"To Be Or Not To Be..." Three Ways

     The work "Hamlet,"written by Shakespeare has had different styles of turning it into a movie throughout the years. The main known to people show different ways of looking at the "To Be Or Not To Be" speech. The actors that have the role of Hamlet have a different style that gives the viewer a different idea on the speech. The actors shown in the three clips are Mel Gibson, Lawerence Oliver, and Kenneth Branough.
     In the movie filmed with Mel Gibson, the speech takes place within a chamber. As the speech progresses you notice a tomb with a statue of a person laying across this. You realize that this isn't any old chamber it's his fathers tomb. The viewer will get a sense of pity for Hamlet here. When Hamlet is relaying his famous speech, you can almost assume that he's trying to get his feelings out to his father. His lost his father figure even though hes old enough to function on his own, he doesn't have that sense of guidance in his life anymore. Hamlet is basically asking his father for guidance in this scene; whether he should continue his life, or follow through with his suicidal thoughts.
     The movie with Lawerence Oliver was filmed with a different idea. Instead of being in a chamber, or in an enclosed space, Hamlet was filmed on the side of a cliff. When Hamlet looked down the cliff you saw a long jump ahead with a death of raging water. This film was taped in black and white, and it helped create an eerie atmosphere for the film. As he sits there reciting, he pulls a dagger out ready to stab himself and jump into the watery depths of the ocean. However like the play, his conscience kicks into action and doesn't commit to his suicidal thoughts.
     Lastly, the film that starred Kenneth Branough, the " To Be Or Not To Be" speech took place in a mansion. The room in the mansion looked very fancy and looked more as if it was for a special occasion, instead it was filmed for the purpose of suicidal plotting. As he recites the speech, he is staring into the mirror, his full focus on his thoughts. Then as the speech continues he slowly walks toward the mirror, and pulls out a dagger. This could be symbolising that unlike most people who contemplate suicide, he wanted to face it head on. That's why he starred at himself, he was facing himself, because most people that want to kill themselves can't face themselves. As he approached the mirror this eerie music began playing that made you feel like he was actually going to commit the act. However he is cut short with someone walking into the room.
     No matter how you make the scene work, you are still going to get basically the same theme out of it. Different directs wanted to catch specific idea's in their views heads when they watched it. It all comes down to the fact that many don't want to live, but most are to afraid of the unknown therefore they cannot take full action in doing it.