Customer Reviews (4)

We shall not cease from exploring
We shall not cease from exploring, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. -T.S. Eliot-

We can now have voice over narration with movies that make DVD's well worth buying and we can enjoy the mover more after seeing what the artist or writer or director was trying to accomplish. I my self need someone to tell me when my show is untied.

You may notice a few drawbacks to the DVD extra rout that this book addresses. First even if the media lasted for ever the DVD will become unreadable with newer technology. Unless you have a portable device about the size of a book a DVD can be clumsy to carry around. People that are book oriented can get more pleasure from this medium.

The book its self is conveniently divided into logical sections as:
Introduction
Synopsis
The screenplay
The cast
The film
The shoot

All the movements and dialog are clearly written. There are plenty of color pictures as visual aids. After enjoying the different view both Shakespeare and the movie, this book makes a great conversation item.

Much Ado About Nothing

For the fan of Branagh or the movie
The book to accompany the movie.There's nothing new here, really, although one can take the screenplay and check it against the play to find out the changes that were made to the text.

Branagh says in the foreword that having the American actors was his idea. Perhaps. I had heard a rumor that he had included them for a wider U.S. distribution. In any case, it's worth noting that the Americans, with the possible exception of Denzel Washington, just can't hold a candle to even the meanest bit parts played by the British. I still think Keaton was way too "Beetlejuice" for Dogberry, although the explanation for his interpretation herein gave me new insight into it. If you're a Branagh admirer as I am, you shouldn't pass this book up.

MUST HAVE for Kenneth Branagh fans!
I just can't say enough good things about this book. The pictures are fabulous--I'd pay the price of the book for them alone! And for thosecurious about stage production and screenplays, this book is a MUST HAVE!Much Ado is definitely my favorite play by Shakespeare. Kenneth Branagh'smovie version is the most fun version of Much Ado I've ever seen, and thisbook captures Branagh's magic. You will not be disappointed!

Another superb Branagh
This film is Branagh's best ever.Easy to follow with excellent acting. Great casting of both English and American actors. ... Read more

Product Description
From humble beginnings, Kenneth Branagh drove himself to dizzy heights of accomplishment. With a West End hit at twenty-one, a lead with the RSC by twenty-three and his own theatre company by twenty-six, no actor of his generation achieved so much so rapidly. And yet no actor has received such relentless criticism. Based on extensive research and numerous interviews, Mark White traces the vicissitudes of Branagh's career, examining his meteoric rise and the accompanying backlash. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A terrific read
This is a terrific read about Kenneth Branagh, that doesn't mind looking from a critical point of view from time to time as well.

I read it in one sitting -- he's my favorite actor and director -- and recommend it to anyone serious not only about the man's biography, but about theatre directing as well. ... Read more

Product Description
As both star and director of the acclaimed film Henry V, young Branagh has had his career compared to that of Lawrence Olivier. Full of charm, humor, and insight into an actor's craft, Branagh's intriguing autobiography tells of his childhood in Belfast, his training at the Royal Academy of Drama, and his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Branagh is brilliant; wonderful, witty, honest autobiography
Anyone that wants to know more about Ken Branagh and his theatre work will love this book.I am totally in love with Ken Branagh after seeing his numerous Shakespeare films (Much Ado about Nothing, Henry V, etc).He has an absolutely wonderful sense of humor and great wit.

The writing is incredibly; he is entertaining throughout and he is completely honest and genuine.(I found that very endearing)I especially loved how he reacted to certain aspects of theatre, how he interpreted Shakespeare text, and his reactions to blessings and upsets.

It is a real joy to read.

