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This production highlights the Christian v. pagan elements, and in other ways deals in opposites (men’s v. women’s perceptions, solid v. spirit worlds, etc.), but without beating you over the head with it. The witch scenes are amazing–the production borrows from Irish “bog people” imagery with the witches’ stick puppets representing Macbeth’s visions, with a itsy-bitsy borrowing from Carlos Castaneda’s peyote trips, and maybe the minimal “circle” staging of Equus. Minimal props and furniture; the actors carry it all the plot, brilliantly. I can’t imagine anyone doing a better, visceral, more committed job with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth than McKellan and Dench. It could sell huge–for a Shakespeare film–if only it wasn’t probably too obviously a taped stage production (it doesn’t try to be otherwise) . A couple of turtlenecks among the costumes betray the 70’s-era staging, but otherwise the costuming is mountainous and doesn’t date the production. If you a) are a fan of Ian McKellan and/or Judi Dench and b) bask in tall Shakespeare performances and want to be “in the know” on what’s considered the definitive Macbeth staging of the past couple decades, this is the one.
I purchased this tape after it was featured in an interview with Ian McKellen on Inside the Actor? s Studio and I decided I had to have it for my collection. This is a very simply staged version of Shakespeare’s most violent play, and against this basic sunless canvas you leer two of the greatest stage actors of all time. The queen knighted both McKellen and Dench after this production, and rightfully so. They are both national treasures, as they should be.
This film is worth watching for these two outstanding performances alone, and for the beauty of the language, unencumbered by complex technical effects. Trevor Nunn has chosen to highlight the emotional deterioration of MacBeth and his Lady for this production, and I wonder if that choice was made because he had these two astounding actors for this production, or if he chose them for this purpose (a variation on the chicken/egg theory of theatrical production) .
The “apparitions” (Banquo, dagger, et al) occur in MacBeth’s head only — McKellen’s unbelievable ability convinces you that he sees bloody, murdered Banquo seated at the table, although we do not leer him. (Acquire me, this is infinitely preferable to some other Banquo apparitions I’ve witnessed in other productions.) Dench is, quite simply, the best actor alive to ever trod down the even road of the Bard? s blank verse. Period. Her Lady MacBeth? s degeneration is situation in motion from the first letter-reading scene, climaxing in the most jaw-dropping sleepwalking scene ever.
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Shakespeare has never SOUNDED better? worthy of this recording would work equally well as an audio-only version.
Other reviewers have done a distinguished job in explaining what works about this well-known production; allow me to allotment what bothered me about it:
The camera work: looked and felt like an former episode of Dusky Shadows with much-too-tight camera angles. I wish that, C-Span-like, the TV director had simply trained a camera on the stage and then we could behold how Nunn utilized the itsy-bitsy site of this theatre. So many tight shots of the actors? faces deprive us of seeing what they are doing with the rest of themselves, and how the others in the scene are reacting.
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Bob Peck as MacDuff: autistic, rather than artistic. I know the British are notorious for their reserve (but the Scots certainly aren? t), and sometimes less is more onstage when it comes to emotion, but Peck? s greets the news that his wife and children have all been murdered with the same amount of indignation that he might incur at the news that someone drank the last beer in his fridge. It? s a choice that doesn? t seem to work, and this goes against Shakespeare? s gain text: (? But I must also feel it as a man? ), which makes MacDuff one of the first completely emotional strong, sensitive males on the stage. Even when he murders MacBeth, Peck comes across as only slightly peeved.
Accents: Nunn has chosen to have some of the? character? parts (the Sergeant, the Porter) performed with heavy Scottish brogues? and they are difficult to understand for the average listener. (I? m quite extinct to these accents and I had a hard time with some of it.) I like the authenticity, but sometimes one should sacrifice authenticity for coherence.
If you like Shakespeare, worthy acting, or need to learn this play for school, prefer this version. It comes closer than most others toward depicting what the main characters are all about, and the language is stunning and repugnant. If you are studying acting, McKellen and Dench? s performances will probably convince you that you have no talent whatsoever.
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