2/16/09
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Who best performs the "To be or not to be" soliloquy?
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I think Brangah's revision of the Chorus as a modern figure to introduce the story gives the film a different feel to watching Shakespeare, from a modern perspective while staying true to the eloquent language. Kenneth Branagh's portrayal of King Harry was very engaging and gave the King's character such a strong and fearless personality.
ReplyDeleteHenry’s sly proposal is important to note because it draws from his youth in the tavern, where he was silly, carefree and less responsible to the court. This scene takes the audience back to the days when Falstaff was Henry’s mentor and fun was his priority. In a sense, his old persona comes out in his proposal to Catherine. Indeed, Henry may be a powerful king in Henry V, but his actions around Catherine mirror his in actions from his younger days in Henry IV.
ReplyDeleteI definelty agree with Linz because Henry transforms into King very quickly. As a viewer it is hard to recognize that its the same person that was seen in the tavern with Falstaff earlier.
ReplyDeleteI think the actor who played King Henry V kind of creeped me out a little bit. Just whenever he would be speaking and the music would get more intense each and every time, it was a little weird for me. I liked how in the beginning how the narrator would set the scene for the viewing audience as if we were seeing it as a play within a theatre. The movie started out modern but then moved into the older setting that was during that particular time period.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh is off the wall, having seen his performance in Hamlet and now seeing this; he is incredible. This entire film was incredibly engaging and the battle scenes were epic. Linz is definitely correct in the assertion that his proposal to Catherine does mirror his younger self's actions. He seems much more carefree in that scene and more jovial.
ReplyDeleteWonderful performance done here from the actor playing Harry, depicting the blood thirsty ambitious king is key. It seems to me Harry has to make up for lost time from his past doing no good with Falstaff and crew. I love how in the movie Harry was faced with some conflicts that forced him back to the past, for instance when Bardolph was caught stealing some bread and Harry had to make an example of him, you could see Harry stop and think about all the times he spent with him. However, at that point in time, everyone knew that the old Harry was dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christian in the the portrayal of the chorus as a person not in the story but as someone who is able to watch from the sidelines. I think this gave the film the feel of actually watching the play as it would have been seen in the time of Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Nathan and Linz comments I completely agree. He does seems much more carefree like he was portrayed in the earlier movie. The last scene with Catherine almost felt like a completely different movie. His personality there resembles no similarities to the his personality throughout the entire film. However it was a nice way to end the film.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a good way to end the film. It shows that even though he is the King and is to be revered and honored. The audience knows that he still has some part of him that was carefree and jovial such as in the days of Falstaff. I think that is why the director put those scenes of the flashbacks in there. To either remind the audience of the Chimes at Midnight or to show someone that does not show much about Shakespeare that he did have a past that was not king-like
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments about the beginning of the film. I thought it was an interesting way to film the prologue. Especially since in the prologe are the words that the kingdom is the stage, and princes the actors.
ReplyDeleteOne of the motifs of Henry V is, I believe, that of ressurection or rebirth: of the new Henry, of the "son/sun," of England's claim to Frach of the the possibilities inherent in the proces of an heir from the union of Henry V and Cahterine of Valois, through which their son, Henry VI will be technically, King of both England and France.
ReplyDeleteI always respect directors who protray the squalor of war; it's not pretty and never clean. Branagh is correct in using Welles' depiction of the battle at Agincort as a model. Welles' direction of this scene demonstrated the chaos of a battle, as well as marking the reality that the conscripted men had little to fight with, lacking both proper weapons and skills.
I believe that the performance and the feel of the movie better caught my eye with the notation of the theater. It maintained being a modern type shakespeare film, but added some traditional play settings. I also think, and agree, that the scene with Catherine was a different character setting and emotion coming from him, but i think that if it was not in the film than we would have been left with a bitter taste about the movie. I am glad that we got to see this side of him.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the scene with Catherine seems to show us a piece of the old Hal, but in my mind it wasn't a good thing. I know this play comes from the same man who made us believe that Romeo and Juliet fell instantly in love, but throughout that whole scene I couldn't help thinking "Oh, come on!" Henry was just throwing sleezy lines at Catherine (that I imagine he used to use in his tavern days) and claiming he loved her when he'd never even met her. Maybe I'm being cynical, but it also didn't help that I didn't see any chemistry between the actors playing Henry and Catherine.
ReplyDeleteI think it's particularly interesting that we see this piece of the old Hal at the end of the play, considering how his soliloquies from Act 4 Scene 1 are so much like a soliloquy his father gives in part 2 of Henry IV (Act 3 Scene 1). This made me think that we were seeing a new Henry who was following in his father's footsteps, yet at the end he digresses slightly into his old self.
Kenneth Branaugh is a true Shakespearean actor. He makes it the play really authentic unlike Romeo and Juliet which crucified Shakespeare. The movie was well acted and the visuals and scenes contributed to the overall effect of the movie.So yeah this movie was pretty true to the play.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Linz. For my write up about Chimes At Midnight, I talked about how Hal (Henry) had to choose between his life of "partying" with Falstaff and becoming a "grown up", serious king. At the end of my write up, I concluded that he chose to grow up and be more serious, but after watching Henry V, I realized this wasn't the case. He still "savors" his youth as the note from France along with the tennis balls said. It was interesting to see how Henry still held onto his youth, and how he learned in which situations it was okay to be either youthful or serious.
ReplyDeleteI thought that Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job with his interpretation of this Shakespeare play. Being that the film was more modern, made it much easier to follow and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteBranagh in this movie tried to show the struggle of Henry in his life to not only give up his past, but also completely eliminate his past from his present life by allowing the execution or imprisonment of all his former drinking friends. These hard, gut-retching decisions in Henry as he is growing up to become king shows the struggles we all have in giving up our past and moving on to the future.
ReplyDeleteIn this film, Branagh has a very strong character. It is interesting how he, such a young king would lead his soldiers to the battlefield of many thousands. However, he still has the courage to fight with no fear of death. He put all his ability to God's will and seeks out the best for him and his country. He is a very powerful king.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that caught my attention in this film was was how at the end of the battle scene they find all the young boys have been killed at show a lot of sadness but then when they found out the numbers of dead on both sides and found out they won it was as if they had forgotten all about being upset about the fallen youth..
ReplyDeleteI think that this movie is an excellent example of how we change as we grow from men to boys. Even amdist the trials Henry goes through as king it is obvious that he lament the fact that he can never be carefree again. He accepts this fact for it is impossible to gain back innocence after it is lost. Once a man,showing fear is soething that is loooked down upon. Henery displays this capability with his corague to go into battle agianst overwhelming odds. I think that it is sad that the value of a man is judged by how desensitized to death he is.
ReplyDeleteThis film was enticing because of Henry the Fifth’s ability to control the audience with his emotions. The night before the battle he wore a cloak and assumed the position of a man in his army. As he sat around the fire, he began to learn insight into the thought process of men in his army. After hearing their stories of fearing for their lives and losing their families, you could definitely see a change in his personality and his feelings towards the battle.
ReplyDeleteI was really interested at the changes that occured with Henry V. We see flashbacks of Hal that contrast the actions of King Henry. I was especially torn when Bardolph was hung. On one side he used to be a close friend of Henry's, but if he hadn't put him to death then he would appear weak and show disregard for his own rules. At the end it was nice to see that he was still a boy at heart when he was wooing Catherine.