Attempt Greatness
I'm in love with Kenneth Branagh--no! Not that way! I'm in love with the talent and the drive. And the love is mixed with equal parts envy and recrimination. Oh, how I would like to be Branagh, 28 and directing himself in Henry V, or, even before that, just as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, filming a movie of the early life of D.H. Lawrence in Australia. Yes, I would like to be an actor, but for ever much a dream it may be in Britain, even more so in America. Here, there are only two places where one can gain recognition--New York and Los Angeles. Even more so, those are probably the only places one could make a living at it. But it's envy of the man's energy just as much. Sure, it may be the case that becoming an actor is easier in Britain, but then how does one explain Branagh's writing his own one-man shows, or his first play. No, this is truly a man with talent and drive, probably equally strong. And so the recrimination. I am 27, only a year away from the magic age at which this book was written, and what do I have to show for it? I finally have my Bachelor's degree, I've published two stories and written a few more, I've been involved in one magazine of note, and I've lived in several places besides where I grew up. And that's it. Not really a lot. Wasted time? Some of it, and yet, on the other hand, I wouldn't exchange it, either. I just with that I had something more tangible to show for it. Branagh's young to write an autobiography, even a first volume as this undoubtably will turn out to be, and he comments as much. Even for all his accomplishments, he isn't content to rest. There's a moral there, I believe. What Branagh has to show you is that greatness, which I do believe he has already obtained, is not an ephemeral quality, but elusive and rare. It can be had, through hard work. I heard someone recently on NPR--a poet, I think--talk about writing. He said, attempt greatness, because if you fail, well, then, it may simply be good, which isn't bad. But if you only attempt to be good.... I will attempt greatness.

BEAUTIFUL BOOK
GREAT BOOK: 1. THE SKETCHES ARE DRAWN BU EMMA THOMPSON'S MOTHER. 2. DELIGHTFUL SCENE WHEREIN JUDI DENCH TELLS OF HER PAST HENRY V CATHERINE WITH EMMA THOMPSON, THE PRESENT V CATHRINE ON THE DAY OF THE FRENCH TO ENGLISH.

Very good, but I want more Emma...
First of all I regard Ken as my favorite actor and Emma Thompson his ex is my favorite actress.

Very well written and interesting as he goes through his childhood and growth as an actor.During that time he overcame the strong bias against his Belfast and lower class upbringing.

There were two things that I missed in the story: 1) The story ended just after Henry V filming, which is just the start of his wonderful film career.

2) There was very little about Ken and Emma.Even though they met when filming Fortunes of War, which was during the book there was little discussion of the budding romance.I expected to see flames of passion between those two.Ken as the womanizer he is reported to be and Emma with the passion she has shown in her movies.

Educational, interesting read
Having a degree in English Literature and having viewed many films and adaptations by Mr. Branagh, I was compelled to read about what made this man such a force to be reckoned with in the classically trained theatrefield, and at such a young age, as well.He was 28 when he wrote thisbook!

It's always interesting to find out where people come from and howthey got to where they are now--whether they be a businessman, entertainer,teacher, whoever.Here you have a kid from extremely lower working classBelfast who realized he wasn't exactly meant for the business world, andafter appearing in a school play (as for most entertainers), realized thatwas what they wanted to do.

Mr. Branagh takes you on a tour of hischildhood, from its very humble beginnings, to his applying at the RoyalAcademy of Dramatic Art, the struggle to reach the level of perfection hewanted both as an artist and as a person, the conviction and belief he hadin himself of wanting to play "Hamlet" (which has since becomeone of his signature roles), and from the development of his own theatrecompany, Renaissance.

Mr. Branagh's writing style is very wry, witty, andI find his experience of learning to ride a horse extremely humorous.Thisbook will be a great addition to anyone who appreciates literature,theatre, the classics, and the makings of a person following their dreamsand ambitions. ... Read more

Product Description
The acclaimed Shakespearian and star of Much Ado About Nothing presents a companion volume to his latest film, containing his screenplay, his diary on the set, and color and black-and-white photographs.Movie tie-in. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Hamlet and Ken
This is a great supplment to go with the best and most complet hamlet ever made. Video is excellent

Great; but what pictures??
I got a used copy off Amazon. It's great to have, and is very nice...but I keep reading about breathtaking pictures. Where? I think they were ripped out of my copy. At the very back there is evidence of at least one color page being ripped out...I don't know. But it is a wonderful film, play, and now a wonderful book to have. The film diary is very interesting.

Pictures worth it alone
This screen play, introduction and film diary of Hamlet, Kenneth Branagh is like having several books in one. The screen play its self is based on the text of `Hamlet' as it appears in the `First Folio'.

You probably have several copies of Hamlet and maybe a few film versions. The advantage in this book is that it tells you what you are looking at. It goes beyond the inferences of Shakespeare's words and explains what they were trying to portray in the movie.

The introduction, only a few pages long is packed with information on how the movie came about.

The Film Diary (Rehearsal to Wrap) is written by Russell Jackson. This section also contains monochrome pictures of the film being made.

The section designated as "The Film" has several breath taking pictures that you probably did not notice while watching the film. It starts with The Ghost and ends with Fortinbras.

