“The Tragedy of Macbeth” revitalizes Shakespeare
“The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a recently released adaptation of the Shakespeare play that proves that we can still make movies like we used to: black and white, 4:3 aspect ratio, and independent.
As a lover of films from the 1930s and older, I must admit that this is one of the best-looking films I’ve ever seen. Features of the set were reminiscent of “Frankenstein” (1931) and “White Zombie” (1932), with its geometry and beautiful black and white color palette that has quite the range due to costumes, textures, and lighting. The 4:3 aspect ratio, my aspect ratio of choice for film, was perfect for the tone “Macbeth.”
The performances did not fall short either. Director Joel Coen, one of the Coen Brothers, and stars Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth are all worthy of an Oscar win.
I found the Shakespearean language to be the biggest obstacle to enjoying the movie. However, while difficult to follow at times, it did not interfere with understanding the basics of the plot. Understanding the language also got easier as the film went on.
Despite the challenging dialogue, I enjoyed this film, and I’ll have to give it a 9/10.