The really late "Hamlet 2" thread

[firehawk12]

I was just wondering if anyone here had a chance to watch Hamlet 2? I watched it right after Tropic Thunder and I think it's a perfect companion piece.

Like TT, Hamlet 2's conceit is that it's a parody film that does not rely on the overuse of the "Scary/Teen/Date/Epic Movie" pastiche effect. Yes, it's a supposed to be a "white teacher helps inspire ethnic kids" storyline (Dangerous Minds, bitch!) but there are no inspirational scenes or speeches whatsoever. The parody is in the absence of these scenes.

Of course, the real bonus is just the awkwardly climatic rendition of the play within the film. It's very much like Springtime with Hitler in The Producers but again it doesn't try too hard to swing for the fences. It has the same "outrageousness", but I think that the way the audience reactions were shot just made the slow turn from disgust to enjoyment more sincere.

Anyway, anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Bad Bishop]

I didn't know the movie had been released, so I looked it up. According to Box Office Mojo, it was #54 this past weekend, with a total gross of $4,857,521 after five weeks.

Where's our guy who does the "FLOP!" threads?

I'll probably watch Hamlet 2 on DVD. Love that Elisabeth Shue.

 

[firehawk12]

Well, I don't know what the expectations are for an off beat indie comedy starring a British guy.

 

[Bad Bishop]

Well, I don't know what the expectations are for an off beat indie comedy starring a British guy.

As far as indies go, maybe $4,857,521 is "break even" range. But I doubt it.

 

[Skywalker]

I don't think Hamlet 2 was even released in all that many theaters, so I wouldn't call it a flop.

 

[ScottDS]

I saw this movie with a friend of mine and we thought it was a riot! And to top it all off, Arnie Pantoja who plays the student operating the A/V equipment during the play was in a student film my friend and I wrote at Full Sail in Winter Park, Florida a few years ago. It's nice to know he's trying to get his career going (especially since my friend and I have, shall we say, stalled a bit).

 

[Harvey]

Well, I don't know what the expectations are for an off beat indie comedy starring a British guy.

As far as indies go, maybe $4,857,521 is "break even" range. But I doubt it.

It definitely wasn't the breakout hit the studio was expecting, but it's done pretty well in limited release. When the studio tried to take it wider (which lasted all of two weeks) it didn't make nearly as much per screen as it had been in fewer theaters. Certainly taking it wider was a move that flopped.

Do with that what you will.

I still haven't seen the film, but fully intend to pick it up on DVD when it is released.

 

[Canadave]

It's playing at the indie theatre here in a few weeks, so I think I may check it out then.