This is a VERY theatrical production of Macbeth, with everybody rushing the camera, gargling in their own slobber, assuming contorted poses, wandering around aimlessly and generally beating the living stuffing out of the play.In a theater it would rivet you to your seat. It worked in "Marat/Sade" and on stage it worked here. However the television camera mercilessly reveals a procession of theatrical strokes and tricks, and there isn't a human being in sight.Wait, there is one exception. The late, great Bob Peck is completely emotionally honest as Macduff. When the poor man hears of the death of his wife and children, for one brief shining moment there is some communication of human truth. It's the best performance in there and he steals the show.The rest, including Judi Dench's famous scream in the sleepwalking scene, is a triumph of artifice and directorial narcissism. This is the kind of horrorshow that gives the word "theatricality" a bad name.It's like being locked in a closet with a bunch of loony puppets. Noisy loony puppets. This traversal is not a tragedy, it's kabuki, and misunderstood kabuki at that.People who are impressed by a bunch of great names will marvel happily at the assembled starpower, but this is a misfire on just about every level. Avoid.

This is probably "Macbeth" as Shakespeare really saw it produced -- no fancy scenery, no elaborate sets, just stunning actors conveying everything Shakespeare intended to convey by the power of their own speech and actions.The defining moment for me is the banquet scene, where McKellan manages to go from icily cynical schemer to stark raving maniac on seeing Banquo's ghost, and then back again to schemer and then yet back again to broken, frightened shadow of a man by the end of the scene, without for a moment over-acting and without us, the viewer, even seeing Banquo's ghost.The only false note I think the production had was Judi Dench -- as others have said here, she is of course a splendid actress and her sleepwalking scene was wonderful. But part of what drives Macbeth in the play is Lady Macbeth's threat to withhold sexual favors and her denigration of his masculinity if Macbeth doesn't act more "like a man" and go through with the murder of Duncan (conveyed in this version by her avoiding Macbeth's attempted kiss in the "milk of human kindness" scene), and frankly in this production Dame Judi lacked the sex appeal that would make this viable.Still, a bravura performance and certainly the best Macbeth I have seen filmed.

The performance by Ian McKellen proves that he is one of the best Shakesperean actors ever (and I've seen all the famous ones on the stage). Macbeth is not a complex character, just a fine man sucked into a downward spiral by his ambitious wife, but Shakespeare gives him really magnificent poetry to speak (Tomorrow, etc.), and McKellen says it all breathtakingly. Actually, some of Macbeth's lines are very difficult to understand, and McKellen is capable of the ultimate actor's magic of making the lines seem quite understandable as he speaks them (they go back to being difficult when you contemplate them on the page). His representation of the descent into madness is extremely effective, even though he goes quite far in this. Exactly how psychotic Macbeth becomes is one important question in interpreting this character, and McKellen (and Trevor Nunn, who directed) decide to go all the way. The other actors are all adequate, no problem. Judi Dench is not entirely convincing as the evil-from-the-outset Lady Macbeth, really a caricature and not a fully developed person in the play (Shakespeare's fault, not Judi's). Dame Judi is just not an evil person, and can't make us believe she is. However, at the most crucial point, the sleepwalking scene in the last act which precedes her suicide, she rises to the occasion. Her wail in unforgettable. This was originally a stage production, done in the round with few props, fine for this play, which is about words (and faces), not about setting. It's great that someone had the idea of filming the stage production, and doing it so well that it's possible to watch it. For many years this tape has only been available to educational institutions for $250, so it's great that everyone can see such a stunning performance now. And its great that Ian McKellen has become better known through X-Men and Lord of the Rings (though it takes Shakespeare to display his true talents).

This (wonderful) production highlights the Christian v. pagan elements of the play, and in other ways deals in opposites (men's v. women's perceptions of political alliances, the solid v. spirit worlds, etc.), but without beating you over the head with it. The Weird Sisters' scenes are amazing--the production borrows from Irish "bog people" imagery with the witches' stick puppets representing Macbeth's visions. The production recalls the minimal "circle" staging of Equus, with the actors seated around the circle when not "on." Minimal props and furniture; the actors carry it all the way, brilliantly. I can't imagine anyone doing a better, more visceral and committed job with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth than Ian McKellen and Judi Dench. It could sell huge-for a Shakespeare film-if only it weren't obviously a taped stage production (it doesn't try to be otherwise, and is very well lit and photographed). Look for the red-and-green light cues when Macbeth greets the king-a subtle, chilling reference to Macbeth's later musings on his hands stained with the king's blood. A couple of turtlenecks among the costumes betray the 70's-era staging, but otherwise the costuming is great and doesn't date the production. If you a) are a McKellen or Dench fan and b) appreciate great Shakespeare performances and want to be "in the know" on what's considered the definitive Macbeth staging of the past couple decades, this is the one.