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Franco Zeffirelli directs his third Shakespeare adaptation (after Romeo and Juliet and Otello) with this film version of the tragedy Hamlet. The titular prince of Denmark (Mel Gibson), returns home to his family's castle of Elsinore after years of attending school in Germany to find out his father has died and his uncle .. Read more
| Starring | Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield |
|---|---|
| Director | Franco Zeffirelli |
| Genres | Drama |
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Franco Zeffirelli directs his third Shakespeare adaptation (after Romeo and Juliet and Otello) with this film version of the tragedy Hamlet. The titular prince of Denmark (Mel Gibson), returns home to his family's castle of Elsinore after years of attending school in Germany to find out his father has died and his uncle Claudius (Alan Bates) is the new king. To make matters worse, Claudius has married Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude (Glenn Close), whom he has unusually strong feelings for. Hamlet is visited by his father's ghost (Paul Scofield), who asks him to seek revenge for his murder. In order to find out who the real killer is, Hamlet stages a theatrical scene resembling his father's death. Claudius is upset by the production and leaves to arrange for Hamlet's murder. In the ensuing confusion, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonious (Ian Holm) instead of Claudius; Hamlet's lover, Ophelia (Helena Bonham Carter), goes mad and commits suicide; and eventually Hamlet and Claudius both meet their fate.~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
| Starring | Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Helena Bonham-Carter, Ian Holm |
|---|---|
| Director | Franco Zeffirelli |
| Studio | ELEVATION |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 9 mins LOVEFiLM Instant: 2 hrs 9 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English LOVEFiLM Instant: English |
| Released | Production year: 1990 To Watch Online: LOVEFiLM Instant: 19 May 2011 To Rent: DVD: 26 Dec 2005 |
| Watch now | Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant. Subscribe. |
...Fluid and atmospheric....Gibson is a serious and compelling Hamlet for today...
- 7
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Excellent - Mel Gibson and just a really good film
You really don't have to be a Shakespeare buff to enjoy and appreciate this masterpiece of a film. Mel Gibson and/or Shakespeare fans will love it.
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Shakespeare for the masses
Heavily edited to fit within the timeframe but an extremely valid rendition nonetheless. Easy access for contemporary audiences- just as Shakespeare intended. ... read more »
- 2
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Hammy Hamlet
I'm a Shakespeare head and although this is an interesting interpretation whoever thought Mel Gibson would make a good Hamlet must be mad. Hamlet is meant ... read more »
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Mel Gibsons got a really funny face
I thought this was really fantastic, I LOVE Shakespeare.
Great casting, wonderful screen adaption, truely stunning and dramatic location.
... read more »
A homicidal red-headed tyrant, a killer robot, a sadistic witch, a purveyor of cannibal pies and a corpse bride… This is what Helena Bonham Carter has been getting up to recently: unleashing her inner freak. As your mother would say, she seemed like such a nice girl… She was still a teenager when she starred as Lucy Honeychurch in Merchant-Ivory’s production of EM Forster’s A Room With A View back in 1985. To all intents and purposes she was the perfect English rose:... Read more