"To Be or Not to Be"

      All four versions of the movie Hamlet seemed to interest me, although the "To Be or Not to Be" speech in Branaugh's Hamlet caught my attention a little more than the two others. The setting of Branaugh's Hamlet is set to be in front of a mirror. The mirror really brought the speech out and it showed that the speech had a lot of meaning to it.  He is talking out to himself, which means he sees his emotions and it shows the viewers how he is feeling while saying this speech.
      The setting of Almereyda's Hamlet is shown in a movie store, "Block Buster". This movie is more modern because it is taken place in a store rather than a dark place. This version caught my attention when he was strolling through the action section of the store. The televisions in the background are viewing dangerous, violent scenes of movies. The music in the background makes the scene feel more convincing and it darkens the mood of the speech.
      The setting of Oliver's Hamlet is filmed on top of rocks with a dagger in his hand. He is showing little emotions here and there, but not many. In my opinion, I did not like this version. It seems to make some viewers rather bored, than them feeling like they are understanding the meaning of this speech.  In this time of day, we are used to seeing colored movies, movies that have convincing background music, and movies that give us a strong feeling about the scene.
      The setting of  Zeffirelli's Hamlet by far blew my mind. It was so descriptive and the role was so well played that I loved it. Mel Gibson really showed a lot of emotion and made me convinced. The scene in a dark area and the lighting was perfect. He was talking to his father by his burial, while saying this speech. There are so many versions of this play because people act out it differently. It depends on the person and how they perform. Also, it depends on the director and how they want it done. Some want them to show little emotion, others want them to really express how they feel. I loved this version and it is by far the best. It shows so much emotion and its great!