Oliver's Hamlet
This was my least favorite version of Hamlet's To be or not to be soliloquy. Although I am aware of how long ago this film was produced, watching a black and white flick is not my cup of tea. However, I do believe it forces the viewer to concentrate on the material of the movie rather than being engrossed in art of color. Nevertheless, the acting was over dramatic and lacked zest. The tone of his voice was not that of someone who was contemplating death. Overall, the actor did an awful job. On a brighter note, I applaud the use of setting in this scene. Hamlet was standing on top of the castle, gazing down at the sea as if he wanted to jump. This played along with his battle with death. Also, the presence of the clouds symbolized his internal struggle and clouded mind.
Zeffirelli's Hamlet
Yet again, this was my favorite version of the soliloquy. The scene is set in a crypt, which speaks volumes pertaining to Hamlet's mindset at that moment. Mel Gibson, the actor, did an outstanding job reenacting one of the most acclaimed piece of Shakespeare's playwright. When Hamlet first walks down the stairs and sputters, "to be or not to be that is the question", Gibson shows a shot of the coffin infused death chamber which sets a negative mood for the rest of the speech. The use of props helped accentuate his monologue. His tone of voice differed from the rest because he was more enraged by his suicidal afflictions as opposed to be saddened or confused by it.
Branagh's Hamlet
After re-watching this take on the soliloquy, I am just as pleased with this version in comparison with Zeffirelli's, but at first I was on the edge. It is strange because they both have completely different adaptations to the playwright. Anyway, I fell in love with the affection Branagh demonstrated. Although he displayed little to no motion, the message came across clearly. During his monologue, he was looking at himself in the mirror. All expressed emotions were directed towards him. As the dialect escalated, he got heated, took out a dagger and pointed it at himself. The use of mirrors was an excellent contribution to this scene especially because it showed that despite the fact that the cause of Hamlet's misery was external, the root of the problem was within.
Almereyda's Hamlet
When I stated that Oliver's version was my least favorite, I lied. This rendition is my most disliked. I respect Almereyda for trying to be disparate from the other interpretations of Hamlet. However, I do not believe a modernized translation correlates. Disregarding my opinion, the director still conveyed the importance of the monologue. As Hamlet nonchalantly strolled down the action aisle in Blockbuster, he could not decide what DVD to get. Just like he was contemplating whether he should be or not be. The director also allowed part of the speech to be unspoken, coming from his mind; which is similar to Oliver's version. Hamlet also looked massively drunk. Usually, one will drink heavily when they're at their lowest. Probably, that was the concept that Almereyda wanted the viewer to regard.
Out of the four versions of the To Be or Not to Be scene, the Zeffirelli version was also my favorite. I too liked the director's decision of making Hamlet seem angered rather than sad. I felt like this kind of emotion in his voice captured the audience's attention more than the others. I'm also impressed with your analysis on Almereyda's choice to make Hamlet appear indecisive in the video store. I would not have made the connection of him not being able to decide the DVD he wants with his decision on whether or not to live by myself.
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