Title: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Year: 2021
Director: Joel Coen
Country: US
Language: English
Macbeth is my favorite Shakespeare play. I loved learning about it in school; my teacher introduced me to foreign cinema by showing my class Akira Kurosawa's Japanese adaptation Throne of Blood (1957). Since then I've seen Orson Welles' Macbeth (1948), Roman Polanski's Macbeth (1971), and Shakespeare in the Ruins' live performance of Macbeth in 2012. Upon hearing that Joel Coen was making an adaptation starring Denzel Washington, I knew I had to see it immediately.
Scottish lord (Denzel Washington) becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife (Frances McDormand) supports him in his plans of seizing power.
The black and white cinematography, combined with the minimalist production design, and unique use of lighting give the picture a remarkable surreal atmosphere reminiscent of German Expressionism. Joel Coen's Tragedy of Macbeth highlights the weird dream-like nature of the original written material. Shakespeare wrote about witches, madness and ghosts. this ain't exactly Downtown Abbey.
The stagey design of the film makes each monologue feel compelling. Denzel Washington does a tremendous job as Macbeth, giving the character far more vulnerability than we've seen in previous versions. Frances McDormand is easily the best Lady Macbeth I've come across. Her facial expressions give us a wealth of knowledge regarding her characters' intentions.
While I like Throne of Blood more, I must admit that Joel Coen's adaptation of Macbeth is masterful. The use of Shakespearean language can be off-putting for many; there were certainly times I was struggling to understand what a character was saying, but this film is certainly a worthwhile endeavor.
No comments:
Post a Comment