Hamlet [Blu-ray] ~ Kenneth Branagh

Worthy exploration of forces behind the making of an epic
This book is useful to anyone interested in the film or theatre work of Kenneth Branagh, in Shakespeare on Screen, or film and theatre in general. As previous reviewers have mentioned, it comprises an introduction to the film/play by Kenneth Branagh, the full text of 'Hamlet' used during filming, production photographs and a 'film diary'.

The main purpose of my review is to correct the misapprehension of one previous reviewer about the writer of the 'film diary', in order to encourage interest in the film diary section of the book. A previous reviewer suggested that 'Russell Jackson' might be a filmographer. In fact, Russell Jackson is a Professor specialising in Shakespeare Studies and is the Director of The Shakespeare Institute, a prestigious school for Shakespeare studies in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. This school has strong ties with the nearby Royal Shakespeare Company, and Professor Jackson himself is one of the leading scholars in the field of criticism of Shakespeare in Performance. He has published many articles in scholarly journals, and is the editor or co-editor of major books about Shakespeare in Performance such as 'The Oxford Illustrated History of Shakespeare on Stage'.

Most importantly, Prof. Jackson has acted as 'textual advisor' to Kenneth Branagh on the sets of many (if not all) of his Shakespearean films; this means he was often responsible for advising Branagh how to interpret a particular line or scene. No one is more well-qualified to write the film diary.

Prof. Jackson's film diary is not only anecdotal; it also describes many of the discussions actors had about how to play certain scenes and characters, and sometimes compares them to approaches that were made in other productions of 'Hamlet': it does become analyticalat times. One cannot complain about the funny anecdotes Prof. Jackson relates about making this film, anyway. Amongst other things, he discusses the different viewpoints and acting styles brought to the film by the actors from varying countries, he discusses the difficulty of filming swordfights and snowstorms, andembellishing Blenheim Palace to make it look more fortress-like. Prof. Jackson also makes it clear that many of the people working on the film had been working with Branagh for years, and he captures a sense of this camaraderie.

Branagh's own introduction to the book could perhaps have been longer, but is of value, letting readers know how he first became interested in acting, who his earliest acting idols were, and why he finds 'Hamlet' particularly interesting to act.

I'm not sure why one previous reviewer expected the book text of the film's dialogue to be different from the film; the intention of the film was to make a filmed version using the 'full' (longest available, conflated) text of the play. The film uses every word from texts of 'Hamlet' that are seen as legitimate, and the text in the book transcribes exactly what is said in the film.

There are however some comments interposed within the text spoken in the film - I guess comments by Branagh. These could be a little disconcerting as they break up the text, but one can easily jump over them if necessary. They would probably be very useful to a high school student studying the play who does not understand the play's language; they will also interest anyone wondering about Branagh's motivation behind particular readings of lines or portrayals of scenes.

Lastly the photographs are great, and not really small - the book is somewhat larger than many hardback/softcover books.

I recommend this book. For anyone interested in Shakespeare on Screen, I also recommend the book relating to Richard Loncraine's film of 'Richard III', which has an interesting introduction by Ian McKellen. Those who like Branagh's 'Hamlet' film might wish to also watch Zefferelli's film version of 'Hamlet' to compare two recent and very different approaches to filming the play.

Hamlet the best Shakespeare
Hamlet is arguably the best play that Shakespeare ever wrote.This play has intrigue and misery and death everything that makes it Shakespeare but not only that it is more interesting not only in plot but in language than all the other plays.If you are not use to reading Shakespeare then you may have trouble understanding everything that is going on in this play.

The character of Hamlet is so interesting because his misery can be interpreted in so many different forms.Hamlet's misery can be construed as his frustration over his father's death or his love for Ophelia, or just adolescent misery in general.The fact that it can be all of these things just makes it more interesting because in each way the play can be read in different ways.

Hamlet seems so noble in his efforts to expose his uncle as a murderer but he is also a murderer because he murders Polonias.This event in turn makes Ophelia mad and she then commits suicide and therefore her brother blames Hamlet so there is double guilt for Hamlet.

In the end of the play I believe that Hamlet is so tortured not only with his own guilt but also his misery of all of the other factors such as his mother that he actually wants to die.But he had to kill Claudius in order to feel ready to die because then he would have done his duty and avenged his father's death.
My favorite part in the play is where Hamlet devises the play to his own benefit to confirm that Claudius is really the killer and that the ghost was really his father and not the devil.

