Branagh proudly relates what sets his production apart from others. It includes the entire text of Shakespeare's work. Never mind that the play likely was never performed that way on stage. On film, it can (and does) work. In a home video presentation, it's even better. The viewer can take breaks when necessary, and the film itself is presented in two parts (to switch from one disc to another).
While the length of the film (four hours) may be intimidating, hearing the entire text is a novel treat. For as many times as I have seen Hamlet, I found myself hearing lines that were completely unfamiliar (a hobbyhorse?). It became apparent which lines directors typically will delete. It's a shame, because it really does add considerable depth to hear everything.
Even with all of Shakespeare's text included, I did notice a couple of obvious alterations. "Your" philosophy became "our" philosophy; not a major change. There was a placement issue with several soliloquies. Hamlet's "witching time" soliloquy was moved to preface Claudius' soliloquy directly, and then Hamlet's "Now might I do it" speech fell in its usual place. It was a lot of speechifying in a row. Any other changes to the text that might have been there were not blatant.
Branagh's cast was worthy of considerable name-dropping. As he described, if he was going to do this film once, he was going to do it up on a large scale. The set and cinematography were incredibly lavish. It was obvious that Branagh spared no expense. The interior set, with the black and white tile floor and hall of mirrors, was gorgeous, and shooting it in 70mm allowed for a great visual field. Blenheim Palace made for a great exterior presentation, even if it is an English palace and not a Danish one. Costumes, late 19th century vintage, were also very lavish, with special note for the impeccable military dress.
The action of the film did provide some contrasts to Shakespeare's original. When Hamlet's love letter to the beautified Ophelia is presented to Claudius and Gertrude, it is read by its recipient, not her father. The nunnery scene, particularly well done, included a noise which tipped Hamlet that Claudius and Polonius were spying on him. An added scene in which an hysterical Ophelia sees her father's body helped to flesh out her attachment to him, often left lacking. Ophelia's madness scene included a straitjacket and a hose bath, more indicative of an updated time period than Shakespeare's original. She presented all of her flowers to Laertes, more illustrative of a complete break with reality than if she had moved from Laertes to Gertrude and Claudius.
"The Mousetrap" was well staged, and the dumb show made sense. I was reminded of J. Dover Wilson's discussion of the scene. How it is that Claudius can miss the dumb show and not object until the second portrayal of his murderous act? The issue was addressed here very nicely. He was too busy eating and cooing with Gertrude to notice. Plus, the dumb show was just a brief flicker, so short that his ignoring it is entirely plausible.
For all of the positives of this film, there was one particular flop--the "How all occasions" soliloquy. It is far too obvious that Hamlet was standing in front of a green screen with the background added later. The entire speech is delivered in a yelling tone of voice. The idea may be that Hamlet is trying to be heard over the Norwegian troops in the background, but it diminishes any emotion. In addition, the speech is delivered while the camera is pulled back and the musical score picks up. If a soliloquy is supposed to be a light into the mind of the character, how does one get that when the character is being removed from view? By the time the scene ends, Hamlet is little more than a speck on the screen. Then the film cuts to the intermission. As a buildup to a bathroom break, I suppose it works. As a vital part of the play, though, it failed.
The duel scene was a typical fencing match, set amidst an atypical violent takeover of the palace by the Norwegian army. It would have been nice to see a full-fledged sword fight, but at least the scene had been set previously with numerous shots of fencing practice. Osric may have been in on the plot. The Lord definitely was. He helped Laertes to unbate and to poison his sword. Laertes took a spill from the upper balcony (ouch), and Claudius was run through with a sword thrown javelin-like by Hamlet. Claudius also was hit by the chandelier as Hamlet used it to swing down from the balcony. The film ended with Fortinbras on the throne, Hamlet in a casket, and a statue of the former King Hamlet in pieces.
"The Eternity Edition," in its monolithic glory, was over. The DVD does include a few special features, which may merit future postings. There is one feature, though, that may have to wait for some time. There is a commentary to the film; four hours of Kenneth Branagh and Shakespearean scholar Russell Jackson talking over the film. That one, which might actually feel like eternity, will have to wait for another day off and another snow storm.
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