Discovering Hamlet [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

For anyone interested in a behind the scenes look at how a play proceeds through production this video is for you. The Birmingham Repertory Theater is the setting for this production directed by Derek Jacobi with Kenneth Branagh taking the lead as Hamlet. Narration is provided by Patrick Stewart to guide viewers through the production process. Interspersed between scenes of the rehearsals are interviews with the various actors discussing their characters. I would have like a longer interview with the director, Derek Jacobi, discussing his vision of Hamlet but all in all this is quite a good video.

A team of renown Hamlets providing educational behind-the-opening-night reality of stage preparation. Excellence for that use. I have years of experience as set designer/construction/crew with community theater. This is an honest look, but on a professional level, the very best of Hamlet professionalism. It's Derek Jacobi's (Cadfael-a must view) 1st directing and Kenneth Branagh's (Henry V, Hamlet) first Hamlet acting, although he went on to win awards with his Directing/Lead/Writer of a DVD version of Hamlet-1996. What better teachers of Shakespeare? Try "Playing Shakespeare" on DVD for one.

This is a must for serious acting students. Footage is gleaned from 30+ hrs of footage made during the 4 weeks of prep for Hamlet. From the raw 1st read, through rehearsals & tech rehearsals, up to opening night prep; it's an in-depth behind-the-curtain look at theater never seen by most patrons. It's honest, it's with preparatory flaws, but yet it's 'grease-paint' excitement. Illuminating educational theater. A lesson, 1st time on DVD, for acting want-to-be's (or not to-be's). Sorry! :-)

There are other stars like Sophie (Emma's sis)Thompson. Narration is provided by Patrick Stewart. Performed in Birmingham, this pre-show footage gives a lot of tips and fun looks at building up to perfection in theater. Even a sword fight. All in 53 minutes. If that's not enough, there is huge elaboration on this with the first-time-seen 3+ hours of bonus. Subtitles included for the feature.

Disc 1 special features:
==A Conversation with Sir Derek Jacobi: 34 min; 2010; with subtitles
==Photo Gallery: B&W
The Players In the Production: complete cast text bios; Kenneth Branagh-Hamlet, Richard Clifford-Horatio, Richard Easton-Claudius, Edward Jewesbury-Polonius, David Parfitt-Rosencrantz, Patrick Stewart-Narrator, Sophie Thompson-Ophelia, Jay Villiers-Laertes, Jimmy Yuill-Guildenstern.
==Hamlet Through the Ages: 12 text bios of past Hamlet actors
==Sir Patrick Stewart Biography: text

Disc 2 special features:
==About these Segments: text message
==Deric Jacobi Extended Interviews:
'On Directing' 33 min, 1988; '2 1/2 Weeks In' 7 min; 'On Shakespheare & Performing' 12 min shot after opening night.
==Cast/Crew Interviews: 'Kenneth Branagh' 4 min; 'Russel Jackson' 8 min; Sophie Thompson' 8 min; 'Costume Super' 7 min; 'Set Designer' 2 min.
==Behind-the-Scenes: 'Dir. Notes' 22 min; 'Directing the Cast' 10 min; 'Sword Fight Choreography' 14 min; 'Rehearsal Act 2 Scene 2': To be, or not to be, 12 min; 'Rehearsal Final Scene': Good night sweet prince, 17 min; 'Cast Party' Swan Light & 11 min.

Also the traditional Athena booklet, this one 9 pages of text & photos in 'A Viewer's Guide.' Excellent.

So what's the problem? Why 4 stars? It's not for everyone. Not a true performance, just preparing for the performance, which the DVD viewer never gets to see this Hamlet in it's entirety. A bit of the bonus material seems to be from the 'editing floor'; not aimed to any speaker/person, not focused, dark, with some bad sound, with background motor noise. I'll bet acting students will overlook this negative bit, to be able to hear the excellent directing-coaching usable by the novice to a professional. That's not me--I painted set pieces--my forte.

Bottom line on purchase?
A smashing lesson presented on DVD for acting want-to-be's.
Educational footage of what it is like to prepare for a show.
Perfect for University, Public, and HS library.
Sorry about the length of this review,
"Good night sweet prince."

Nothing is so interesting as the actual process of creation leading to a final product, in this instance, the performance of Hamlet. With Discovering Hamlet, a documentary featuring a production staged at the Birmingham Rep Theatre Company and directed by the fine stage and film actor, Derek Jacobi, the performance highlights young Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet. Knowing that Branagh too would stage is own stunning full-length production of Hamlet on film, observing how the actor matured from this early performance is a unique opportunity for comparison with his latter work also with Jacobi in the role of Claudius.

Following Jacobi as he shapes actor's performances and staging for the play, this video is privy to insight from technical staff as well. Narrated by Patrick Stewart and featuring actors who graced stage and films familiar to audiences, the construction of Shakespeare's tragedy is worthy of several viewings. While Jacobi differs from the more traditional interpretation of Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy as a speech between Hamlet and Ophelia, the complex staging is Jacobi's own and unfortunately not alotted more time. Although brief in length, the production is filmed from first rehersal to opening night jitters. A new documentry could be titled "Critiquing Branagh" whose performances are faulted today, but in this setting, the actor is still fresh and vunerable to his director's insights to the lead actor's faults.

An excellent opportunity for students of film and performance studies to see process, it is worth purchase if only to have a record of one of Branagh's early stage performances before he became a film star. It would be interesting to haveJacobi's production restaged based on this film for another perspective on the never dull Shakespearean masterpiece of The Tragedy of Hamlet.