Macbeth on the Estate (1997)

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This is one of those updates that make you look again at the play as the dialogue sounds too modern. It also shows that certain themes persist and Shakespeare knew a thing or two about human psychology. There is less sense of individual stars than of a team. All characters are important as the Macbeths weren't operating in a vacuum but within power structures. The sad thing about Macbeth is the feeling that a different wife might not have encouraged him to take the fateful step that eventually led to their downfall. She seems quite ruthless but soon starts to fall apart. It's the fairy gold story. It was easy to feel that Duncan didn't deserve his fate. The children in place of witches was a nice sinister and unexpected touch. It ought to be generally available and be watched repeatedly to show that special effects are not necessary. Very good.

I've always been amazed that the BBC never issued this on video, as it stands as a superb piece of drama. The updated setting bring a rawness to the work that is so often lost. Of particular note are the interpretation of the witches and Lady Macbeth. Her performance in the nursery brings a poignancy to the character that is rarely attained.

I managed to get a copy of this VERY hard to obtain BBC adaption of "MacBeth on the Estate". God, this film should be available to EVERYONE. It is extremely timely and believable. It is totally convincing in the unique setting that director Penny Willcot (sp?) picked. In a world of drugs and Drug King-pins, MacBeth fits wonderfully. I just can't believe more people haven't seen this. This is the best modern-day adaption of Shakespeare I've ever seen. All the acting is perfect. The stand-outs are Susan Vidler (what a seductive and pained Lady MacBeth she does make), James Frain (a MacBeth full of male pride, envy, ambition, and an all consuming lust for his manipulative wife. He goes from reluctant assassin of his King to horrifying mass murderer with terribly convincing emotion), and David Harewood (a deeply moving McDuff). I have watched my tape of this over and over, and it moves me to tears every time. It is Shakespeare at it's best. It is Shakespeare for the masses. So *new*...so different...so fantastically glorious. If you can track it down, watch it! You'll adore it. William Shakespeare could never have foreseen a MacBeth like this...but his wonderfully tragic anti-hero makes a perfectly unrepentant--yet still tormented--Drug Lord.