Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Movie Clip Wednesdays: Favorite Broadway Play Adapted to Film

It's true: everything you need to know about life, you really can learn from Shakespeare. Hamlet, for one, whose stern admonishments against the twin dangers of youth—slack-minded indecision and rash revenge—ring as true today as they did 400 and some odd years ago. I think I've read Hamlet a good half dozen times, seen it on stage once, and watched just about every silver screen version made, from Olivier's on down to this one, director Michael Almereyda's modernized cautionary tale for the dawn of the techno-era.



Okay, so Hamlet wasn't technically a film produced exclusively for Broadway, but it was and has been a Broadway production on and off over the years, most notably back in 1964, I think, with Richard Burton in the title role and most recently, a short run with Jude Law, which I was going to fly to NYC to see, but couldn't get tickets.

Anyway. I'm not much of a fan of Broadway musicals per se, so this is my MCW and I'm sticking to it.

If you want to play along, or just visit those who are, head over to the blogesstress who started it all, Ms. Boxer. It's her first day back after exactly one year of handing duties over to the ever-capable-but-probably-exhausted Milk River Madman.



6 comments:

Milk River Madman said...

Bill Murray saying "to thine own self be true" just doesn't quite there for me but the moive looks great. Happy MCW.

Jenny said...

I'm glad to see something besides a musical.

When Mel Gibson did Hamlet in 1990 the local theater put on the reader board "Mel! In Tights!" I forgot about the Michael Almereyda's version and I think it would be worth a viewing.

Good pick. Happy MCW!

Joanna Cake said...

Nope, never seen this one!

darkfoam said...

well, i haven't seen this either.
it looks like it's worth checking out.

Buzz Kill said...

This reminded me a lot of the modern version of Romeo and Juliet (DiCaprio and Danes) and it was definitely weird seeing Bill Murray in it. The first non-musical I've seen today.

Happy MCW!

chickory said...

interesting! Ive seen a lot of hamlets, but not this one. relieved its not a musical which is not my favorite genre of movie. happy MCW!