Hamlet - Criterion Collection

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In the opening scene of Hamlet (1948), Laurence Olivier's voice-over describes the play as "the tragedy of a man who couldn't make up his mind." But Olivier's screen adaptation is considerably more thoughtful and complex than this thesis would suggest. Drawing on his experience playing the prince on stage at Elsinore in 1937, the legendary thespian provides the film with the patina of greatness and shows how the constitution of the formerly cheerful prince weakens increasingly under the burden of his own thoughts and inability to accept his mother's hasty marriage to uncle Claudius (Basil Sydney). As Ophelia, Jean Simmons captures the character's early spirit better than her gradual disintegration. Purists may bemoan the loss of Fortinbras, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern, but these choices allow Olivier to focus more squarely on Hamlet's plight. The winner of four Oscars ^® (Best Picture, Actor, Art Direction, and Costumes), this is a Hamlet for the ages. The rest is silence. --Kevin Mulhall

Description

Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet continues to be the most compelling version of Shakespeare's beloved tragedy. Olivier is at his most inspired-both as director and as the melancholy Dane himself-as he breathes new life into the words of one of the world's greatest dramatists. Criterion is proud to present Hamlet in a luminous black-and-white digital transfer.

Customer Reviews:

Essential cinema: Olivier's 'Hamlet.'.......2007-08-13

Although the role of Hamlet has attracted many top-rank actors, including Thomas Betterton, David Garrick, Samuel Phelps, Henry Irving, Johnston Forbes-Robertson, John Barrymore {1922 and 1925), Donald Wolfit (1935), Sir Laurence Olivier (1948) Paul Scofield (1949 and 1955), Ian McKellen (1971), Derek Jacobi (1978), and Kenneth Branagh (1996), only Sir Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) received an Oscar for his performance of Shakespeare. In fact, Olivier's Hamlet won four Academy Awards in 1948, including Best Picture and Best Actor. To date, there are no less than 65 motion picture and television versions of the play.

Hamlet expands our understanding of what it means to be alive in the world by asking some of the biggest questions about human existence. Shakespeare's greatest play (1602) is a revenge tragedy, in which the brooding title character seeks revenge for his father's death. It tells the story of Danish Prince Hamlet, who plots revenge on his uncle, Claudius, the current king, for killing his father, King Hamlet. After his mother, Queen Gertrude, hastily marries the usurper, Hamlet feigns madness. His madness is tested with a young woman, Ophelia. In the film, Laurence Olivier plays Hamlet, Basil Sydney plays Claudius, Eileen Herlie plays Gertrude, and Jean Simmons plays Ophelia. Olivier's performance in bringing Shakespeare's melancholy Prince to life is superb.

Although Olivier's 153-minute film represents only half of Shakespeare's original four-hour play, it is nevertheless among my favorite renditions of Shakespeare's masterpiece. The Criterion edition offers a crisp digital transfer of the black and white film, with restored image and sound. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

misplaced?.......2007-06-23

I don't understand - the title, details, notes and picture are for the Olivier's Hamlet, while selected any of these come as Felix Aylmer's Hamlet. I want to buy the Olivier's Hamlet, not the Felix Aylmer's and there is no way to select it. Can you, please, sort out this?

Hamlet.......2007-06-22

Though dozens of versions of Shakespeare's best-known play have been filmed, none rival this moody 1948 adaptation by master dramatist Olivier, who produced, directed, and acted. Streamlining the text to achieve a leaner, tighter feel, Olivier wrings tremendous feeling out of his indecisive, ever-brooding Hamlet, while the radiant Jean Simmons makes an exceptional Ophelia, the dour prince's doomed lover. Distinguished by its inventive camerawork and lush black-and-white photography, Olivier's "Hamlet" won four Oscars, including Best Actor (Olivier) and Picture.

Where are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!.......2006-10-10

Unfortunately, Olivier is a bit long in the tooth for this part, and besides Jean Simmons' Ophelia it does not wear time well. But most of all, how can a production of Hamlet omit Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They are not there, and neither are Hamlet's beautiful lines "I have of late but wherefore I know not lost of all my mirth . . . what a piece of work is man . . "

These two "friends" of Hamlet brought a certain depth to him, his complaint about being played on like a flute, which helps to establish that whatever else Hamlet was, he was first of all a Prince, and next to the Crown. And his escape from death by his wits on his way to England . . without Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that just couldn't happen.

Fie, fie, this version is a travesty and should be destroyed!

Not Bored with the Bard.......2006-07-10

I have read Shakespeare and seen his productions on film and on stage. I was of the opinion that cinema could not touch the quality of the stage production but, after this weekend, I'm reassessing that opinion. I watched Laurence Olivier's "Henry V" and "Hamlet" and both were outstanding productions.

I understand the Olivier cut out portions of "Hamlet" and that its' 2 1/2 hour version is about 1 1/2 hours short of the standard stage production. However, not having seen a stage production of "Hamlet", I can say that I understand the play much better ofter seeing this movie than I did after reading it. Olivier assembled an excellent cast with few names I recognized. The sets were sparse, dark and highly effective. The sword-play at the end was outstanding. The emotions and enunciations (always a key for me in Shakespeare) were excellent. The costumes and lighting (and just about everything else) worked to help the great acting and directing. I'm a purist when it comes to Shakespeare but the editing that Olivier did allowed the soul of the play to come through without distractions.