ReplyDeleteI think that the story is told better and is easier to keep up on with a faster pace than the previous Shakespeare movies we’ve watched in the past in class. I particularly like the scene after the battle, when Henry carries a dead boy off the field, through the scene of carnage where the muddy puddles are red with blood, passing a group of three French princes, one dead, kneeling in a way that refers to a pieta.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jennifer and LNM- Branagh did an excellent job in his character. It really shows his true understanding of Shakespeare and his ability to portray his character on film.
ReplyDeleteSomber, gray, and bearing, Branagh's Henry V is a muddy, bloody affair more interested in the complexities of the king himself than in his historic defeat of the French. The visual and verbal styles of the film are very gritty, particularly with respect to the Battle of Agincourt. The film is largely composed of close ups of its characters, rather than wide angle shots emphasizing the grandly political scale of the events at hand. The only shot of the latter nature is the remarkable tracking sequence that follows Henry across the field of Agincourt, carrying a dead boy over his shoulder and picking his way through the countless died bodies.
ReplyDeleteI could not believe the things king henry would do to keep the stability in his position. He backstabbed so many of his friends, and people. He started off the beginning of the film portrayed as a good leader, but he turned into a bad man, with careless morals.
ReplyDeleteBranaugh was very impressive in this film. Not only did he nail the role as Henry, but I also think he did a great job in directing. His speech before the battle comes to mind when I think him. Not only does he do a good job in acting, but also did a great job with the camera. He puts the camera in the crowd of men as if you are listening to this speech and ready to go to battle with these men. Then the camera moves with the excited Branaugh, as if you feel as excited about it as him.
ReplyDeleteThe battle scene in this movie is epic and displays what this time period actually went through in battle; Henry won the battle over the strong, proud France and will get to marry his love Catherine and their child will become the King of France and unite the two countries. This movie had it all; war, passion, friendship, family, respect, but most of all love, love for Henry’s country, love for the thrown, and love for a women.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part to me was comparing the reading campfire scene from the book to visualizing how it took place on film. In the film Henry is very robust and emotional and then in the campfire scene he seems much more calm, even when he was arguing with the couple of soldiers. In the book it felt more like he was agitated about the soldiers questioning the king's decisions.
ReplyDeleteI think the speech Henry gives before the final battle is one of the most inspirational speeches I have ever heard.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robbie G said about the "most inspirational speeches I have ever heard." The speech showed that king was one of them . Also got them fired up that if they died that there would be a day remembered about them in England and it would become a famous story. I loved the movie had the story and best of all a cool fight scene.
ReplyDeleteAs said earlier, Henry V changes completely at the end of the play. When he assumes the role of a soldier, he really starts to realize how lowly his soldiers feel. Because of this, he is able to give that amazing speech at the end, and motivate his troops through the fight.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branaghs Henry V
ReplyDeleteOnce again Kenneth Branaghs does an amazing job in portraying his character in this play. I really like the battle scenes because they did not take up epics lengths and bore me. I liked how the narrator would first introduce the scene to the audience. I really like how in the movie Harry was faced with some intense conflicts and made him go back to his past. Like the time he was caught stealing some bread.
I can agree that this was an interesting play. The battle was pretty exciting but I did not really like king Henry. Overall I was engaged most of the time and I am impressed about that.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I liked the play write better itself. I agree that the movie was engaging during the war scene, but my imagination did me better justice than Branaghs version. I did like the character of King Henry though, and his strength but personally my imagination was my preference this time.
ReplyDeleteIn response to CJL, Christian Bale was Demetrious in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Kenneth Branagh played King Henry. And yes those battle scenes were a little rustic for the modern viewer but then again this is from around when many of us were born. I thought that Branagh was great but I was a little peeved that there were only really two scenes with Emma Thompson and she was speaking french for most of them. Those two actors work really well off each other, making it understandable that they were both in Much Ado About Nothing. Overall I thought the movie was good, but could have used a shorter battle scene.
ReplyDeleteUsually whenever a movis is made outof a shakespeare play, it is easier to understnd than reading the dialogue on paper however, I did not find this film to be that way. I found that it do help me to better understand the play any better than reading it myself in the book. I was very disapointed in this. I usually look to the movie to help me get a better idea of the theme and mood of the play when they are acted out in the screen.
ReplyDeletecmh
I thought the movie was very well done. I am very anti-violence, so I of course did not like the bloody battle, but the rest of the film was great. The acting was wonderful as well as the setting and costuming. I also felt that the orchestra added to the film. Overall I would say the film was adapted very well.
ReplyDeleteOriginally, when I read the selected text from this play, I found it to be quite confusing and I wasn't sure I would be able to follow the film version much better. But I have to say that Kenneth Branagh's interpretation of King Henry V may be my favorite interpretation of a Shakespearian character thus far. Not the film, but the character of Henry. Branagh portrayed a man who truly loved and cared for his people. He showed mercy when others thought it was undue, and he genuinely cared what his people thought of him. This can be seen in a scene before the big battle when he goes out to speak with his troops whie under "disguise", while his disguise was really darkness. I agree with ChemGirl that Emma Thompson should have been in more scenes, she is such a wonderful actress. While CJL found the battle scene to be sloppy and unorganized, I found it to be appropriate given the time period. Overall, I was surprised at how much I loved Branagh's version of Henry. His speech before the big battle gave me chills, and I can now relate that famous speech to modern movies where it is quoted.."We few, we happy few...".
ReplyDeleteI found the acting in Henry V to be very persuading. Branagh version of Shakespeare's play was very captivating. Branagh kept the movie at very fast tempo keeping me on the edge of my seat.
ReplyDeleteTo Amandurz
ReplyDeleteI think that the fighting scenes were really well done considering when this movie was made. They did a really good job at keeping this movie to the era of when it was written and what was going on. I didn't like chorus in the beginning and how it was telling you to use your imagination. I think its better when they just describe and try to get you to use your imagination yourself.
I agree that the narrator set up the scene for the audience in a good manner to let us know what's going on. But at the same time I feel that it cut out of the flow of the film because then it brought you back to our time.
ReplyDeleteThis movie showed true heroism. The king had such a great influence of persistence. He showed all great characteristics of being a leader. I can truly say it was a very strong movie that was able to give off emotions and fill you with compassion. I can also agree that the narrator was a great addition to the play. He added that outside perspective of the characters roles somewhat molding the story for it to all come together.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very interesting I thought but I'm not sure if I like how it was shot so dark. I know that it was portraying a dark time for these two countries but I thought that there could have been a better way to portray that.
ReplyDeleteThe speech before the Battle of Agincourt was the highlight of the movie in my opinion!It was cool to see young Chrisrtian Bale too!
ReplyDeleteThis film was interesting, but not as entertaining as the other films. But I believe that was because it was somewhat corny at times. I thought Branagh did a great job directing the film and the addition of the narrator was very benefial for the overall feel of the film. It was easier to follow with the narration.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the prologue from this movie most of all. I think that the director set up the battle scenes very nicely and it made it easier going back and reading the play after watching this movie. I defiantly understood it much better. The movie also portrayed Henry very well.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main differences that I have noticed between Henry V and the two other Shakespeare plays that we have read was the use of imagination in this play. As you know before every scene there is a prologue that explains what I happening and urges the audience to use imagination. The main thing that struck me in these prologues was the use of language to help picture what was truly happening in this scene
ReplyDeleteI did not uderstand most of this movie. I thought it was very confusing and it did not do a good job of helping the audience visualize i feel like Branagh was trying to be something with this work and it just seemed kinda corny with what was going on in certain situations.
