Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection) @ richardeward.com

Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
from A&E Home Video
starring Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, John Bown, Susan Dury, Judith Harte
directed by Philip Casson

Features:

• Closed-captioned
• Color
• DVD-Video
• NTSC

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• sub-tiltles wud have helped
  I realize any Shakespeare aficionado needs no subtitles, as he/she knows it all by heart. I for one get tired of reading my book to go along with the character's dialogue, but I suppose i too shall one day soon find myself mouthing the Bard's immortal words without thinking.
  The acting is GREAT.

• Needs closed captioning
  Unless the viewer has the play memorized, closed captioning would often be needed to catch what is being said "dramatically" in this DVD. So frustrating. This particular performance of Macbeth focuses on Shakespeare's words by drastically minimizing the action, scenery and costuming, so for the words to be undiscernable is a big flaw. I always prefer to use closed captioning because my son is hard-of-hearing, but everyone would benefit from it with this DVD.

• this swelling act of an imperial theme...
  Two major things going on in the world right now (4/08) are the Bush Administration's mishandling of the Iraq War and the Presidential campaigns. Two major themes that arise while seeing this production of Macbeth are blind ambition and lust for power. By the end of Act I, scene iv, (about a half-hour or so into this film) just after Macbeth eyes the crown as it's being elevated from the King's head, and utters, "Stars hide your fires, let not light see my deep and black desires...", you know what the rest... more info

• Far Better than Orson Welles Version
  My daughter made 1st witch in her 6th grade school play. In my youth I did Hamlet and Richard III, so I KNOW the difficulty and skill to do Shakespeare correctly. This is done WELL. Short of Lord Olivier's performances, which are rare at best, there is no better production company of those that really do define the best trained Shakespearean actors available.
  And while my daughter is not Lady Macbeth...yet...lol....Judy Dench is outstanding.

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