No one can deny the fact that Henry V is regarded as the most tragic literary piece of Shakespeare which has influenced various aspects of life throughout the generations. As one of the greatest piece of work, numerous productions were made for Henry V; among them, Laurence Olivier (1944) and Kenneth Branagh (1989) have always made headlines when it comes to the discussion of its excellence and influence. It could have been shocking and attention-grabbing for the contemporary people to see the combination of the greatest artists creating an all-time spotlighted movie, when both movies were released to the public. However, what makes them more astonishing is that both productions are based on the same storyline and ending, but in totally different styles with different perspectives. These two masterworks may portray …show more content…
Particularly, the camerawork differs. In Olivier’s film, the camera often stays still at one point or moves in only one or two directions, which makes the movie very static and less lively. Also, Henry V is always in the middle of the camera focus in a high angle; in fact, two-dimensional and limited view of the whole setting and characters allows the audience to feel like watching the play on stage. On the contrary, a more dynamic movement of camerawork leads to a variety of screen compositions in Branagh’s production. The actions and mood swings of characters can be seen as more vivid and vibrant scenes, as the camerawork allows rapid scene development and creates positive energy throughout the movie. Considering the technical gap between the two films, Olivier’s production lacks a lot in terms of various visual effects compared to Branagh. However, the differences in adaptation and focus are clearly noticed; in other words, despite the technical lack, the true intentions of each director are