I really wanted to like this film. There was so much that I wanted to enjoy. First, it was Roman Polanski, who somehow can take a story - one told thousands of times - and make it his own, probably the best seen in a long time - but there were just small nuances that I had instant issues with Macbeth. Not wanting to jump directly into what soured this film experience for me, I would like to begin by saying that Polanski did it with energy, passion, and the darkness that many forget surround our now famous bard. With bold colors, vigorous characters, and blood (oh the blood) - he kept me glued for two and a half hours of Shakespeare. This is a difficult task, the only other director to have this effect on me and that was Julie Taymor, and her film Titus. Finishing this film, sitting down and thinking about what I just watched, I wasn't impressed with Macbeth the package. Fine acting, amazing direction and cinematography, but just not as exciting of a story. Slowly this impressive Polanski film slipped from the cannon of greatness and found its way deep into the heart of "bleh".
This is a difficult argument for me to have right now. In one sense I loved the vision that Polanski had with this film. As mentioned above, technically this is a bold adaptation - using violence and realism to tell this impending story of doom - yet I just cannot stand behind it. I cannot say to myself that "I loved Polanski's Macbeth" and I wish I could tell you why. Perhaps a portion of it is the time frame, the use of old English (always difficult for me to comprehend) or just the lack of excitement that I have for "Macbeth" in general. The story, Shakespeare's story, isn't that great. While I like the idea of fate, I hated that Macbeth just walked right into it. I hated that he didn't have any logic of his own, that he had to revisit the sisters to find the further truth. I was annoyed with Macbeth the character, not the actor. Jon Finch did a great job capturing his insanity - as did Francesca Annis as Lady Macbeth, but it wasn't the performances. It was the naked witches. There was just something about this story that I couldn't watch again.
I liked the way Polanski framed this story. I like that perhaps Lady Macbeth was crazy prior to the incident. I like that he showed a bear fighting a dog, a bit overly symbolic, but important none the less. It was important to see this - the beauty of the night sky, the darkness of the blood, the grunge that these Kings lived in - it was important to see this. It was important to see the violence, despite what happened to Polanski years earlier. This a film to see Polanski's inner being. This is a film if you needed to question his sanity - you would. Yet, it isn't perfect ... and I cannot tell you why. I didn't enjoy the old English - perhaps that is a bigger chunk of an issue - and I didn't enjoy the secondary characters who seemed less enthralled by being in this film. Now I am just grabbing at anything.
Did everyone realize that this was a Playboy production? I am still in shock, but hey - art is art.
So, with a very random blog entry (probably one that I will revisit later with a true understanding of why this film and I didn't agree) I come to a close. Found in my "Movie Award" book - Polanski's Macbeth isn't going to get anything higher than a pink mark. I am very glad that I watched it - despite the fact that it made me feel like I was watching it in my High School English class (another nugget as to why I didn't like it - too many bad High School film memories) - but I cannot reccommend it to friends or family. Wait. For a film class I would show it to demonstrate Polanski's ability, but nothing else.
Watch this film in HD - or upconvert it. The visuals are to die for - yet again - like a broken record - this story is not. Arg. I am done.
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