Hamlet Blu-ray offers decent video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Murder and violence, revenge and intrigue, sex and desire, paranoia and madness -- the heady brew of passion and emotion that makes up Shakespeare's great tragedy has intoxicated audiences of all ages. The story of the Prince of Denmark, who seeks revenge for his father's murder at the hands of his perfidious uncle, delves into fundamental issues about humanity and the nature of being.
Over the course of my education and professional career, I've written upwards of 85,000 words about William Shakespeare's Hamlet. And that doesn't include whatever high school term papers and college exam essays I've lost track of over the years. Only the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne (might I offer my eternal, sarcasm-ridden thanks to Mr. Lemonakis and Dr. Austin) and, oddly enough, Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica have put more stress on my laptop keys. Bragging? Hardly. Embarrassed? Indeed. But it isn't much of a surprise. As the Bard's longest work and most frequently adapted play, Hamlet is as iconic and essential as they come; a masterpiece in every sense of the word. As accessible as it is complex, as clever and witty as it is tragic and unsettling, as mesmerizing as it is inexhaustible, it has entranced audiences for centuries and given rise to countless adaptations, some brilliant and challenging, some I'd rather not dignify with a response, and some that have carved out a niche in between, vaulting past lesser, uninspired productions only to fall short of greatness. Kenneth Branagh's sweeping, Oscar-nominated film has long been hailed as one of the greats -- several critics have even called it the finest Shakespeare adaptation committed to film -- but, truth be told, it doesn't sit as well with me.
"We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name."
Branagh's breakneck Hamlet hurtles along with a mad, almost maniacal momentum, and the whole of the cast seems all too eager to succumb to the same insanity and intensity that drives Shakespeare's fevered prince (played with passion and vitriol by Branagh himself). In some cases, it works. Kate Winslet inhabits the infatuation, desperation, bewilderment and turmoil of Ophelia, making the young girl's descent into hopelessness both convincing and utterly heartbreaking; as Claudius, Derek Jacobi absorbs Hamlet's every barb and accusation with flustered reserve, coming unhinged as the king is crushed beneath the weight of his court's prying eyes; Nicholas Farrell chains Horatio to Hamlet's every whim, scrambling with pious, wide-eyed devotion, even when it requires him to stare into the same abyss as his friend; and Billy Crystal and Robin Williams effortlessly slither into the frenetic mix, coyly infusing measured charisma and charm into smaller roles that could have easily been distracting. In other cases, it isn't as successful. Julie Christie's Gertrude is little more than a seasoned nymph, naive and aloof until the bitter end (Glenn Close followed a similar path in Mel Gibson's Hamlet, but delivered such a raw, vulnerable performance that it worked in her favor); Richard Briers' Polonius feigns surprise and shock in nearly every scene, neglecting to transform the foppish loyalist into a distraught father or meddling servant; and Michael Maloney's Laertes accelerates to rage, stalls at vindictiveness, and drifts for half an hour before sputtering into the play's endgame.
But it's Branagh's performance and production design that leave me the most cold. The ambiguity surrounding Hamlet's sanity is rendered moot: Branagh's prince is off his rocker. Skipping across ballrooms, skulking behind closed doors, tossing Ophelia around like a rag doll, leaping onto stage and barking at both crowd and king, bounding between steely restraint and volatile lunacy, ranting and raving, raving and ranting, spitting his words like a Shakespearean tommy gun... Branagh leaves little room for revelation, much less surprise. Moreover, he pairs it all with a Golden Age theatricality that doesn't translate on screen as well as it might on stage. He grins and enunciates with fervor, he makes grand, meticulously mapped gestures, his eyes quiver, his bottom lip trembles, he presses his hand to his mouth and stares solemnly into mirrors. Frankly, it's all a bit obvious. Setting Hamlet in the late 19th century is also a disappointment, if for no other reason than there isn't much reason behind Branagh's decision to do so. Cosmetic rather than thematic, the marble mansions and gaudy interiors of Hamlet's alabaster abode serve as stuffy, opulent reminders that the prince and his ilk are pampered monarchs and crusty, upper-class royals. All at once, our dear Hamlet is more akin to a spoiled child than a tortured soul; a silver-spooned malcontent than a viable protagonist. The mirrors scattered throughout the palace are a nice touch, as are the snow-swept grounds and muddy burial plots, but Greg Doran and the Royal Shakespeare Company's recent BBC adaptation used mirrored floors and walls to far greater effect, and Gibson's 1990 film infused the play with a grimy, worm-ridden earthiness that would benefit Branagh's version.
Still, credit where credit's due. Branagh, in a bold stroke of mad genius, presents Shakespeare's unabridged text in its entirety. Clocking in at more than four hours, Branagh's adaptation preserves the humor and humanity that's often left on the cutting room floor. Yes, the actors rocket through the Bard's dense dialogue in mere minutes, but if anything, their rapidfire delivery enhances the film's frantic pace. Nitpicks aside, the performances are strong all around as well. As predictable as Branagh's prince may be, as pedestrian as Christie's queen strikes me, the entire cast gives their all in every scene (and then some). Their handling of Shakespeare's intricate lines is rehearsed and refined, and their grasp on their characters elevates the entire production. There are other missteps -- cutaways to Claudius' crime and other memories are welcome, but flashes of Yorick and young Hamlet are jarring and ill-conceived; Branagh's blocking is remarkable, but his framing is overstated; a thrilling duel is quickly followed by a three-stage, sword-hurling Hamlet-meets-Die Hard death scene; and, as strangely triumphant music signals the coming of the credits, the prince is presented as some sort of martyr or messiah -- but such shortcomings are few and far between. If anything, Branagh pushes too hard and extends too far. His Hamlet is faithful to a fault and dutiful to its detriment. Personally, I prefer Doran's 2009 television adaptation and Gibson's 1990 film, but I know it's a matter of taste. Branagh's award-winning production has received tremendous critical acclaim and remains a favorite amongst many circles. At the very least, it deserves to be seen and appreciated. After all, it is Hamlet.
