Franco Zefferellis film Hamlet Essay example - 941 Words

Franco Zefferellis film Hamlet Franco Zefferelli’s film, Hamlet, adapted from Shakespeare’s text, Mel Gibson’s Hamlet, struts and frets his life in Denmark, convincing almost everyone that he is â€Å"mad.† The film bases the question of whether or not Hamlet is actually insane almost solely on Gibson’s acting interpretations, but Zefferelli’s editing choices assist in making the point that Hamlet is not insane, but either in a fog of confusion and anger from his grief, or pretending to be mad to manipulate others. In the film, the morning after Hamlet sees his father’s ghost, there is a silent scene between Ophelia and Hamlet. He appears to Ophelia, disheveled and obviously emotionally distressed. He seems to try to say†¦show more content†¦The play within a play succeeds at catching â€Å"the conscience of the King† (3.1.582). In the film, Hamlet dances exultantly with the players and says to Horatio joyfully, â€Å"I’ll take the Ghost’s word for a thousand pound† (3.2.263-4). Claudius’ reaction to the play of running out and then going to confession makes Hamlet believe that Claudius did, in fact, murder King Hamlet. In the final two acts of the film, Mel Gibson rarely descends into fits of rage and depression. Instead, he puts on the act of madness by appearing playful or irrational around other characters to help him in the process of revenge. Hamlet abuses Polonius’ assumption that Hamlet is â€Å"mad† by constantly behaving as such around him. In the film, he appears disheveled, engages in wordplay, and even throws Polonius off a ladder. Mel Gibson’s acting choices make it clear that Hamlet is merely pretending because, as soon as Polonius is out of sight, he usually has a ponderous soliloquy devoid of the mad mannerisms present with Polonius. This manipulation is especially present in the scene in which Hamlet tells Ophelia that he never loved her (3.1). In the film, Hamlet sees the king, queen, and Polonius run to hide and watch the conversation. During the scene, Hamlet tells Ophelia sotto voce, â€Å"I did love you once† (3.1.116). Then, he yells, â€Å"I loved you not† (3.1.119-120). Gibson’s change in volume and tone of voice proves that he is not fickle, aShow MoreRelated Comparative Analysis Of The Ghost In Two Hamlet Movies Essay1100 Words   |  5 PagesC omparative Analysis Of The Ghost In Two Hamlet Movies The play â€Å"Hamlet, Prince of Denmark†, by William Shakespeare being of such a complicated variety of themes, contains many different story lines as well as being very extensive in nature makes it quite a challenge to be produced and acted. On paper, the reader can translate things, as they like. Since Shakespeare is not around to tell us the meaning of every theme or the truth about every nook and cranny about his works. It is up to theRead More Sex in Othello and Hamlet Essay4016 Words   |  17 Pagesthe way he acts just by being female and attractive is enough to drive men insane. William Shakespeares plays, Othello and Hamlet, demonstrate on paper, on film, and in other art forms that female sexuality and beauty are a threat to patriarchal society and that they must be controlled. Showalter affirms this in her essay by quoting David Laverenzes essay, The Woman in Hamlet. In this essay he asserts that, Hamlets disgust at the feminine passivity in himself translated i nto violent revulsion