ReplyDeleteI found the prologue and beginning of the movie to be very interesting and the speech Henry V gives before the battle was very motivational
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching this movie. i felt like it was really authentic and in the time as others also felt. I also agree with others when they say it was confusing and hard to understand. Overall it was not my favorite movie to watch, but it was interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe Chorus does a very good job in the beginning of the movie of setting the scene. He convinces the audience that they are about to view a historical epic
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the story of the king that had to earn his place within the kingdom. I liked the story that Shakespeare wrote better than the movie.
ReplyDeleteHenry V was a great movie. Kenneth Branagh did an excellent job as Henry. He was able to convey all of Henry V's traits on the big screen. Kenneth was able to reproduce the Feast Of St. Crispian's Day speech with such energy that it even made the audience ready to fight.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like this movie and I didn't like the way the actors portrayed the characters Shakespeare created. I enjoyed reading the play more than watching the movie, this could have been because I wasn't a big fan of the plot in general but on the screen it was just action after action and I didn't see the complexity that Shakespeare usually brings to his work.
ReplyDeleteI liked the play version better than the film. I did not feel that connected to the characters in the film as I did in the play.
ReplyDeleteI think Kenneth Branagh always does a great job in his Shakespearean movies and this was no exception. I have always wondered why he is always in movies based off of Shakespeare, I guess he is just really interested in the entire culture o it. He always doesa good job portraying the characters like they are in the original scripts, allthough almost all his characters feel the same to me
ReplyDeleteI found this film to be hard to follow at the beginning, yet once I got into it and began to understand what was going on, I really enjoyed it. I thought the director really allowed the viewers to understand the actors emotions, and overall, a very good rendition of a Shakespeare classic.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Garrett that it was almost as if watching Henry transition from being a boy to a man. Though in this case it is obviously more dramatic than in a modern scenario, it represents how he leaves behind his rebellious ways and matures.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed this movie up until the end. The battle scene was intense and gruesome and Henry V speech was overwhelming, but the actors did a great job and even though I don't like violent movies, I like how the underdog won in the end. I thought the movie was going to end there and I would have been pleased, but I didn't like the cheesy love scene included at the end.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was cool that Branagh not only directed the movie, but played Henry V as well. He obviously knew that he would be great for the part, and he did an amazing job portraying his idea of Henry V.
ReplyDeletevery powerful film. Branagh time and time again shows his master craft for making shakespeare movies. it was really well done. he acted the part very well. i thought his adaptation was great. it was an all around good film
ReplyDeleteBranagh does a amazing job with this play. The way his character changes throughout the play is radical. I like how he descised himself and walked around to his soldiers to ask them what they thought of the war. He found out alot of them were down and not to passionate about being there. So he prayed to God to give him a new way of reaching out to the men. The next mourning before battle his speech was quite powerful and persuasive.He basically got what he wanted and he got to marry the French Kings daughter at last. Good movie.
ReplyDeleteI think that Henry's St. Crispin's Day Speech was what gave the English the push they needed to be victorious. Despite the odds being out numbered five to one by the French, Henry expressed that he had faith in them and that they should have pride in themselves too. He persuaded them to change their spirits, and go in and give it all they have. He gave them a little incentive by saying the less numbers in men equals the more glory and pride that will be honored to them when they win. This speech was powerful and ultimately led them to their victory.
ReplyDeleteJSR
ReplyDeleteI dont think Branagh did a good job of portraying how Henry's morals changed. He didn't make it very clear. For example, he showed Henry betraying his friends when he became king, but i think he could have done a better job of making it more obvious.
At the end of the last battle Henry carried a young boy who had been killed to a cart where he would later be buried. How many kings would have done the same thing? I think that Branagh portrayed a very compassionate king in that last scene.
ReplyDeleteThis film did not catch my interest at all. I am not a fan of war so I could not relate. The film was boring. The scenes, the action, etc.. was bland. So overall, I did not enjoy the movie.
ReplyDeleteOne part of this movie that I really liked was when Henry put his hood up and went to talk to his troops. He really cared what they thought and wanted to address concerns that they would not have brought up to their king. The ending seemed really random however. It was funny, but hearing Henry tell Katherine how much he loved her even though he didn't even know her takes away from all of his noble acts earlier in the film. I thought that it was funny that so many people from harry potter were in it. It distracted me a little, and because I was not familiar with the historical plays, I was really sad when Hagrid died.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was way too slow for me. The best part was the ending. It wasn't the most amazing battle scene ever, but still entertaining. I thought the film was going to end like 3 different times, but then it just kept dragging on..blah blah blah. However, I've never read the actual play so it might have been a pretty accurate adaptation of the play.
ReplyDeleteI dont know if it was Shakespeare's intension or Branagh's but Henry V seemed to embody all of the characteristics a King should have. He is a strong fighter and brave because he not only survived the battle but was on the field with the other soldiers fighting side by side. He bled for them and his country. But not only was he a fighter, he was a humble King who cared about his soldiers. Branagh has Henry dressed in a long black coat, eavesdropping on his men the night before the battle. Henry is intently listening to their remarks about their feelings about the battle. He tried to reassure the men the king's point of view and with the information he gathered, he was able to give a remarkable, spirit lifting speech. He was humble because he cared but he was also a bit of a romantic. When negotiating the exchange of the princess to be Henry's prize and bride, Henry truly want to know if she loved him because he, indeed, loved her back. He was sweet and kind to her. Bravery, courage, kindness and caring are the main qualities every King should hold and I believe Branagh portrayed that sort of king in Henry V.
ReplyDeleteI think Henry V was an interesting movie. It was not as good as Romeo and Juliet. It does do a lot of foreshadowing for the future. I think Henry is too immature to handle being king. He is wrapped up in Catherine and he is not fully mature. He demonstrated his immaturity throughout the movie. Henry showed that he has the potential to be a great leader during war, but I think in the long run, it will be his downfall. I also think it was absurd he took all of those men to war and had all of those people killed for a very self fish reason. Karma will definitely come around to him and I do not think his term as king will be a good one.
ReplyDeleteI found the movie interesting but there were definitely parts where I got lost. The movie was clear enough for me to see that Henry made some very rash decisions that portrayed his immaturity. I thought he had great potential as a leader but he lets his own desires get in the way of what is best for his people.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film. Kenneth Branagh is a wonderful actor and brought some life to the character. A particular scene that stands out in my mind is when Henry is forced to choose his duty as King over his old friendship with Bardolph. The scene shows the sacrifice that Henry must make while the flashback provides a reminder to what Henry used to be and must give up completely. Gone are his carefree days, he is now the King who is forced to make tough decisions. I thought that the scene was important in showing Henry’s evolution from a young man with no responsibilities to someone in charge of a man’s fate.