The Blu-ray debut of Branagh's Hamlet features a troubled 1080p/VC-1 presentation littered with waxy closeups and flushed cheeks. The film has been scrubbed and polished to some degree, reinvigorating the now fourteen-year-old production, but sacrificing the integrity of the image. Faces are often pink and unnatural -- Claudius and Gertrude's wedding is packed with rows of piggish guests, Polonius and Horatio look as if they've recently run a marathon, and poor Kate Winslet resembles Violet Beauregarde at times -- and primaries are occasionally oversaturated. Worse, while pores and stubble are respectably rendered, they aren't as clean or well-refined as one might expect. Smearing, presumably the result of DNR, spoils a number of scenes, as do faint fluctuations and blemishes in the original print itself. It doesn't help that nighttime sequences are murky, faint artifacting dots the proceedings, and slight telecine wobble is apparent. Still, I've seen far, far worse (particularly when it comes to noise reduction). Skintones may be inconsistent, but vibrant red uniforms, stark white interiors, and bold green and yellow overcoats lend punch to the picture. Likewise, black levels are commendable on the whole (only faltering here and there), object definition is satisfying (despite some negligible edge enhancement), and digital anomalies are kept to a reasonable minimum (if there is such a thing). More to the point, Warner's Blu-ray transfer handily bests its aging standard DVD counterpart in every regard, meaning upgrading will be a somewhat easy choice.
And so we come to the video score, my least favorite part of any review. Despite my laundry list of complaints -- each of which, taken on its own, is a relatively small, intermittent issue in the grand scheme of things -- I was marginally pleased with the results. If you abhor DNR no matter how egregious or judicious it is, subtract half a point. If you tend to shrug your shoulders and wonder what all the fuss is about, add half a point. Either way, Hamlet just eeks past average for me.
Hamlet's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a mixed bag as well, although it won't draw as much criticism as Warner's video transfer. Dialogue is warm, pleasant and smartly centered, lines are never lost, and every word is prioritized as prominently as the last. Of course, the experience is largely a front-heavy one. While Patrick Doyle's score seeps into the rear speakers and actively embraces the listener, other elements in the soundscape are shy and reserved. Ambience is present, but rarely engaging. Directionality is precise, but unconvincing. Acoustics are commendable, but simply too passive for their own good. Similarly, the LFE channel mostly keeps to itself, unleashing hell when called upon (the Ghost's appearance, Hamlet and Laertes' duel, and Fortibras' invasion all come to mind), but retreating whenever the actors begin speaking again. Unfortunately, post-production ADR has left many a line sounding thin shallow, and numerous effects are cursed with a tinny, almost hollow timbre. Add to that some spotty dynamics are you're left with a solid but imperfect lossless offering.
In addition to an attractive Digibook case and a well-conceived 36-page booklet, the Blu-ray edition of Hamlet offers a solid selection of special features, chief among them an extensive audio commentary with Kenneth Branagh and University of Birmingham professor and Shakespearean scholar Russell Jackson. Dissecting every shot and scene, Branagh and Jackson deliver a four-hour commentary brimming with in-depth analysis of Shakespeare's play, an overview of the director's every decision, revelations about the liberties taken by the filmmakers and actors, the challenges of adapting Hamlet for the stage and screen, and much, much more. (I actually found myself enjoying Branagh's commentary more than his adaptation.) The rest of the material isn't quite so arresting, but filmfans and completists will be pleased with its inclusion nonetheless. An "Introduction by Kenneth Branagh" (HD, 8 minutes) gives the thoughtful filmmaker an opportunity to set the stage; "To Be on Camera: A History of Hamlet" (SD, 25 minutes) boasts numerous interviews with the cast and crew, candid and revealing behind-the-scenes footage, and even more analysis of Shakespeare's text; a "Vintage Cannes Promo" (SD, 12 minutes) provides an extended preview of the film; and an original "Theatrical Trailer" (SD, 2 minutes) rounds out the supplemental package.
William Shakespeare's Hamlet is, and will continue to be, one of the most treasured works of literature; a timeless masterpiece that has spoken to audiences for centuries. Kenneth Branagh's take on the Bard's foremost tragedy doesn't speak to me as clearly as other filmmakers' adaptations, but it's nevertheless a rousing, unabridged, award-winning production worthy of your consideration. Sadly, the Blu-ray edition of Branagh's Hamlet has its share of issues. While its supplemental package and four-hour audio commentary will be a boon for filmfans and literary students alike, its video transfer is over-polished and underwhelming, and its DTS-HD Master Audio track has a few problems of its own. Even so, Warner's Blu-ray release handily surpasses its standard DVD counterpart and justifies the price of admission.
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