Imagine you are a director and given unlimited time and money to make your own version of Hamlet. Who would you cast in the main roles, and why? Discuss at least four characters, and why you would select these actors and actresses.
What challenges do you foresee as a director? What opportunities does a film provide that a play does not have? What, if anything, do you anticipate being "lost in translation"? How would you compensate and innovate as a director?
In class discussions we continually return to the ambiguity of Hamlet. (For example: Does Hamlet love Ophelia? Is he mad? Is there really a ghost? Were Gertrude and Polonius in on the murder plot all along?, etc.) As a director, how would you deal with these ambiguities? What is your unique spin on this great narrative work?
Remember a successful post will acknowledge earlier comments. Does your ideal cast share any members with a classmate? Do you disagree with someone's casting choices, or agree for different reasons?
I have seen a film version of Hamlet but it has been so long that I wouldn’t be able to analyze it very well, so I’m going to focus more on how I would make the movie Hamlet. In the role of Hamlet, I would cast Jim Carrey. I know most people think of him as super goofy and not very serious, but he has had many roles, like in the Number 23 and the Truman Show, where he is good at portraying himself as slightly crazy. I think he would be able to play both the slightly mad side of Hamlet and the clever, funny side of Hamlet very well. For the role of Claudius I would have to pick James Caan. First of all he just looks like the Claudius I pictured while reading. Second of all, he can look like a very nice man/father who Claudius is trying to portray himself as, but he can also look like a man with a very dark, secretive side to him as well which is who Claudius really is. I would pick Gwyneth Paltrow to play the role of Ophelia. I think she looks like who I imagined to be as Ophelia, and she could play the very innocent, striving to be chaste and do what her brother and father want kind of role. Plus, she was in the movie Shakespeare in Love, so she has already had experience with Shakespeare which could be beneficial. Finally, for the role of Gertrude I would pick Glenn Close because she seems perfect for that role, but since she has already been taken, I would go with Nicole Kidman. A lot of times when I watch her act it just looks very fake and rehearsed to me, and so I think that that would go nicely with how Gertrude acts in the play. I think the main challenge would be writing the script because this play can be interpreted so many different ways. For example, I think that Hamlet isn’t mad and is just very clever and that Ophelia is very dependent on people and cowardly in some ways. However, I know a lot of people think that Hamlet actually becomes mad in the process of acting like it, and many people probably have a lot more sympathy than I do for Ophelia. So I feel like it would be hard to please everybody in writing the script. I think one opportunity that a movie has that a play doesn’t is the ability to rehearse it and redo it. A play happens once and you can’t go back and redo it, but with a movie the actors and editors can redo it until it is perfect. One thing I see being lost in translation is just the way the characters talk to each other. Their insults and arguments are very humorous at times but that’s usually only because the footnotes are there to help us figure out what they mean. In a movie I think it would be hard to keep these phrases from Shakespearian times and still have the audience understand. To be honest, I think I would be a horrible director because I have no idea how I would compensate for things being lost in translation. I think Hamlet is probably at its best read and listened to the way that it was intended to be, but at the same time people today for the most part just won’t understand everything. So I wouldn’t know whether to remove the Shakespearian aspects for the sake of the audience understanding, or keep it for the sake of the audience seeing the original Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteI think the job of finding a cast to portray the characters in Hamlet exactly as they are in the play is challenging. First, I would cast Reese Witherspoon as Ophelia. As an actress she has the ability to play in both fun, innocent roles and serious roles. I like the role Reese Witherspoon played in the movie Just Like Heaven. Roles like that make me believe that she would be a good Ophelia. I would cast Matt Damon as Hamlet. I can see him excelling at playing a crazy character in a movie. In addition, he can handle serious roles, such as in Saving Private Ryan. As Claudius, I would cast Kevin Costner. Claudius is a character that is tormented at times by his conscience. To make a good Claudius an actor would have to be able to do this well otherwise he would not be convincing. In Mr. Brooks, Kevin Costner had a similar role when playing a serial killer. I think he would make the perfect Claudius. As Gertrude I would cast Diane Keaton. I see Gertrude as emotional. As shown in her role in Because I Said So, I think Diane Keaton can play emotional roles well, thus she would make a good Gertrude.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christie that the dialogue would be lost in translation. Shakespearean speech is not common today and thus would be hard for an audience to understand. However I think that in a movie, props and such can be used to make the audience understand more. I also think the effects in a movie would allow certain parts of Hamlet to be portrayed better. In the beginning, Hamlet’s father appears as a ghost. This scene could be made very eerie by using the right lighting and music. I think a movie allows for more individual interpretations to be added in without changing the story line. Many ambiguities could be clarified by having action occurring without needing words. For example, as we talked about in class, it is unclear how much Gertrude knows. This might be easier to clarify in a movie. If I were a director, I would make use of flashbacks to reveal a lot of past actions to the audience.