ReplyDeleteThis film was very hard to enjoy it was exteremly long and it did that Lord of The Rings Return of The King thing were you think the film is going to end but it just keeps on going and it happens about 6 times. It was also very dissapointed by the battle scene there was all this hype and build up to this epic clash and it looked exteremly fake and cheesey. It was very poorly cherographed. The only thing that really impressed me were the costumes that the actors wore i thought they reflected the timeframe very accurately.
ReplyDelete-Edward
This film was a very long tedius storyline. I was confused at times about the war, and actually who was fighting with who. I also didnt understand at first if i thought Henry was a good king, or an evil king. I felt he was rude to his frieds of the past, and did some really harmful things to them. I wish this movie cut out some scenes to make it more eay to understand. By the end of the war scene, i was done watching this movie, but yet it continued to go on. I got the point of Henry growing into this powerful king, and how much blood shed happened in war, but i didnt need such a detailed history afterwards of it,for i didnt care too much for this film.
ReplyDeleteThis film was a very long tedius storyline. I was confused at times about the war, and actually who was fighting with who. I also didnt understand at first if i thought Henry was a good king, or an evil king. I felt he was rude to his frieds of the past, and did some really harmful things to them. I wish this movie cut out some scenes to make it more eay to understand. By the end of the war scene, i was done watching this movie, but yet it continued to go on. I got the point of Henry growing into this powerful king, and how much blood shed happened in war, but i didnt need such a detailed history afterwards of it,for i didnt care too much for this film.
ReplyDeletethis film made this play much easier fr me to understand. not only because i had an obvious visual but because there was so much emotion captured in the character of Henry V. what i did not like about the film was that it was very long and there were a good handful of parts that lost my attention. overall it was an okay film, long but saw a few layers of Henry a little better.
ReplyDeleteNicole R
the action of war carried this story along and kept me interested. I was expecting a little more from the battle scenes but was overall impressed.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I didn't really enjoy the movie. I don't really like war movies all that much so i wasn't very interested in all of the battle scenes that seemed to go on forever.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I thought that this movie was very accurate, especially with the wars scenes,it was not my favorite film. I found parts of it to be very moving, including Henry's speeches and the challenges he faces with his old friends.I liked how the film had a narrator that way it added a more play like touch to it; however, the film was very confusing from the beginning and by the time you get into it the outline of the story is very fuzzy.
ReplyDeleteThe music was very well done, I loved how intense it was and how it showed how serious and somber it was at this point and time. The music became motivational and uplifting during the times of Henry's speeches which also uplifts the audience and gives them hope about what is to come in the next scene.
Though this movie was good, it was not my favorite. I liked that Henry was able to give motivating speaches and really connect with his soilders, ultimately leading to them winning in the battle against the French. Yet it hurt me that some of those which he used to have close relationships with, he had to abandon to prove his seriousness in defense and loyalty to the country, yet this is in the script and not the portrayal of it, so I cannot really complain of this. Still, the film was not really captivating to me. The movie was decent, but just not of particular intrest to me. It started out almost dark and dreary, and didn't really pick up from there, just overwhelmed with sadness and battle.
ReplyDeleteHaving music, unlike what Shakespeare had in his plays, I found the most significant scene to be inspirational when King Henry V made his speech to the troops. King Henry’s troops were out numbered five to one. The violin plays as King Henry gives about a three-minute speech, and as the enthusiasm builds, so does the music. Having King Henry’s troops being out numbered, I anticipated a victory from France, but with the use of music and Henry’s speech I felt hope for their troops, and saw a chance. I’m sure this is what the director was shooting for. The speech ends and the soldiers are motivated and the music in the background is dramatic. I enjoyed watching this epic battle with the music, and it was great to see the underdogs win.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHarrison 33
ReplyDeleteWhat I really enjoyed most about this film was how the director used sound to relay certain emotions or feelings from the audience. One such scene being the opening itself; in which the narrator leads us into the story in a very strong, forthwith, commanding voice. The voice and tone he used is one that is certain to catch a viewer’s attention. Then almost immediately following we go to two men speaking very softly of Henry V and how they desire him to start a foreign war. This tactic was most definitely used to pull a viewer in and get them into the film. The director again does this when Henry V is giving his great motivational speech to his men minutes from the great battle. Henry V uses many tools and schemes in order to inspire his men to wage battle alongside him. He speaks almost boldly, very confident that no matter the result of the eminent battle each and every man beside him will be remembered for the rest of time. He uses a very projective voice, one full of hope, belief that no matter what happens they are doing the right thing. In the end when speaking to the princess Catherine, the director has Henry V speak in a way that seems almost wistful; hopeful of something that he himself has no control over. It’s almost amusing in a way how he is speaking to Catherine, like a man in love and one that is hoping with every ounce of his being that this one woman will accept his hand in marriage. In the end I feel it was the use of sound and silence that really pulled me into the film and allowed me to follow with an enthusiastic attitude.
The movie was a great of the Shakespeare that have been made, i really liked the prologue, i thought the intimacy with the crowd was great.
ReplyDeleteLike others have said, Henry V being a war movie with a ton of politics involved was not exactly my favorite Shakespeare film. However, I thought Branagh did an fantastic job portraying the many facets of Henry V. He was part diplomat, leader, part tyrant, and part charming rogue (especially when he was putting the moves on Catherine during the last scenes of the film.) But I think my favorite part was Derek Jacobi performing the Prologue. I loved how intense and passionate he became when he was interacting with the audience.
ReplyDelete-GMW
I thought, overall, the movie was well done. However, I felt the war scene at the end was a little to long and overdone. In the actual play, their would not have been a way to show such a long played out war scene. That is what the purpose of the chorus is, to instruct us to use our imagination. In addition, I thought the scenes with Katherine was unnecessary. Although it was entertaining to watch her learn English, it wasn't an important scene.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge medieval fan, I did not know much of King Henry V before I saw Kenneth Branagh's version of Henry V, but now it has become one of my favorite Shakespeare plays.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed that the role of Chrous was kept who apologizes for trying to encompass so large a story on a meager stage...that's the point of movies: no suspended disbelief from the staging required.
ReplyDeletei did not like this film. i do not like medieval movies or anything thought so this might be a biased opinion. i also have trouble understanding shakespeare plays and ithought this was confusing at points. but on a good note i did think this film was engaging because ofi ts fast pace.
ReplyDeleteI loved the transformation the young king had to make. It was a good movie was some good action. I feel Shakespeare was trying to show that it is human instinct to either step up to the occasion or die. In this case the Young Branagh steped up.
ReplyDeleteI actually really enjoyed this movie in class. I really like how Henry V questions his actions and the responsibilities of them. One of my favorite scenes in all of Shakespeare's plays is when he realizes that if they lose the battle it will be the responsibility and fault of the king but if he wins the war, he will have all the glory and honor.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the battle scene being too long, Branagh drags out this particular scene to where the audience is not even engaged in it anymore. However, I do think that Branagh's passion for Shakespearean plays is extremely visible through his acting.
ReplyDeleteI felt that this was one of the more boring plays that we saw. Even though the actor playing Henry V did a good job there wasn't much support around him to really interest me.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a lot of the Shakespeare plays that Kenneth Branagh has adapted onto film but Henry V is my favorite. Branagh's dedication to the role stounds out and makes it a very intense and emotional at points. Although some scenes can drag on at points, it is saved his admirable dedication to the role.
