Hamlet

Starring: David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Ford Davies, et al.

Product Description

David Tennant and Patrick Stewart star in this critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare's masterpiece from Britain's renowned Royal Shakespeare Company. No recent stage production in Britain has attracted the excitement and nearly unanimous critical praise as this Hamlet. Tennant's interpretation was recognized as defining the role for a generation, and Stewart's complex Claudius won the Olivier award, Britain's highest stage honor. In this specially-shot screen version, filmed on location rather than in the theater, Tennant and Stewart reprise their roles. Dynamic, exciting and contemporary, it breathes new life into Shakespeare's greatest play.

• Format: DVD
• Language: English
• UPC: 883929114177
• Release Date: May 2010
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Publisher: BBC Home Entertainment
• Director: Gregory Doran
• Starring: David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Ford Davies, Penny Downie, Mariah Gale, Edward Bennett
• Runtime: 3 hours, 2 minutes
• Number of Disks: 1
• Other Video Info: Multiple Formats; Color; Subtitled; Widescreen; NTSC
• Weight: 0.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Patrick Stewart is old this time (2009)

"The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," and not only the Prince but also his family. Not only his family, but also his friends. Not only his friends, but also the history that came before young Hamlet, and we are not told of those that came after Hamlet's demise. A quick synopsis is that Old Hamlet conquered Old Fortinbras, seizing his land (Dänemark). Now that Old Hamlet is dead, Young Fortinbras wants his land back and is willing to take it by force. Meanwhile, back in Dänemark, Young Hamlet, who is excessively grieving for the loss of his father, gets a new insight from his father’s ghost. It looks like his father, the king, was a victim of a “murder most foul”; it appears that his uncle was responsible for his father’s murder. The dialog is the only thing good about this presentation. The handful of true Shakespearean actors at least can say their lines well. The other actors just squeak it out. I was never a fan of modernizing Shakespeare unnecessarily. Moreover, this is a perfect example of why. Hamlet (David Tennant, 'Barty' Crouch Junior) reminds me of Monty Python. Too bad Patrick Stewart plays Claudius/Ghost here because it reminds me that he played in better versions of “Hamlet.”