I believe Hamlet loves Ophelia, he can’t trust anyone due to Claudius and he feels his mother betrayed him. Since his mother is the Queen and most likely one of the older women he knows he sees how she traded his father for his awful uncle, he fears that all people are as vengeful, selfish, lustful, and overall bad. He takes his anger out on Ophelia because he loves her and he trusts her. Yet, he also yells at her because he knows she is manipulated by her father. Hamlet is not stupid and most likely knows they are there. He could also know Ophelia well since he loves her and she loves him, she may have given herself away when she tried to return his gifts. The play only tells us when the King and Polonius ease drop, Hamlet may be ease dropping too and the audience/ read may not know.
ReplyDeleteHamlet was written as a play and thus I feel it will transfer to the big screen well. The only parts that I feel will not are the ones when the characters talk to the audience. Shakespeare’s plays were written to entertain and since they only had stage performances there was always an audience. There are parts when the characters talk to the audience to get a reaction from them, since they are there to entertaining. “Hamlet [aside] ‘A little more than kin and less than kind’”(pg. 67, Act 1 sc 2 line 67).
Also, “[Hamlet: ‘What, frighted with false fire?’] (pg.153, Act 3 sc2 line292). When the characters in the play do this it works on stage, but not on the screen. One way this could be solved on screen is by instead of saying it to the audience, have it be as if the character is mumbling under the breath. I have not seen hamlet on the big screen or on stage, it will be interesting to see how they compare.
If I were directing Hamlet I would have Hamlet be insane. I think that if no other characters in the play had seen the ghost of Hamlet’s father we would perceive him as definitely insane. The fact that other characters saw the ghost makes the argument that Hamlet is crazy less credible. It would be an interesting twist to have Gertrude help plot the murder of her husband and set up incidents that make Hamlet question his sanity. This would portray her as a very evil character if she were to kill off her husband and drive her own son mad. I think there should be a deep family secretly involving the late Hamlet and the live Hamlet. The queen could get impregnated by Claudius and the late Hamlet finds a way to kill her unborn child. He could have their son give her some kind of poison to kill the child. I still want the late Hamlet to be honorable but I also want the audience to see that he has a monster inside him. Maybe they were both conspiring to kill her because it became known to the kingdom that she was sleeping with Claudius but, she killed Hamlet first. She then found herself unable to kill the son that she bore so she drives him to madness by making him think that he is witnessing his father’s ghost. I think that this would be an awesome plot. I could definitely see Meryl Streep being the evil queen. I would like to see Sean Connery play the ghost of Hamlet because he kind of looks like a ghost, and he is an awesome actor. I would choose Jude Law as Hamlet because I think he actually played in a modern day production of Hamlet recently. Ophelia would be Rachel McAdams because she has classic beauty and her acting is incredible. Claudius would be played by some boy toy figure such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. I would not incorporate the incestuous theme I think that just makes the play awkward. I found it very interesting that Christie would choose Jim Carey as the lead role in Hamlet; this is an interesting twist in itself. I agree that he was awesome in Number 23. In the Cable Guy he was a good crazy character. I think that it is funny that she said Glenn Close as Gertrude because she was definitely on my mind when I was choosing who would play this role. I could also totally agree with Erica on putting Kevin Costner in the play. Since my play would have a slightly twisted plot I do not think I would have to deal with anything that was lost in translation and I would have it spoken in modern day English. Obviously his plays are easily made into great movies because it has been happening for write some time now. I think that Shakespeare plays have much leeway for directors and this is how each production is unique in its own way.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Melissa's post. Hamlet is going through a very difficult time. He doesn't know who to trust right now. The Ghost informing Hamlet that Claudius killed his father was the last straw. I think that is part of the reason he has been acting so irrational. As far as Ophelia goes, I think Hamlet still really loves her but he is very confused about his life which is causing him to lash out on everyone. But at the same time, it's hard to fault him for being upset. The people that are closest to him may have been lying to him his whole life about his father's death. On top of that, Polonius has spied on him at least two times that we know of. I also like what Melissa said about Claudius manipulating Ophelia. Overall a lot has been happening to Hamlet so it's hard for me to call him crazy. I actually agree with his emotions to some extent.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have any ideas as to a spin I would come up with for the movie. However, I think Johnny Depp would do a wonderful job playing Hamlet. They are both very intriguing characters so I think that would be a very good match.
