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March 29, 2024, 11:32:22 AM

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The Tragedy of Macbeth (King film)

Started by Magnum Valentino, December 29, 2021, 09:27:54 PM

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Magnum Valentino

Anyone else seen this?

It's class. It's got that cunt from the first episode of Buffy in it that talks like he's trying to seduce his own mouth and you never see him in anything these days.

It is genuinely class though, I'm just no good at passionately talking about films with sincerity any more. Generally I'm more interested in what others have to say.

Talking points:

Aspect ratio;
Denzel Washington;
Finchy from the Office being the first thing you see;
That there's been two big screen Macbeths in about five years and they're both brilliant;
All that fancy talking;

Etc.

non capisco

Going to see this tomorrow. The Justin Kurzel version of Macbeth with Fassbender and Cotillard was my favourite film of whatever that year that was so this needs to go some to top that. But, y'know...Denzel, Frances McDormand and a Coen brother. Stands a chance, dunnit? Will report back.


Noodle Lizard

Quote from: non capisco on December 29, 2021, 09:33:03 PMGoing to see this tomorrow. The Justin Kurzel version of Macbeth with Fassbender and Cotillard was my favourite film of whatever that year that was so this needs to go some to top that. But, y'know...Denzel, Frances McDormand and a Coen brother. Stands a chance, dunnit? Will report back.

Have you watched the Kurzel version again since? It's beautiful, but Shakespearean dialogue really wasn't supposed to be mumbled.

druss

Was waiting until after New Year as didn't want to isolate for Christmas or New Year if I caught the plague but I am very excited to see this next week, Macbeth has always been my favourite Shakespeare play and the Coens (or Coen) are ever reliable.

George White

Quote from: Magnum Valentino on December 29, 2021, 09:27:54 PMAnyone else seen this?

It's class. It's got that cunt from the first episode of Buffy in it that talks like he's trying to seduce his own mouth and you never see him in anything these days.

It is genuinely class though, I'm just no good at passionately talking about films with sincerity any more. Generally I'm more interested in what others have to say.

Talking points:

Aspect ratio;
Denzel Washington;
Finchy from the Office being the first thing you see;
That there's been two big screen Macbeths in about five years and they're both brilliant;
All that fancy talking;

Etc.
Also, Miles Anderson, Roger from the BBC House of Cards.
And

Bertie Carvel the second Dalgliesh to play Banquo (after Martin Shaw in Polanski's).


I now want more movies to be made like this, esp. post-covid.
Bring back films set in Europe shot entirely on cramped backlots sheathed in fog.
There's more than enough British actors out there. 

sevendaughters

i want to see this and do remain open-minded but I am sort of imagining A24 as a bunch of Tristans who have now decided "ah yes we need a Bergman, who can do a Bergman, maybe throw in a bit of Dreyer too, lovely, yeah, great". anyway it's not on near me so I will have to wait but hope there's more to it than imitating.

Magnum Valentino

You'll be able to download it in about a fortnight but if you get a chance on the big screen go for it.

Noodle Lizard

I liked it a lot. Beautiful set design and cinematography, and by the far the best (Three) Witch(es) I've seen in a Macbeth. If any Oscar's going anywhere, it should be in Kathryn Hunter's direction.

Some of the acting was a bit uneven, I thought. Occasionally it seemed as if the actors might have recorded some scenes separately (perhaps due to COVID restrictions), so they're acting on noticeably different "levels". Denzel is quite weak in the beginning, to be honest, sometimes rattling through his speeches as if it was more a feat of memory than acting. He gets a lot better as the character gets more and more frantic though. I thought the guy playing Ross (Alex Hassell) wasn't very good, so I was surprised to discover he's mostly known for Shakespeare plays. Frances McDormand may have been overdoing it a bit, but she was predictably solid.

I know it's coming on the streaming soon enough, but I'd recommend seeing it in a cinema if you can. Some of the shots are gorgeous on a big screen, and the sound design's fantastic too.

non capisco

Yeah, the weird (wyrd?) sisters absolutely ruled. Hunter's performance is outstanding, that bit at the start where she takes on the physicality of a crow had me gobsmacked.


Noodle Lizard

Quote from: non capisco on December 30, 2021, 11:41:39 PMYeah, the weird (wyrd?) sisters absolutely ruled. Hunter's performance is outstanding, that bit at the start where she takes on the physicality of a crow had me gobsmacked.

It was incredible! I looked her up and it seems she's mostly known for her Shakespearean stage work in London. What I wouldn't give to see some of that!

It's been a long while since I read the original text, but all that stuff with her
Spoiler alert
being disguised as a hermit harbouring Fleance on Ross's command
[close]
isn't in there, is it? In fact, it seems as though Ross is far more involved in this version than any other I've seen - he's almost portrayed as a sort of Good Iago type character in this one, especially in
Spoiler alert
the implication that he murders Lady Macbeth.
[close]
But like I say, I haven't read the original text in a long time, perhaps it's the other adaptations that are unfaithful in this regard.

