Here is the synopsis of our sample research paper on Hamlet/Michael Almereyda. Have the paper e-mailed to you 24/7/365.
Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 page review of director Michael Almereyda's modern day adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The writer argues that this film offers some fresh insight into the classic tale of death and intrigue. However, to get to these insights, the audience has to accept the incongruent nature of Elizabethan dialogue set in current day Manhattan. Claudius and Gertrude preside over the Denmark Corporation and the eloquence of Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy is mumbled in the action aisle at the local Blockbuster. Analysis of this film demonstrates that this version of Hamlet has its moments, but unfortunately the film as a whole is not consistent. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khhamalm.rtf
Buy This Term Paper »
Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
to accept the incongruent nature of Elizabethan dialogue set in current day Manhattan. Claudius and Gertrude preside over the Denmark Corporation and the eloquence of Hamlets "To be or not
to be" soliloquy is mumbled in the action aisle at the local Blockbuster. Analysis of this film demonstrates that this version of Hamlet has its moments, but unfortunately the film
as a whole is not consistent. For example, wherever the dialogue proves problematic for adaptation to a current day Manhattan setting, Almereyda simply cuts it out of the movie.
This means that Almereyda, as the adapter as well as the director, retains only about one-third of Shakespeares lines (Kauffman, 20000). For example, Almereyda wanted Hamlet, who fancies himself as
an independent filmmaker, to show his play-within-a-play as a videotape. Therefore, the acting troupe that normally is hired for the production is cut entirely out of the play. While
granted that this is probably no great loss, the sum deletion of lines amounts, in many cases, to a deletion of characterization. The depth of character that is normally
a part of the play is simply not there. For instance, Ethan Hawkes performance as Hamlet is not that of a noble, but tormented prince. Rather, he comes across
as being spoiled and self-centered. Furthermore, the directors decision to turn a number of Hamlets soliloquies into interior monologues that he has pre-recorded and plays back on tape robs these
famous lines of their emotional immediacy and of their power. On the other hand, occasionally, this version offers insight that is helpful to understanding the action. For example, Stanley
Kauffman points out that it has always been problematic in the play that Claudius does not stop Gertrude from drinking the poison (2000). In the original play, Shakespeare has Claudius
...