If I was a director, I would have Hamlet pretend to be crazy. I would have him act crazy to mess with the other characters so that they couldn't quite read him. But I would have his character be genuinely paranoid. This paranoia would drive him to act in contradictory ways. He can't get reactions from people by acting normal, and the stress of not knowing is too much for him to bear. He would have to do something to get to the truth.
ReplyDeleteFor the cast I would have Ophelia be Anna Ferris,
Gary Sinise or Alan Rickman would be the character of Claudius.
Gertrude= Eva La Rue
Rozencrantz and Guildenstern- Johnny Galecki and Simon Helberg
Hamlet= Jackson Rathbone
If I were to make a movie adaptation of the play Hamlet, I think I would modernize it a little bit so that most age groups could understand it. I agree that with Christie, if I were to make a movie of Hamlet I would want Jim Carrey to play Hamlet. I've seen him in some very serious roles and he is amazing and he has the ability to be a bit cooky. For the role of Claudis I would want Alan Rickman to play that role. He is Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies and he does a great job at being the wicked character, but can also be deep in different roles. For the role of Ophelia I would pick Kiera Knightly because I've seen her play a couple early time period pieces and she is really good. I think she has a shy and perhaps timid look to her that describes how Ophelia acts at times. Finally for the role of Gertrude I would pick Julie Andrews because she has a strong and royal way about her in all the roles she plays.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read about the tragedy of Hamlet, the more I take his side. In my opinion, this is not a story about insanity. It is the story of a man, whom in his darkest hour, is betrayed by everyone he loves and trusts. When faced with nothing but lies, he is forced to commit crimes he would have never thought to commit. This is the angle I would take if I were to direct the film, Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Kamp and casting Johnny Depp as Hamlet. Depp has proven he can be a versatile actor with his many different roles. We see him as witty and clever playing Jack Sparrow in the movie, Pirates of the Carribean. He's a serious bank robber who knows how to charm the ladies in his role as John Dillinger. He would do the best job portraying all the complex character traits of Hamlet.
I think Scarlett Johanson would be perfect for the part of Ophelia. She's a beautiful and talented actress. She would do a great job portraying a naive woman, who choses to appease her familys' love of good reputation rather than follow her own heart. Scarlett could also show a love-sick Ophelia, whom continues loving a man even after he stops loving her.
I also agree with the 1990 version of Hamlet when casting Glen Close as Gertrude. She just looks like an evil old lady. She was really evil as Cruella D'evil in 101 Dalmations. In my movie, she definitely played a part in her husbands' murder. She had an affair with his brother and then wanted him dead. All her actions and feelings toward Hamlet are fake.
Lastly, for the character, Claudius, I would cast Tom Cruise. He can be very charming, yet creepy at the same time. He is talented at playing the villian role and can become a back-stabbing brother.
I completely agree with Kaitlin on saying that Hamlet is not insane. I believe he is just rather clever. It makes for a good cover, pretending he is insane to mask his true motives of getting revenge for his fathers death. In reading his letter to Ophelia, one hears a geninune, honest voice behind it, which makes it very hard to believe how Hamlet later treated Ophelia, saying it was all lies. No, I believe that is all a sort of smoke screen to cover his true intentions.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion it would be very hard as a director to adapt Hamlet for the big screen. There is so much information and plot that certain scenes, perhaps even certain characters would have to be cut; which would not stay true to the play. It would also be difficult to pick how to portray Hamlet, especially when it concerns Ophelia. There are so many different directions that the director could go with that it would be just too hard to pick just one.
I have never seen a film version of Hamlet, unless you count the part in Billy Madison were Adam Sandler is reciting the famous "To be, or not to be" monologue!
ReplyDeleteHamlet is a character I can never quiet grasp. Is he truely crazy? Is he fooling everyone? Is he in love? You never understand him or his cynical and bitter ways, yet he is still pretty likeable. This is why I would choose Hamlet to be played Leonard DiCaprio. He's done Shakespeare before and is sometimes whinny so I feel he could play a good Hamlet.
Claudius is a powerful villain with the only soft spot in his heart reserved for Gertrude. I think George Clooney would make a good Claudius, bringing a real sense of urgency and tension to the role.
The Ghost would be played by Robert Downing Jr. The Ghost holds such power over Hamlet or anyone who has encountered him. He is convincing and mystical. I think Robert Downing Jr. could play this role perfectly because he is such a diverse and wonderful actor...that and because he is FINE!
