Hamlet

The prince of Denmark learns from his father's ghost that his uncle murdered him. This is the first film to put the entire play on screen without cutting a line; it runs past four hours. Kenneth Branagh directed and played Hamlet. Derek Jacobi is Claudius, Julie Christie is Gertrude and Kate Winslet is Ophelia. The small parts hold unusual names: Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston and Jack Lemmon. It was shot mostly at Shepperton Studios, with Blenheim Palace standing in for the exterior of Elsinore. It was photographed in 70mm and remained the last major dramatic feature shot entirely in that format until 2011. The reviews were very strong. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 95 percent; Roger Ebert gave it four stars and it was counted among the best Shakespeare adaptations on film. The box office was a disaster: 4,710,000 dollars domestically against an 18 million budget, largely because of the limited release. It took four Oscar nominations: adapted screenplay, art direction, costume design and Patrick Doyle's score. Who it is for: viewers who want Shakespeare complete and are ready for four hours. Who it is not for: anyone coming to the play cold. Nothing has been shortened, so the text does not wait for you.