I am a great lover of Macbeth. I think it is my favorite Shakespearean play. How an actor plays Macbeth really influences one’s perception of this man. Is he an icy, sociopathic killer who feels no remorse? “I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were a tedious as go o’er.” Is he a tragic Shakespearean hero undone by the fatal flaw of ambition? (And undone my listening to his wife.) Does he regret his actions? Are there noble qualities inherent in him?
A lot of one’s reaction to Macbeth depends upon the interpretation of the lead actor. Michael Fassbender is now starring in a new Macbeth, and it looks amazing.
The composer is named Jed Kurzel, whom I don’t know. (Australian rocker.) He scored The Babadook, a movie that some of you have mentioned. The director is Justin Kurzel, whom I assume is a relative.
I think this would be an amazing movie to score. Certainly, there would be a lot of action. Tragedy and horror abound. Also, there is a kind of love story and as well as mystical elements. The internal emotions or warfare inside of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would be interesting to capture in music.
Just thought I’d make people on this board aware of this movie and ask if anyone knows this composer.
I hadn't heard of film, director or composer until now, Joan, so thanks. It certainly looks intriguing, with a solid cast. I do wonder if the "industrial hum" includes the musical wall of sound variety, which I'm generally not too fond about.
What I'd love to see is Branagh and Doyle weave their spell on Macbeth. I can imagine that being something truly wonderful.
Thanks fortyone, for your reply. I'd hoped for more interest from this board for a new version of Macbeth. It is such a powerful play that would easily transfer to a movie.
I love your idea about Branagh and Doyle. That is a great combination for Macbeth.
I also read that this movie was filmed in Scotland and England.
The key to Mac is the 'fate goddess' thing that he has a fatal weakness for: he's only too willing to believe his own dark inner 'feminine', symbolised by the witches (Greek triple goddess) and his wife's shadow.
The downward vortex spirals further when the wife essentially (as happens in many political marriages), lives out Mac's own dark ambitions that he himself wouldn't think to live out alone, and loses herself. A woman should not live out her husband's unrealised bits, but many do. The early little speech about 'the instruments of darkness' is the key.
People used to watch plays to learn about life and their inner workings. Now it's just all relativised as entertainment.
It looks interesting, but there's that old 'all mediaeval people were smelly and grunted a lot' look to it which needs put out to pasture.
Mac I think was possessed by the negative fate goddess. Polanski used Jon Finch, a fine actor, but playing him as very henpeckable. That's okay as long as he stays a toughie with no real lifesaving insight into women and the darker aspect of the feminine that his ambition allows to possess him.
I'm definitely interested in this version, Joan. Michael Fassbinder strikes me as being a very good choice for a strong Macbeth. And I think Marion Cotillard will make as good a Lady Macbeth as, for example, I think Jeanette Nolan did in Orson Welles' odd but compelling film version from nearly 70 years ago (which I saw again recently thanks to TCM).
I've also been a bit put off by the Braveheart- et al. medieval face-painting stylistics, but the preview shows quite a broad range of imagery, and it looks like Fassbinder's performance may be quite nuanced (hard to tell from the samples, but he wasn't making only obvious choices in what I saw).
Though you know how tolerant I am towards contemporary scores I don't have much expectation or hope for the score, but that doesn't mean I won't be interested.
My seventeen year old daughter has been quite intrigued by Shakespeare in the last year or so from school assignments (Othello, As You Like It), so this is a film we'll definitely see together in the theater. I think Macbeth is in some ways the "easiest" of Shakespeare tragedies for a young person - certainly was for me back in high school - it's a very clear and exciting/thrilling story, however melodramatic.
All this is reminding me of my very favorite production - Nicol Williamson's Macbeth for the Shakespeare Plays back in the early 80's. An absolutely searing performance - maybe a little too dire and one note, but his "tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech seared the eyebrows right off my forehead.
Thanks, William, for sharing that unique interpretation. Watch out for one’s internal feminine side. Interesting. Sean, something looked familiar in the trailer, and your mention of the Braveheart countenances made me realize it was that Braveheart make up. Like you, I also think that it is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible tragedies. I always liked the Nichol Williamson version. Another actor, Philip Anglim, did one of the most sensitive portrayals of Macbeth that I enjoyed.
