Stars: Jeremy Brett, Piper Laurie, Simon MacCorkindale, Barry Primus

Director: Arthur Allan Seidelman

Summary: Macbeth, a general in the army of King Duncan of Scotland meets with three witches who claim to see his future as king. Lady Macbeth his wife helps to plot the murders of those who stand in their way.

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Synopsis, Biography, Quotations, Geneology, Scene Selection
Year:	1981
Release Date:	September 9, 2002
Runtime:	150 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	Q L D V D 0337
Keywords:	Music, Collection, Classic, Book, General, Performance, Macbeth, Plays, Shakespeare, Tragedy, Drama, William, Performing, Period, Based, Arts
Genre:	Drama

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Roman Polanski's adaptation of Macbethremains one of the most infamous for a number of reasons: the copious amounts of bloody gore, its expert use of location settings (filmed in North Wales), and Lady Macbeth's nude sleepwalking scene. Despite its notoriety, though, this does remain one of the more compelling film adaptations of the Scottish tragedy, if one of the more pessimistic takes on the story of Macbeth and his overreaching ambition. If you think the play is normally a bit of a downer, you haven't seen Polanski's bleak version of it, made in reaction to the murder of his wife, Sharon Tate, by the Manson "family". Jon Finch (Hitchcock's Frenzy) is a forceful Macbeth, bringing out the Scot's warrior instincts, and Francesca Annis is a memorable Lady Macbeth, but the main thrust of the film belongs to Polanski's and noted British playwright and critic Kenneth Tynan's take on the play: extremely violent, nihilistic, and visceral; this is down-in-th!e-dirt, no-holds-barred Shakespeare, not fussy costume drama. Pay close attention to the end, a silent coda that puts a chilling twist on all the action that has come beforehand and foreshadows more tragedy to come.--Mark Englehart, Amazon.com