If you want to see what Hamlet should REALLY be like, get yourself a copy of the above movie.

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If you so desire to read this brilliant work, the above book gives you both modern English and Shakespearean verbiage.

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Or, if you must find out more about the version of Hamlet to which I am speaking, you can find that information here.

New Adaptation of Hamlet on Odyssey Channel
by Willa, ATF Staff Writer

December 12, 2000

I am a huge fan of Shakespeare and Hamlet happens to be my favourite play. I think it's because it was my first Shakespearean play and was given to me by a brilliant high school teacher (yes, they are out there) who loved the play, too. We dissected it in class and she taught us how to understand good ol' Willy. And hence, I fell in love with Hamlet. Actually, I like Ophelia best, but we'll get to that in a minute.

When I heard that the Odyssey Channel was doing a special presentation of Hamlet directed by and starring Campbell Scott, who has been a favourite actor of mine since he was such a fantastic cancer-ridden guy in "Dying Young", I was tickled pink! (And I hate pink, so to be tickled to such a colour is quite a feat!). I set my beloved TiVo to record ALL SIX HOURS OF IT!

And I saved this wonderful thing for a special night, because I knew that I would be home alone and could just lose myself in the world of Shakespeare, as I so love to do. I had the whole night planned. I mean, I was REALLY looking forward to seeing this movie!

Then I did this horrible thing. I pushed the play button. The movie started. There was no going back!

I was only an hour into the thing and I was just about sickened to death. Hamlet should never have been set in America. How can you possibly have the King and Queen of Denmark in America?? How could they rule from there?? I don't get it...completely baffled by that one.

And no one in the movie can speak "Shakespearean" worth a damn. They are, after all, in America. You have to have this certain airflow about you...and it's dreadfully lacking without the accent. They have managed to turn Hamlet's anger into making him look like an idiot who doesn't wear shoes and who looks like he either shoots heroin or hasn't slept in weeks...or both. He's not insane! He's mad! There's a fine line, but it's a definite line. *sigh*

The Queen is laughable. The King/Uncle/Father/Brother is dreadfully weak, and I won't even TOUCH the flaws in Ophelia. Okay, maybe I will. I won't talk about the obvious thing that kind of slaps you when you first find out who Ophelia is. But Ophelia is a tragic character. She's this sickly-sweet character who tears at your heart because of her love for Hamlet. This version of Ophelia just seems very jumpy and far too pathetic. She gets on your nerves. The best Ophelia I've seen in the movies was Helena Bonham-Carter (from the Mel Gibson version, yes). In her weakness there is a strength...but I just want to smack the latest Ophelia and ask her what the hell she even sees in the latest Hamlet.

I'm just sad. I think I was really hoping that this would put a dent in my faire withdrawal, as watching or reading Shakespeare normally does for me. Now I shall have to go buy Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet so I can get my faith back.

Remind me next time not to record the latest version of Hamlet. Even if Shakespeare himself has been resurrected to write the screenplay...

Maybe I'm being too harsh...maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that I haven't put on my bodice in about two months...I don't know. But I think even Willy is shaking his head and sighing deeply at this pathetic rewrite.

To read about Willa, cofounder of AtTheFaire.com, please visit the About ATF page.

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