I would have Natalie Portman play Ophelia because she could bring a real sense of innocence to the role. Portman is beautiful and plays the obedient role very well.
I also have never had the opportunity of seeing Hamlet in any movie version. If i were to make my own movie of Hamlet it would have to be original and creative. The list of characters would be played by as follows:
ReplyDeleteHamlet- I would cast Channing Tatum. Besides the fact that he is one of my favorite actors as well as adorable haha, I believe he can be both funny and serious as in his recent film: Dear John.
Ophelia- Emmy Rossum. She would be great for the role of Ophelia. She was in the movie Phantom of the Oprah and showed that she is sweet, and loving.
Gertrude- I would cast Eva Longoria as Gertrude, I feel like she would portray her character really well.
Claudius- Maurice Bernard I would cast. He is a mobster in the soap General Hospital, so this role would suit him quite well.
Ghost of Hamlet: Robin Williams. He is a really funny actor, but can be really serious so it would be great.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
Will Smith and Eddie Murphey. I would like to portray these to characters as funny.
This is my vision for my version of Hamlet. I essentially would want it to be funny, yet somewhat serious. All the characters I thought of I feel would do a good job at it.
Because I usually just watch movies and hardly pay attention to who the actors are, it makes this a little more difficult. However, as soon as I started reading Christie's post, I completely agreed that Jim Carrey would be great as Hamlet. Like she said, he has played such a variety of characters and is so adaptable to each one, that I think he would be able to portray Hamlet quite well. I first think of him in most of his crazy/silly movies. He is so daring and willing to go above and beyond that I think he would do a really good job of playing Hamlet and playing on the fine line of mad/sane.
ReplyDeleteNext for Horatio, I would choose Paul Rudd. In most of the movies I have seen him in or at least remember him in, he has been the sweet, nice guy (Clueless, I Could Never be Your Woman). He has just always seemed to me like a nice loyal guy that would be able to play the best friend. Horatio is described as "Hamlet's friend and confidant." Rudd just fits that picture perfectly for me.
I really liked Emily's idea of having Alan Rickman play Claudius. He just plays Snape so well in Harry Potter. He is so good at playing evil. I could see him easing up on the evil a little from Harry Potter and putting in just enough of that to show that he is capable of poisoning his brother and possibly killing Hamlet, without making it too obvious and still seeming like he was innocent in it all.
Finally, for Gertrude I would go with Sigourney Weaver. I just recently watched her in Heartbreaks. She plays an older woman who is a con artist. She does a great job of being in charge. I really think she could do a good job as Gertrude. She kind of looks like I would picture Gertrude to look. Also, I think if we wanted to twist the show so that Gertrude knew about the murder, she would be able to play the sneaky woman that appears like she knows nothing.
I agree with Kimmy. Is Hamlet really crazy? Or does the narrative portrayal paint Hamlet as crazy? If we were to look at Hamlet from a different perspective, would his actions and words feel the same?
ReplyDeleteI have never seen any movie productions of Hamlet, but I can imagine they encountered some difficulties, as well as some benefits. On the beneficial side, I would love to design a set for Hamlet. I feel as though in a motion picture, Shakespere would be pleased with the portrayal on set, especially with what modern sets look like today. As for the difficulties, I really wonder if the demand is out there for a Shakesperian movie. I envision it as set more towards an older audience.
As for actors and actresses, I think Robert Downey Jr. would be a fantastic Hamlet. He has the paranoid thing down quite well. As for Ophelia, I would choose someone ultimately beautiful like Keira Nightley (spelling). Also, Ophelia would have to have some sense of innocence and meekness.
I have seen one of the films in High School but unfortunately I don't remember any of it.
ReplyDeleteConsidering Hamlet's character is pretty much bipolar showing signs of love, hate, suicidal, and etc. I think I would have Edward Norton as Hamlet because after seeing Fight Club and how he acted as a multiple personality character he's got me sold on him.
As for Claudius I would cast Mel Gibson because of the role he played in the Patriot because Claudius although in the beginning is a shows he can be a good king he is later tormented by what he did in the past, he had alot of guilt that he tried to get rid of, and Mel Gibson's character in the Patriot had alot of regret from what he did in the past.
As for Ophelia when reading about her I see her as a beautiful lady who is quite smart yet still somewhat innocent due to her somewhat young age therefore I would cast Kate Hudson because of her role in You, Me and Dupree I just felt like she played a more innocent yet sexy, seductive role.
