ShakespearShakespeare’s e’s HamletA Study of A Study of the Play’s the Play’s

MajorMajor SoliloquiesSoliloquies

and and

Various Film Various Film AdaptationsAdaptations

Fun FactsFun Facts About About HamletHamlet

• Script first Script first published inpublished in 16041604

• More More film film adaptationsadaptations made made of this than any of this than any other other Shakespeare playShakespeare play

• ““The story of a The story of a man who could man who could notnot make up his make up his mind” (LO)mind” (LO)

MoreMore FunFun FactsFacts• WS’s longest, WS’s longest,

most popular, most popular, most most influential influential playplay

• Different versions Different versions of the play exist, of the play exist, with various with various differences in differences in lines and scenes – lines and scenes – they are known as they are known as the the First Quarto First Quarto (Q1), the Second (Q1), the Second Quarto (Q2), Quarto (Q2), and and the Firstthe First FolioFolio

Recognize this story?

Shakespearean Renaissance

in the 20th/21st Century• Previous and present century trend of adapting Hamlet

• The Bard is no longer confined to the theatre but is broadcast over airwaves, on television, and on the silver screen

Never before has Shakespeare been so widely available and debated from so many viewpoints

MMajor ajor TThemeshemes FratricideFratricide RegicideRegicide

IncestAdulteryAdultery EspionageEspionage

InsanityInsanity

Assault

TreasonTreason

MMajor ajor TThemeshemes RevengeRevenge Appearance Appearance

versus versus RealityReality

Sanity versus Insanity

Decay and Decay and Corruption Corruption

Plot of Plot of HamletHamlet

• A A tragedytragedy set in set in DenmarkDenmark

• Hamlet’s father, Hamlet’s father, King of Denmark, is King of Denmark, is murderedmurdered by by Hamlet’s own uncle, Hamlet’s own uncle, ClaudiusClaudius

• Claudius quickly Claudius quickly marries Hamlet’s marries Hamlet’s mother Gertrude mother Gertrude and and becomes kingbecomes king

• Hamlet’s father’s Hamlet’s father’s ghost desires his ghost desires his son Hamlet to get son Hamlet to get revengerevenge

Plot of Plot of HamletHamlet

continuedcontinued……

• Hamlet feigns Hamlet feigns madnessmadness

• Stages a play to Stages a play to catch catch the conscience the conscience of the of the kingking

• KillsKills Polonius, then Polonius, then Rosencrantz and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Ophelia Guildenstern, Ophelia (indirectly), and just (indirectly), and just about everyone about everyone except for Claudius except for Claudius until it is almost too until it is almost too latelate

Plot of Hamlet Concluded

• Hamlet in fits of mania, frustration, rage and introspection before he finally dies

• The play’s intellectualism is what keeps filmmakers and others continually adapting it in new and exciting ways

The The SoliloquiesSoliloquies• There are There are 66

major soliloquies major soliloquies throughout the throughout the playplay

• What What developments developments and/or and/or states of states of mindmind do the do the soliloquiessoliloquies reveal?reveal?

In this unit, we will compare

different film techniques used

in

4 versions of

Hamlet

Film TechniquesFilm Techniques for for ComparisonComparison

•DirectionDirection of Camera Angle of Camera Angle and Position of Cameraand Position of Camera

•Stage/Stage/SetSet Design Design•MusicMusic and Sound Effects and Sound Effects•PhysicalPhysical Actions of Actors Actions of Actors

Some Some importantimportant points points about film…about film…

• it helps students it helps students understand the understand the storystory and the language of the and the language of the play betterplay better

• very few if any films are ever the very few if any films are ever the exact playexact play, despite crediting , despite crediting Shakespeare as a writer and Shakespeare as a writer and using the play’s titleusing the play’s title

• It is a film-industry-wide practice It is a film-industry-wide practice to to cut more than 2/3 of the cut more than 2/3 of the original textoriginal text of the play of the play

The original text is The original text is cutcut because…because…• Doing thisDoing this allows allows

the director more the director more freedomfreedom inin presenting his or presenting his or her her interpretation interpretation of the text of the of the text of the playplay

• Most modern Most modern audiences prefer audiences prefer films lasting only films lasting only betweenbetween 120 to 120 to 150 minutes150 minutes

