Klingon 'Hamlet' Filming

TrekToday · December 8 2008, 09:30 PM

To be, or not to be, that was the question. The answer is, yes, an abbreviated Klingon version of Hamlet is to be.

As reported by TrekMovie.com, Paramount is preparing new versions of original series movies for future Blu-ray release and part of the release will include new special features.

One of those special features will include two scenes from Shakespeare's Hamlet, filmed in the Klingon language, for inclusion on the special features section of Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country. The Undiscovered Country was the movie that included Chancellor Gorkon referring to Shakespeare in the original Klingon, as well as where General Chang quoted Shakespeare while attacking the Excelsior and the Enterprise.

The two scenes will be the "To be or not to be" speech, and the scene with "Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him, Horatio" graveyard scene, using a Klingon skull. The scenes are to be done by the Commedia Beauregard and filmed in the Twin Cities.

To read more, head to the article located here.

OmahaStar · December 8 2008, 10:02 PM

That's kind of cool, I think.

btflash · December 8 2008, 10:35 PM

OmahaStar wrote:

That's kind of cool, I think.

"tah pagh, tah be!"

ChristopherPike · December 8 2008, 11:13 PM

A new low as far as DVD extras are concerned. When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up. Yeah, that will fill up space on Blu-ray. I'll probably end up watching this because I hit the wrong button... then, right on cue - into the living room the whole family arrive. Getting caught watching pornography I could live with... but this?!?

OmahaStar · December 8 2008, 11:52 PM

ChristopherPike wrote:

A new low as far as DVD extras are concerned. When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up. Yeah, that will fill up space on Blu-ray. I'll probably end up watching this because I hit the wrong button... then, right on cue - into the living room the whole family arrive. Getting caught watching pornography I could live with... but this?!?

If you don't like it, don't watch it. It's really very simple.

Temis the Vorta · December 9 2008, 02:05 AM

When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up.

I never watch DVD extras (or listen to the droning commentary, blech), but I'd watch the lunatic fringe. Still, it belongs on YouTube, really.

Star Treks · December 9 2008, 04:03 AM

ChristopherPike wrote:

A new low as far as DVD extras are concerned. When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up. Yeah, that will fill up space on Blu-ray. I'll probably end up watching this because I hit the wrong button... then, right on cue - into the living room the whole family arrive. Getting caught watching pornography I could live with... but this?!?

Well, it sounds like fun to me. Serious cinematic commentary? No. But, all things being equal, why the heck not? Some will enjoy it, others can ignore it.

Haggis and tatties · December 9 2008, 11:01 AM

Well it looks like we have a start for the film makers of Trekkies 3.....

TheBrew · December 9 2008, 07:20 PM

That sounds pretty awesome.

MeanJoePhaser · December 10 2008, 02:07 AM

What, no audio commentary track in Klingon?

M'Sharak · December 10 2008, 07:22 AM

ChristopherPike wrote:

A new low as far as DVD extras are concerned. When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up. Yeah, that will fill up space on Blu-ray. I'll probably end up watching this because I hit the wrong button... then, right on cue - into the living room the whole family arrive. Getting caught watching pornography I could live with... but this?!?

Oh, but isn't it pornography of a sort?

"Alas, poor Ju'riQ!"

Danoz · December 10 2008, 06:46 PM

Temis the Red-Nosed Vorta wrote:

When Producers can't think of anything new to say about the films, turn the camera on lunatic fringe sections of fandom who like dressing up.

I never watch DVD extras (or listen to the droning commentary, blech), but I'd watch the lunatic fringe. Still, it belongs on YouTube, really.

I like to watch commentary on Disney Pixar/3D movies.. they always talk about the new techniques in 3D animation and rigging they used to get past different challenges.

davidant32 · December 17 2008, 09:31 AM

Will the Klingon makeup be more contemporary as well? I mean, will their foreheads have huge ridges (24th Century and ENT) or will their foreheads be toned down (TOS era movies) ??

Personally, I prefer the toned down makeup. I thought Chang looked great

CommBeau · April 4 2009, 04:14 PM

We thought Chang looked great, too. Not what our makeup person did, though. He did use silicon rather than the latex that was used early in TNG stuff (and what is most commonly used by fans). We hope you'll like the final result.

Hi, my name is Christopher O. Kidder. I am the artistic director of Commedia Beauregard, a professional theatre company that does nothing by translated works... normally works translated from other languages into English. Three years ago we got the idea to do a fundraiser that translated into a different language. We chose Klingon for the novelty, the marketing potential, and the fact that it would be a fun adventure. We wrote a stage version of Dicken's Christmas Carol, and then translated it into the Klingon language. We'll be performing it for the third season come X-mas Time again this year.

Our little project was discovered by Paramount, and they hired us to do this Hamlet thing. We hired some of the best stage actors in our area (The Twin Cities is one of the largest theatre markets in the US), and put the scenes together.

That being said, we are all professional actors, directors and playwrights. We aren't the lunatic fringe from fandom. That being said, we tailored our products to be respectful of all fans. The costumed fans are an important part of the Star Trek franchise, and it doesn't behoove any of the other fans to look down on them. I'm going out on a limb and assuming that since you are on this board at all, you all are fans of Star Trek to a higher degree than the average person... so...

I believe that you'll find the feature "Klingons & Shakespeare" a cool little documentary. It gave us the chance to work directly with Marc Okrand, the guy who developed the Klingon language (as well as Vulcan). It also gave us a chance to get our theatre company some recognition on the national and international scale. And we had fun doing it.

And it is a documentary that far exceeds the quality of a YouTube video. We're going to be looking forward to seeing the final product on May 12th. I hope you will join us in viewing it.

Peace,
Chris