Hamlet - which version?

[Finn]

There's obviously the great Shakespeare's story but there's been several versions of it on film. There's the Laurence Olivier version from 1948, Mel Gibson version from 1990, Kenneth Branagh version from 1996, Tony Richardson version from 1969, Ethan Hawke version from 2000 and a few more. I think a few of the adaptations were really strong, but I also like the modern-day version from 2000. It's just interesting watching Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles and Bill Murray speak Shakespeare.

[Slimepuppy]

Personal favoirte is the "Ethan Hawke" version.
Don't quite know why, I just think it gets the essence of the play across.
And the modern setting is used in rather clever ways.  The play within the play is now an experimental video by Hamlet who, obviously, is a director/film maker... And c'mon, "to be or not to be..." in a video rental store? (unless my memory betrays me fully) Inspired.
Got the vanilla DVD the second I found it.

Branagh's version? It's... comprehensive. I enjoyed it, but... it's more of a lavish stageplay than a film. And a bit on the long side.

Mel Gibson? I only saw the ending with akimbo/John Woo-style sword playing and gave it a miss.

Haven't seen the other ones.

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead on the other hand, is pure genius from start to finish...

[Gamblour.]

I haven't seen the Olivier version, but I really want to. I've only seen one clip from it, a scene with Hamlet and Gertrude at a table, I think following the Mousetrap. It was really subdued and quiet, I liked that. I've seen two parts of Mel Gibson's version, the Mousetrap and a scene where he tries to have sex with his mother, his version seemed the most realistic and period-correct, also the most visceral. I liked the interpretation.

Kenneth Branagh's version.....I thought it was hideous, it tried to directly translate the material and just did not work. Hearing Branagh speak the lines as if he were onstage, overdoing everything, clearly acting, it all took me way out of it. I felt like I was just watching a filmed stage production.

Ethan Hawke's version is equally awful, if I remember right. Again, I don't think it translates very well when doing a literal contemporary revision. The Mousetrap seemed to work, as it did in all the versions, which I think is interesting.