George White

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on December 30, 2021, 11:52:44 PMIt was incredible! I looked her up and it seems she's mostly known for her Shakespearean stage work in London. What I wouldn't give to see some of that!
 
Yes, she's done a few mainstream things. She's in a Harry Potter (Order of the Phoenix), in a nice little cameo.
She's also one of the midwives with baby Jessica Hynes in Baby of Macon and she's in Orlando. She was in some BBC short film as a mummy.
And done a few bits of UK TV.
She's part of Simon McBurney's  Theatre du Complicité (the main influence for Cirque Des Clunes in KMKY).

If they ever do that remake of Bride of Frankenstein, get her in as Una O'Connor.

SweetPomPom

Really looking forward to this, but I was looking forward to the Fassbender/Cotillard one and thought that was terrible. Orange smoke, long pointless silences and the population of Scotland being about 25 in total.
Denzel and McDormand tho, can't imagine them being dull.

Blue Jam

Just saw this. Great source material, great cast, beautifully shot... and utterly pointless. On paper this film looked like it was right up my street, and yet I was bored stiff by it.

Meh. I guess I'm back to waiting for the Coen Brother/s return to form.

Norton Canes

Saw it on the big screen the other night (or the 'not quite so big' screen, since it's in 4:3), loved it. Not perfect (Alex Hassell is very arch) but it doesn't hang around and it looks stunning.

Why is it in 4:3?

El Unicornio, mang

Quote from: Norton Canes on January 11, 2022, 03:54:52 PMSaw it on the big screen the other night (or the 'not quite so big' screen, since it's in 4:3), loved it. Not perfect (Alex Hassell is very arch) but it doesn't hang around and it looks stunning.

Why is it in 4:3?

Seems to be a thing some modern filmmakers do for stylistic reasons. See also: Fishtank, The Lighthouse, Snyder Cut, French Dispatch.

Magnum Valentino

My counter to that is the probably-predictable why is everything else not in 4:3? (aaaahhhhh).

Although I can't be bothered fleshing it out, I really like that things occasionally are done differently to how technology mandates they be done. I fucking love 4:3.

Noodle Lizard

Quote from: Norton Canes on January 11, 2022, 03:54:52 PMWhy is it in 4:3?

Presumably to imitate the style of old expressionist films (or perhaps Bergman). I think it looked good with that framing.

Small Man Big Horse

A curious one this, as I wondered if there really was any need for yet anther adaptation, and felt the first half offered very little to quash that concern. The second half is much, much better, but though it's beautifully shot and the performances are very strong (as others have commented I too thought Hunter was superb, and I really liked Corey Hawkins as well), but Frances McDormand only really shone during the famous speech, and I'm not sure about my feelings about Denzil at all, he had his moments but didn't make for a memorable Macbeth and I think this could have been a lot better with a different lead actor. 7.3/10

touchingcloth

The sets and photography looked amazing.

Half of the cast had done Harry Potters.

The dialogue was extremely mumblecore, which doesn't help with Shakespeare.

4/5. 

Yeah, you need to hear what they're saying and you couldn't some of the time.
Denzil was a bit robotic, I thought.
Whole thing was pretty lifeless and flat.
Didn't really enjoy it, I have to say.
I liked the witches!

Two bagger for me.

Noodle Lizard

It's not as mumbly as the Justin Kurzel version, which legitimately needs subtitles and skips some of the best speeches.

zomgmouse

Watching the Welles version right before this was a mistake because that shat all over this tame mess. No energy in this at all. Looks great, loved the cinematography and that's about it. Brendan Gleeson and the witch and maybe one or two others do the only decent bit of acting in it. I will say all the murders and deaths were rather strikingly done too. But yeah overall strike me down as a disappointed viewer. Sad.

Red Lantern

Saw this last night and enjoyed it. Time went really fast, which is a good sign. Loved the cinematography, buildings (which were all sets) and shadows.

But never mind about all that. WAYNE CARR is in the film: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5427572/

gilbertharding

I hope everyone has noticed this:

REVIEW

Quote from: ????Macbeth is Joel Coen's shittiest movie by several billion light years. If all the elephants in all the world crapped into the same canyon for 100 years, you would still not have a pile of shit half a large as Joel Coen's dumb-as-a-dog-dick rendering of this classic tale.

Egyptian Feast

I did find that review funny until the disclaimer at the end stating it wasn't really written by Ethan Coen.

gilbertharding

I agree.

I guess they can't let us have nice things.

Noodle Lizard

Ah I'm pretty sure that disclaimer wasn't there when I first read it. What a shame.

chveik

can't be bothered with this, i'd rather rewatch the Welles adaptation or Throne of Blood.