This assignment will be worth a maximum of 15 points to be added to your total points earned for the quarter. For example, if you had earned 165 points out of a possible 200 (an average of 82), a perfect score on this assignment would bring your grade up to a 90.
Get your hands on one of the video versions of Macbeth. Here are some of the versions out there:
- Roman Polanski, 1971 (used in class, this one is easiest to find, it’s rated R for some nudity and gore)
- BBC, 1999 (used in class, you may borrow my copy if you can’t find another)
- BBC, 1983, directed by Jack Gold
- Orson Welles, 1948
You might also want to check out:
Akira Kurosawa, Throne of Blood (Japanese subtitles—adapts the story of Macbeth into Japanese culture—unrated)
Scotland, PA –the Macbeths translated into 1975 (rated R, mostly for language)
Watch the entire film. Write a 300-word essay (approximately one typed page) comparing the film version to the text. Be sure to address the following elements:
- How true to the text is this version?
- How well does the film communicate the general themes/ideas of the story?Did you feel the film had a good overall effect?
- Do you mostly agree or disagree with the director’s choices?
- What was your opinion of the film, in general?