Macbeth (Polanski)

Roman Polanski’s sharp and brutal version of the Shakespearean tragedy is stunning, mesmerising and brutal. A blood-stained visual palette allows Polanski to imbue the drama with his own metaphysical obsessions, particularly the intrusion of the irrational in human order. The film stays true to the Shakespearean narrative but it also stands on its own as a film about the darkness of power and lust. The brutal slaying of Polanski’s wife, Sharon Tate, by Charles Manson obviously affected the direction of the film, as did the savagery in Vietnam. By forcing the viewer to confront the violence implicit in Shakespeare’s play, this version of “Macbeth” extends the dimensions of the tragedy. It is not only Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s destruction we witness. With unrelenting and hypnotic images, Polanski makes us confront the savagery of medieval Europe. Starring Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw, Nicholas Selby and John Stride.