ReplyDeletethe film was inspiring,The tone King Harry carried throughout the film was a tone that showed his strength and courage, even though at times even he himself doubted the outcome. When King Harry disguised himself as one of his men the night before the final battle, he wondered through the camp to see how his men were feeling about fighting the French’s army of thousands. He put himself in the shoes of the men to level out their ranking. That showed true leadership and character
ReplyDeleteThis film was definitely one of my favorites of the ones that we've watched in class. The portrayel of King Henry was done very well as you can tell. The actor just had so much intensity and ferocity in his words it was hard to believe he was just acting. The first demonstration of this in my eyes was when he found out about the traitors in his close group. He threatens them with such power and dominance which really set up the rest of the movie for me. Also, when he goes around to his troops disguised as one of the other soldiers to try to boost morale was one of my favorite scenes, as well as the battle scene at the end.
ReplyDeleteTo me henry V wasn't my favorite movie we watched all semester, but i do have to give credit to Kenneth Branagh for putting together such a good movie. Of course it didn't interest me at all times, but i believe the costumes, settings, and attempt to keep Shakespeare's true meaning of the play evident is what made this movie great. I believe Kenneth Branagh is not only a great director, but he has shown time and time again, that he respects authors work such as Shakespeare, and when he takes a story, he plans on making it the best he possibly can.
ReplyDeleteI was not a fan of this film. This play is far too wordy, in my opinion, for a film adaptation. I can see how this play would be a fit for the stage, but i feel that more lines should have been eliminated in order to make this film more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh plays King Henry V with amazing vigor. I like how he portrays the transition that Henry undergoes, from a young and and self indulgent nobleman with a group of questionable company, to a king who is forced to make decisions that will effect the fates of a nation of people. Watching that change through the flashbacks that Branagh use, along with his own zeal in some of the action scenes make this film enjoyable to watch.
ReplyDeleteIn Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V, he very well depicts the strong emotion and depth of the play on film. The battle at Agincourt was a very moving and emotional part of the play and movie. The surviving soldiers from each side collect their dead from the battlefield for burial is a vivid depiction of the tragedy of war. The exquisite acting and life given to Shakespeare’s words when he exclaims 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...', delivered by Branagh had such eloquence and intensity. I feel that the movie perfectly captured the essence of war, drama, love, and triumph that is in the play.
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 rendition of Shakespeare’s famous history, I have to say the attributes of accuracy and especially boredom come in. The previous play we watched was Romeo + Juliet, which I believed provided a stark contrast to the Henry V movie. Branagh tried very hard to make the movie as accurate as possible, and went about creating a film that lacked the excitement that was placed upon the viewers of Romeo + Juliet. Henry the V as a story is very compelling and exciting. To myself particularly, I found this interesting because of the fact that I am interested in political relations and war. But Branagh really screwed up in translating the words into images, his sets seemed dull and the dialogue was unnatural to the actors. Contrary to this, I found the actors in Romeo + Juliet did a great job of delivering the dialogue as effortlessly as the original actors of Shakespeare plays in 1500’s London. Also, I was bored while watching the movie because of the length. I think that the material in this film was much less dense as the previous films we watched in class so it was much harder to follow. There were 3 or 4 times that the movie could easily have ended but it was so drawn out that you couldn’t possibly have easily followed it. For a movie, the story was too complex, and the actors were not the best. All of these reasons support me in saying that this film was not the best Shakespeare movie out there.
ReplyDeleteI did not care for this version of HenryV. I found myself getting lost in the plot and often confused of what was going on. I think this is one film that an individual would benefit a lot from reading the play before watching the movie.
ReplyDeleteOver the course of this class the Branagh films became the easiest to watch and enjoy. Maybe it was just getting used to seeing his face in the Shakespearean era but the stories just became easier to follow. I think that holds true for most movies. If you have a character you can identify with then you have a better chance of enjoying the movie experience.
ReplyDeleteThis film was very confusing i had very little background knowledge to what was going on in this film, i felt the film skipped around a lot and i was also disappointed with the props and choreography that took place during the climatic battle scene that had so much build up for it.
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoy this film as much as the others but i did like the battle scenes which were occupied with violence, blood and mud slinging between the English and the French sides. Instead of only focusing on the glory or battle, Branagh chose to concentrate on the fatalities that it causes. The rest of the movie became hard to follow without prior knowledge of the historical time period.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very interestingly done. The narrator (the chorus) randomly pops up in the foreground of scenes or leaning against random doorways to give some insight into what is going on. This gives the viewer some sort of idea as to what's going on. I thought Branaghs performance as Henry V was alright but although he acted like it, he seemed to lack the confidence and sureness that gives a king an aura of power. That being said, the St. Crispins Day speech prior to the Battle of Agincourt was very well done, watching it I felt that I too was inspired. Though the speech was well done, I felt the battle scene was a little bit showy, trying to create some epic dramatic scene they went a little far, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI thought this film was very well done. It was portayed in a very ominous manner. The almost shot it as though it was always dark. This brought a certain feel to the film that I think was important to get the same feel from the actors.
ReplyDeleteThis play was done really well. i feel the director capture a lot of raw emotion and at times it felt like i was actually in the movie. The battle scene was in particularly great. I like this play because it showed how a young man matures into a worthy king.
ReplyDeleteThis was a desirable movie. The character that played Henry V was very believable. He showed great strength in every line he delivered. I did not enjoy the battle scene and thought that it could have been a little better. The narrator was a good touch to the film. I did like the setting of the film. Also, I was happy to see that the play I read matched the film some what closely. Not my favorite film but really liked the play. KodiakJack
ReplyDeleteThis was not one of my favorite movie and play the Shakespeare wrote. It was very hard to follow considering you had to have a sense of the time period they were in and the history. The speech Henry V made was my favorite part it got the audience and the soldiers to listen up and get them motivated to win the battle.
ReplyDeleteI thought this movie was alright. It had some very udll moments, and a lot of the scenes were dragged out way to long. I did enjoy the character of King Henry, he was very charimatic. I always enjoy an underdog story as well.
ReplyDeleteI am a person who always roots for the underdog so i have to be happy with this result. The one thing that drove me crazy however was the narrator. He was horrible and boring and his speeches dragged on and on.
ReplyDeleteL
Henry v was not my first choice shakespeare movie it watch. The scenes were dragged out to long. For example the scene at the end when Henry is talking to his new 'soon to be' wife. I felt like that scene could have been cut in half. However Branagh did a great job filming the fighting scene. For the using the equipment he had, it looked awesome.
ReplyDeleteOne of my least favorite Shakespeare films but the director did a good job of drawing emotion from the actors and actresses. The fight scene was constructed very well, especially for the time period of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI have begun to see a recurring theme of God throughout Shakespeares plays.
JR
A wonderful interpretation of the Henry V story. The battle of Agincourt was particularly well done, with the bright colors, clean fabrics, and clean faces being stained with blood and mud. It really brings Shakespeare play to the modern movie audience.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, and after seeing his Henry V I am still impressed by his work. Branagh's passion and love for Shakespeare really comes out in his performances and final film products. This version of Henry V was well done, and it's always interesting to see familiar actors (Emma Thompson, Christian Bale, Branagh himself) portray these classic Shakespearean characters.