As for Gertrude I'd have a younger Bette Davis play the role not really young but about Mel Gibson's age so it wouldn't look awkward when it comes to age difference. I think shes a good actress and her look gives me a feel that she could play an evil queen who might have plotted to kill her husband.
I think I would keep the play as it is but just produce it as movie form, I like the play it gives a strange twist to it and it keeps suspense. The benefit that a movie gives is the fact that you can actually see how the characters are, basically it gives good imagery.
Hamlet seems to have so many different personalities. He seems content one moment and then suicidal the next. He seems philosophical one moment and then completely insane the next. I believe that he consciously acts how the other characters expect him to act. Claudius and Polonius believe that he is mad, and so Hamlet acts mad when he is around them. Hamlet’s motive for the way he is acting, however, I have not quit figured out yet. Nevertheless, because of Hamlet’s many different personalities, I agree with Kamp. I believe that Johnny Depp would make a great Hamlet. Depp is such a versatile actor who has portrayed drastically different characters; therefore, he would do an excellent job in handling the many different and complex sides of Hamlet. Ophelia comes across as innocent and a little naive. I like Candice’s idea of having Emmy Rossum as Ophelia. I also thought of Keira Knightly for this role. I believe that Susan Sarandon would make a good Gertrude. She would be able to handle the whole plot and drama of Gertrude marrying her brother-in-law. Claudius appears to be a kind king and tries to be a good uncle/father to Hamlet, but he has a darker, murderous side. I believe that Russell Crowe would make a good Claudius. He can appear to be gentle, but he is also good in tough, serious roles.
ReplyDeleteSome opportunities a movie has over a play is the ability to use special effects and also the use of music. This can help add excitement and to help create or strengthen the mood and feeling of a scene. I believe one of the first decisions I would have to make is the setting of the movie. If I were to direct a movie, I would have the movie set during the actual time period of the play, and the actors would speak similarly to how they speak in the play. If the language was modernized, I believe that it would take away from the story. If the movie was set in modern times, I believe that it would also have the same effect. I have seen a few snippets of the movie Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo Dicaprio, and I just find it plain weird that it is set in present day, but they speak in old English.
If I directed a film version of Hamlet I would cut a lot of the mystery and second guessing out of it. That might take something away from the play, but I think it would allow more people to understand what was going on. In a condensed version: Claudius and Gertrude (who was unfaithful) are coconspirators, and have an equal share in the kings’ death. Hamlet is crazy… like a fox and because other people saw the ghost I think there is evidence that it did exist and that Hamlet is more a vengeful son, than a crazy person. Hamlet may have loved Ophelia, but he really has bigger things to worry about right now and the fact that everyone is fixated on Ophelia and his feelings towards her is probably a good cover for his revenge plans.
ReplyDeleteIf I were directing Hamlet I love Christie’s idea of casting Jim Carrey as Hamlet for the same reasons she mentioned. However, I think he might be a little too old for it now. I picture Hamlet as someone our age or maybe just a little younger. I would cast Daniel Radcliffe. He played the emo sad kid in the fifth Harry Potter well and has a lot of talent. He has done some Broadway plays and an indie movie as well as the Harry Potter hero. I want to give Hamlet more credit than a lot of people do, I don’t think he’s all that crazy. In my movie he would be the vengeful son of a murdered king.
Claudius would have to be Tom Hanks. He has a lot of range as an actor and I think he gives a really fatherly feel. You would want to believe he’s a good guy. He has enough range to still be the father figure that I think Claudius tries to portray to everyone and still be the evil murderer that seduced the kings’ wife.
Ophelia would be played by Amanda Seyfried. She was in Mean Girls (she was the dumb blond) and Mama Mia! I would choose her for a couple reasons 1. I think Ophelia was an idiot and maybe kind of a tramp. Amanda Seyfried just looks the part and played the part on Mean Girls. 2. She is young and very pretty in a very stereotypical way, which is what I pictured for Ophelia.
For Gertrude I would want Michelle Pfeiffer. She is older (I think past 50), but still very gorgeous and elegant, which is what you would expect from Gertrude. She also has great range as an actor. She has experience with Shakespeare plays; she has played Olivia in Twelfth Night. She also has experience being the “bad guy” in movies. In my movie Gertrude was in on the murder from the start, like the ghost had said, and was having an affair with Claudius. She is lustful, unfaithful, very beautiful, and just a dangerous woman all together. She is everything Hamlet accuses her of in the play.