One thing about the play that was a reflection of the times but bothered me was the Divine Right Of Kings. Duncan was the “divine” king, meaning he was chosen by God as were further predecessors. However, he is portrayed as a weak and ineffective king, almost but not quite legitimizing Macbeth’s action. You don’t get to mess with the Divine Right without paying a price, even if God picks stupid, ineffective, or really cruel kings.
I always feel there is a kind of a macho, almost noble redemption of Macbeth at the end. (Spoilers ahead.) When he realizes that MacDuff was “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb, he finally realizes how the three witches played him. He tells MacDuff, “I will not fight thee.” However, MacDuff tells him what they will do to this “monster”, and the anger and fighter in Macbeth rises to the surface. “Lay on, MacDuff.” No one is going to throw in the towel. Macbeth was too much of a fighter to just lay down and give up. I hope the film arrives soon.
Good thoughts, Joan, especially on the final dual. I always just took that for Macbeth chickening out at first, but I think your reading makes for better drama.
And thanks for mentioning the Philip Anglim version - I'm not aware of that, I'll seek it out. (I can't get into the Patrick Stewart version. I'm not a fan of the psuedo fascist WWII updating a la McKellan's Richard III, and I don't think Stewart is quite right for Macbeth, any more than he was for Henry II in the tv version of The Lion in Winter.)
My very favorite part of Macbeth is when Duncan's son Malcolm maybe tests MacDuff or maybe confesses to him that he might be every bit as wicked a ruler as Macbeth given the chance. It's a chilling moment that seems to almost better express the despair that underlies so much of the play than even Macbeth's own darkest nature.
Most players portray that final scene as Mac's suicidal final capitulation. He's been a slave to the fate messages all his life, and this is where it has led: he has to fulfil the final act, he has no more options, and psychologically fatalism and superstition tends to self-destructiveness, the return to the womb. So actors usually play that last scene with a sort of "F**k you all, I don't give a damn about the lot of you, and I'm going out fighting" almost drunkenness. And Scots do that trick very convincingly....!
But he's also tired of running and guilt. He wants relief.
Joan ... here's Olivier with Tynan talking about playing Macbeth after the 4 minute mark:
He seems to agree that Macbeth is a 'domestic' tragedy and all about fate. The line, 'He can see it right from the beginning, how it will turn out, but she can't. He has all the imagination, she has no imagination' suggest their hellish complementing one another.
Carl Jung said, 'Some couples have marriages: others have conspiracies'.
Sean, I forgot that “testing” scene between Malcolm and MacDuff. That is a powerful scene, and I need to see which actors are playing those roles.
William, I loved the Olivier video. He was such an amazing Shakespearean actor as well a superb actor in any role. I do agree with him that Lady Macbeth lacked imagination, and that Macbeth had imagination, but I don’t think Macbeth knew exactly what would happen to him when he killed Duncan. He could imagine that all would fail, but I don’t think he was sure that would happen. That would mean he knowingly embarked upon a suicide journey. He wouldn’t do that even with his wife’s goading. Also, he found too much security in the apparitions’ three prophecies. (Moving Burnham woods, child born of a woman, etc.) He accepted those spoken safeguards or assurances until he realized how he was verbally duped. Just my take on it.
Still, the whole video provides wonderful insights and lessons.
soundtrackdan, thanks for letting us know about this score. I wish the movie would hurry up and play in my town. I'm excited to see this version of Macbeth.
We saw the, er, Scottish film last night. Wonderfully atmospheric with dirt, blood, mist, red skies and muted colours throughput. It's not a play I know very well - saw the RSC do it in the 80s and read it again about a year ago, but the new film leaves some well-known stuff out and adds some other aspects that make the story more psychological than paranormal. Can't say too much for fear of detracting from the interest of those yet to see it, but I think it was adapted for the better.
The score was well-nigh perfect, but I have little interest in hearing it separate from the images. All the players were excellent, particularly Fassbender and Thewlis as a weak and very human Duncan. Battle scenes were as realistic as I ever hope to imagine.
It crossed my mind that viewers familiar with neither the play nor Scottish accents might benefit from subtitles....
I've seen one or two reviews of this new picture that suggest the role of Mrs Macbeth is downplayed, which disappoints me somewhat.
It certainly wasn't the Hammer Horror version - she's given more of a motive than blind ambition and in fact it's more believable than the usual blood-soaked incarnations. I hope you're not disappointed if you should see it.