ReplyDeleteThe narration in Henry V was what helped me to keep on track. I thought that the actual character of Henry V was a little odd. I thought that he did a good job, yes, but I also felt as though he was a little creepy the whole time, and didn't really leave me with a good feeling. This film was a really long one, being hard to concentrate on what was going on the whole time. This is why I liked how each scene was opened with the narrator telling what was going on, and what would happen next. The story line was good, but the film could have been a little shorter. With watching other films like Romeo and Juilet, and Much Ado About Nothing, this film was just a lot more boring and less engaging than the others.
ReplyDeleteThe movie of Henry V was very hard for me to follow. It was long play making it hard for me to stay focused throughout the play but after reading summaries and thinking back to the movie it made a lot more sense. The battle of Angincourt was my favorite part of the movie. The director made me stay focused throughout that scene with the bright lights, music and camera angles. He made the scene very dramatic and intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this film, i had trouble following it because to me the way the characters spoke it made it difficult to follow.I like the over all leadership of henry and the way everything played out.
ReplyDeleteI think that the movie had a more Shakespeare feel to with the way the language played out, the plot got very thick in some places but i think that everything came out okay.
ReplyDeleteIn Kenneth Branagh Film Henry V the soundtrack associated with the production was the greatest attribute to the film particularly with the use of music in the scene following the battle of Agincourt
ReplyDeleteThe speech before the battle in Agincourt gives me chills every time i watch it. The Director did a good job of showing his pride and spirit for England by showing his emotion through the lens of the camera.
ReplyDeleteI really like Harry Potter, i think that every director did a great job adapting the book into a film great job specially David Yates!!
ReplyDeleteI felt that it was a wonderful performance done from the actor playing Harry, depicting the blood thirsty ambitious king is key. It seems to me Harry has to make up for lost time from his past. i love how in the movie Harry was faced with some conflicts that we normally dont see in other shakespeare plays. i enjoyed watching this movie, but at some parts, i found them to be very odd.
ReplyDeleteI found this film of Shakespeare very interesting because it really tested Henry as a character. He had to accuse his own friend and make examples out this his friend's wrong doing. however I didn't like this version and it was very hard to follow.
ReplyDeleteI felt that the film Henry V was a great film. I felt that Henry V was a very devoted King and was very inspirational. I loved all of the inspirational speeches that he gave to his soldiers. I felt that the actor who played Henry did an amazing job at depicting the wanting to win, determined King. I also enjoyed the problems that were forced to face through out the film, they are much different from the other plays and films from Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteLike most of the films we have previously watched in class I found it extremely hard to understand what was going on in the film. I wish there was like a translator for the subtitles to change it into the English that we speak and wright. However, the way that the film was shot made it seem like more of a play rather than a movie, and whenever King Henry V would speak you got an intense feeling that he was “the man” because of the ambiance surrounding him.
ReplyDeleteI especially enjoyed the speech before battle in this movie, it reminded of a pre-game huddle, not bad. The battle scene was pretty sweet too.
ReplyDeleteBranagh made a perfect movie here: he achieved the balance of a rich movie environment without losing the vitality of the play, a true characterization of both the individuals but, more important, the situations the characters find themselves in, and the glory of the subtext present in all Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteThis Film was one of my favorite Films of Branagh. He did an excellent job in this film. The battle scenes were very good, and original.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film because of the fact that the main character and protagonist, Henry V, is kind of a villain in a sense. At many times I found myself rooting for him even though I did not agree with the ethics and morals of his campaign. I also feel that Branagh did an incredible job at playing this complex character.
ReplyDeleteI found this movie a little confusing in the beginning and trying to understand exactly what each character is saying is very hard. Even with subtitles trying to translate the Shakespearean dialogue is very difficult. Over all, the movie was very well done and the battle scene were also done well and got the audience engaged into the move.
ReplyDeleteMP said...
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of this film was the prologue. I think that Branaugh did in a clever way. The prologue says how the audience needs to use not think of the playing being acted on a stage and to imagine how everything would look if it were to really happen. In the film the actor that plays the chorus is walking through the set and behind the scenes of the film. This speech was so powerful and impactful. I definitely got excited for the movie to start.
I personally did not enjoy watching "Henry V" because it was very hard for me to understand the language used in the movie. As a result, I was lost from the beginning and if I did not read the synopse before watching, I would not have understood the film at all. Overall, I thought it was a well put together film and Kenneth Branagh did a great job as Henry V, and that it was also historical (Battle of Agincourt), but overall it was certainly not one of my favorite Shakespearn films.
ReplyDelete-Jordan Williams
Sam Smallwood:
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh's version of Henry V was very well done. I thought it was a little weird that he chose himself to play Henry but in the end it worked out well. I loved the scene right after the battle. It was very dramatic and added urgency. The song choice fit very well with the scene. I also agree with many of the other bloggers about the prologue and how well it was done. It made the audience get set up for this great play.
One thing that really caught my eye while watching Shakespeare’s Henry V was the lack of women roles. Throughout the entirety of the film, there was a definite theme of male dominance. Every main character was a man. The only significant woman character I recognized was Henry’s wife, Catherine. Even so, Catherine had very few lines and served a very unimportant role in the story line. She was recognized solely as a wife—an accessory of a man. I didn't really enjoy this movie, I don't like black and white and I found it hard to follow.
ReplyDeleteI did like this film and it was one of my more favorite ones that we watched this year. The dialog between characters was very intense and always kept me interested. Also the battle scenes were very well done and lasted for the right amount of time instead of dragging on for too long which can often happen in films such as this one.
ReplyDeleteIn the film it is shown that to be a great leader you may not always be a good person. King Henry is intelligent, focused, and inspiring to his men, but he also betrayed some of his friends such as Falstaff and he puts other friends to death in order to uphold the law. I believe that to be a great king you can’t act like any other citizen, you have to be a leader and if that means being immoral and ruthless than so be it. King Henry is doing all these hardhearted acts for the protection of his country and to keep his country prosperous
ReplyDeleteKing Henry is one of the most interesting characters that I have seen so far in the Shakespeare plays we have gone over in class. He is very torn in hi idea of what is right and what is wrong. It is right that he is the king and he is a very good king at that. King Henry is very merciful and cares more about being a good ruler then anything else. Although others feel like he is illegitimate because he took the throne it was not given to him, this causes others to feel wronged and rise against him.
ReplyDeleteI agree with august that the chorus made the movie a lot better. It gave me the feeling that I was watching the play but then imagining how massive the battles really were, not just watching a movie.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of this film is the speech before the battle of Agincourt. The way that is potrayed makes the hair on my arms stand up everytime. Like above, the chorus gave a picture of the battle scenes being very massive instead of like we were just watching a play.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this film was very well done. The characters were very intense and the battle scenes were incredible.
ReplyDeleteMackenzie Reilly
Henry V was one of the most interesting films that we watched. It was a little hard to understand and without any background knowledge I feel I would have been very lost. I enjoyed watching the character King Henry but i felt that certain parts of the movie was quite dull.
ReplyDeleteThis is by far the blandest of the films in the list, without explanations of what is happening you will get lost in the dialogue and will never be found. If it wasn’t for the speech at the end and this stories use in WWII, i would say throw this screen play away.
