Film

Hamlet (1976)

Director: Celestino Coronado

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Made impossibly cheaply (shot and mixed on video, then transferred to film) this obviously took great effort and dedication. But was it worth it? As a compression of the play, it's initially inventive but all too soon predictable: the device of having twin brothers play Hamlet wears very thin indeed. As an interpretation, it is most notable for taking the misogyny of the 'get thee to a nunnery' scene and applying it liberally to the rest of the play: having Helen Mirren play both lead women helps Coronado to sustain this reading. The misogynist bias puts the film's overall gay-camp sensibility in a very questionable light, and preening performances from Crisp and Sheybal don't help. At worst, offensive; at best, joyless.

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