Hamlets dilemma

I agree with Hamlet's decision to make sure that the ghost he saw was real and he wasn't hallucinating it. If he didn't wait then he could have taken the chance of killing an innocent man. The fact that Hamlet actually did wait he shows that he isn't crazy because he actually had self control on the way he wanted to kill Claudius. By seeing the reaction of Claudius after the mousetrap play, Hamlet made the right decision in eventually killing Claudius.

To be or not to be...............................................................................................................

Mel Gibson's to be or not to be speech was one of the best we saw. He says the famous speech inside of an underground tomb surrounded by dead bodies. This shows that he is seriously considering commiting suicide. The fact that there is no music shows how serious the speech is. If there was music it wouldnt really fit the rest of the setting. Certain lines that Gibson says are reinforced by his emotions and facial expressions.

   The second version is set up pretty well. The guy playing hamlet is facing a two way mirror and doesn't realize Claudius and Polonious are on the other side of it. He is in some sort of ballroom and it is very bright inside of the room. During the speech he puls out a knife and puts it to his throat as if he is going to kill himself right there. There isn't much music so that the actor can present the speech clearly. His emotions are basically the same throughout the speech besides the knife he pulls out.

   The modern version doesnt seem like much at first but the symbols around Hamlet explain the speech. He is walking through a blockbuster and isn't saying the speech but thinking it. He walks up and down the action aisle without picking a mivie symbolizing the fact that Hamlet fails to take immediate action against Claudius. The emotions expressed by Hamlet is basically the same mild sad tone throughout the whole speech.

   The black and white version was a little dramatic with Hamlet reciting the speech on the edge of the castle. It makes it seem as if Hamlet is ready to jump off at certain points. During the speech certain words are emphasized and he too pulls out a knife at some point in the speech. During the speech there is weird music and the waves are crashing high semmingly drawing Hamlet into the water.

  The arnold one was great. If the original Hamlet had the attitude of the terminator the story would be so much more entertaining. Arnold just picked up some outragous gun and starts blasting everyone away. In my opinion this is the best one of all!!

Hamlet: the first ghost scene

The first scene we watched with Mel Gibson as Hamlet Mel Gibson was perfect for the ghost scene. He expressed the right emotions at the right time andc really made the scene come out of the book. The ghost in the movie didn't really fit my picture of the book's version. He spoke too softly and looked really old. Even the descriptions of the ghost in the story are not how they are showed in the movie. There was some sort of music playing but it was very suttle. There was very little lighting to make the scene fit the whole movie. No special effects just Hamlet and King Hamlet talking. Director really didn't use visual elements.
  
   The second movie was very dramatic. The Hamlet in the movie was the complete opposite of how I pictured hamlet. The ghost was dressed as the book described but his facial expression was weird. He was staring into the distance and wasn't really convincing as ghost Hamlet. There were smoke machines and loud banging noises to intensify the talk between Hamlet and his father. There were flashbacks during the ghost scene which helped put a better picture in my head of what happened.

   Ethan Hawke was perfect for Hamlet. He was always sad and always mopey but he expressed emotions at the perfect time. The ghost wasn't that good but I like how the director gave him a napkin so he can show how he was poisoned. The lighting was basically normal, nothing to bright or too dark.

The Monsters are Due on Maple St.

What do you think Serling is saying?  Based on what we have studied so far do you agree with this statement?  Be sure to support your answer with evidence from literature, history, personal experience, etc.  Your answer should be a full paragraph (6-8 sentences).

 

Serling is sayin that people get too paranoid in crisis situations. As soon as something bad happens, Americans always want to blame somebody. We always want to see people pay for something even if they did not do it. I do agree with Serling's statement beacuse it has happened. My generation started it 9 years ago and it still goes on today with the 9/11 stereotypes. As soon as we found out who was responsible for 9/11 all of a sudden all muslim or people that looked slightly muslim or from the middle east were terrorists. Even now today people say that Osama Bin Laden must drive a cab or work at 7/11. It's a shame that our country stoops to that level but as Serling points out in a deperate time or when we are scared we will try to take other people out to make ourselves feel better.

Good Night and Good Luck

Do you agree or disagree with his sentiments?  Based on this speech, what do you believe Murrow would say about television today?   Would he be pleased or dismayed? 

 

I completely agree with Murrow's statements. He believed that television was just for entertainment back in the 50s. If he saw tv today he would be completely outraged. All tv is now is news and TMZ or access hollywood. All we care about is what famous people are doing or what movie or sporting event is on. We dont use tv for knowledge which is what it was made for.

"I never caleed him! Tituba,Tituba..."pg.1259

Abigail seems to always have an excuse or reason for something bad happening. And her reason or explanation is usually about getting someone else in trouble.