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Royal Deceit | Year: 1994 Directed: - Gabriel Axel Actors/Actresses: - Christian Bale Definitely NOT Hollywood - I liked it. This is NOT Shakespeare's Hamlet prince of Denmark, but an attempt to get closer to the tale on which Hamlet was based (as written by Saxo Grammaticus). It suffers (if that's the word) from being quiet, thoughtful, introspective and shot on a human scale, in a pallette of muted colours. For those who want knights in armour and Schwarzenegger lookalikes takin' out da bad guyz wit da sword uv justiss, don't bother. The costumes are pretty accurate for the period, and despite the comments of one reviewer, armies at that time often actually were only a few score men. It's the SIXTH century, not the sixteenth! For those who would enjoy a serious attempt to present a slice of historical life, it will be a welcome change from the usual formulaic dross that normally fills your screens. Hamlet - NOT This isn't Shakespeare's Hamlet, but a film based on the tale that became Hamlet. Many things are good - a young Hamlet (18-ish Christian Bale), young, vibrant, powerful warrior king (30-ish Byrne), extensive scenes in England showing Hamlet becoming a hero (all off-stage in the play). And it ends happily - yeah!<BR>On the downside, it's set in rough-and-ready 6th century Denmark, which isn't that pretty to look at. The staging seems static and lifeless and it takes forever to get going. Once Hamlet wakes up, things start moving along to a satisfying end.<BR>The premise - great actors doing an early Hamlet with age-appropriate casting - sounds great, but somehow it just doesn't deliver. <BR>I'll rent this video, rather than buy it. Royal Defeat I agree with the reviewer who thought of this as a comedy. It really is kinda humorous. Certainly not what you would expect from "Hamlet". If you have low expectations and enjoy watching the usually talented cast- go ahead. The sauna scene is no big deal. Don't get your hopes up. The women are well padded; dimpling and all. The best scene is when Gabriel Byrne grins from ear to ear and looks real mental. He rarely grins in other films! Darnit. Buy Royal Deceit at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Royal Deceit Search with the Priority Search Engine on Royal Deceit This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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