As a precursor to the summer, I happened upon the new film version of Macbeth, starring Michael Fassbender. Were it not for a casual mention by my brother, I might have missed this one entirely. Were it not for a quick Internet theatre search, the limited release in my area might have passed me by. Fortunately, all things worked out that I was able to see it before it closed.
I must admit that my reading of Macbeth was long ago and incomplete. It was on the required reading list in junior year of high school, but the teacher did not leave us enough time to read the entire play. (Maybe we shouldn't have wasted time on I Never Promised You a Rose Garden or The Ox-Bow Incident!) So I went into the film with a good, albeit partial working knowledge of the plot. After the fact I checked out a plot summary of the play for comparison's sake.
I thought it was a terrific presentation, but certainly not a holiday season pick-me-up. It was a very well done film--well acted, well directed, well photographed. It did not seem dated, but it also was not shockingly modern. Everything fit together in a classic and classy show.
The acting was solid, with all of the roles quite believable. Strangely, Lady Macbeth did not strike me as vile as I remembered the character; unpleasant and scheming, yes. Her husband certainly made up for it! Fassbender's Macbeth is by turns wicked and mad; certainly more foul than fair. The dialogue was thickly Scottish accented at times, and it was difficult to figure out what was being said. (My own unfamiliarity with the text is partly responsible for this, I'm sure.) I would love to see the film again with open on-screen captions in order to follow the spoken word more easily. Seeing the film again would also provide an opportunity to take in the scenery. It is a beautifully shot film, with picturesque backdrops of mountains, woods and the castle.
The text must have been edited in order to fit the running time of two hours, but I couldn't pick out many glaring omissions, aside from the witches' "Double, double..." lines. The story was not changed enough to be noticeable. The one revision that was apparent was the manner in which Birnam Wood came to Dunsinane. In the text, the soldiers shield themselves behind branches. In the film, fire is set to the entire wood. The prevailing winds blow the ash at the castle, hence Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane. It was a novel way to fit an adaptation to the original plot without doing either a gross disservice.
The violence of the play was on full display in the film. It was not over the top considering the text, but it also was not toned down. It was difficult to watch Macduff's family being incinerated by a vengeful (and despicable) Macbeth. The battlefield scenes were suitably brutal, with much blood spilt ala Sam Peckinpah. The gore was balletic at times. The final fight between Macbeth and Macduff was violent, but Macbeth died with his head still attached.
For the Shakespearean devotee, this is a must-see. I would recommend it as well for the casual Shakespearean observer, although reading the play ahead of time (or at least knowing what happens) would be a big help. It gave me even more reason to look forward to Summer 2016 in Stratford!
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