Macbeth (Olive Signature)

I own this film on VHS and on Laserdisc and I am hoping that it will soon come out on DVD. Certainly there are some technical problems with the production, but it is a 1948 film so some of that can be excused.Welles vision of MacBeth has the texture and feel of a nightmare. The backdrops are unfinished, muddy charicatures of the objects and places they represent. Scotland is an eerie, nightmarish landscape that is constantly misty and partially unformed. The use of the b&w medium superbly creates a feeling of dread and foreboding in the audience who is drawn ever deeper into the madness of the story. This is vintage Welles, who loved to make the tone, timbre, hue and texture of every part of the movie relate to and support the story he was filming. Certainly the work of a genius.Most people know the basic story. MacBeth (Which literally means "Son of Life"), is given a prophesy that he will become king of Scotland and tells his wife of the prophesy. Lady MacBeth then uses MacBeth's insecurities to manipulate him into murdering the true king and assuming his throne. Guilt-ridden and paranoid, MacBeth begins a reign of tyranny and sinks into madness. Finally, the English invade and end his reign of terror. MacBeth, who is shown as no more than a pawn in this story, finally gains a measure of grace and dignity when he faces MacDuff in combat. We finally see in death the couragous man MacBeth could have been - indeed was before he allowed his and his wife's greed to corrupt him - MacBeth rises above his fate and becomes master of his own destiny by crying-out the infamous phrase "Lead on MacDuff, and damn the man who first cries hold - enough".All in all, I have been impressed with this film from the first time I viewed it and I do hope it comes soon to DVD.A note on the soundtrack - In 1949 the studio refused to release this movie until Welles overdubbed the original Scottish Brogue with more traditional Shakespearian English-accented speech, arguing that the Scottish was unintelligible. I think the most important part of the reconstruction of this film is the return of the original Scottish soundtrack - It adds so much to the grittiness and the darkness of the movie. After two or three viewings, most of the dialog comes clear, so in the first viewing the accent is just a bit of an inconvenience.

I have the Olive 2012 blu-ray release of this, and I'm very happy with it. I wish it had captioning or subtitles, but the audio quality improves with headphones on, so part of the problem is probably my sound system. Orson Welles may have chopped down the play to less than 2 hours in length, but he certainly embodied MacBeth in a powerful way, and the experience of the film is memorable. Fantastic camerawork. Everytime I watch an Orson Welles movie, I come away thinking the same thing once again: the man was a genius. I would also like to add that I would probably have bought Olive's new restoration of this film if it had been available at the time of purchase.

Well, there were some things from the play itself I did miss. (1. The drunk porter's hilarious passage, 2. the presence of the queen witch Hecate, 3. the scene where the images of future kings appear and Banquo's ghost indicates that they are his descendants, and 4. while the witches deceive Macbeth with assuring words, they provide visual images that reveal the truth that Macbeth should have given more attention to.) But other than that, this is a really good production of Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Shakespeare wrote this play in honor of King James. Many characters including Duncan, Malcolm, Banquo, Fleance, and Siward are his ancestors. For those of you who don't know the story, Macbeth and Banquo fight Norway as well as Scottish rebels on King Duncan's behalf. Soon afterwards, the 3 witches appear and make tempting promises. (That Macbeth will be king and Banquo's descendants will be king.) As a Christian, Banquo rightly fears the witches. But Macbeth (being human) contemplates the possibility of becoming king even if it means killing Duncan (who was so kind to him). Interestingly, the witches can NOT exactly make Macbeth do things, but his wife urges Macbeth to carry out the assasination. (Though Macbeth's hesitation and regret is more than prevalent. Thus, Shakespeare does not let us forget that Macbeth is human.) Well, many are shocked by Duncan's death (including Banquo, Macduff, and Duncan's son and heir Malcolm). The learned Isaac Asimov points out that it is strange that Macduff who never saw the witches suspects Macbeth stronger than Banquo who DID see the witches. But even Shakespeare can have trouble distorting the truth. You see, in history, supposedly Macbeth and Banquo were BOTH taken in by the witches and they TOGETHER turned against Duncan. Later Macbeth killed Banquo because he knew too much. But since Banquo was an ancestor of King James (who was in the audience) Shakespeare undoubtedly wanted to free Banquo from blame. Macbeth becomes king, and his once ambitious wife starts to get cold feet. Macbeth on the other hand gets more ambitious and to be on the safe side, he plots the murder of Banquo (while telling him to attend the feast), to which Banquo agrees to come. Well, Banquo is murdered, but he keeps his word! And at the feast, Banquo's ghost throws Macbeth into a psychotic rage (in front of many witnesses at that)! Moving on, while the witches sought out Macbeth in the 1st encounter, Macbeth goes of his own free will to see the witches now. They do not tell outright falsehoods, but they DO deceive and throw Macbeth into a false sense of security. (...tis strange. / And oftentimes to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's / In deepest consequence." (1.3.134-138). To be on the safe side, Macbeth kills Macduff's whole family, but ironically, this safe measure drives Macduff to aid Malcolm in regaining his father's crown. Poor Lady Macbeth goes insane and eventually kills herself. Macbeth's human and sympathetic side reemerges as his enemies gain the advantage. While some of us may feel that Macbeth's comeuppance is deserved, he fights valiantly up until the end and fights his last battle with honor, courage, and dignity. Despite the limited resources of the black and white days, this movie is put together very well. Edgar Barrier and Daniel O'Herily are good as Banquo and Macduff. Roddy McDowall wonderfully reflects the gentle treatment Shakespeare gives Malcolm. Jeneatte Nolan is wonderful as Lady Macbeth. And of Orson Welles as Macbeth? He did a phenomenal job nailing down Macbeth's ambitions, as well as his sorrowful, human, and redeeming aspects. One touch I liked was how Macbeth heard Banquo's voice soon before he saw the ghost. Also, rather than having Lady Macbeth's suicide reported by a biased enemy, we see it and are allowed our sympathy for her.

The use of light and shadows and oblique camera angles makes this movie visually stunning and truly spectacular. A must watch.

Was never a great fan of this particular Welles film, but am now. I bought this Blue ray mainly due to all the extras. Watching this film now, so much clearer, and with the audio commentary, and the extras, if you are a Welles fan, like I have been for years, you really have to get this edition. Now it is a magnificent looking film, something that even in a theater, which I had seen twice before, one could not get.Watching also Welles here, it is sad that he could not have had someone at the time guiding him, so that he would have been a major box office star. I am not saying this film would've made him one, though the commentary suggests that the money was recouped, but some other film, perhaps he could have. At the same time though, I guess his life could be suggest\ed in the dialogue, where Kane suggests that he could have been a great man, and Mr. Thatcher says he really is, and Kane responds, paraphrasing, "I guess I did well under the circumstances."