British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Hamlet at Elsinore

Synopsis
1964 television broadcast of the English/Danish co-production of the play which was filmed at Kronsberg Castle, Elsinore, Denmark. Christopher Plummer is Hamlet with a supporting cast that includes Michael Caine as Horatio, Donald Sutherland as Fortinbras and Lindsay Kemp as the Player Queen. Released on DVD in the USA by the BBC in October 2011.
Language
English
Country
Denmark; Great Britain
Medium
Television
Year of release
1964
Notes
First television play to be filmed entirely with outside-broadcast cameras on location in Kronsberg Castle, Elsinore, in co-operation with Danmarks Radio.

The BFI National Archive holds a complete tape record of the broadcast, plus 495ft (16mm) extracts: Hamlet meeting the Ghost and the ‘to be or not to be’ soliloquy (A3S1).

DVD released 2011, Region 1 only. Extras include a 90-minute conversation with Christopher Plummer recorded at the 2011 Sarasota Film Festival, where the restored video was first shown.
Subjects
Drama; Shakespeare
Keywords
Denmark; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Online availability

URI
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1164575/index.html

Credits

Director
Philip Saville
Producer
Peter Luke
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Richard Rodney Bennett
Costume
Olive Harris
Art Direction
Poul Arnt Thomsen
Cast
Alec Clunes 
Bill Wallis 
Charles Carson 
Christopher Plummer 
David Calderisi 
David Swift 
Donald Sutherland 
Dyson Lovell 
Jo Maxwell Muller 
Joby Blanshard 
June Tobin 
Lindsay Kemp 
Michael Caine 
Michael Goldie 
Peter Prowse 
Philip Locke 
Robert Shaw 
Roy Kinnear 
Steven Berkoff 
William Hobbs 

Distribution Formats

Type
DVD
Format
Region 1 NTSC
Price
$24.98
Availability
Sale
Duration/Size
165 minutes
Year
2011

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Name

Danmarks Radio

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Name

BoB

Email
bob@learningonscreen.ac.uk
Web
https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand External site opens in new window
Phone
020 3743 2345
Address
Learning on Screen - the British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council
330 Holborn Gate
1st Floor, Suite 120
London
WC1V 7QH
Notes
Formerly a service from BUFVC, British Universities Film & Video Council
Name

Paley Center for Media

Web
http://www.paleycenter.org/ External site opens in new window
Phone
(212) 621-6600
Address
25 West 52 Street
New York
New York
110019
USA
Notes
Formerly Museum of Television and Radio (MTR). The name changed in 2007.

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window
View this record on the Shakespeare site for additional details

Record Stats

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