ReplyDeleteI watched this film before in high school, but it did not occur to me how well of Henry V Branagh plays and just how well it is directed. His two speeches before that battle of Agincourt are delivered superfluously and in all honesty, they gave me the chills.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me in this film that separated it from other films we watched was the amount of action. However, the action scenes in this movie were a little difficult to watch. For instance, I did not like how during the siege by the English when there is fire everywhere and people fighting and absolute confusion the King has time to ride up on his horse and make a passionate speech to his men and they all just stop fighting till he’s done talking. I think that they put too much emphasis on the big speech, rather than the authenticity of the action. The battlefields were so muddy and messy it was hard to differentiate between the English and the French.
ReplyDeleteThe play Henry V is one of the first true underdog stories, that many movies have since tried to duplicate. However, I did not find Henry V to be a very good movie. The director seemed to draw the story out and could have condensed it into a shorter film. I thought some scenes were rather watered down and had very little meaning, but were more of fillers than anything else. Saying this, I do believe Kenneth Branagh did a great job capturing the Battle of Agincourt and King Henry’s speech beforehand. The pep talk he gave to his troops gave me goose bumps and actually made me feel like I was going into battle with them.
ReplyDeleteThis movie put me to sleep. The filming of this movie was so boring. There was nothing going on in it that kept my interest and the language was difficult too. I enjoyed watching the battle scene.
ReplyDeleteI liked how this film had a lot of war involved in it, I also like Henry V part because he went from being a child like charecter to a person that took over the thrown and actually had real resposibity in his life.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing this film, I definitely agree that the Battle of Agincourt, was one of the best battle scenes ever filmed. I thought this film was very realistic and had a great amount of detail representing the time period of which it represented. The drama and passion displayed in the actors made the film very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteNicola Lore
this film while having some very good parts also has some very bad parts. the battle scene are well done and the potrayal of Henry by Branaugh is really very wonderful but the whole last scene between the king and the french princess could be cut from the film and the film itself would lose absolutely nothing
ReplyDeleteOne thing I both liked and disliked was when the cousin from France had that long conversation in French. I didn’t like it because other than her trying to learn some English you didn’t really get all the small things she said in between her learning English that was in French. But at the same time I see how the director put that in to give you a sense of how little she knew about English and its culture. Although subtitles would have been nice it really all came together at the end when the king was convincing her to marry him.
ReplyDeleteHenry V was in my opinion the most brutal action packed play written by Shakespeare. even though it is a little bit more violent than any of Shakespeare's films it still portrays the classic them of revenge and spite. this movie was very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that Branagh casted himself as Henry, yet it worked out well. I found Henry V's character as king to be extremely moral and always have the best interest of his people. He was brutally fair in his treatment of people. The most effective scene for me was when he had to choose to hang his friend for theft. He did the right thing by being fair and equal to all, as a ruler that is the best way to earn respect and support of the people. Yet you could see what a caring compassionate person he is to his people as a tear fell from his face when he was forced to make that hard decision.
ReplyDeleteBranagh did a great job at director this movie, but without reading the synopsis I would of been very lost throughout the movie. Even with the subtitles it was still very hard to follow. There was definitely parts of the movie that I liked but I just feel like I couldn't connect with the movie at all.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the last scene was quite odd in comparison to the other parts of the movie. The interaction between Henry and Katherine was so sweet and yet everything before that Henry was so harsh and domineering. The sweetness and romance was off the wall.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the whole movie was genius exempt for the last scene. It confused me on why King Henry wanted Katherine when there was really no talk of her the entire movie exempt for the end when he wanted to marry you. i guess it showed Shakespeares comedian side, because of the fact that she couldn't speak english and he kept trying to talk to her which was pretty funny, but it kind of ruined the intense war vibe for me. but shakespeare always seems to surprise me.
ReplyDeleteI think this film version of Henry V, does a great job a using the descriptions given by William Shakespeare and making them real to the viewer. The beginning with Chorus's prologue was engaging to watch from the beginning to end. The descriptions of the people, their actions, feelings were well read. The other way this film succeed was the visual appeal. I loved the way they made the people dress to fir their part either as a King or a solider. They made good battle scenes as well. The battle scenes showed the movements, the blood, the way someone would really act very well. The scenes of the first attack showed greatness in showing the chaos of the town. This film was one that showed many things that were very appealing to a viewer.
ReplyDelete"Customs curtsy to great kings. We are the makers of manners, Kate."
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite lines of the film. This depiction done by Branagh was honest to the script and respectful to the on-stage version just as Shakespeare intended. When the narrator would change the scene or start walking invisibly through the action, explaining the choas, I couldn't help but admire the guts it took to do that while not totally confusing the audience. That was well done and tastefully original.
I felt pumped up with this movie. It was so exciting! I feel like it demonstrated the action in the written piece very well. The actors had much passion and were able to interpret all the emotions Shakespeare had laid out in the text.
ReplyDeleteThis movie wasn't my cup of tea; for some odd reason I couldn't get over how much King Henry didn't look like what I envisioned him to look like. When the actor playing Henry would talk I found his lack of upper lip to be distracting. When reading the play I got a super masculine vibe from Henry and the actor just didn't live up to my expectations. The director also took a lot parts in the play and twisted the mood a bit. The film seemed to bore me at times but it did live up to its epic battle scenes to wake me up.
ReplyDeleteI found it hard to like Henry after he said that he was only being friends with the "common folk" so he could later turn on them when he became king.
ReplyDeleteIn a political aspect, I feel that Henry's hanging of Badolph is just another way for him to burn past affiliations with Falstaff's group of vulgar drunks.
ReplyDeleteThis movie seemed to have no end to it. The battle scene gave it a feel for the ending but then no, Henry's in a room with the King of France and they are discussing terms of agreement then all of a sudden this what seemed to me a random love affair appeared at the end of the movie to make it longer. It bugged me there wasn't much of a storyline of that love story it felt like it was thrown into the movie rather than intertwining with it. I was disappointed with this movie because of this ending scene. It killed it for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie. After the battle scene, how did they decide to meet and discuss their terms of agreement? How did Henry decide he no longer wanted to go to war with France?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie as well, this movie seemed to have no end. It was well done, Branagh did another excellent job at becoming his character, but the film got slowed down with all of the dialogue and the battle scene was dragged out much longer and more dramatically than it needed to be.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Branagh I have learned does Shakespeare almost better than anyone else. He was able to show us, and enable us to feel the aura of Henry V. As the film goes on, there are many times you find yourself so into Henry V's pursuits, though his villainous features about him. It was a great movie, and i made parallels with other thrillers such as Game of Thrones.
ReplyDeleteI think Henry V was an interesting movie. It was not as good as Romeo and Juliet. It does do a lot of foreshadowing for the future. Also, I got lost and confuse on certain parts of the movie. Overall, the speeches in the flim was so powerful and impactful.
ReplyDeleteI think it was hard for Henry to take on the role of the king. There were times throughout the film that he felt guilty about the decisions he had to make as king. He had to make decisions based on the fact that he was king instead of making decisions based on his conscious.
