what does everyone think of this film ?

I had exactly the same reaction you did - even to the point about McKellen sounding so much like Patrick Stewart (especially in the first act).

I already knew both McKellen and Dench great actors, but I was also quite taken with Ian McDiarmid (particularly his comic relief part as the Porter) and Roger Rees.

I wish more of these plays were available individually on DVD. The BBC did the whole Shakespeare cycle in the late '70s and early '80s. Unfortunately, they're just available in a very expensive set.




Laurie Mann
Government by Gumby
http://www.dpsinfo.com/blog/2005/09/government-by-gumby.html

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i wasn't overly impressed with this version. i had to watch it for my honors english 12 class and we have to write a persuasive essay on weither or not we think that this version worked well with telling the story. i have to say that it didnt do too much for me. i guess there was one way that made it an alright version and it was the fact that the actors had to portray more of their characters instead of relying on props to do most of it. that was the only good thing that it had going for it. the fact that there were no props made it a little hard to keep my attention on it through the while thing. i think that the lack of props and costumes made it boring. the characters were nothing like i had pictured them while reading the play, i thought that Lady Macbeth should have been more of a elegant lady. costumes and props would have helped this play significantly.

I freaking hated it. I love Ian Mckellen, but this movie was retarded. We had to watch it for our english class, it was gross all the spit and mucus and icky stuff. and when macbeth and lady macbeth are eating eachothers face, i couldnt help but laugh.

I've long held this video as the single best Shakespeare on screen, and I think it still holds up. Spare and still visually striking, it features incredible performances by both Dench and McKellen. McKellen is a bit stagy compared to Dench, but no one can wring the juice out of Shakespeare the way he can (possible exception - Derek Jacobi). I love the perspective on the play as a psychological ghost story, and Macbeth's madness as something coming from his own corrupted soul is magnificently played. Dench's Lady B. is more appropriately sized for the small screen, and she manages to get every bit of anguish and terror from the role (just thinking of her drawn-out scream during the sleepwalking scene give me chills.)

Supporting cast is pretty awesome as well. Roger Rees' Malcolm is the first interpretation of the role that sells me on his incorruptibility. Bob Peck is a first-rate Macduff, and he and Nunn provide a unique and ultimately successful interpretation of the character (the choices made in the "England" scene, where Macduff hears of the fate of his family, are surprising, but they work.)

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Ian McKellen was transcendent, unchartable, immeasurably brilliant, he entered Shakespearean acting terrority that had never been entered before and has only been nearly breached by Ken Branagh as Hamlet.

Trevor Nunn's filmed stage production is the definitive version of Macbeth that will never be replicated, Ian McKellen out Macbethed Macbeth, Nunn and Ian McDiarmid understood the Porter's quintessentially savy and figurative dialogue, and McDiarmid out Portered all Porters whom have ever existed.

Roger Rees and Judi Dench were captivating, the elocution of the dialogue and accompanying facial and body movements of McKellen and Dench represented some of the most unparalleled recitative performances of Shakespeare's words in existence.

The production and the acting are brilliant. The film is wonderful.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.