The Theme Of Suicide In Mel Gibson's Hamlet

The two films shown above ultimately try to capture the common theme of someone contemplating suicide. The Directors however, pick two very different settings. Laurence Oliver chooses a cliff overlooking some roaring water; Mel Gibson chooses a darkened room. In terms of setting I am a big fan of the rocky promontory. The promontory shows just how close Hamlet really is to committing suicide, even one false step could kill him. Mel Gibson's version of the act 3 scene one soliloquy relies more on the actors voice and tone to inflect the suicidal feeling.

Mel Gibson hits the nail on the head with this one. It is amazing that the actor is able to show how Hamlet was on the brink of madness, but still able to maintain that he is speaking aloud