Film Studies: Adapting Shakespeare's Hamlet

Film Studies: Adapting Shakespeare The commentary in lesson 2 on Hamlet says “the movie attempts to address the “seems” and “is” that troubles hamlet throughout the play” (commentary lesson 2, Hamlet). This is a great way to explain what hamlet is trying to understand in the play, and in the movie. Hamlet questions everyone and everything, which is why he creates the “play” and the “movie”. He is able to get his message across by using actors for the play within the play, and creating different scenes of his choosing in his film. There is also much similarity when it comes to the symbols used in the play itself, as well as the independent film he created The Mouse Trap. When Hamlet is creating the play by writing the lines and choosing his actors he is able to create it exactly how he wants to, and exactly how he wants his characters to be portrayed. The same goes for when he creates his movie The Mouse Trap. He is able to choose specific scenes that have a deep meaning to him to get the response he wants from Claudius. In an article I read by Abby Henderson she discusses the play Hamlet and how he is teaching his actors how to act in his play, she says “In the play, Hamlet clearly expresses his knowledge of acting and theater as he gives a speech to the travelling players to prepare them for their performance at the castle. He states to "let your own discretion be your tutor," (2.3.16-7) referring to how a player, or everyday person would need to act when speaking to others in a conversational piece, ranging from a performance to a simple greeting. It is because of his awareness of people act in front of others, or play a specific role that he is able to manipulate the play to work for his own personal purposes to "catch the King." This not only is an example of meta-theater but it also explains very well that hamlet is able to choose how he wants his actors to act and even how passionate he is about this play. Hamlet has a similar

Cited: Barber, Sara. "Lesson 2: Hamlet-Princes and Slackers Commentary." Mizzou Online. 12 Mar. 2013. Reading. Burnett, Mark Thornton. "To Hear and See the Matter: Communicating Technology in Michael Almereyda 's Hamlet (2000)." Cinema Journal 42.3 (2003): 48-69. JSTOR. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Henderson, Abby. "Comparing Shapespeare 's Hamlet to the Urban Film by Almereyda." Yahoo! Contributor Network. N.p., 23 July 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. Shakespeare, William, and A. R. Braunmuller. The Tragical History of Hamlet Prince of Denmark. New York: Penguin, 2001. Print.