The Plays of William Shakespeare - Macbeth

Rating:
Summary: APPALLING DVD despite great actors
Review: I love Jeremy Brett and Piper Laurie. Their combined talents offer what few enjoyable moments there are to be found in this Macbeth, but they unfortunately can't salvage this atrocious production. Seeing it is enough to turn someone off Shakespeare. (Should that happen, Al Pacino's delightful LOOKING FOR RICHARD is the perfect antidote to restore passion for the Bard). But I digress. I want to issue a warning to all who might assume the DVD version of this Macbeth would be superior to the VHS. In this instance, tape was simply transferred unto disk with no remastering or enhancements, and there are no extra features. The visual and audio quality is appalling. I regret buying this DVD when I already owned the VHS (..like I said, I love Jeremy Brett...) The only advantage is being able to skip the boring parts to get to the monologues. But that isn't saying much.

Rating:
Summary: This is horrible
Review: I teach this play in High School and was looking for an alternative to the Welles and Polanski versions to help my students understand the play. This is not it. This one is horrible. Badly acted and directed and very difficult to follow. If anyone is looking for a video version of this play that is easy to understand and useful for teachers, there is a pretty new version of the play on DVD available on this site directed by J. Bretton Truett and E.J. Kerwin ( B0000639O1 ) that is outstanding for educators. They perform most of the play and include a great deal of video analysis as well. The performances are very good and they use a modern setting which is very effective. There is also a wonderful feature that lets you get right to the text from the video and back again.

Rating:
Summary: It was ok.
Review: I'm not going to say that this is the best version of Macbeth that I have ever seen. I'm just saying that it was ok. In my opinion, whoever made this production should have cast someone who actually did Shakespeare. I don't even know if Jeremy Brett and Piper Laurie have ever done Shakespeare. The set is gorgeous. Something tells me that you had to be brave to stand on the ramp above the stage. Macduff Jr. is so adorable. I was saddened when the Murderers killed him offstage. I was so sad when I heard him crying offstage at the end of the scene. The biggest highlight of the video (I rented it from the library) was the Witches. I liked the Witches even more when I found out that one of the actresses playing the Witches also played Bianca in this series' production of Othello. She's better at being evil than good. What especially charmed me about the witches was their costumes. I was expecting old chambermaid costumes or rags. I was also expecting old women, not sexy women. Then, there were the three demons, or apparitios as they are credited. They were freaky. I was especially charmed because the witches and the apparations appear more than once. Watch for them. They're pretty prominent. Other than that, just rent the DVD for the Witches, Macduff Jr. and the set. There is too much overacting from the leading players. They almost killed this DVD. Everyone else is good except for Malcolm. They obviously hired this guy because his chest is sexy.

Rating:
Summary: It's a tragedy, all right.
Review: Poor Jeremy Brett must be turning in his grave every time this film is run. This is an unintentionally hilarious version of the play that should scare the high schoolers for whom it was made 'off' the Bard forever...The problem is the director, the acting, and the costumes. The only good thing about this version of MACBETH is the script, which is still Shakespeare's... If you are fond of this actor, do yourself a favor and watch another SHERLOCK HOLMES episode, or MY FAIR LADY, instead.

Rating:
Summary: Something Wicked Is Something Awful
Review: Something wicked this way comes and should leave. I saw this on P B S and rented the tape from a library for another reviewing. I must say both times it was just awful! I have never seen such a bad waste of good talent as I have in this hideous version of Macbeth. Do yourselves a favor folks if you want a good version of Macbeth, and buy almost any other tape but this! The versions with Ian Mckellen and Judi Dench, or Orson Welles and Jeanette Nolan respectively in roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both excellent. This version with Jeremy Bret is so badly done one would think it put on by grammar school kids.

Rating:
Summary: Tragic Production of a Great Tragedy
Review: Unfortunately, I have to agree with just about everyone else who has reviewed here this film production of "Macbeth." I found the video in my local library and was eagerly anticipating another fine performance by two of my favorite actors: Brett and Piper Laurie, especially Brett. I've seen and thoroughly enjoyed every one of the BBC Sherlock Holmes productions numerous times, and just recently was impressed with Brett's interpretation of Bassanio in the '73 TV production of "The Merchant of Venice." So, imagine my great disappointment when I was amazed by how awful this "Macbeth" really is. I would prefer to not fault the actors, but can only think that the director and producer were responsible. Not to mention the costumer and the "set" designer. I would strongly advise anyone who loves Shakespeare, Brett or Laurie, or all of the above, to avoid a most unpleasant experience.

Rating:
Summary: Tragic Production of a Great Tragedy
Review: Unfortunately, I have to agree with just about everyone else who has reviewed here this film production of "Macbeth." I found the video in my local library and was eagerly anticipating another fine performance by two of my favorite actors: Brett and Piper Laurie, especially Brett. I've seen and thoroughly enjoyed every one of the BBC Sherlock Holmes productions numerous times, and just recently was impressed with Brett's interpretation of Bassanio in the '73 TV production of "The Merchant of Venice." So, imagine my great disappointment when I was amazed by how awful this "Macbeth" really is. I would prefer to not fault the actors, but can only think that the director and producer were responsible. Not to mention the costumer and the "set" designer. I would strongly advise anyone who loves Shakespeare, Brett or Laurie, or all of the above, to avoid a most unpleasant experience.

Rating:
Summary: Pass by this one and don't look back
Review: With so many good versions of Macbeth out there with such great actors as Orson Welles and Judi Dench, why waste your time and ruin your mind by watching this. This film was but a waste of money. I would reccomend not watching it and instead watching one of the other, good, versions of Macbeth.