The Fifteen Minute Hamlet (1995)

Shakespeare films Hamlet on a single reel then, after an initial screening, edits it down to the bare bones.

Director:

Todd Louiso

Writers:

Tom Stoppard (play), Michael Goldberg (screenplay),

Stars:

Austin Pendleton, Ernest Perry Jr., Philip Seymour Hoffman

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Austin Pendleton	...	Hamlet
Ernest Perry Jr.	...	Claudius / Polonius
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Bernardo / Horatio / Laertes (as Philip S. Hoffman)
Angie Phillips	...	Gertrude
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Francisco / Ghost / Gravedigger / Osric / Fortinbras
Todd Louiso	...	Ophelia
Anjul Nigam	...	The Courier
Tom Flowers	...	The Musician
Michael Goldberg	...	A Producer
Tommy Swerdlow	...	A King
Xander Berkeley	...	Shakespeare

Storyline

A tongue-in-cheek take on the film industry as if it existed in Elizabethan times. Director William Shakespeare shoots "Hamlet" in one reel, seemingly in one continuous take. When he screens this silly but accurate 15-minute version to a studio boss, he's told he needs to trim it down to make it more commercial. He begrudgingly does so, with surprising results...from the audience and himself.

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Plot Keywords:

shakespeare's hamlet | time in title | independent film | based on play | character name in title | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Company Credits

Production Co:

cin-ciné 19

Technical Specs

Runtime:

22 min

Sound Mix:

Soundelux

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Brilliant writing and acting!

You know how there are a few films or books you got to experience once but they've stayed with you ever after? This is one of those jewels.

Absolutely brilliant writing by the ever esteem-able Tom Stoppard, and the acting by the always solid Austin Pendleton merely enhances the piece.

This was my first exposure to Philip Seymour Hall, and his work herein really made me sit up and pay attention.

The entire premise is simply condensing Shakespeare's Hamlet into fifteen minutes. The first attempt had me rolling, but the second round of condensing Hamlet even further was so brilliant I just sat there with my mouth open.

This is SO worth releasing on DVD....pllllleeeeeaaaassseee?