Shakespeare in Performance: Film
Hamlet (2000, Michael Almereyda)
| Title | Hamlet |
|---|---|
| Year | 2000 |
| Release Locations | USA |
| Director | Michael Almereyda |
| Medium | Color video |
| Length | 2 hrs, 3 mins |
| Play Connections | Hamlet (interpretation) |
| Setting | Modern New York corporate setting |
Description
Both handicapped and liberated by its small budget, the filmmakers reveal some highly creative, yet decidedly low tech ways to adapt the text to the film's modern day setting. The kingdom of Denmark is updated to Denmark Corporation, with Claudius as its CEO. Hamlet is a disenfranchised grunge kid with a fascination for film, which in turn allows for multiple layers of meaning to be embedded into scenes by running additional video in the background, or by playing back some of Hamlet's key soliloquies on film. Coupled with vertiginous skyscraper sets, this film is as much about watching and being watched as it is about destiny and choice. Unfortunately, not everything in this film works (and the gravedigger's scene was cut entirely because they lacked funds to reshoot it), but with repeated viewings the layers of this film begin to peel back, and the parts that do work are innovative and fascinating.
Description by Tanya Gough. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14
Cast Overview
Production Team and Crew Overview
Production information courtesy of: Tanya Gough