This play is great fun to read and play out in your mind. If you want to see a good video version of this play rent the version that stars Mel Gibson.This is my favorite Shakespeare play and always will be. ... Read more

Product Description
A dual biography of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson chronicles their separate youths and early theatrical achievements and examines their team efforts that contributed to the success of such productions as Much Ado About Nothing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Really good
As a Kenneth Branagh fan, I fin this book rather interesting but now is antiquated. ... Read more

Product Description
Kenneth Branagh heads an outstanding cast in playing one of Shakespeare's strongest characters. The eighth production in the series of Shakespeare plays presented by Naxos AudioBooks in association with Cambridge University Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent production
The actors in this production are superb. Stella Gonet as Lady Anne is exceptional. Even without seeing the play, it is easy to understand because the actors read with such expression that the listener becomes totally immersed in the story. I loved it.

fantastic
The Naxos recording is an excellent rendition of RIII.The characterization is rich and well done.Full of passion and rage, you don't need to see the actors to "see" the play.The scene with Anne is particularly good. ... Read more

Product Description

Between the release of Henry V in 1989 and Love's Labour's Lost in 2000, Kenneth Branagh directed eight major films in a wide variety of genres, ranging from film noir to horror to comedy, and continually startled audiences around the world with his audacious and energetic film style. Initially following in the footsteps of Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier, Branagh has placed himself among the small collection of actors who have transformed themselves into award-winning directors as well. In this, the first comprehensive English-language treatment of Branagh's feature films, Crowl delves deeply into the work of this bold artist, demonstrating the means by which Branagh manages to produce films that appeal to the general public even while treating texts and themes that are traditionally relegated to the realms of academic institutions and high art. As with Branagh's own work, readers cannot help but be entertained.

Customer Reviews (1)

Some valuable and interesting info, but also some sloppy editing/fact-checking
There is a lot of great information in this book, but I didn't give it more than 3 stars because even my first, casual glance through it yielded several errors that easily could (and should) have been caught in the editing process.

For example, this excerpt from page 114: "George Lucas had dangled before Branagh the part of Luke Skywalker in the second Star Wars trilogy, but he eventually decided to cast Ewan McGregor instead." I haven't SEEN the second Star Wars trilogy, yet even I know that Ewan McGregor played Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is mentioned more than once, so it's not a misprint. On page 119, the photo of the cast of A Midwinter's Tale is labeled incorrectly. Hetta Charnley is fourth from the left, not Julia Sawahla. The list goes on....

If you're using this book for any sort of serious research, or even a school report, double-check any suspicious "facts". ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. ... Read more

Product Description
Blending historical research and contemporary literary criticism, this fascinating look at one of Shakespeare's most famous plays explains how the playwright conceived and wrote Macbeth and brings to life a production of the play. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Comparative Drama, published by Comparative Drama on September 22, 2003. The length of the article is 978 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Samuel Crowl. Shakespeare at the Cineplex: The Kenneth Branagh Era.(Book Review)
Author: Robert C. Evans
Publication: Comparative Drama (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2003
Publisher: Comparative Drama
Volume: 37Issue: 3-4Page: 417(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Includes the complete script; stunning production stills; an exclusvie introduction and special chapter on the making of the film written by Branagh; behind-the-scene details on special effects, makeup, production design, casting, a bio of Mary Shelley and essay about the horror genre in literature and film by scholar Leonard Wolf. 185 illustrations, 80 in color.

The Newmarket Pictorial Moviebooks, official companions to films, large format (8 3/8 x 10 7/8), heavily illustrated throughout, with color photographs, details on the making of the film, background on the filmmakers and cast. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

the book
like the companion book to bram stoker's dracula, this book has pictures from the film and its set and costumes designs and the photos of the make-up in process. it also has the screenplay from the film with pictures to go along with the film. this is a perfect book for those who want a book on the film, the making of it, the screenplay and the story behind it and the story of its creator and other stories involving frankenstein.

