Franco Zeffirelli and Kenneth Branagh both created a cinematic representation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Each screenwriter used various cinematic methods to convey their interpretation of this famous work. Both films were produced in the same decade. Although the theme remained the same in both films, there were significant differences in the portrayal of various significant characters. Zeffirelli and Branagh each possessed their own personal interpretation of the play's text which resulted in two films that used different imagery to portray the main characters. The film begins with the two guards seeing the appearance of old King Hamlet. Zeffirelli portrays Hamlet as confused and frightened as he follows the ghost's voice and shadow. The setting is dark with mysterious shadows and Hamlet seems to be uncertain of his sanity as he follows the ghost's voice. Zeffirelli's use of imagery is evident when Hamlet expresses raw emotions upon seeing his father's ghost and hearing of the corruption within his family (Hamlet). Branagh uses symbolism to represent the ghost as the statue of old King Hamlet. Hamlet chases the ghost but is somewhat uncertain about the validity of this figure. Branagh's use of setting and imagery sets the stage for Hamlet's future mental decay. The emotions expressed by Hamlet in Branagh's version are rather cautious and cautious, giving evidence of his reluctance to fully accept the spirit's message (Hamlet William Shakespeare). The main setting of both films is a castle located in Denmark. Zeffirelli uses a medieval European style fortress that includes dark corridors and corridors. The lighting effects are dark throughout the film, giving… half of the paper… unique. Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet was more emotional and intimate. He tried to make the old story more appealing to modern audiences with his cast of characters. “Certainly the fact that Zeffirelli chose for the role of the prince a young and popular action film star like Mel Gibson, who in some circles earned his film the ambiguous title of "Mad Max's Hamlet", attests to the his desire to reach modern audiences (Sloboda). " In contrast, Branagh described Hamlet as aggressive but able to keep his emotions in check. Each film ended the same way, with the deaths of all the main characters, but the plot leading up to these deaths was interpreted in a very unique way Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Literature "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark": An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. New York: Pearson Longman