1. SETTING
1.1. Time Period/Place
1.1.1. Place
1.1.1.1. The castle the movie was filmed with in the dark had a colder feeling to it as it was shown the castle was seen in a blue light. The blue light is often used in crime drama and it demonstrates a haunting and grim setting which had been conveyed in the scenes of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
1.1.2. Time Period/Scenery
1.1.2.1. PLAY: The setting portrayed was similar to Shakespeare's originally described setting of scenes in the castles of the royal family of Denmark
1.1.2.2. MOVIE: The director emphasized a lot of detail onto props, scenery, and costumes to accurately reflect the time period. The film took place in a Medieval Era and yet the scenery accurately reflected the ominous setting readers would imagine while reading Hamlet.
1.2. Costume
1.2.1. Hamlet's Costume
1.2.1.1. PLAY: It was spoken often of how Hamlet was mourning his father's death and continued to wear black because of it. As his mother said, "Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off" (1.2.68).
1.2.1.2. MOVIE: In the movie I observed that Hamlet did wear black clothing throughout the movie. If not black then he was at least wearing a brown cloak or a dark grey armour.
1.3. Layout of Play vs. Movie
1.3.1. First Scene Example
1.3.1.1. PLAY: In the first scene of the play, the watchmen Bernardo, Francisco, Marcellus, along with Prince Hamlet's friend Horatio see the ghost of King Hamlet. Comparing that to the first scene of the movie, the director showed the funeral of King Hamlet.
1.3.1.1.1. This suggests how Shakespeare's intentions were to create a more ominous and anticipated feeling towards the ghost emphasizing the importance of it in the play.
1.3.1.2. MOVIE: Comparing that to the first scene of the movie, the director showed the funeral of King Hamlet. This was a scene where many people were in attendance wearing black and in a cavern lied King hamlet's body. In fact, there is no scene where in the beginning of the play the guards are met with the ghost of the King.
1.3.2. Act 2 Example
1.3.2.1. PLAY: In act 2, scene 1 of the play, Ophelia tells her father about Hamlet visiting her and describes how he has gone mad. Polonius asked, "Mad for thy love?" (2.1.84). Ophelia replied with, "My lord, I do not know, But truly I do fear it" (2.1.85-86).
1.3.2.2. MOVIE: Whereas in the movie this scene has been laid out and portrayed differently. It is shown that Polonius is in fact eavesdropping into Hamlet and Ophelia's conversations. Neither has Ophelia told her father, Polonius about this meeting.
1.4. Script
1.4.1. Throughout the movie there were several changes made within the original script.
1.4.2. Most of the large monologues and long quotes were cut out or shortened. Example Act 1, Scene 2: King Claudius's speech was cut short. "Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty" (1.2.39) was where it was supposed to end but the director ended it at "Taken to wife" (1.2.14).
2. 1990 Movie vs Shakespeare By Misha Shah
3. CHARACTER and CHARACTERIZATION
3.1. Gertrude
3.1.1. PLAY: portrayed by a beautiful and youthful looking actress, conveying her as an attractive women.
3.1.2. MOVIE: Incest is shown multiple time through actions between her character and Hamlet that are otherwise not described in the original play
3.1.2.1. In the scene where Hamlet and his mother argue, during the movie they are seen to kiss on their mouths and be more intimate then described in the play. "Nay, but to live In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love"(3.4.92-94)
3.2. Hamlet
3.2.1. PLAY: Hamlet is a depreciating character as he hates himself for not acting quickly with his father's revenge as he morally has conflicting thoughts over killing Claudias.
3.2.1.1. " How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge! What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast " (4.4. 31-34). He continues with self hating woes like this.
3.2.2. MOVIE: director desires to portray him as an angrier character who is less depressed
3.2.2.1. Therefore this quote isn't included in the movie. "Now I am alone. Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" (2.2.509-511).
3.3. King Claudius
3.3.1. PLAY: portrayed as a malicious character
3.3.2. MOVIE: film emphasizes this as different scenes were added to portray Claudius as more malevolent
3.3.2.1. For example in the scene where Claudius sees the play Hamlet has prepared for him as he rises he says "Turn on the lights. Get me out of here! "(3.2.254) and leaves. Yet in the film this scene is made much more dramatic and the king rises he cups his ear and later starts laughing giving off a more evil undertone.
3.4. Ophelia
3.4.1. Seen as more of a emotional and dramatic character than in the original play.
3.4.1.1. "As one incapable of her own distress, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element." (3.7.176-178) She was more of a mysterious character that was easily moved by the orders of the men in her life. In the film there is more understanding to her character as a scene is included where she contemplates her suicide and then she is seen floating in the river.
4. THEME
4.1. Appearance vs. Reality
4.1.1. Madness vs. Normal
4.1.1.1. Just like in the play, during the film, the conflict between appearance and reality occurred within the film Hamlet as they tried to hide behind masks to conceal their true identities.
4.1.1.2. Hamlet fakes madness when he gave the impression that his love Ophelia has drove him to insanity.
4.1.1.2.1. When Hamlet talks to his friends about sanity he says, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (2.2.351-352).
4.1.2. Caring vs. Dark
4.1.2.1. In the film, it was more obvious how Claudius feigned to be a caring and wise king yet he still had ulterior motives. He used Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Polonius to hide his dark secrets.
4.1.2.2. Another scene that connects to the idea of King Claudius' identity being revealed was him being concerned for his nephew, Hamlet for his own well being.
4.2. Existential Crisis
4.2.1. Hamlet's Conflict over Existence
4.2.1.1. Hamlet dramatically delivered the soliloquy of Act 3 "To be or not to be". He was basically saying to exist or not to exist.
4.2.1.1.1. "Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the everlasting had not fixed his canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God!" (1.2.130-133).
4.2.1.2. Hamlet knew that suicide was considered a sin to god as he knew that killing himself would deem him to everlasting hell in the afterlife yet he felt that his life was just as bad.
4.2.1.2.1. "But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns," (1.2.80-83). He feels that the only reason humanity stays alive is the fear of unknown.
4.3. Revenge
4.3.1. To compare the theme of Revenge in the play and movie, it was more evident in the movie. The movie focused more on how Hamlet endeavored to avenge his father's death. He waited for the perfect moment to take his revenge, and bring his father and mother justice by the end.