GOOD GORE!
The story by Mary Shelling has made another big screen debut almost 60years later then the original one. They movies about the same oldfrankenstein getting loose in the village and terrorizing everyone onlythis is 20 times more gory! Changed a little bit for the better but all thesame a great horror movie. Frankenstein doesn't have the bolts coming outof his neck. Rated R: for graphic violence ... Read more

Product Description
Kenneth Branagh heads an outstanding cast in playing one of Shakespeare's strongest characters. The eighth production in the series of Shakespeare plays presented by Naxos AudioBooks in association with Cambridge University Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A bit over the top, but well done!
Stephens is a bit much as Richard (does he have to yell so often?) but thesupporting cast, with Michael York in a multitude of roles, Dame PeggyAshcroft as Margaret, Glenda Jackson as Lady Anne and Jeremy Brett as theEarl of Clarence (for once, the part is done right--Brett comes off asbelievable, not as a whiny brat as in many portrayals) is fantastic. Unabridged, as another reviewer noted, and digitally remastered, thisrecording is the best I've come across so far.Highly recommended!

Robert Stephens chews scenery magnificently
This is a terrific version of Shakespeare's play, starring Robert Stephens as the wicked King Richard in a deliciously "over the top" performance.Audio book lovers should take heed: this is the *unabridged*play, on three cassettes and clocking in at approximately four hours!Andindeed some of the more formal lamentation scenes do tend to grow tiresome(but that is a feature of the play and not the performers' fault); however,the vitality of the Richard scenes amply outweighs this.The supportingcast, including Glenda Jackson, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, and Cyril Cusack, isuniformly excellent, but top honors must go to Stephens.The recordedsound (digitally remastered from a 1967 recording) is very good.Highlyrecommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Much Underrated -A Backstage Classic
The book is basically the shooting script for Kenneth Branagh's film (called A Midwinter's Tale in the US), with photos and an informative introduction by Branagh. The film is sadly underrated -It got very little attention here in the US. The writing is clever and funny, and the exploration (exposé?) of the world of the out-of-work actor is frighteningly accurate. Both the book and the film are increasingly hard to find. Snap them up -You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Product Description
Among Shakespeare's plays, Hamlet is considered by many his masterpiece. Among actors, the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is considered the jewel in the crown of a triumphant theatrical career. Now Kenneth Branagh plays the leading role and co-directs a brillant ensemble performance. Three generations of legendary leading actors, many of whom first assembled for the Oscar-winning film Henry V, gather here to perform the rarely heard complete version of the play. This clear, subtly nuanced, stunning dramatization, presented by The Renaissance Theatre Company in association with BBC Broadcasting, features such luminaries as Sir John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson and Christopher Ravenscroft. It combines a full cast with stirring music and sound effects to bring this magnificent Shakespearen classic vividly to life. Revealing new riches with each listening, this production of Hamlet is an invaluable aid for students, teachers and all true lovers of Shakespeare -- a recording to be treasured for decades to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (201)

Hamlet is the greatest play ever written and the pinnacle of Western literary endeavor
Hamlet is the longest, most complicated and famous of Shakespeare's 39 plays. The role of Hamlet requires the actor to deliver 40% of the over 4,000 lines in the play. Shakespeare is the supreme playwright of the ages and Hamlet is the pinnacle of his dramatic genius.
Hamlet is haunted by the ghost of his father old Hamlet. The ghost is in purgatory; Hamlet has returned from study at Wittenberg University. The Ghost tells Hamlet to kill Claudius. Claudius murdered hisbrother old Hamlet and married his widow Gertrude. Hamlet renounces his lover Ophelia the daughter of Polonius an advisor to to King Claudius. Ophelia goes mad and drowns in the river as a suicide victim. Hamlet mistakenly kills Polonius thinking he is Claudius. Hamlet and Laertes fight a duel but each dies; Claudius and Gertrude also succumb to poison. The play ends with bodies littering the "prison of Denmark" as wasteland imagery abounds. Fortinbras and the Norwegian army seize Elsinore Castle.
This relatively simple plot of a revenge play is turned into a philosophical inquiry into such weighty subjects as Death; Family dynamics; the afterlife; incest; murder and love. No generation or actor can plum the full depths of Hamlet.
One thinks of the great lines:
To thine own self be true
Tis kind to be cruel
To be or not to be
words, words, words
the play's the thing
frailty thy name is woman
there is something rotten in the state of Denmark
all the rest is silence
The list of memorable words and the enigma of young intellectual Hamlet forced to act make this the play of the ages. Shakespeare is not easy to read or understand but knowing Hamlet is essential to everyone's cultural education.