I am impressed at how well Olivier knows Shakespeare and how long and hard he prepared to make the Bard comprehensible and enjoyable to a larger audience. There have been a number of movie productions of Shakespeare before and after this version of "Hamlet" that failed to do that. Too often the actors speak too fast and the director fails to provide the proper focus. Olivier seems to understand just how to do it and the results, especially in "Hamlet" are a joy to behold. This movie's a keeper.

Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)

Average customer rating:

Classic, Criterion, Olivier, brilliance.
Olivier Ruined Hamlet
The very best!
THREE GREAT MOMENTS... OLIVIER... SHAKESPEARE... CRITERION...

Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)
Starring: Olivier's Shakespear
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000FILVO6
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Description

Dubbed the greatest actor of the twentieth century, Sir Laurence Olivier, the classically trained and majestically handsome English theater veteran, first transplanted his passion for Shakespeare to the big screen in the 1940s, and in so doing, allowed Elizabethan verse to break free of its stage-bound origins. Olivier directed only five films in his sixty-year career, yet his three Shakespeare adaptations (Henry V, Hamlet, Richard III), presented here together on DVD for the first time, are still widely considered the definitive film adaptations. Faithful to the playwright's words yet open to the unique possibilities of the cinema, these works transcend both screen and stage with timeless passion. Criterion is proud to present this unprecedented filmmaking legacy.

Customer Reviews:

Classic, Criterion, Olivier, brilliance........2007-08-15

1. Criterion; enough said. 2. Five stars for shelling these three classics together. 3. Laurence Olivier is one of the most captivating and most talented actors to ever grace the craft. His honing and mastering of timing, process and realism is bar none compared to the actors of this day and age as a whole. He was masterfully involved in every facet of a production. 4. Clearly 'Henry V' is his shining tour de force, although the majority will say it was 'Hamlet'. A Classics teacher I had once freshman year, a true inspiration of a hero, said "Olivier is the crowning jewel of a lost empty space." Olivier's Henry V unchains Shakespeare from most Elizabethan limits. He commands the performance with mobility and tenderness, yet brings Shakespeares poetry into a new light. He masterfully illuminates the complete package. I remember seeing Olivier play Master Nikodemus in Zeff's potrayal of the life of Christ in 'Jesus of Nazereth', (I am forever the agnostic, but Zeff's film was mesmorizing) and even there, even there in that simple tiny, forgotten role, we see that illumination at first hand. A gentle hovering spirit that soared to the very upper echelon of his profession. Thank you Criterion for understanding majestic raw talent, pinnacle acting and directing from a superstar, in which the likes of will surely not be matched for some time, if ever. Thanks Ken

Olivier Ruined Hamlet.......2007-07-05

While the acting is excellent, the interpretation Olivier gives Hamlet is nauseating. As a Shakespeare scholar, I have always cringed when I hear students of the bard describe Hamlet as a "man who could not make up his mind." Oliver tells us at the beginning of this film the very essence he sees in Hamlet. I have *no* problem with him interpreting in a way I do not agree with, but to say this is the "definitive work, period" is unfair to some other wonderful adaptations. For my money, Branagh's Hamlet is a more honest portrayal and the excellent dress rehearsal Dvd with Richard Burton is mind-blowing.
I do not dislike Olivier, but Hamlet is hardly his best Shakespearean work. Richard III is much better and Henry V is perhaps better than Branagh's version.

The very best!.......2007-05-02

It is because of "Larry", I came to love and understand the great Bard, all through high school and college, I never could grasp and appreciate Shakespeare, until I came upon the master actor of possibly all time, I would say without fear of contradiction, his work will out live all others, as far as this set of disc's from Criterion, I am sure they just as good as the single one's I have in my collection, the price is a great savings from single purchase, I might add the having seen the great films, opening a book of Shakespeare was a wonderful "new' experience.

THREE GREAT MOMENTS... OLIVIER... SHAKESPEARE... CRITERION..........2006-08-23

Basically, these are three great Criterion Editions boxed together - which gives it a nice sense of continuity between these films.

HAMLET is, perhaps, Shakespeare most widely known and popular work. And Olivier gives it the film performance to which all others are compared. Period. And it is a great film with a striking cinematography and (naturaly) a great cast. A classic. Criterion, as always, does a fine job in terms of image and sound... although this disc has no extras.

RICHARD III tells the story of the evil duke of gloucester and his murderous machinations to get the throne of England. Another great performance. Great Technicolor cinematography. Here, Criterion gives us a two-disc edition full of nice extras: an Olivier interview, a featurette, etc.

HENRY V is another tour de force as the king who must battle all odds in order to achieve the greatest victory. The Agincourt battle scenes are a wow!!! Another Tecnicolor triumph.

So, here you have three great Shakespeare adaptation at a better price (you can buy the separately) by Criterion.

I say look no further.

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