Macbeth

The Bard versions of Shakespeare's plays are filmed on a mostly bare wooden stage without an audience, and this one is no exception. However, using fog (dry ice), fire, and the swirling draperies of the witches (which vaguely resemble multicolored moss), this production creates an atmosphere suitable for Macbeth.

If there is nothing extraordinary about it, there is nothing sub-standard about it either. The acting is uniformly professional, and even those choices that might seem questionable, such as Piper Laurie's cold-blooded, sometimes detached Lady Macbeth, can certainly find support in the text.

Jeremy Brett is as emotional as Laurie is emotionless. His is a compelling, ultimately believable portrait of a good man gone almost completely bad.

The witches, who appear with their familiars and are young and attractive, give an interesting spin to the play's "Fair is foul and foul is fair."

This Macbeth version has an overall rating of about 7.5, but most of the reviewers are rather less kind to it than that. As a seasoned Shakespeare appreciator with a large collection of Shakespeare DVDs, let me tell you: the overall rating is correct, and the reviewers are wrong.

The only thing wrong with this version is that it is not a big-budget super-production, the picture quality is not great (after all, it is from 1981!) and the sound on the DVD is a bit out of sync. All annoying, to be sure, but not something that should reflect on the overall quality of the theatrical performance itself.

This filmed stage version is well-acted and well-produced, and both of the main characters (Brett and Laurie), and the rest of the cast too, shine in their roles, making the character development believable. If you are looking for a good stage version of Macbeth, you could do a lot worse than this. And if you collect Shakespeare DVDs, you should definitely seek out this.

7 out of 10.

Jeremy Bret gives a great, eccentric performance in this performance of Shakespere's classic play. The locations are all on stage, so the sets are not fancy. Still, the acting more than makes up for it and the action scenes are well done as well. Any fan of the play cannot go wrong with this performance.

I find that the worst rating is totally inaccurate. Jeremy Brett performed MacBeth in a grand Shakespearian style. His performance out did all other movies and plays of MacBeth. The plain set with limited props was able to create Macbeth in a true Shakespearian style. Those who may not have liked the performance might not have expected the movie in play form. It was outstanding and I would consider it excellent.

It sounded so promising. Jeremy Brett in the title role, with Piper Laurie as Lady M and Simon MacCorkindale as Macduff. So far, so good.

That's where it stops. They are all dreadful. Very sad to say it, but who on earth allowed this mistake out into the wide world? I'm curious since there's ample evidence that Brett and Laurie at least are capable of performances of more depth and less posturing and declaiming than this. Was it then their director's fault? It's tempting to think so. MacCorkindale - well, he's adequate I suppose but by the time Macduff gets going it is far too late for this production.

I'm afraid I watched it once and it has been stuck on my video shelf covered with dust ever since. Maybe I'll give it another go someday. But not until the memory of being bored stiff by it recedes.