You will be absorbed into the story
This really is "The Tragical History of Hamlet Prince of Denmark" and not only the Prince but also his family. Not only his family but his friends. The tragedy started in the previous generation. Will it end with Hamlet?

Many people are interested in dissecting underlying themes and read more into the characters actions than was probably intended. Many of phrases from Hamlet now challenge Bible for those popular quotes that no one remembers where they came from. The real fun is in just reading the story and as you find that it is not as foreign as you may have thought; you see many characters like these around you today.

A synopsis, Old Hamlet conquered Old Fortinbras seizing Fortinbras' land. Now that Old Hamlet is dead, Young Fortinbras wants his land back and is willing to take it by force. Meanwhile back in Dänemark Prince Hamlet who is excessively grieving the loss of his father, the king, gets an interesting insight from his father's ghost. Looks like Old Hamlet was a victim of a "murder most foul"; it appears his mother and uncle were in cahoots on the murder. On top of that they even get married before the funeral meats are cold.

The story is about Hamlet's vacillating as to what to do about his father's murder. However he does surprise many with his persistence and insight.

You will find many great movie presentations and imitations of the story; this is an intriguing read but was really meant to be watched.

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Middle aged and finally able to read Shakespeare
I cannot more highly recommend this particular book, No Fear Shakespeare's Hamlet.

I am approaching 50 years old and my only real experience trying to read Shakespeare was in high school where we were assigned roles in class and made to read, without comprehension, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Cesar.In the interim, I tried watching a few plays and dragged my kids to see the play Taming of the Shrew, which they hated because they couldn't understand the language nor the plot.Rather than becoming a Shakespeare hater, I've always felt inadequate and dumb for this huge hole in my education.

My current inspiration to try Shakespeare again was my desire to try and help my high school aged son become more educated and cultured than I have been.

I tried first with the Folger annotated editions of Shakespeare.They look excellent and define the unfamiliar words, but I still could not make sense of a substantial portion of the dialogue. I guess maybe I'm just dumb, I don't know.

Anyway, I saw good reviews about this No Fear series, and I ordered several.So far I have read the modern English translations of Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, and The Tempest.While I feel a bit like I'm 'cheating', I actually have really enjoyed all the plays and at least now I know the plots and the characters and even some of the more subtle themes. I can't answer the complaints that the translations don't adequately translate Shakespeare's meanings.There are a few side notes that point out double meanings and things like that, though there are not extensive footnotes or sidenotes.

To answer those who rate these books one or two stars, my answer is that they are at least a door into the world of Shakespeare for those of us unable to navigate the originals on our own.And they only take a couple of hours to read.It's not like this is a lifetime commitment or anything.The book only costs five bucks, so why not invest a couple of hours and read it?And, for me, I liked the plays so much that I AM now going to dig out the Folger editions and read the originals, with the No Fear books available in case I get in trouble.These modalities of trying to appreciate Shakespeare are not mutually exclusive.

Well, hopefully that's helpful to someone.I wanted to write this so that people would know that these books are not just for lazy students hoping to avoid reading the originals or somehow 'cheat' in their English classes.I'm not a Shakespeare scholar or teacher and never will be, just an ordinary guy, but for me, these books were the window of opportunity that I had been searching for. Two thumbs up, most definitely.

It harrows me with fear and wonder
"Hamlet" doesn't need any introduction -- the tortured Dane, the ghost, meditations on suicide and a climax full of death. But as well-known as the storyline is, the play itself is what deserves the attention, both for Shakespeare's shadowy plot filled with uncertainty and treachery -- and for his brilliant, immortal writing, which takes on a new dimension when read on the page.

Prince Hamlet of Denmark is understandably upset when, only a short time after his father's death, his mother Gertrude marries his uncle Claudius, who is now the new king. Who wouldn't be unhappy? But when Hamlet encounters the tormented ghost of his father ("I am thy father's spirit/Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night"), he learns that his dad was murdered by his uncle -- but he's plagued by indecision, since he's unsure if the spirit was truly his dad.

In response to this vision, Hamlet's behavior becomes more bizarre and erratic -- he dumps his girlfriend Ophelia, arranges a play that mimics real life a little too closely, and generally acts like a loon. But when an argument with his mother ends in tragedy -- and the death of one of Ophelia's loved ones -- Hamlet's fate is sealed as Claudius begins plotting to get rid of him too.