Why can’t we just Why can’t we just watch the watch the moviemovie??• Films alone are Films alone are

insufficientinsufficient to teach to teach the playsthe plays

• At best, a At best, a Shakespeare film is Shakespeare film is a a director’s director’s interpretation of interpretation of the original storythe original story for modern for modern audiencesaudiences

• Each version of Each version of HamletHamlet is a is a different different interpretationinterpretation

What is a What is a screenwriterscreenwriter??• Someone who writes Someone who writes

an original script (or an original script (or uses a play) and uses a play) and rewrites or adapts it rewrites or adapts it into a more into a more condensed versioncondensed version for the screenfor the screen

• The screenwriter The screenwriter writes (and rewrites) writes (and rewrites) a a screenplay until the until the director is satisfieddirector is satisfied

• Sometimes the Sometimes the director works as a director works as a screenwriterscreenwriter

What is a film What is a film directordirector??• A film is made by a A film is made by a

director, who functions director, who functions as a kind of as a kind of

storytellerstoryteller• The director is The director is

responsible for the responsible for the

creative aspectscreative aspects of the filmof the film

• He or she directs how He or she directs how scenes will work in terms scenes will work in terms

of of camera anglescamera angles, ,

set designset design, ,

lightinglighting, and the , and the physical movements of physical movements of the actorsthe actors

Film Technique Film Technique

#1:#1: Camera Camera Angle and Angle and

Shot Shot SequenceSequence• The The position chosen position chosen by the by the

director in which to director in which to situate the situate the cameracamera; this determines the ; this determines the perspectiveperspective from which the viewer from which the viewer sees the action, and the sees the action, and the emotional emotional effecteffect on the viewer on the viewer

• Multiple camera anglesMultiple camera angles are often are often used during a single scene, and used during a single scene, and the director determines what is the director determines what is included in the shotincluded in the shot

Camera ElementsCamera Elements include…include…

• How long the director How long the director stays with stays with a shota shot

• How often there are How often there are transitionstransitions from one angle to anotherfrom one angle to another

• When a camera takes When a camera takes the view of the view of a charactera character

• When there are When there are close ups and/or close ups and/or long shotslong shots for a desired for a desired psychological effect on the viewerpsychological effect on the viewer

High-angle shotHigh-angle shot: focus is: focus is downwarddownward, , creating sense of power or superiority creating sense of power or superiority

within the viewerwithin the viewer

High-angle means looking High-angle means looking downwarddownward

Low-angle shotLow-angle shot: focus is: focus is upwardupward, creating , creating a sense of weakness or inferioritya sense of weakness or inferiority

Low-angleLow-angle means looking means looking upwardsupwards

Film Technique #2:Film Technique #2: Set Set DesignDesign

• The physical appearance of the stage or landscape as it looks during each scene throughout the film

• The set design consists of colours, props, and the placement of actors

• The details of the set design have symbolic significance

Setting ElementsSetting Elements include…include…

•Where is the scene taking place physically?

•What do props and costumes tell us about the time period and each of the characters?

Consider the time periods and atmospheres of the following stages…

Traditional

ModernModern

Film Technique #3:Film Technique #3: Music and Sound EffectsMusic and Sound Effects

• The film’s The film’s soundtracksoundtrack is the collection of is the collection of songs used, and is songs used, and is not to be confused not to be confused with…with…

• The film’s The film’s scorescore, , which is the which is the background musicbackground music

• The film’s score is The film’s score is composed composed specifically and specifically and exclusively for the exclusively for the directordirector alone alone

• The majority of The majority of scores tend to be scores tend to be orchestralorchestral, without , without specific individual specific individual voicesvoices

Sound ElementsSound Elements include…include…

•Sound effects and background Sound effects and background noise in the scene (i.e. doors noise in the scene (i.e. doors creaking, animal noises, wind, creaking, animal noises, wind, etc.)etc.)

