Film Review Of Gregory Dor Hamlet On Film

Approaches to Drama: Portfolio Assignment 1
Film Drama and Review Writing: Hamlet on film

Gregory Doran (dir.), Hamlet (2009). [RSC production on film; David Tennant as Hamlet]
Gregory Doran’s adaption of Hamlet, puts a modern-spin on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Filled with scheming, betrayal, violence, and intrigue, the cast of talented actors including David Tennant (Hamlet), Patrick Stewart (Claudius), Penny Downie (Gertrude) and Oliver Ford Davies (Polonius) provide a refreshing and thrilling portrayal of the well known tragedy. As Gregory Doran chooses a modern setting of Hamlet, the audience witness a change in the styling of the characters and props used in the film. We see a casually dressed Hamlet in faded jeans and a colourful shirt, as opposed to a black gown as in Shakespeare’s original play. The use of swords as weapons have been replaced with guns and other machines in this contemporary adaptation. Although in this film Hamlet has been given a modern touch by Gregory Doran less emphasis is given to the aesthetics of each scene. For example, the black marble floor and dark walls in the opening scene give more
focus to the acting and the famous lines of William Shakespeare being spoken. This gives us an insight as to how Shakespeare's Hamlet might have appeared on stage. Modern technology such as the use of surveillance cameras provide us with the view into the lives of Danish royalty which provokes an exaggerated fear and paranoia of being watched.
Throughout the film as the surveillance cameras guide the audience through the castle. The only character who seems to notice them is Hamlet himself. Hamlet ripping the camera from the wall before announcing 'Now I am alone' at the beginning of the soliloquy was an excellent touch. However, some of the implications of having the cameras there does not seem to have been thought about very thoroughly. For instance, Claudius would have been able to see what Hamlet was plotting behind his back and perhaps the ghost if it showed up on camera. Although, if the ghost did not appear on the camera then it would of heightened the suspicions of Hamlet being
mad. Throughout the film David Tennant as the smart and witty Hamlet, captures the audience with a dramatic and demanding performance with a comical edge. Minor details such as glancing at the camera and rolling his eyes in the middle of a scene emphasise his witty personality. He effectively demonstrates Hamlet's confusion and fear in the film through both his amusement and distress. When best friend Horatio (Peter De Jersey) tells Hamlet that this obsession with revenge; ‘might draw you into madness’ we get the impression that it is too late for the warning! Racing about the stage wide-eyed and frantic, we see a truly capturing performance by Tennant. When it comes to one of the most famous parts of the play; the ‘to be or not to be’ speech Doran really excels himself. He presents us with Hamlet hidden in the shadows only half of his face showing. Hamlet performs directly to the audience, inflicting the emotion of the soliloquy directly onto us, so as we empathise with him and his situation. Another fascinating detail of the film is when Doran puts a video camera in Hamlet’s hands; while he is watching the King, Claudius’ reaction during the play-within-the-play. Hamlet watches through the lens of that camera to observe any hints of guilt over his uncle’s face for the death of his father. This is a captivating adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. The setting of this film outlines the lack of privacy, even in the sixteenth century during time the play was written, and highlights the paranoia of being watched. This is a reflection of contemporary Britain as surveillance has increased drastically in recent years, with cameras everywhere. Gregory Doran has provided his audience with an excellent modern twist on Hamlet without losing the true meaning of the play.

Portfolio Assignment 2
Presentation