Small warning: like all Shakespeare's plays, it's best to read "Hamlet" after you've seen a good performance, because the entire thing was intended to be acted out. Otherwise, it's like reading a movie script to a movie you haven't seen -- easy to get lost, and the dramatic effects aren't easy to connect to.

But if you HAVE seen a good performance of "Hamlet," then the play will just jump off the page. The plot is a relatively simple one, but it's tangled up in all sorts of moral dilemmas, personal doubts, deteriorating personal relationships, and a creeping undercurrent of darkness. The best part is that Shakespeare leaves you with all sorts of questions that are left up in the air -- is Hamlet crazy or just faking it? Is the ghost really his dad?

And, of course, it contains some of the most intense, powerful examples of Shakespeare's work here -- vivid, nasty imagery ("In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love/Over the nasty sty"), some bleak humor ("you're a fishmonger"), and Hamlet's immortal soliloquies. It's also one of Shakespeare's most quotable plays -- obviously you've got bits like "Alas, poor Yorick," "to be or not to be" and "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," but there are countless other familiar phrases littered through the text.

On the page, Hamlet is basically an embittered young man who is torn between his doubts and convictions, but is still determined to fix things ("O cursed spite,/That ever I was born to set it right!"). A lot of the supporting cast are hard to follow, but there are some brilliant and enduring roles here -- the incestuous queen Gertrude, the subtle menace of Claudius, the windbag Laertes, and Ophelia, whose uncertainties spiral into madness after her ex-boyfriend kills her dad.

It's best to get a grip on this classic tragedy by watching an actual performance, but reading "Hamlet's" text is a vivid experience on its own. Brilliant, complex and intense.

It harrows me with fear and wonder
"Hamlet" doesn't need any introduction -- the tortured Dane, the ghost, meditations on suicide and a climax full of death. But as well-known as the storyline is, the play itself is what deserves the attention, both for Shakespeare's shadowy plot filled with uncertainty and treachery -- and for his brilliant, immortal writing, which takes on a new dimension when read on the page.

Prince Hamlet of Denmark is understandably upset when, only a short time after his father's death, his mother Gertrude marries his uncle Claudius, who is now the new king. Who wouldn't be unhappy? But when Hamlet encounters the tormented ghost of his father ("I am thy father's spirit/Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night"), he learns that his dad was murdered by his uncle -- but he's plagued by indecision, since he's unsure if the spirit was truly his dad.

In response to this vision, Hamlet's behavior becomes more bizarre and erratic -- he dumps his girlfriend Ophelia, arranges a play that mimics real life a little too closely, and generally acts like a loon. But when an argument with his mother ends in tragedy -- and the death of one of Ophelia's loved ones -- Hamlet's fate is sealed as Claudius begins plotting to get rid of him too.

Small warning: like all Shakespeare's plays, it's best to read "Hamlet" after you've seen a good performance, because the entire thing was intended to be acted out. Otherwise, it's like reading a movie script to a movie you haven't seen -- easy to get lost, and the dramatic effects aren't easy to connect to.

But if you HAVE seen a good performance of "Hamlet," then the play will just jump off the page. The plot is a relatively simple one, but it's tangled up in all sorts of moral dilemmas, personal doubts, deteriorating personal relationships, and a creeping undercurrent of darkness. The best part is that Shakespeare leaves you with all sorts of questions that are left up in the air -- is Hamlet crazy or just faking it? Is the ghost really his dad?

And, of course, it contains some of the most intense, powerful examples of Shakespeare's work here -- vivid, nasty imagery ("In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love/Over the nasty sty"), some bleak humor ("you're a fishmonger"), and Hamlet's immortal soliloquies. It's also one of Shakespeare's most quotable plays -- obviously you've got bits like "Alas, poor Yorick," "to be or not to be" and "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," but there are countless other familiar phrases littered through the text.

On the page, Hamlet is basically an embittered young man who is torn between his doubts and convictions, but is still determined to fix things ("O cursed spite,/That ever I was born to set it right!"). A lot of the supporting cast are hard to follow, but there are some brilliant and enduring roles here -- the incestuous queen Gertrude, the subtle menace of Claudius, the windbag Laertes, and Ophelia, whose uncertainties spiral into madness after her ex-boyfriend kills her dad.

It's best to get a grip on this classic tragedy by watching an actual performance, but reading "Hamlet's" text is a vivid experience on its own. Brilliant, complex and intense. ... Read more