Movie Adaptations of Macbeth

 A study of film adaptations of the Play- Macbeth

“False face must hide what the false heart doth know”

The well known Scottish Play of William Shakespeare was based on the chronicles of Scotland. After more than 400 years the play is still favorite among theatre lovers and other audiences. In the history of cinema there are so many attempts to make a great cinematic masterpiece of the William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

Here is the 10 best adaptations of Macbeth-

1. Macbeth (1947) made by A Republic Pictures

2. Throne of Blood (1957) Directed by Akira Kurosawa

3. Macbeth (1971) directed by Roman Polanski and distributed by Columbia

Pictures

4. Shakespeare Retold, E2 Macbeth (BBC)

5. Maqbool (2003) Starring late actor Irfan Khan

6.Macbeth (2006) Directed by Geoffrey Wright

7. Macbeth (2015)

8. Joji (2020)

9. The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

10. Veeram

“Fair is foul and foul is fair”

Movies that tales the story of Scottish chronicles

Macbeth (1971)

Most of the time movie makers tell the story of Macbeth as we all know. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis whose ambitions make him king and then also brings his fall. The 1971 adoptions tell the story of Shakespeare's play but also gives wings to our imagination to fly in the world of Macbeth. It holds some of the best scenarios like the witches scene and the battle of Macbeth and Macduff.

The last beetle seems very real and dangerous. Movie present brutality and cruelty in every murders and the death of Lady Macduff and her son and also the death of Lady Macbeth.

Witches and supernatural elements

The movie starts with the scene of the three witches. They are like in the play, speaks dialogue and make promises to meet where the battle is lost and won and to meet Macbeth.

In this movie witches also appear in front of Malcolm. When they appear it presents a very supernatural environment.

 

Macbeth (2015)

The movie adaptation of 2015 does the same with its great visuals and cinematography. The world building of Macbeth is so beautiful and the battle scenes are great. The costumes and looks of the characters are also great. Michael Fassbender who plays Macbeth does look like the warrior that was described in the act 1 scene 2 of the play. He is also described as a tyrant and cruel king, in the movie he gives punishment to lady Macduff and her children and burns them.

         We can also see the emotions in the eyes of Lady Macbeth because of the scene of her son's burial that we see in the beginning and also before her death we see her son as an illusion.

Witches and supernatural elements. 

In this movie there are three witches but there is also a young girl with them that might be a witch. In the beginning they appear when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were during the burial of their son. The last prophecy happens by the dead soldier whom Macbeth sees.

 The prophecy of wood coming to Macbeth is very interestingly done in the movie. Macduff sets fire on the woods and the ashes of it come to Macbeth.

The tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

The tragedy of Macbeth (2021) is a movie shot in the made up sets and in black and white. The movie is like we see the play. We can say that movies are more like plays. Mostly in the movie characters don't express their inner self but in this movie they do because of the way it is made . Denzel Washington, who plays Macbeth in it, is a very expressive actor who is known for his good acting abilities. The way he expresses himself, it blows our mind.

Witches and supernatural elements

This movie also describes witches in different ways. The way witches come is unique. In the beginning there is one witch but also has two in the water and then they become three. The witch also appeared in a different way to the character of Ross in the middle when Malcolm runs away and then in the end when Ross goes with Banquo's son.  

The movies that took different takes on the story

Throne of blood (1957)

In the year 1957, Japanese Director Akira Kurosawa abducted the story of Macbeth in his movie The throne of blood. It was the same story but the setting was changed to 16th century japan. Washiju, a warrior and his friend Miki hear prophecy by the forest spirit and then embrace their ill fates.

The wife of Washiju, Asaji has a silent appearance but is also very active and ambitious. She represents the outer look of Japanese women of that time and the insight of Lady Macbeth.

Changes in the story

The story changes plot from Scotland to Japan but the writer also changes some things in it. Witches are replaced by the forest spirit. And the forest and the supernatural element provide the vines of horror. The ghost of Miki also has some horror touch.

The prophecy of the death of the main character is also changed. Here spirit gives prophecy that Washiju will remain undefeated, that comes true when Washiju is not given a chance to fight and gets killed by the arrows of his own men.

Macbeth (Shakespeare Retold, BBC)

This episode is the modern version of Macbeth set in a 3 star hotel in London. Joe Macbeth is a chef under Duncan who is owner of the hotel. The real hard work is done by Macbeth but the respect is earned by Duncan. 