I agree with Emily. If I were able to direct a film on Hamlet I would want it be more modern and contemporary for the younger age groups. I feel that a more up to date situation and scenarios will intrigue more views at a young age, and get them involved in traditional theater. In order to succeed in this goal I would want to go in the direction of Hamlet's love for Ophelia, and how disturbing the affair is. The relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet is distressed and difficult to read. I believe this kind of relationship is something that most young adults can relate to. For example, is Hamlet pushing Ophelia away or trying to make her fight for him? This would the main idea of the movie and its plot. I would use Johnny Depp for Hamlet as well because I think he is a dramatic actor who can deliver any personality he commits to. For Ophelia I would want to use an innocent figure such as, Reese Witherspoon. I believe her ability to illuminate the characteristics of an innocent but determined woman. I would have Claudius be played Edward Norton because he is an outstanding actor who would be able to play the distressed, tangled character of Claudius. He will be able to play the role by be deranged but not knowint he is deranged. Finally, I feel that Meryl Streep would be a great actress to play the part of Gertrude because she is an older woman who can be sweet at times and decietful at others.
ReplyDeleteThe advantages of being able to put Hamlet on screen is the ability to picture the scenes without distractions. However, I feel that the many of the ideas could be lost in translation because for some of the lines and sayings they cannot be translated into modern english in a film. The viewer would not be able to understand the film without having to know the story before hand or without being able to ask questions as he/she watches.
I have seen both film versions mentioned in the prompt. The play translates very well visually. Both movies give a good, eerie atmosphere that sets the mood for a ghost story. Stone structures and dark foliage outside put the audience concretely into the locational setting of the story. Close ups of the actors' faces gives the audience emotional hints about what Shakespeare's sometimes confusing English means to an audience that speaks even more modern English. On the other hand, dialogue does not translate very well to the silver screen. Movie goers are less likely to be familiar with the story and with Shakespearean modern English than people who read the plays or watch the plays on stage. They struggle to understand what is being said, which makes it difficult for them to follow the plot. Also, in a stage play during Shakespeare's time, it was necessary for actors to let the audience know that they were dead by stating so aloud in their lines. This convention is unnecessary and a bit silly in a movie. On film the audience can easily see that the characters is dead.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a version of Hamlet on the big screen, I am starting from scratch, and I think it is going to be a great film.
ReplyDeleteAs Hamlet I would cast, RIP Health Leger, after is performance in a Knight’s Tale and Dark Knight, It is easy to see he has a lot of versatility as an actor. In a Knight’s Tale, he used his good looks and charm to win over a princess which is similar to Hamlet personality. However in The Dark Knight, Health brings out his bad side, he can really show and mean/cold side which he would be great at recreating the tension between Hamlet and his mother.
As Ophelia, I would cast Jennifer Aniston, in most of her time during the series of Friends, she never got the guy, it was always her and Ross toying with emotions, but hardly ever acting upon them. They would discuss how they loved each other but they never got together again. I would want her to bring that attitude to the movie because Hamlet was like, I did love you, but they have not ended up together. Plus, she is really pretty.
As either Guildenstern or Rosencrantz, I would cast Seth Rogen, he usually plays character that can be easy manipulated or convinced to do something. This would be a great thing because the King makes him come and Hamlet doesn’t want him to leave.
As Queen Gertrude, I would cast Diana Keaton she is a good looking older lady, which I think is much need if it is going to be believable that she would remarry so quickly. Plus in most of the movies I have seen with her in them she has a lot of attitude, spunk, and a little stubborn. I think these attribute are need for when Hamlet yells at her. I would not want a weak character. Erica picked Diana also because of her role in Because I said so, and that was the film I was thinking of when I chose Diana to. She is such a strong mother in the film, I think that is why we both chose her.
When producing my film I think that main advantage over a play would be the scenes, during a play you only have one stage but with a film it can take place in many different places I think that would really add to the story line to see where everything is taking place. I only thing I would worry about would be losing the tone of the book with modern actors, they may be able to read the lines as written in the book, but do they sounds the same? Would they carry the same meaning?
Cast:
ReplyDeleteHamlet: Leonardo DiCaprio -- I feel that between Catch Me If You Can and Shutter Island, he displays the potential to play a character who might be crazy as well as a character who could keep the audience guessing whether he was truly crazy or not. Runner up goes to Heath Ledger for his performance in 10 Things, another Shakespearian adaptation.
Ophelia: Keira Knightly -- I think that her performance in Pride & Prejudice shows that she could be a character very close to royalty. I also think that she could maintain the innocence needed to play Ophelia and seem truly hurt when Hamlet rebukes her.
