Hamlet - To Be Or Not To Be - Mel Gibson

[MrRobertJameson]

Gibson was always a wooden actor, even before he turned into a mental racist Nazi.

I hope he will die of cancer like his mother.

[Drtomterrific]

I judge shakespearean actors by how well I can follow the train of thought in the soliloquies and dialogue. Whether I hear it as actual conversation and not just as poetry. . .

By that standard, Gibson is by far the best Hamlet I have seen. I remember the first time I saw this movie I was amazed that all those flowery speeches were actual conversations between people!

But then I got my first exposure to Shakespeare from Mad Magazine.

[ShayneThoman]

He does alright. I myself prefer Adam Sandler

[throwoutyourarms]

i'm actually quite shocked by this as i was expecting it to be terribly messy but this is the only version i've seen on youtube that honours the verse.

interesting that the responses below talk about it NOT sounding like poetry - watch this while reading the text and you will see that it is Shakespeare doing all the work for him.

[Tommo8540]

I really like this! I must be the only one who does not like David tennants i really did not feel the emotion in his at all.

[HumaneAnon]

The first line rolls off his tongue without that pretenious crap all the dramatists use. Very good.

It's just too bad he's a complete crackpot. And the rest is bs.

[gunnerboy661]

This is so bad XD

[drayofchilastra]

First performance of this piece which I have seen and believed. He isn't acting. He's empathizing. He's real.

[TheJayObrain]

You're all deluded...I think Gibson does it most realisticly, he plays Hamlet as someone who is actually depressed and mad at himself. Tennant recites it like poetry, barely showing much emotion throughout. Brannagh's average, standing infront of a mirror is not something Hamlet would do, When Brannagh gets the knife out it's not something hamlet would do, NOT YET! he wouldn't carry a knife he's too scared and frightened of death, angry at himself and Gibson gets that through perfectly

[jg2904]

@TheJayObrain Coming from someone who cannot even spell Branagh's name correctly, I sincerely doubt your knowledge of this play... But I'm sure you know SO much more about Shakespeare than people like Branagh, Tennant, and Olivier (who also wielded a knife during Act III, Scene 1) who've spent their lives devoted to the subject.

You can like Gibson's version just fine without being a patronizing dick about the other performances.

[BlackStarNinja1]

I really love how much emotion he puts into the monologue.

[sweeneydeppjr]

Sorry... but David Tennant makes this sound so perfect..

[KDzmitry]

Not to be, Gibson. Not to be.

[sashaioffine]

at moments, gibson was better, at times kenneth :)

[Musicis4ever2]

This is so much better than kenneth brannaghs- mel gibson walks around, actually acts and makes it seem natrual- kenneth stands there like he doesnt know what he is doing so he just says a ramdom monolouge for fun

[MrFarrux1]

Thanks been looking for this, appreciate it!

[Kadmos88]

Great Version

[vLinko777]

Jew Jew Jew Jew

[NestoriusAlpha]

Pith, pith, pith, not pitch!

[jagotiberan211]

@NestoriusAlpha In the second Quarto, it was "pitch", so he's not so much in error.

[NestoriusAlpha]

@NestoriusAlpha I guess. It certainly isnt worth quibbling over.

[gazebogrrl]

I thought it was clever that Hamlet makes this speech in the royal family mausoleum because the viewer can see why Hamlet makes this remarkable speech about life and death.

[PhoenixWormwood137]

This is a really good one.... forgive me when I say I don't know this actor, I was just a David Tennant fangirl wandering around YouTube trying to see if it was just my bias, or if David really was the best at this speech.

I still liked David's version better, but Kenneth's was NOT very good. No offense. This guy had emotion. Also, I liked the way he said "there's the rub," it was fresh and excellent.

I still like David's hesitance and his muted despair, but ... I'm a fangirl, what do I know :)

[labordayweekend]

@PhoenixWormwood137 You don't know Mel Gibson? He's much more famous than either Branagh or Tennant.

[PhoenixWormwood137]

@labordayweekend My ignorance is shocking isn't it :D I don't watch a whole lot of tv...

I only know Branagh cuz I've seen HP2, and my parents own a copy of his version of Henry V. And I just adore Doctor Who, so that's where I know Tennant from.

[labordayweekend]

@PhoenixWormwood137 Well, it's probably for the best you don't know Gibson. He turned into quite a racist and an all around bad person.

[jtoosph22]

Gibson delivers this as if he understands what he's actually saying....how effing refreshing.

[h311zdr4g0nz]

can someone pls tell me the location of this speech, is it in a basement or tomb or somethn like tht thnx, also, kenneth does it with more passion =]

[proud2bpagan]

@h311zdr4g0nz it's in the family crypt.

[pontemercy]

This is the tone I imagined Hamlet used when I first read the soliloquy. Gibson, however, lacks conviction. Branagh's seething, restrained performance was much more plausible and powerful. Listen to 2:11-2:19. Sounds like Gibson rehearsed those verses too many times. Cringe.

[CampanionCube]

Kenneth Branaugh does his thing and I respect it; but this seems so much more real and natural. Gibson > Branaugh imo

[InTheSticks0001]

For me, Gibson is the best and he is at his best. The others leave me cold. Why is that? If it means that I might be unsophiscated so be it! The actors are the messengers and these are Shakespeare's words. Gibson happens to deliver them the way I like it.

[casemanprice]

Kenneth Branaugh is so much better

[xXSnipesUrAssassinXx]

mainstream, dont like it



[hardlyplaying1]

Kenneth Branagh makes Mel Gibson look like a community college aspiring actor with his interpretation of Hamlet. By far Mr. Branagh is clearly the better actor.

[smuldia]

@hardlyplaying1 Branagh is a good actor but his delivery of this soliloquy is almost Shatnerian in its odd cadences. You don't need to embellish Shakespeare by making Hamlet speak like a lunatic.

[KateDzh]

I've watched though 5 versions of this soliloquy played by diff actors and this is the best one so far )

[abster419]

GAY

[ebm93nor]

gotta admit i prefer kenneth brannaghs

[macduffandfirstwitch]

Gibson just happens to be a very good actor.

[treid100182]

Brilliant

[MuscleDaddyCMH]

Well I will tell you one thing.....the way he says the first line without halting after "To be' and goes through like an actual natural thought makes me happy as hell.

[box1467]

He lets out his Aussie roots here.... proof it is from his heart.