Hamlet

Flicks with The Film Snob

Hamlet

Dec 22 2025 | 00:03:27

00:00 / 00:03:27

Show Notes

Many Russian artists have loved and celebrated Shakespeare. Grigoriy Kozintsev, one of the great directors of Soviet cinema, was among them. I had seen his King Lear, from 1971, and was impressed. But I recently watched his masterwork from 1964, seven years earlier: Hamlet. This time I’m more than just impressed. I think it’s one of the greatest Shakespeare films. The first thing that struck me about this epic treatment of Hamlet was the castle, a massive, awe-inspiring medieval hulk looming over the story like a dark bird of prey. The director chose the Ivangorod Fortress (built by Ivan the…

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