Hamlet

Franco Zeffirelli's muscular adaptation of one of Shakespeare's most famous plays stars Mel Gibson as a strapping version of the famously ambivalent prince of Denmark, whose father was murdered by an uncle who then wed his mother (a mite swiftly: you may recall that those funeral meat leftovers were served at the wedding feast). Gibson's drive and emotional clarity find solid expression in Hamlet's growing bloodlust and intense feelings for his mother Gertrude (Glenn Close), a more forceful approach that somewhat belies traditional notions about the character's difficulties with direct action (and this becomes a virtue in Zeffirelli's streamlined interpretation, making this more accessible than other versions). The great supporting cast includes the late Alan Bates as Claudius, Ian Holm as Polonius, and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia. Presented in a very handsome widescreen transfer, with a solid Dolby Digital surround soundtrack, Hamlet debuts on DVD with a couple of fine extras: a 12-minute contemporary interview with Gibson called “Hamlet: An Actor's Journey,” in which the actor talks about the character (“the guy goes off his nut”); and “Mel Gibson: To Be or Not to Be,” a 51-minute “making of” that draws on Gibson's film journal shot during production. Definitely recommended. (T. Keogh)