One Of The Year's Best Movies Is About Recreating Hamlet...In Grand Theft Auto Online [SXSW 2024]
16-03-2024
Grand Theft Auto V is the most popular video game of all-time, and this has led to a large player base for "Grand Theft Auto Online." It gave two actors who were out of work a place to practice what they most missed during the epidemic: acting. Sam and Mark, two guys who play "GTA", have turned the game into a venue where they can perform William Shakespeare.
The new documentary "Grand Theft Hamlet", chronicles Sam's and Mark’s journey, from playing the "GTA" game to devising a plot to stage a "Hamlet" production entirely within the videogame. This film was recently shown at SXSW, in Austin, Texas. I can tell you it is unlike anything you have ever seen.
It is a film that you should watch immediately. It's one of the rarest cinematic accomplishments that makes you feel like everyone can enjoy it. This is not something I say lightly.
Many of us used video games to escape the monotony and hopelessness of everyday life. Sam and Mark started playing Grand Theft Auto Online for this reason. But they quickly discovered that it was much more than just a game.
. Can this chaotic world of digital violence be a place for civilized behavior? These games have been used to accomplish some amazing things. Someone even recreated a scene of "Terminator 2", years ago, in "Grand Theft Auto V". Shakespeare's most revered works? To put it mildly, this is new territory.
The movie embraces the chaos and faces it head on. This shouldn't be working, but it is.
Shakespeare and GTA
The entire game captures Sam and Mark’s journey, from conception to conclusion. Seriously. This is a unique experience because there are no real-world clips. The directors Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls have managed to infuse the admittedly bizarre experience with an astonishing amount of humanism.
It's not often that one encounters such a thing in "Grand Theft Auto." You don't need to get too into the details, but the human drama is quite intense.
Many movies, including the slasher film "Sick" by director John Hyams, are about this pandemic. Some of these films have been gratuitous and unnecessary. They are only good at reminding us of something that we'd rather forget. Grand Theft Hamlet is my favorite movie about the pandemic.
The story is not about the pandemic, but rather how it's used as a background (because the disease was a major factor in the lives of those who were affected) to create a human and relatable tale. This is the best story of triumph over adversity that you will find in this year.
This is a ridiculous idea. This shouldn't be possible -- but it is. You can relate to it even if your knowledge of "Hamlet", "GTA" and other such titles is minimal. What is the most remarkable thing? William Shakespeare's words somehow make this world seem logical. This makes Shakespeare pertinent in the brave new world that we all live in.
Still, "Grand Theft Hamlet's" release date is unknown.