I'm a HAMLET addict from near Sydney, Australia, and I can't find Branagh's four-hour film in this Shakespeare-forsaken country. Does anybody know where I can get it in PAL format, which our videos play here? As far as I can see, Amazon only has NTSC.

-- catherine england (catherine_england@hotmail.com), December 09, 2001

Answers

You can write to Kenneth Branagh at the following address:

Kenneth Branagh LTD Shepperton Studios Studios Road Shepperton Middlesex TW17 OQD United Kingdom (UK)

He's one of those rare people who actually does write back to you, though sometimes it takes a while.

-- Virginia (vsmleong@yahoo.com), January 13, 2004.

Good news and bad news. The good news is that Hamlet is available in PAL format from Amazon.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005NBUS/o/qid=1007927680/ sr=2-1/ref=sr_bt_1/202-6330571-0312660) BUT it's the two hour version, which is probably not what you're looking for. I'll see if I can find out where a full version might be available.

-- Virginia (vsmleong@shaw.ca), December 09, 2001.

It's me again. I've consulted with a branch of Ken-o-philes and have a few more options for you. Someone from Australia mentioned that she bought her copy from Kmart (among other shops). If that doesn't work, BlackStar (http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000064637) appears to be selling the full version. And if THAT doesn't work, I can get someone to make you a copy of it! Let me know how it turns out.

-- Virginia (vsmleong@shaw.ca), December 10, 2001.

Virginia, thankee muchly.

I've just dropped into Blackstar. They do have the four-hour, though not in widescreen. So I've ordered the non-widescreen (narrowscreen?, skinnyscreen?) and asked them to 'hunt' for the widescreen. They've got other great stuff too!

-- catherine england (catherine_england@hotmail.com), December 14, 2001.

Guess what? Blackstar don't have it after all: it's a mistake on their site: they advertise the 4 hour but sent me the 2 hour. Now they tell me Columbia Tristar have deleted the 4 hour (and may the Powers that Be at Columbia Tristar be boiled to death in melancholy for it!).

About that making thing ...?

-- catherine england (catherine_england@hotmail.com), January 13, 2002.

I had the same problem - and tried five or six different suppliers, all sending me the two-hour when I had ordered the four hour. In the end I bought a second hand one from the Amazon market place. I also wrote to Ken Branagh to complain about the terrible hack job that had been done to produce the two hour version. Why don't you do the same?

-- (dentkathy@hotmail.com), July 09, 2002.

I've already written to him to tell him what a great job he did on the four-hour version and his other stuff, especially Iago; and he wrote back. Don't know as I should bother him again. I wonder if he knows about this sight: then he could get everybody's thoughts about everything.

-- catherine england (catherine_england@hotmail.com), July 12, 2002.

I got my full length PAL Version from http://www.maxwells.com.au/catalogue/english.html#hamlet

Maxwell's Collection PO Box 575 Avalon Beach NSW 2107 Australia phone - 1800 249 786

-- B (bron81@hotmail.com), May 15, 2003.

Wow! What address did you write to Branagh on?

-- B (bron81@hotmail.com), May 15, 2003.

Thank you so much for letting me now find the Hamlet in 4 hours through Maxwells, which i have just ordred. I had almost given up finding one, as I had just received the video from the UK, which i thought would be 4 hours. Then i suddenly came across your email. How did you find them? I am also interested in where you wrote to Kenneth Branagh! how exciting to speak with him!

-- Emma Langton-Bunker (elb1@optusnet.com.au), January 12, 2004.