Realizing that films are a different medium than stage productions, this examination of the films of Laurence Olivier (1948), Tony Richardson (1969), Franco Zeffirelli(1990), Kenneth Branagh (1996), and Michael Almereyda (2000) discusses how each director opened up Shakespeare's play in adaptation and how his techniques created meaning that is unique to his particular film. Furthermore, this dissertation examines the cultural context of each film and how the directors adapted their Hamlet to transmit cultural relevance to their audiences.

As a natural palimpsest, the mind sorts through images and retains some while it overwrites others. From Laurence Olivier's adaptation in 1948 to Michael Almereyda's in 2000, the English-language Hamlets of the twentieth century attempt to overwrite those that preceded them like a textual palimpsest. But some images refuse to die, just like a parchment palimpsest, and vestiges of prior performances seep into new productions. This dissertation examines five Hamlet films produced during the twentieth century and discusses how each film influenced those that followed, beginning with Olivier's iconic performance of a Freudian reading. Even with Olivier's influence, however, each film provides a unique reading of Shakespeare's play that reflects the attitudes and critical developments of its cultural moment.