Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)

(On VHS, December 2000) Where did it go wrong? I was a fan of the concept (a comedy showing the “other side” of Hamlet through minor characters’ eyes), the execution (extensive wordplays and logical games with extensive metafictional elements) and the actors (Richard Dreyfuss, Tim Roth and Gary Oldman). So why, despite some extremely funny segments, does the film feel so flat? I’ll take a chance and blame the budget (low), the adaptation (still feels like a theater play) and, primarily, the direction (flat and uninspired, especially for a comedy). Disappointment!