Discovering Hamlet

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A unique, behind-the-scenes look at Shakespeare’s great play. In 1988, rising star Kenneth Branagh played the Prince of Denmark for the first time. His guide through four weeks of rehearsals at England’s Birmingham Repertory Theatre: famed actor Derek Jacobi, "the best Hamlet of his generation" (New York Times). Watch what happens from the first dress rehearsal to the tension-filled opening night. Narrated by Patrick Stewart. 53 min (plus 3 ½ hrs of bonus materials), 2 DVDs, SDH, viewer’s guide.

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A unique, behind-the-scenes look at Shakespeare’s great play. In 1988, rising star Kenneth Branagh played the Prince of Denmark for the first time. His guide through four weeks of rehearsals at England’s Birmingham Repertory Theatre: famed actor Derek Jacobi, "the best Hamlet of his generation" (New York Times). Watch what happens from the first dress rehearsal to the tension-filled opening night. Narrated by Patrick Stewart. 53 min (plus 3 ½ hrs of bonus materials), 2 DVDs, SDH, viewer’s guide.
An Emmy®-winning star of stage and screen, Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius) has played some of the Bard’s most challenging parts in his 50-year career, including Hamlet, Prospero, Macbeth, and Lear.

Four-time Oscar® nominee Kenneth Branagh is a versatile actor, director, and writer famed for bringing Shakespeare to the silver screen in Hamlet, Henry V, and other films.

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Disc 1
Before helming his Oscar®-nominated film version of Hamlet, Kenneth Branagh first undertook the role in a 1988 stage production by the Renaissance Theatre Company. In this revealing documentary, Sir Derek Jacobi directs Branagh and a cast of British theatre heavyweights. Follow from rehearsals to opening night and get an insider’s look at the sometimes grueling but always rewarding process of bringing the Bard’s words to life.

The Cast
HamletKenneth Branagh
ClaudiusRichard Easton
GertrudeDearbhla Molloy
PoloniusEdward Jewesbury
HoratioRichard Clifford
OpheliaSophie Thompson
LaertesJay Villiers
RosencrantzDavid Parfitt
GuildensternJimmy Yuill
Stage DirectorDerek Jacobi
NarratorPatrick Stewart


Disc 2
BONUS DISC
  • Behind-the-scenes footage
  • Cast & crew interviews
  • Extended production interviews with Derek Jacobi
  • Bonus disc with behind-the-scenes footage, cast and crew interviews, and extended production interviews with Jacobi
  • Exclusive new interview with Derek Jacobi
  • 12-page viewer’s guide with an introduction by director Mark Olshaker, a history of the Renaissance Theatre Company, critical reactions to the production, and an article on Hamlet’s textual challenges.
  • Hamlets through the Ages profiles
  • Patrick Stewart biography
  • Cast biographies
  • Photo gallery
Packaging:Boxed set
Run Time:53 minutes, plus 3 hours 30 minutes of bonus programming
Format:Full screen (Widescreen for Derek Jacobi interview only)
Number of discs:2
Language:English
Subtitles:No
Color or B&W:Color
CC:No
SDH:Yes (bonus material may not be subtitled)
Region Code:1
Aspect Ratio:4:3 (16:9 for Derek Jacobi interview only)
Rating:NR
An Emmy®-winning star of stage and screen, Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius) has played some of the Bard’s most challenging parts in his 50-year career, including Hamlet, Prospero, Macbeth, and Lear.

Four-time Oscar® nominee Kenneth Branagh is a versatile actor, director, and writer famed for bringing Shakespeare to the silver screen in Hamlet, Henry V, and other films.