ReplyDeleteHenry the V was I think that had a character with a lot of hard choices throughout his life. One of the choices was to basically hang his old friend even though he did not want to. One other thing I did notice was when the had the war scene between the french and english, it looked like it came from somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI thought that Branagh did a great job in this film. He was able to depict how young Henry V actually was, yet he was also able to demonstrate that he was a powerful king. I had mixed feelings toward Henry V, I feel that he wanted to prove how powerful he was, that at times, he became more of a tyrant. However, some parts, such as the hanging of his friend, although he went through with the hanging, the audience was still well aware of the fact that it hurt Henry to do so. Branagh's acting skills really brought Henry V to life and I was impressed.
ReplyDeleteWatching Henry V done by Kenneth Branagh was interesting. He portrayed the part very well of the tortured and devious King. He showed conflict very well I really enjoyed watching when he had to make the hard decision to hang his old friend. The movie followed the original script pretty closely. I enjoy movies when the costumes are authentic, the people are dirty like they would have been it really adds a believable element to movies.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed this film. I thought the infusion of somewhat modern warfare and politics fit brilliantly. I also thought that the soliloquies in the movie were great.
ReplyDeleteIn this film it is clear that the balance between male characters and female is highly unequal, favoring the male roles. This is understandable and necessary however, due to the fact that the storyline is of King Henry V, whose life was not filled with friends and women, but with proceedings of war, and protection of the laws of his country. There is Catherine, the King of France’s daughter, whose brief scenes give the play a nice contrast and insight into the world of women in this time. Catherine is more innocent and gentle than the rest of this male-dominated play.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the character of henry, he was incredibly direct with the audience and straight forward. I did not like the fighting scene and how the children were murdered when they werent even a part of the battle. The ending of this movie was out of nowhere.
ReplyDeleteI found this movie to be very exciting. I enjoyed seeing the change in Henry V and loved how the director put in the flashbacks. Best of all was the great fight at the end and the wonderful speech to rally the troops together.
ReplyDeleteThe film in my opinion was some what dragged out and either overly dramatic or just plain boring, especially the battle. Henry V is disrespected by the French, and retaliates by taking them to battle. even though morale is low, and the soldiers and army have little desire to aid.
ReplyDeleteBranagh does a great job of making the speech at Agincourt adrenaline pumping, which is something that I have not seen in the Shakespeare plays. I also enjoyed the relationship between the Herald and Henry, the Herald seems to be the only Frenchman who holds respect for Henry V.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the performance and the feel of the movie better caught my eye with the notation of the theater. It maintained being a modern type shakespeare film, but added some traditional play settings. I also think, and agree, that the scene with Catherine was a different character setting and emotion coming from him, but i think that if it was not in the film than we would have been left with a bitter taste about the movie. I am glad that we got to see this side of him.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this film. I thought it was a great depiction of a Shakespeare play. I do feel that the director could have added a bit more of an artistic twist but it seemed he decided to stay more true to the original play.
ReplyDeleteI didnt really enjoy watching this movie but i think that the time period of this movie was well filmed and portrayed. This movie was different then the others we watched so it was kind of interesting to watch something else.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the war scenes were really dramatic and drawn out. I loved the emotion the actions put into the scenes however. During the rest of the movie it made the characters seem more real.
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy this movie as much as the other Shakespeare's film that I've seen. Although I did like the war scene because it was very intense and dramatic. I also liked the ending of this film. I really enjoyed Henry's ending speech about the uniting of England and France.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that this was not an enjoyable movie to watch for me. I think the only thing that I found that was done well would have to be the costuming. Everything else was over the top and drawn out to sheer boredom.
ReplyDeleteThis film really hit home the struggle between what makes a good leader versus what makes a good person. A lot of the dialogue in this movie was hard for me to understand, but the directors use of images helped make up for that. Pretty awesome battle scene too.
ReplyDeleteThis was probably the most intense film other than Richard III. Battle scenes with swords are more up close and personal than guns. I think that the director captures the battle scenes in the play very well and Henry V's acting was great when he gave his speeches.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I found this movie to be one of the more boring ones. The old school setting of kingdoms was not made so appealing, the long speeches, and flashbacks. The film would have probably been more enjoyable to me if I had had better background knowledge of the plays history. The genealogy was also difficult to follow attributing to my disinterest. I did like the somewhat big scale battle scenes of the play though.
ReplyDeleteI have to say this movie was quite interesting but a bit slow to hook the audience but I did enjoy the movie. I wish this movie had a better grip but other than that it was very well done. I love how the movie is becomes serious but at the same time interesting. Awesome battles, and I love the part how the actor play the part quite well when Henry gave his speeches, especially the part when he is praying to God.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very hard for me to follow. I enjoyed the battle scenes and I think it was well made. However the story line was a little slow and I had a hard time staying engaged. Henry's speeches were acted very well but this movie as a whole did not capture my interest or spark any new thoughts about Shakespeare or this time period for me.
ReplyDeleteThis was by far my least favorite play of the ones we have seen so far, the characters were boring and even the action wasn't that dramatic. It was everything I could do to not fall asleep in the beginning of the play. I think that Shakespeare is a brilliant writer but I don't think this to be his best work. sorry.
ReplyDeleteOkay movie. I loved the main actors enthusiasm throughout the film. Not enough action on my part
ReplyDeleteThis movie was my least favorite out of all the ones we watched. The part of Henry were performed very well but the director's constant flashbacks at times made the movie boring and made it diffcult to keep track of what is going on.
ReplyDeleteThis story was one that was very long and boring and was just all to lead up to something which you knew would happen. I thought this movie was done well and Henry's character was portrayed perfectly as an awe inspiring king that uses is charisma to bolster the moral of his troops.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this was the worst movie we have seen. The production values seemed pretty lame and the dialogue was very boring. What seemed weird to me was how Henry led the men throughout the whole movie in a company that seemed less than 50. At the end for the big battle, all of a sudden 10,000 French soldiers are killed. Where do all the English soldiers come from?
ReplyDeleteBeing such a big fan of the other Kenneth Branagh's films that we watched in class, I was thoroughly disappointed with this film. It was dragged on entirely too long and I felt as if the battle scenes could have had a lot more thought put into them.
ReplyDeleteToooo much talking and not enough action in this movie for me. This was one of my least favorite movies, it just went too slowly. Its a shame because Henry gives an incredible speech leading into battle, but that is the only highlight in an otherwise dull movie. Also, I was confused about the number of troops like John Finley mentioned. I wasn't sure if that was a metaphor for how outnumbered they were of if Branagh actually meant to show 50 troops defeating a couple thousands French soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI like how the movie started in a modern setting and transitioned into an older setting as the film progressed. The main character Henry was out of control and extremely creepy. How can someone have SO many people murdered? And still get away with it? Why did everyone want him to be their leader? The music in the film really helped to intensify the mood of each scene when Henry would be yelling or speaking very fast.
ReplyDeleteHenry V had to prove himself to a whole country by leading his troops into a war. In order to take over the throne, he had to show his people he wasn't messing around anymore, he was going to lead them in the battle against France. Henry V does this and ends up marrying the King of France's daughter. I like this movie because it shows Henry V really growing up.
ReplyDeleteTowards the end of the film when Henry V gave he speach which inspired his troops to continue the battle even though there were out number and there people have lost there spirits. The speach he gave was so heart warming, he raised the morale of his troops so high that nothing could change the way that they felt.
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