“Respect” is a very central idea of this movie. Joe Macbeth sees his profession in a very respectful manner and gives everyone respect in the kitchen. But he kills his boss Duncan and inherits the hotel.

Changes in the story.

The witches are personified as Garbage men. And they have the weird ability to give prophecies by the knowledge they have gained by collecting garbage and eating different food.

The mental health is also described because Joe works so constantly that he barely sleeps. Maybe that's why he hallucinates and sees weird things.

The death of Joe is prophecies that he will die if the pigs fly. In the end he hears a helicopter sound on his head and dies by the hands of Macduff.

Macbeth (2006)

This Australian movie is directed by Geoffrey Wright. The movie takes place in modern times but it sticks to the poetic language and titles. The story is about Macbeth, a gangster who kills his boss Duncan and becomes the leader of the gang and later killed by Macduff. 

The changes in story

The witches are described by weird girls in school uniforms.

The best thing the movie shows is the psychological state of mind of the main characters. The grief of the death of their son leads Macbeth and his wife to Drugs and alcohol. They also face depression and hallucination. 

Indian adaptations of the Macbeth

I have explored three Indian adaptations of Macbeth. Out of which two are very excellently made.

Those movies  are- 

1. Maqbool

2. Joji

3. veeram

Maqbool (2003)

This movie is made by Vishal Bhardwaj who successfully adapted three Shakespearean tragedies Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet into his indian versions Maqbool, Omkara and Haidar.

Maqbool is a gangster who works for Jahangir Khan aka Abbaji and also is  in love with his mistress Nimmi. He wants to lead the gang one day but his ambitions is indengers by Guddu who is the son of Maqbool's friend Kaka and is soon to marry Jahangir's daughter. He kills Abbaji and becomes leader and then kills his friend Kaka. Maqbool and Nimmi live in guilt and regret and Nimmi dies of ill health after giving birth to a child. Maqbool also gets killed by Riyaz who exact revenge on his father by killing him.

Changes in the story 

 In the movie changes witches into two corrupt police officers Pandit and Purohit who make prophecies by their astrological powers. Their motto is to make a balance of power.

They say that “fire must fear the water”. They give prophecy to Maqbool that he will die if the sea enters his house. Metaphorically the coastal force enters his house and he has to run away.

Macbeth's wife is also replaced by Nimmi who is mistress of Abbaji and provokes Maqbool to kill Abbaji.

Maqbool have illusion that Kaka opens his eyes but others see only his dead body

Joji (2020)

Joji is a Malayalam movie starring Fahad Fasil. I liked this movie more because of the modern setup of the story. Joji is an ambitious person who lives with his joint family. His father is a rich farmer and landlord. Joji and his two brothers depend on his father for financial support. When his father suffers from a stroke everyone's grid comes out. Joji's sister in law encourages him to kill his father. She is also after the fortune that Joji's father holds and wants to live a good lifestyle.

 

Joji kills his father by giving him fake medicines.  Later  his big brother Jomon becomes suspicious of him so he kills him with the air gun that his nephew Popy bought online. Later he also commits suicide by the same air gun.

Changes in the story.

Joji movies have a rural background. The main character has a father that replaces Duncan. His big brother is as Malcolm. There are no characters for witches, Banquo, Macduff and lady Macbeth. The sister in law of Joji has the wickedness of witches and the ambitions of Lady Macbeth. There is no prophecy in the movie or supernatural ailments but Joji once dreams of his father when he traps a fish in his fishing rod.  

Veeram

Veeram is the combined version of Macbeth and Malayalam Folklore Vadakkan Pattukal. This story is set in 13th century kerala. It Tells the story of Chandu Chekaver who is a great Kalaripayattu warrior. He was seduced by two women Unniyarcha and Kunnunili and also led by his ambitions kills his master and becomes the Chekaver of the 18 and half Kalari. Kunnili is like Lady Macbeth encourage Chandu to kill Arumal to get revenge for her uncle's death. She is also very superstitious and does many  rituals to change fate and get what she wants. In the end she sacrifices herself  willingly or in her illusions. Chandu dies as predicted in heavy rain. 

Changes in the story

This movie is also a Malayalam folklore so it contains supernatural elements but not witches. The prophecies happen by summoning spirits into a girl's body. In the movie there is no war but competitions of Kalaripayattu. The main characters are believers of superstitions and fear the sins they commit.

(words- 1780)