esrosedotblog

HAMLETARAMA

Today, we had the Mel Gibson / Franco Zeffirelli

Hamlet (1990)

Gibson is a more muscular prince than Olivier; as if he is doing pushups a lot of the time.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is just different.

I didn't like him less or more. At the very bottom, there is no comparison. Olivier stands on a different mountain entirely.

The production, on the other hand, is much richer and has all sorts of pictorial advantages over the Olivier which was conducted in a lot of fog and mist as well as occasional smoke. The better to hide the modest sets.

Also, we had more support here. Sir Alan Bates is the uncle who killed Hamlet's father. I adore Alan Bates; although he is not very adorable in this part. King of Hearts it isn't.

Another favorite, Ian Holm, plays Petronius. He who gets it behind the aras.

Glen Close is almost as muscular as Gibson as the queen as the two of them bring the Oedipus complex right into the royal bedroom.

Helen Bonham Carter as Ophelia, looks half mad before her actual onset occurs. She is always just on the edge of annoying.

I enjoyed this more than the Olivier. I could understand more of the words. John says they moved the scenes all around. I saw some of that here and there.

I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5. I suppose I should say a 5.

But, the bard just leaves me a bit behind.

All the help of the cast and production is not quite enough to lift me out of the lethargy of feeling lectured to half the time.