Ghost scene

In version one, director Zeffirelli created a mood filled with suspense, empathy, and mystery. The ghost scene starts off in a very dark and gloomy castle. There is minimal lighting in this scene, which makes it eerie and almost dejecting. When the ghost appeared, Hamlet seemed very afraid and surprised that he was witnessing the spirit of his father. When Hamlet's father started to speak, viewers could tell that he was very passionate and angry with his murder and his wife marrying so quickly after. Although the ghost was very angry, he handled this emotion in a very calm way. Viewers could tell that he meant what he was saying based on how he was looking into the camera. Despite his bothered yet still tranquil father, Hamlet expressed his anger clearly. After receiving harsh news, he was pacing around with a sword as if he was ready to strike at something. This reaction was very important because it proves to viewers that Hamlet cared deeply about his dad. I think that the director was very smart to have the actors react the way they did and also how he only focused on the conversation between the two. He emphasized the importance of this conversation because he didn't add any music, props, or special effects that could distract the true emotion and meaning of the confrontation between them. 

In Branagh's version, the scene starts off with Hamlet and the guards amazed with the site of the father's spirit. Hamlet immediately jumps up and wants to follow it to see what his father wants or has to say. As Hamlet begins to follow his dad's spirit, there are voice overs of Hamlet speaking very quickly, along with intense music getting louder and faster. With all of this happening, the chase between the ghost and Hamlet gets more dramatic with the help of special effects. The director chose to add effects and overpowering music to create anticipation and suspense. I agree with this decision because it definitely brought more attention to the conversation the two were about to have. When Hamlet catches up to his father's ghost, the ghost begins to speak in a very deep, almost demonic voice. This is very different to the calm and collected ghost from the first version. As the conversation between father and son grows, flashbacks of his murder appear to make it clear to viewers of what had happened. This was a good touch to the scene because it shows how important those events are and it helps people have a better understanding. After receiving all the news, Hamlet throws himself on the ground and is very emotional, where in the first version, Hamlet expressed more anger than grief after the ghost leaves.  

In version three, viewers could immediately tell that this is the modernized interpretation of the book. To start off with, the setting took place in an apartment, where the ghost appears on Hamlet's balcony. Unlike any other version, Hamlet invites the ghost inside and does not show any sign of being scared. The conversation between the two is very dramatic because the ghost actually grabs Hamlet and gets close up to express what he has to say. I agree with the directors decision on this because it shows how passionate the ghost is. Also, the director does not use a lot of special effects throughout the scene, this is because he wanted to emphasize the importance of the dialogue between the father and son.