MovieChat Forums > The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971) Discussion > The best Shakespeare adaptation ever, ba...

The best Shakespeare adaptation ever, bar none.


This fantastic production brings the material to life as no-one else ever has, and I've seen 'em all.
PLEASE don't start writing in about Mel Gibsons 'Hamlet', as It would be great to keep the discussions on an adult level.
But seriously, Polanskis choice of Jon Finch in the lead role is spot on. Using a star, as you have to these days, ruins it for us, the suffering herd.
Imagine Tom Cruise simpering his way through the noble prose..!

The end fight scene alone is worth a billion Jackie Chan pantomimes.

Tintin Quarentino

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I'd have to argue about best Shaky adaptation ever. It is very good, very bloody good, but I think both Olivier's Henry V and Welles' Chimes at Midnight give a more comprehensive view of Shaky, esp. in their treatment of the staged aspects of both plays. Chimes at Midnight also contains the most realistic and violent fight scene I have ever witnessed in any film before or since. However as opinions such as these are subjective I won't mind if you disagree. 8-)

Pleek

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Yeah it was really a good adaptation of Macbeth but theres another equally good or even better adaptation of Macbeth, its an indian movie called 'MAQBOOL'.

Maqbool relocates Shakespeare's lurid tragedy to present-day Mumbai underworld. The story follows the shakespeare tragedy closely except it is set in modern day mumbai and the kingdom is the mumbai underworld. Macbeth is now Maqbool, the right hand man of kingpin Abbaji. Nimmi (lady macbeth) is Abbaji's mistress who manipulates maqbool, thru her wicked ways, into killing abbaji. however afterwards she realizes she is pregnant with abbaji's baby and feels guilt and remorse. Maqbool is also filled with guilt of killing abbaji and what happens in the end is well known.

The reason this movie is different from any other adaptation of any book or play is the fact that it humanizes the characters. All the characters and their emotions seem real, and it could be atttributed to the fantastic direction and acting prowess of the ensemble cast (Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Tabu, Irrfan,Pankaj Kapur). Also technically the film is brilliant; the sound, the background score, the cinematography, the lighting, the use of colors, the dialogues all are exceptional. But it is the screenplay thats the real winner. was recently being shown at a few film festivals.

a must see, watch "the tragedy of macbeth " to compare and for more stylised action and costumes.

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This is definitely one of the best, but I've always liked Kurosawa's adaptations (his visuals are amazing, and the acting is superb). I also really liked Olivier as Richard III.

I didn't like Gibson in Hamlet.

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It is also the best Shakespeare play anyway.

Eamonn Green

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No, it’s not. Hamlet and Lear trump it.

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crazy mel was great!


“Can't go wrong with taupe."- Wynn Duffy

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Agreed.

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