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[原创]comparison of 2 film versions of Hamlet
缺心眼子@2004-03-11 12:45
都十一点了，才写了200个字儿~~贴个旧的上来看能8能找到灵感ToT
死了！essay 题目那么难！
The translation of Hamlet from a stage play into a film gives us the chance to view this masterpiece in diverse ways, and the following is the comparison between Kenneth Branagh’s and Laurence Olivier’s film versions of the “ to be or not to be” soliloquy.
Kenneth Branagh has delivered this soliloquy with such a profound understanding and outstanding skill that gives the illusion that he, in fact, is Hamlet. It is interesting to note the way he whispers the words: his feeble voice adds to the air of confusion and melancholy, and at the same time, gives the audience a strong emotional impact. In the film, as he walks towards his image in the mirror, his eyes seem to flare with both fascination and dread of death. The struggling soul of Hamlet is laid in front of our eyes with Branagh’s every lift of eyebrows, showing the contemplation, the pain, and the scintillation. The dramatic delivery by Kenneth Branagh is brilliant. In contrast, Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet seems such an insipid figure to me. His voice is monotone and prosy, as if he is a puppet who is uttering these globally known lines to us on duty. Moreover, his movement is quite feminine, lacking the imposing manner and regality of a prince. Although he has gained a tremendous amount of fame, Olivier’s display of Hamlet is far from successful, in my opinion.
The setting that Kenneth Branagh chooses for this soliloquy is a hall in the castle. What impressed me most in this setting is the floor covered with tires in black and white check. The alternating black and white can be seen as a symbolization of Hamlet’s amphibolic nature: the white Hamlet is a beloved prince who admires his father, respects his friend, and possesses an intellectual soul. At the back of this white Hamlet, stands a black Hamlet who is revengeful, bloodthirsty, and short-tempered. The mirrors at this location are also loaded with metaphoric meanings. Contrasting reality with delusion, conscience with ego, these mirrors reflect Hamlet’s afflicting mind, and well suit his questioning —“ to be or not to be”. In addition, the seclusion of the hollow hall also perfectly illustrates Hamlet’s solitude and despair. Compared to this, Olivier’s choice of setting is not noteworthy. This scene is set by Olivier on a platform of the castle right over the foaming sea. The place appears to be very remote and unrealistic. The setting in Olivier’s version creates too much of a distance between Hamlet and the audience which makes Hamlet less human.
The music in Branagh’s version of Hamlet efficiently gives the play a tense and suffocating atmosphere. The use of drum creates a stressful mood, and the distant choir has an aura of mystery as if it is the beckoning from the world of death, seducing Hamlet. However, in Olivier’s version, background music only appears twice at the beginning and at the end. Consequently, most of the time we have to bear with his monotone monologue accompanied with the flat sound of sea waves.
From the aspects of dramatic delivery, setting, and use of music and sound, Kenneth Branagh’s version of the “to be or not to be” soliloquy is the most ingenious and faithful interpretation of Shakespeare’s text because Hamlet’s enigmatic personality is well presented in his work.
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