his passion or "madness" he is furious or energetic and glib. He is complimented by a great Claudius and a fascinating performance by Anastasiya Vertinskaya as Ophelia, who makes scenes almost difficult to watch with how earnestly she plays having been driven mad.

The film is blessed to have music by the great composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who demonstrates a subtle and masterful hand with film scoring by writing music that doe snot intrude on the film but greatly enhances that mood and really seems to fit the windswept crags of the setting. The translation is by Boris Pasternak, who from while I can incompletely understand seems to eschew completely literalness for a more terse poetry of his own -- a debatable choice but perhaps best for the purposes of film.

In all certainly a huge achievement that can stand among the best of the many screen versions of Hamlet.

Hamlet (1964) (original title Gamlet) is a Russian adaptation of Shakespeare's play, directed by Grigori Kozintsev. The film stars Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy as Hamlet, and Anastasiya Vertinskaya as Ophelia.

I saw this movie as part of a Shakespeare in Film honors seminar that I'm auditing. It surprised me that I enjoyed this version of Hamlet so much. After all, it was filmed 50 years ago, in black and white, mainly in Estonia, during a period when the Soviet government was monitoring every frame of every movie for possible deviation from the politically acceptable.

Nonetheless, the movie worked for me. Elsinore Castle--artificially constructed, as I learned from IMDb--looked very realistic. Also, the castle had life in and around it. When you think about it, most film Hamlets are shot almost in a vacuum. You don't get any sense that anyone lives in or works in the castle. This Hamlet is the exception-- extras are everywhere, working hard and keeping the castle functioning.

The acting is generally excellent. I was particularly impressed by Anastasiya Vertinskaya (Ophelia). She went on to become a noted Russian film star. This role was a turning point in her career. She's extraordinarily talented. She acts--and appears--like someone who belongs in the setting. She doesn't have the buffed, "I am a star" attitude of many women who play Ophelia.

Prince Hamlet tells us that, to him, Elsinore is like a prison. Kozintsev emphasizes this aspect of the castle. In the beginning of the film, the portcullis closes ominously. Even if you don't know the plot of Hamlet, you know that trouble is ahead after you've seen the first few frames.

Some of he students felt that seeing Shakespeare in translation just doesn't make sense. After all, Shakespeare is the greatest master of the English language. Boris Pasternak apparently translated Shakespeare's language into Russian, but that doesn't help us. I would have thought that the subtitles who have reverted to Shakespeare's English, but they don't. Unless you speak Russian, you have no idea of what the Russian audience is hearing.

Does that mean that all that's left (for us) is the plot? Some of the students thought so, but I disagree. There's a third element besides language and plot--character. Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, and Ophelia all have a distinct character, set down by Shakespeare for us to understand and interpret. I think that in this movie, even though we lose language, Kozintsev allows us to see character. So, even without Shakespeare's language, this film has much to offer us. (Music by Dmitri Shostakovich is an added bonus.)

I saw the movie on the small screen, where it worked pretty well. It would work better in a theater. If it's not playing in revival, watch it on DVD. It's definitely worth seeing, and I highly recommend it.

Wow! What a film! I saw it recently with three friends at Chicago's Facets Cinematheque, and we were collectively stunned by this film. On at least three occasions, it took my breath away--the ghost on the ramparts sequence, the play within the play sequence, and Ophelia's mad sequence were just incredibly wrought. I can't say enough about this film.

impressive. strange. monumental. subtle. wall of music, nuanced performances, Shakespeare play heart and Slav soul. it is an adaptation but in a strange manner. because out of words and images, out of Smoktunovski performance it is small light of mystery. that is its virtue. that sparkle like descending in heart of a world of shadows and ash. and the actors, the real actors, are Sostakovici music,the Russian language, the profound feeling front to a masterpiece. it is pure delight. with cinnamon flavor and salt taste. like an ice flower. or like looniest song.it is a dark large desert in night. and, in same measure, sand rope of existence like ladder to fundamental answer about art of unforgettable search of yourself. and Elisabethan costumes completed by Mikhail Nazvanov as Claudius - alter ego for a Henry VIII Philipp II of Spain or Anastasia Vertinskaya as Ophelia - prey of spider web - veil.

the best adaptation of Hamlet. it is not exactly a verdict. or an impression. it is a profound feeling at each new discover of this special masterpiece. a film like an ice flower. the coldness. the delicate beauty. the moment of touch. it is an impressive mixture of Shakespeare and Russian soul. each as reflection of the other. each as revelation of profound truth. like an ice flower, it is only a detail from the entire picture on the window. the music of Shostakovich, the performance of Smoktunovsky, the costumes, the special sound of words, the new light and shadows of well known scenes, the emotion. it is Hamlet. the same who you knows. and the other who, like the veil - spider web of Ophelia or the air of Elsinore are a never heard message each occasion to see again the film.an ice flower. that , I believe, could be the inspired definition of this remarkable gem.