Gertrude: Diane Keaton -- This was the first person who came to mind for Gertrude. She seems motherly to me, but I can also see her making the "mistake" of marrying her husband's brother. She's innocent, but at the same time, not perfectly innocent.
Claudius: Jack Nicholson -- He has had so many great movies that its hard to pinpoint jsut a few as to why I think he'd be good for this role, but The Shining, The Departed, and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest show me that he has the persona needed to play a character who would be willing to murder their brother to become king.
As producer, I would definitely modernize the play. I believe that it could translate very well to the big screen, but I don't think if it were done as originally written, it would ever become a blockbuster. I do believe, however, that an updated version for modern audiences could be very well received. 10 Things I Hate About You, for example, is a modernized version of Taming Of The Shrew. It has become a quintessential chick flick, something that I doubt the original version of Taming would have ever done as a movie.
I think it would do well as a movie. The visual effects would help the viewer keep track of the characters better. It is a play meant for people to be _ so the dialogue would be more impactful because you could hear the poetic devices.
ReplyDeleteMy cast would be...
Hamlet - Jonathan Rhys Meyers - He has the ability to make the audience feel sympathetic for him, no matter what the role is.
Ophelia - Kate Hudson - She is a strong actress but has the ability to pull off a ditzy character. She also has the looks to be a convincing prospect for a prince
Gertrude - Meryl Streep - She has played a variety of different characters but many of them has the disposition that marrying her dead husband's brother would not be too out of character for her
Claudius - Alec Baldwin - He is the character I imagined while reading. He's a little heavy-set as a king would be and is charismatic, but seems evil at the same time. He could be a very convincing Claudius
I have not seen any movies of Hamlet, but I would imagine that it would translate pretty well. There are some things that would work better on screen and some that might not. I would imagine that certain things like actual movements (usually they are just written in the script) would be easily understandable, also when actors do speeches on their own it might come out pretty well. For instance, it would be a little hard to portray the differences between the “crazy” Hamlet and the sane one. I think the fact that movies can only be a certain length they would be restricted. There is so much that goes on during the book that I think they would be missing out on certain cues or important scenes, especially since directors like to make movies “Hollywood”. A big issue as a director would be deciding whether or not they would translate the original Hamlet to fit the current time period. If they did translate this a lot might be lost, especially all the well known lines. If they left it how it was originally written, the public may not understand it as well and the overall meaning may still be lost. It’s almost a win/lose situation.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a chance to make a movie on Hamlet I would cast Johnny Depp for the role of Hamlet as he is a very versatile actor. He would suit the role as he would do very well as a crazy hamlet ( we know that from Pirates of the Caribbean) and he can also act as a well mannered and respected prince. For Ophelia I would cast Kirsten Dunst as she seems very gullible and would follow her father Polonius instructions well.
ReplyDeleteI think Meryl Streep is appropriate for the role of Gertrude as she would look and act well as the queen. Claudius could be played by Nicholas Cage as he would be good in an intense role.
There are many opportunities a film provides such as the number of takes and retakes. The element of change if the day's performance isn't good. But in a theatrical production the actors have only one chance to create an impression on its audience.
Though an advantage with a play is that it leaves a greater impact on its viewers as they see all the actors in person.
Thus, both a movie and a play have its plus points and drawbacks.
I have never seen a Hamlet film, but I have watched a lot of soap operas that deal with the same kind of revenge theme, especially Chinese ones. It is very interesting to see how in royal families, things happened in the same way. I would say the key point of translating it accurately on the big screen is to emphasize on the detail characteristics of each character, and to manifest the revenge theme implicitly. Personally, I found an obvious revenge theme would be too upset to learn, unless with portraying others sides of the story to make it enriched and complex.
ReplyDeleteI f as a director, I would like to tell the story from a very different perspective—from the angle of small or minor characters. I always pity those people who support the plot but not getting their side of story told, for I believe everyone’s life is a venture and worth to be shared and learned by others. With their presents in the main scenes, I can still tell the same story but from those small characters’ point of view, such as the guards, Hamlet’s friends. Also, I would prefer a female-point-of-view—Ophelia. Always, as portrayed in classic works, whether western or eastern, women are vulnerable and have no idea of what they are doing. They are often blamed and sacrificed. I would like the audience to see how Ophelia faced choices and dilemma, how she struggled, and how she could also be as heroic or virtuous as others. I don’t want the audience to pity her because of her appearing weak, as what we discussed in class. Depicting a strong side of her would be so creative and original that challenges both the director as well as the audience. As a director, not only should I be loyal to the original Hamlet, but I also need to make a personal style. This would be the most challenging part. However, with my bold thought about a “strong” Ophelia, it wouldn’t be hard to create personal style. The only difficulty is to let her make the same decision as in Shakespeare but think in a complete different but sophisticated way. I would use the ambiguity of the original and zoom in to details.
