Plot: A nobleman murders and usurps his King before being destroyed by his enemies and himself
This is the film adaptation of a highly successful stage performance which changed the setting of the play to a post-Soviet Eastern European country. The actors are, as you'd expect, excellent, with Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth deserving special mention for her performance, in which she looks like a vampire squid with killer cheekbones. Unfortunately over-similar costuming, dim lighting and a surfeit of beefy white actors render many of the supporting characters somewhat indistinguishable. The setting is interesting and gives rise to some of the neater touches (the woods of Dunsinane are soldiers in ghillie suits) but is insufficiently explored - especially the ideological dimension. The main problem however is that the director is a novice. Too often there is a clear diving line between stagey, actorly scenes full of dialogue and ineptly shot but cinematic action scenes. The whole thing never quite gels together, never managing to be satisfactory as a recorded play or adapted film.
Worth one viewing.
This is the film adaptation of a highly successful stage performance which changed the setting of the play to a post-Soviet Eastern European country. The actors are, as you'd expect, excellent, with Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth deserving special mention for her performance, in which she looks like a vampire squid with killer cheekbones. Unfortunately over-similar costuming, dim lighting and a surfeit of beefy white actors render many of the supporting characters somewhat indistinguishable. The setting is interesting and gives rise to some of the neater touches (the woods of Dunsinane are soldiers in ghillie suits) but is insufficiently explored - especially the ideological dimension. The main problem however is that the director is a novice. Too often there is a clear diving line between stagey, actorly scenes full of dialogue and ineptly shot but cinematic action scenes. The whole thing never quite gels together, never managing to be satisfactory as a recorded play or adapted film.
Worth one viewing.