Hamlet Blog Post 3: Mis en Scene Analysis

Kenneth Branagh: The setting takes place in Hamlet's home, the castle, where he is dressed in all black, to symbolize the continuation of mourning for his father's death.  The bleached white hair allows for the black colors in Hamlet's costume to stand out.  We see Hamlet reciting his soliloquy into a mirror, an appropriate prop to use since mirrors reflect the individual staring into it and can symbolize an internal search or look from within a character.  As the soliloquy begins, the director shoots from an over the shoulder point of view to allow for this self reflection to be emphasized.  The only voice to be heard during the scene is Hamlet, allowing for all focus and attention to be on him.  It is quiet half way through the soliloquy until an eerie non-digetic song plays in the background.   Throughout the soliloquy the editing is smooth, no quick cut scenes, allowing fluidity from line to line in the text.

Laurence Olivier: The quick scene cuts and loud hasty music in the background of the opening scene can emphasize the confusion swimming about in Hamlet's mind as he contemplates suicide.  As Hamlet recites the soliloquy, the only voice heard, sounds of the ocean are in the background.  This again allows for focus on Hamlet and Hamlet only.  The setting takes place on a high cliff overlooking an ocean, possibly referencing the sea he mentions within the soliloquy.  Dressed in, simplistic clothing and slicked back hair, audience members are able to focus on the words rather than the fashion statement.  The camera angles, that go into extreme close ups, can help to outline the expressions on Hamlet's face, to emphasize the emotions he feels as he contemplates.

Mel Gibson: The chamber of the castle where the scene is set, fills with only the sound of Hamlet's footsteps and echoes of his voice. Dressed in all black along with a full beard, this emphasizes the continuation of mourning for Hamlet's father.  Overhead light on the mummies (if you will) allow for emphasis and focus on death and the continuing mystery that the afterlife brings. The close up shots of Hamlet creates focus on the contemplation as he recites his soliloquy.

Ethan Hawke: A modern twist on the Shakespearean play, the setting occurs in what looks to be a Blockbuster store with Hamlet dressed in a ski hat and black tshirt and jacket and a small amount of facial hair, symbolizing the cold and dark that represents death as well as mourning. Hamlet's voice is heard through a voice over along with background noise from the store, but later you hear Hamlet's voice in the scene.  The camera continues to follow Hamlet as he walks through the aisles of the store, giving close ups and long to medium angles as he continues down the path of movies.  The movies in the background serve as perhaps the many distractions in life or other factors that involve life, as he passes through each aisle, weighing their value.

Lord Kenneth Branagh instituted the most effective delivery of the soliloquy.  Tis the employment of mirrors that truly brought the life of self reflection Hamlet cometh about through thy soliloquy.  How he stares into thy mirror, the over the should angle emphasizing Lord Hamlet's self-reflection.  The room is quiet, only the voice to be heard is my one true friend Hamlet, making the attention solely on him, allowing for a better focus on what he says rather than the external environment.  Standing in a large room in the castle, therefore emphasizes the large decision Hamlet has to make, and how small he feels in the situation.  For if  only I could help to make this decision with him.

The one scene that I disliked the most was Laurence Olivier's interpretation.  The awkward zoom of the camera angles into Hamlet's hair proved to be without a doubt, creepy.  It did not flow, and seemed to almost make a mockery of the play itself, which says a lot since Ethan Hawke's interpretation takes place in a Blockbuster store.   The black and white filming I feel takes away from the emotion of the scene.  Color has the ability to influence our emotions and I feel as though the black and white is too contrasting with the scene and disallows for emotion to flourish.