•Music, voiceovers, and other Music, voiceovers, and other sounds added to the scenesounds added to the scene

Listen to the following examples Listen to the following examples of famous film scores…of famous film scores…

Music and Sound Music and Sound ElementsElements

• Film adaptations of Film adaptations of Shakespearean Shakespearean plays (like all films) plays (like all films) often have often have specific specific music for different music for different characterscharacters, as well , as well as as eventsevents, , conceptsconcepts, and even , and even symbolssymbols

• Classic examples: Classic examples: JawsJaws, , Psycho, Star Psycho, Star Wars, Lord of the Wars, Lord of the Rings Rings (see clips)(see clips)

Film Technique #4: Film Technique #4: Body Language and Physical Body Language and Physical

MovementMovement• The The facial expressionsfacial expressions

and and physical gesturesphysical gestures of actors are of actors are specifically specifically coordinated with coordinated with dialogue from the dialogue from the scriptscript

• Different actors Different actors making different making different gestures and gestures and movements can movements can greatly greatly impactimpact how how the viewer the viewer ‘sees’‘sees’ the the playplay

Body Language/Physical Body Language/Physical Movement…Movement…

When watching each scene, When watching each scene, consider:consider:

•What words and/or lines are What words and/or lines are emphasizedemphasized with with specific specific tones of voice and facial tones of voice and facial expressionsexpressions? ?

•What What physical gesturesphysical gestures are are used to convey used to convey emotionsemotions??

Film #1: Olivier’s Film #1: Olivier’s HamletHamlet (1948)(1948)

• Succeeded in Succeeded in bringing bringing Shakespeare to an Shakespeare to an international international audienceaudience, , popularizing the playpopularizing the play

• ‘‘Ye olde’ Ye olde’ standard standard against which all against which all other other HamletHamlet films films are measuredare measured

• Offers a dark Offers a dark exploration of human exploration of human pysche with pysche with Freudian Freudian themes and themes and undertonesundertones

Laurence Olivier (1948)

Film #2:Film #2: Zeffirelli’sZeffirelli’s HamletHamlet (1990) (1990)

• Known for making Known for making mega-mainstream mega-mainstream films, his are thefilms, his are the most most watched and publicizedwatched and publicized of all Shakespeare of all Shakespeare interpretationsinterpretations

• Shakespeare Lite? 60% Shakespeare Lite? 60% of the dialogue cut here of the dialogue cut here and marketed withand marketed with major Hollywood actorsmajor Hollywood actors makes for greater makes for greater appealappeal

• MakesMakes sacrifices and sacrifices and compromisescompromises to bring to bring Shakespearean culture Shakespearean culture to a mass audienceto a mass audience

MelMel GibsonGibson (1990)(1990)

Film #3: KennethFilm #3: Kenneth Branagh’sBranagh’s HamletHamlet (1996) (1996)

• Set inSet in 1919thth century century Denmark with Denmark with multi-cultural castmulti-cultural cast

• Self-promoting Self-promoting artist vs.artist vs. powerful powerful interpretiveinterpretive force?force?

• Only adaptation of Only adaptation of the play tothe play to follow follow the entire scriptthe entire script, , resulting in a 4 resulting in a 4 hour filmhour film

KennethKenneth BranaghBranagh (1996)(1996)

Film #4: GregoryFilm #4: Gregory Doran’sDoran’s HamletHamlet (2009) (2009)

• David TennantDavid Tennant recently played recently played Hamlet with theHamlet with the RSC (Royal RSC (Royal Shakespeare Shakespeare Company)Company) to to critical acclaimcritical acclaim

• Plays aPlays a likeablelikeable, , sometimes comic sometimes comic Hamlet – vengeful, Hamlet – vengeful, yet different from yet different from his predecessorshis predecessors

DavidDavid Tennant Tennant (2009)(2009)

Film TechniquesFilm Techniques once once again…again…

1. Direction1. Direction of Camera of Camera Angle and Position Angle and Position of Cameraof Camera2. Stage/2. Stage/SetSet Design Design3. Music3. Music and Sound and Sound EffectsEffects4. Physical4. Physical Actions of Actions of ActorsActors

What’s a soliloquy again?

• a dramatic speech uttered by one character speaking aloud while alone on the stage

• the soliloquist thus reveals his or her inner thoughts to the audience; he or she soliloquizes

SoliloquiesSoliloquies in in HamletHamlet

Hamlet is an Hamlet is an introspectiveintrospective character; his character; his soliloquies are soliloquies are tragictragic, and are , and are him thinking him thinking outwards outwards rather than rather than confiding in confiding in the audiencethe audience