As mentioned above, Olivier (1944) and Branagh (1989) may share similarities in storylines and endings, but the differences lie on the approaches of interpreting the play and the main focuses. It can be easily seen in Olivier’s film that he uses formalistic devices and creates a comic, bright atmosphere in order to emphasize the positive aspect of Henry V and to nullify sensitive discourses in the play (Aitken, 1991: p. 265). On the other hand, psychological realism and naturalism are used in the Branagh version, which rather portrays the complicated inner world of the character in the context of realistic political struggle by recalling those critical discourses in the film (ibid: p. 265).To elaborate, in Act 1 where the bishops collogue about…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…show more content… Branagh’s version of Henry V may have taken a major step toward through screening more skeptical response about war compared to Olivier’s version. However, some limitations can be identified through pluralistic viewpoints he takes regarding the issue of war and power mechanism; specifically, the interpretation of the sacrifices of innocent people in war as a necessary evil indicates the ironic intention of Branagh. In this sense, it can be evaluated that Branagh, despite his original intention to create a realism theater, illustrates the character as a heroic leader, which fails to develop from the precedent of Olivier’s that glorifies Henry V’s invasion of France as a holy war. It could have been more compelling to the audience if Branagh could stay with his firm perspective of psychological realism, but not in too limited view, as it may allow the audience to have broader viewpoint in the discourses of power and psychological study of man. Also, in Olivier’s intriguing screen spectacle, he shows a tendency to excessively rely on the comic characters in the play, which can be seen narrow-minded in terms of understanding the characters (CROWTHER, 1946). Crowther (1946) also states that “certainly the writing-in completely of the Falstaff deathbed scene, with the echoing voice of Harry carrying over
