Trailer and Website for Geoffrey Wright’s Adaptation of Macbeth
Although it may seem a little uncultured of me to say this, I’ve never been particularly taken with the works of Mr. William Shakespeare. Maybe it’s because I was forced to read more than my share of Shakespeare in school (which generally takes the fun out of reading just about anything), or maybe it’s just because the stories are dated and hard to connect with nowadays. I’ll tell you this though… modernizing Shakespeare isn’t the right way to get people to appreciate these stories either. Baz Luhrmann’s stylized retelling of Romeo & Juliet may have been a big success, but I credit that mainly to the involvement of Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes who were both at the peak of their popularity. The movie itself is outrageously silly.
Now there is a new version of Macbeth on the way, courtesy of Australian director Geoffrey Wright. I fail to see how adding loud music, guns, explosions and graphic sex to Shakespeare’s original dialogue is something anyone wants to see. This movie transposes the original story into a backdrop of Melbourne gang wars. But how ridiculous is it to watch a trailer for a big screen adaptation of Macbeth with a tagline that reads “From the director of Romper Stomper“? If I turn off my cynicism for just a minute, I do realize this looks so over the top hilarious that I might actually want to see it. I’m not sure when it’s supposed to hit theatres but it will be playing at the Toronto Film Festival next month. The trailer has gone online over at the movie’s official website (linked below) so feel free give it a look and then put in your own two cents in the comments.
» Related Link: Macbeth Official Movie Site
Comments (3)
Romper Stomper was a movie about silly skinheads who were warring with vietnamese gangs. It also focused on their so called organization (thugs).
I didn’t like the movie becuase it was so over the top with the stereotypes. Especially when their all Australian.
Posted by Bassmasta-Baychuk on August 21st, 2006im not big on shakespeare as well so you can say that i wont be seeing this one.
Posted by Chopper on August 21st, 2006I’m one of the few that actually has enjoyed some of the big screen, modernized adaptations of Shakespeare. I completely agree that it’s pointless to read it because you miss SO MUCH of the inuendo and Shakespeare, done well, can be really enjoyable. But you have a great point, one of the reasons Romeo & Juliet was so popular was because of the cast. Considering this one has no one recognizeable is definately going to take away from its box office success. Considering too that it’s a pretty loud movie, you can bet that even fans of Shakespeare will probably pass on it. Too bad. It looks like it might have potential.
Posted by themarina on August 21st, 2006Leave a Reply