As for the cast, I would totally agree with Dustin, to cast Keira Knightley! She has the most classic and royal sense, as she was in Pride and Prejudice, and The Duchess. However, for other characters, since I have a limited knowledge about American Actors and Actresses. It’s so hard for me to pick.
I have seen the 1990 film version of Hamlet. I feel that it was definitely well cast and directed. It translated very well on screen. I feel that most plays will translate easily on screen because you can add effects, and sets that wont be able to convey on a stage.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to have to direct a movie I would cast...
Hamlet: Robert Pattinson, NOT because I have an affinity for vampires. But because in more recent films such as "Little Ashes" he shows true versatility in his acting.
Claudius: Tom Hanks, he is an incredible actor and I believe could bring a lot of depth to the character.
Gertrude: Meryl Streep, she is an incredible actress and I she would bring a lot to the character.
Ophelia: Rachel McAdams, she is emerging as a more serious actress and I feel she would be able to create the innocence and betrayal of Ophelia.
Polonius: Jim Broadbent, his character in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is very similar to Polonius. I feel that he would create the ignorance of Polonius very well.
However all of this said I would never want to direct such a movie. Hamlet is too famous and there are already multiple films. It would cause way too much opening for critisism and put too much pressure on the film.
To be honest, I don't think I have ever seen a Hamlet movie and if I have, it's been forever. I don know that in high school we had to act out a scene from Hamlet and we made that into a "movie". Like you said in the question being "lost in translation", I think this is definitely something that can happen. If I was to direct a rendition of Hamlet I would again choose Kate Winslet to play Ophelia. I didn't see that movie but I know her acting and I think she would fit that part perfectly. Also, she plays older movie characters very well. And like someone else said, I think I would like Johnny Depp in it too. I'm not sure if I like him as Hamlet, but that's probably who he would play. He is a very good actor and I think he has that mysterious and troublesome way about him. I think for Claudius I would cast Sean Connery for some reason. He carries that old antagonistic look. And for his wife Gertrude it would have to be Glenn Close, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen a film version of Hamlet, but I imagine it would be a very difficult film to do. I would definitely twist the plot and take away the ambiguity by making Hamlet pretend to be crazy just to keep everyone guessing. Also, I would have Gertrude know about the murder of her late husband as an extra addition to the drama. You can never have too much. Modern audiences would have a hard time understanding Shakespearean language, so that would be lost. However, I think a modern spin on this would be very interesting, without the whole Kings and Queens and old-timey stuff this could be really interesting. Instead of being royal, they could be famous or in the government. Just an idea.
ReplyDeleteI think I would cast Joaquin Phoenix as Hamlet because he really is a slightly crazy man but he can do funny and clever as well. Claudius would have to be played by Woody Harrelson. He is a really likeable guy but he can be crazy and violent (Zombieland?). I thought it was really funny that everyone said they thought of Gertrude as Glenn Close, because while I was reading it she popped in my head. She is a little old for Woody Harrelson, but way to make it interesting. Drew Barrymore would play Ophelia because she can play multiple roles (and I would like to see her act alongside Joaquin) and she kind of gives off the trampy vibe I get from Ophelia.
I think I would have troubles trying to tell the story completely as it is without leaving out anything that audiences might consider "boring". So many times when we read something and we see it on film we always notice that the director has left out something, something that we might have found important to the story/ something that would essentially explain why a character is acting the way that they are or doing the things that they might be doing.
ReplyDeleteA film gives us a chance to the story unfold in picture. Reading it and trying to make people sound a certain way is sometimes hard, especially when they're speaking old english and today we barely speak proper english. Everyone is using slang, text talking (lol), or just simply making up their own words. I believe it might be a little easier to follow what is going on if it was on film. Everything is right there in your face and you don't really have to constanly run through your mind what they're trying to say.
In my movie, I don't think anything will be lost in translation. I honestly would try to keep everything as it is in the original work. I would just hope that would the extra parts that I put in, to make the movie a decent amount of time, that everything flows quite well and that I don't shy away from nor take away from the original story.
Oh my goodness, I don't know if anyone said this one but I was just watching David Letterman and decided that I would have Claudius be Sir Ben Kingsley, not Sean Connery
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