The Ghost Scene

If  I were to interpret this scene through film, it would be a mix of Branagh's and Zeffirelli's interpretations. I think Zeffirelli's scene is less flashy and does not attempt to be scary, like Branagh's version. The quiet, more serious scene, foreshadows the dark event surrounding the ghost's death. However, I think the flashback from Branagh's version, serves as a visual aid to the viewer on the death of the ghost. I would want the ghost to look, ghostly, not humanly, but not like it was a ghost from a scary movie. Almereyda's version appears too lifelike, which takes away from the fact that it is Hamlet's dead father speaking to him. The emotion of the actor would also be a combination of the two scenes. Gibson makes the scene very sad, embracing the emotion of a son who just lost his father. Branagh, however, interprets the scene in a slightly more dramatic way, just as he did the ghost's appearance. He is angered at the murder of his father and wants to seek revenge. I would want Hamlet to be sad when he is first speaking with his father, but then becomes angry when he hears of his fathers murder. I do not like the way Hawke interprets the scene because it is the least emotional of the three. I would want the audience to focus on the murder of Hamlet's father and feel anger towards the uncle. I would also like to focus on the ghost's sadness of seeing his son perhaps for the last time, and the sorrow he feels from being forced to walk the streets. I think the most important parts of the scene are the connection between Hamlet and his father, and the anger surrounding the murder, which will most likely foreshadow future events in the movie. I don't think its very important to have the viewer question Gertrude's role yet, because I feel that conflict will become the focus later on. It is better to leave her role out to keep the mystery surrounding her, and not have the viewer form an opinion on her yet, because she is not the focus at the moment.