Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at 8 p.m EST
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/hamlet/preview-the-film/956/
I'm intrigued
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/hamlet/preview-the-film/956/
I'm intrigued
Default PBS showing David Tennant and Patrick Stewart's "Hamlet"
- Thread starter Samurai8472
- Start date
Wow, cool. I recommend it, though it's probably not the definitive performance of the piece. Patrick Stewart's performance is really great.
Hmmm.
I believe it is pronounced "Sku-weeeee!"
I believe it is pronounced "Sku-weeeee!"
I agree. I haven't seen the film version yet, but the stage version made me warm to Claudius - which is just wrong!
Yeah, it was a revelation for me. His performance as Hamlet's Ghost was very impressive. I've only seen the film.
Well, Stewart's had a lot of practice - he first played Claudius 30 years ago, with Derek Jacobi and Lalla Ward...
I was getting a little antsy about not hearing a date for this. I'd heard it was April but when April was more than half over and I'd still not heard an exact date, I fretted somewhat. Now, all is smiles.
I'm not sure there is ever such a thing as a "definitive performance" of any Shakespeare play. I suppose the late 1990s Kenneth Branagh film version of Hamlet comes close but that has as much to do with its completeness of the text as anything else.
Agreed. Just from the brief clip I saw on Tavis Smiley last night, I think I just might sympathize with Stewart's Claudius, or at least pity him. This looks like it may be Patrick Stewart's greatest performance ever. (Granted, I'll admit that it's probably not fair to compare Shakespeare to Star Trek, X-Men, Dune, & TMNT.)
I'm not sure there is ever such a thing as a "definitive performance" of any Shakespeare play. I suppose the late 1990s Kenneth Branagh film version of Hamlet comes close but that has as much to do with its completeness of the text as anything else.
I agree. I haven't seen the film version yet, but the stage version made me warm to Claudius - which is just wrong!
Agreed. Just from the brief clip I saw on Tavis Smiley last night, I think I just might sympathize with Stewart's Claudius, or at least pity him. This looks like it may be Patrick Stewart's greatest performance ever. (Granted, I'll admit that it's probably not fair to compare Shakespeare to Star Trek, X-Men, Dune, & TMNT.)
Anyone watching. It's quite fun to watch.
This is what I wanna see: Captain Kirk as, uh...Marc Antony? 
That photo says it all!
That photo says it all!
This was quite good, though I only saw the first two hours, as I was tired from walking around Walt Disney World that day. I don't want to watch it online, so let's hope it's aired again or released on DVD. I liked the modern look--David's "muscle shirt" was hilarious--and I usually despise that kind of change. Tennant was tremendous, with very few "Doctor" inflections and Patrick was wonderful, of course.
I need to get into a Shakespeare mood!
I need to get into a Shakespeare mood!
Tenant found the middle ground between the despicable slacker of Hawke and the dashing hero of Olivier and Branagh (the former seems truer to the tone of the character) and he really made it seem like Hamlet was thinking what he was saying rather than just reciting brilliant poetry. His emotional breakdown during "oh, that this too too sullied flesh should melt" soliloquy was the first time "fie! oh fie on't!" sounded real to me. I expected to be impressed--the two-parter where the Doctor becomes human prepared me for that--but I was not expecting to be blown away.
Patrick Stewart was similarly brilliant. My only complaint is that my DVR cut off recording right when Hamlet and Laertes were about to duel.
Patrick Stewart was similarly brilliant. My only complaint is that my DVR cut off recording right when Hamlet and Laertes were about to duel.
I figured Fortinbras was going to enter and tommy gun the lot of them.
Hamlet didn't regenerate.
I also saw a bit of Doctorish qualities like one "WELLLLLL"
It also reminded me of this
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/66833
It's an oldie but a goodie
I also saw a bit of Doctorish qualities like one "WELLLLLL"
It also reminded me of this
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/66833
It's an oldie but a goodie
I've seen parts of this on youtube and thought it was fantastic! David is brilliant as Hamlet and maybe for the first time in a long time with regards to a Shakespeare work I actually understood what was going on without needing a translation!!! I'm getting this on DVD when it's released on Tuesday.
Ha! You have to see Aki Kaurismäki's "Hamlet Goes Business".
I noticed this, too. Also, some of the things Hamlet says could also be philosophical thoughts by the Doctor.
I have the DVD and really want to rewatch it, but it's quite difficult to allocate three hours for the task.
By the way, I thought it was a bit confusing that they had so much of the Norwegian invasion in the film, but not the final appearance of Fortinbras. Usually, it's the other way around when the play is trimmed down.
I wondered about that too--the exclusion of Fortinbras at the end, I mean (finally finished it this afternoon on a re-broadcast; re-recorded it, too). I guess they just wanted to go out on Hamlet's death since Shakespeare's codas, particularly the announcing of off-stage(screen) deaths can seem anti-climactic to modern eyes.