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At the most optimistic, this silly video from Cat Head Theatre might get an otherwise uninterested person started (it.is.hoped) toward enjoyment of the literature by William Shakespeare and HAMLET, if not already.

But my favorite filmed performance of Shakespeare's HAMLET is by Franco Zefferelli, starring Mel Gibson as Hamlet, Glenn Close as Gertrude, Alan Bates as Claudius, Paul Scofield as The Ghost, Ian Holm as Polonius and Helen Bonham Carter as Ophelia. Ennio Morricone -- my favorite film composer -- provided the score.

Here's a comprehensive site about HAMLET by William Shakespeare.

And, here's a basic but quite reliable description of what the play is all about:

Once you get past the minor difficulties posed by the language, you'll probably enjoy "Hamlet" -- and not just for its action.

"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to look squarely at the stupidity, falsity and sham of everyday life, without laughing and without easy answers. In a world where things are not as they seem, Hamlet's genuineness, thoughtfulness, and sincerity make him special.

Hamlet is no saint. But unlike most of the other characters (and most people today), Hamlet chooses not to compromise with evil.

Until I viewed Zefferelli's rendition of HAMLET, I was unaware of Mel Gibson's full-fair dramatic abilities as a performer but full and utter this performance by Gibson is as Hamlet, perhaps his finest work in dramatic arts yet accomplished.

But the entire production is a substantial work of art and if anyone up to now has been dissuaded from reading or watching HAMLET performed, I highly encourage the viewing of Zefferelli's film, HAMLET.

About Morricone, he's set to compose the score for the upcoming film, THE UNTOUCHABLES: CAPONE RISING, in which Nicholas Cage is confirmed to star as Al Capone while younger in his life (this is a prequel to THE UNTOUCHABLES in which Capone was later in life).

Cage will reteam with "Snake Eyes" director Brian DePalma for the project, playing a younger version of the character made famous by Robert DeNiro. "Capone Rising" is a prequel to DePalma's 1987 classic "The Untouchables," and will revolve around the early dealings between Capone and Irish cop Jimmy Malone, a role that garnered an Oscar for Sean Connery.

And, as to that Jimmy Malone co-starring role, "...rumors continue to swirl that Sean Penn or Colin Farrell will be cast as the younger Connery..." If it's ruin that's the goal, they'll go with Penn and forego Farrell but if it's a great movie they're after, they'll sign Farrell as quickly as possible.

Enjoy the cats in the meantime.

Excellent article from Nikke Finke about the heroic Friday box office results for APOCALYPTO. The film is bloody (exceedingly so, but so was the actual Mayan culture that is re-enacted in this film, as was most if not all of early South and Central American civilizations and some of it still is), but it is an epic of a film. Literally, an epic work in cinematography by Dean Semler and film direction, particularly since Mel Gibson as Director brings to the screen such wonderful, unique performances from ordinary people of the real kind.

And, a great read is this excellent review article from yesterday by Kurt Loder, ""Apocalypto: Action Central".

As I wrote, it is epic, and an epic accomplishment, a benchmark accomplishment of digital cinematography. This is one film that begs for a secondary film about it's production experience -- I'd really enjoy viewing a film of Gibson and Semler creating and filming this (very large image popup).

Although -- back to the good news of today and press from yesterday -- Finke appeasingly relents to trendy insistence and mentions the "drunken anti-Semitic" phrase twice in one short spate -- at this point, perhaps it's obligatory:

UPDATE: Mel Wins Friday: #1 'Apocalypto' Bigger Opening Wkd Than 'Braveheart'...

...Today's (12/08/06 box office) result is exactly what Disney -- which had been under pressure to dump Mel's self-financed Mayan epic after his drunken anti-Semitic stumble -- was hoping for: that Gibson had become a brand name and that his The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart audiences would reward him with their moviegoing loyalty (and not hold his drunken anti-Semitic ranting against him). Interestingly, a Friday night AOL poll found just that: 76% of the 85,000+ respondents saying the scandal would not affect their decision to see Apocalypto. As it is, the studio's unusual marketing strategy for the movie -- placing Mel front and center in a series of TV ads -- was meant to appeal directly to this Gibson base. Also, because of the scandal surrounding Mel's arrest, his Apocalypto had almost instantaneous public awareness. As for its Oscar chances, there's little doubt that Hollywood's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members, known for holding grudges, will be judging Mel the man, and not Mel's movie. But the surprisingly good reviews, combined with the decent box office, could possibly, just possibly, cause the Oscar voters to take a look at Apocalypto on its own merits.

Impressive performance by Rudy Youngblood in APOCALYPTO (view larger) but the foremost winners of this production are Dean Semler, Cinematographer and Mel Gibson, Director.

Production stills from the Official APOCALYPTO website.

Related:

INTERVIEW: Talking Apocalypto with Mel Gibson and Co-Writer Farhad Safinia

"...'Apocalypto' arrives with a lot of baggage. Gibson -- an admitted alcoholic who denies being Anti-Semitic despite evidence to the contrary -- is kind of a marked man..."

Obviously, Roger Friedman had other things on his mind other than APOCALYPTO when he wrote his "review" of that film. At best, he at least reveals what's really occupying him, even if it (succinctly stated, above) is buried in the bowels of what he's wrought.

The article:

"'Apocalypto' Is More 'Mad Max' Than Mayan"

-- by Have-I-Told-You-I'm-Jewish-Roger-And-That-Mel-Gibson-Is-Anti-Semetic-Friedman

I have not yet seen APOCALYPTO but complaining about "blood" and "mastication" as does Friedman in the context of a depiction of the Mayan civilization's downfall and process of self-destruction is the equivalent of relishing in the-good-times-had-by-all-during-the-Holocaust: it's misplaced and bespeaks of a derisive subtext by whoever writes such messaging. My guess is that what Friedman is really bugged about is Mel Gibson and more than likely about Jesus Christ and that film Gibson made a while ago about Him.

APOCALYPTO cinematography by Dean Semler looks to be immensely well done (view larger file size of above image)...

To view more production stills, visit the Official Movie Website, APOCALYPTO.