Hamlet Ghost Scene

     First of all, I would like to say that I truly enjoyed all the different portrayals of Hamlet. However there were some aspects of each scene that I either enjoyed more or felt that I felt were unnecessary. In all three of the films I saw one emotion that was constant and that was Hamlet reaction as his father's ghost speaks to him. In all three versions Hamlet is relatively surprised. Although these parts in the scene are similar, Hamlets reaction could not be any different. 

     In Zeffirelli's version, Mel Gibson's [Hamlet] reaction to hearing his father's death sends him into a rage. He storm out of the castle and swings his sword like a wild man. He completely blinded by sorrow and rage. We can see this when the camera closes up to Mel Gibson's face. We can also see this by the way hew attacks rocks with his sword. Another major difference in this version is the way Hamlet's father is portrayed. Unlike in the book, the ghost has a sense of despair, which can be concluded by his tone of voice and his overly exaggerated expressions. Out of all three, however this is my favorite because of the strong emotions the actors portray. 

      Unlike Zeffirelli's version, which is filled with more intense emotion, Branagh's version contains less emotion and more of a scary feel. First of all, the setting of this scene was completely different than that of the book's. Their meeting is set in the wood. I did not like that the Father was some scary ghost with a deep voice. Because Hamlet's father was portrayed as this, I lost the empathy I felt for the father, the empathy that I had while watching Zeffirelli's version. However, in this version, unlike the others, as the father spoke of his murder the audience was given a mental image of what is happens. This can help many people completely understand what exactly the characters are talking about. Branagh's version also had the most realistic reaction out of all of the other versions, I believe, Hamlet, played by Kenneth Branagh, drops down to his knees after hearing the news. His sorrow is also emphasized by the music playing in the background. The point is that he did not just go into a completely rage, like Mel Gibson, but instead mourned the death of his dad and then thought of revenge.

      The last version of Hamlet that I saw was Almereyda's. This one is even more distinct than all the other versions, including the play. This scene is set in modern time. Just like the other ones Hamlet, played by Ethan Hawk, is in shock when he meets his father. But in this version, unlike the other ones, Hamlet's father is able to touch Hamlet. When he is describing to Ham let about how Hamlet will feel when he reveals the truth, he grabs Hamlet by his hair and even in the end they both hug each other. I n this one the background is what enhances the emotions felt by the character. Hamlet's room is a mess, indicating the mess he is in. In the TV explosions can be seen which could symbolize the disastrous news that Hamlet, Ethan Hawk will receive.

     All in all, each version of Hamlet has it's own way of expressing the emotions that the characters are feeling. One does it through acting, the other through music, and the other through its props. Each had a very unique portray and each one was just as enjoyable as the other.

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