The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.0691  Monday, 24 July 2006

From: 		John Crowley <
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Date: 		Saturday, 22 Jul 2006 08:07:19 -0400
Subject: 	Brando, Depp etc

[Editor's Note: I am ending this thread. I welcome a focused discussions 
related to topics on Shakespeare and film but this thread is just all 
over the place.]

 >At the risk of upsetting someone (an easy task, I'm sure), I would add
 >Branagh's so-called "uncut" Hamlet to the bad list.

You're not upsetting me.  I found it nearly unwatchable.  Not only for 
the weird casting, like the David Niven "Around the World in 80 Days" or 
a funny dream-every time a new character appeared it was somebody you 
knew, and the wrong somebody-but Branagh was entirely 
unconvincing-strenuously trying to convince me he had an interior life 
when he was merely acting.  It was said (by Kenneth Tynan I think) that 
Olivier's Hamlet failed because Olivier came most alive in action, and 
couldn't play a character whose life was interior and lived in thought. 
  But Olivier had the chops to make you think you were watching or 
experiencing an inner life; Branagh (similar in being at his best in 
conflict and repartee and wit) couldn't do that.

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