Macbeth Film Interpretation

Polanski’s Macbeth

There have been many different versions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. All of which include different endings and portrayals of characters. However, Polanski’s adaptation is probably the most contradistinctive to the other films. Polanski transformed the ordinary script to something new, refreshing and ingenious with his selection of exceptional actors he was able to create a whole new story of Macbeth.

Polanski created this film after the gruesome murder of his wife, Sharon Tate. The movie was released in 1971, two years after her death. Sharon was only two weeks from giving birth when she was brutally murdered. The murderers were part of the Manson clan. They took the fetus and gave it to their leader, Charles Manson as a gift. Which has some bizarre correlations to Macduff and his family’s murders. Especially the aspect of Macduff being untimely ripped from his mother’s womb. This could have some possible relations as to why Polanski chose to create the film to be so bloody and sadistic. Making the murder of Duncan more vicious, giving Macbeth a more guilty conscience when Duncan sees his face before he dies. He structured the film to show its raw cruelty.

Polanski chose create this film in this type of structure because only in a motion picture could a director capture the brutality and twisted mind Macbeth had. The advantage of a film over a play is when Macbeth is thinking to himself we can hear his thoughts. Instead of speaking them out loud and watching his mouth move, we see headshots of Macbeth while we hear his voiceovers. This change is more effective because it looks more practical, in a play the characters would have to ignore what he is saying. It gives you a better impression of being in his head. Watching his thoughts change throughout the movie has become more personal because only you can hear it. Although other directors might have used this effect, Polanski’s own interpretation is different.

Polanski’s interpretation of the film Macbeth has many differences to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Polanski changes many of the films elements. For example, Polanski takes out the supernatural, unlike the actual script, where it is one of its main focuses. Instead Polanski tries to restore the story’s realism, renaming the three witches as the weird sisters. This is only one illustration of making the movie more practical for its viewers.

There are other changes that Polanski made to make the movie more practical, such as taking out the role of Hecate. Replacing the queen of the witches with 40 hags. Making a coven of the rejects of society. Even the �potion’ Macbeth received when he asked for a second prophecy was not really a potion. Macbeth was drugged with a hallucinogen the hags brewed up. Thus not making any supernatural interpretations at all. Times have changed and Polanski sought after a more modern adaptation.

During the time of the film’s creation, perhaps witches were thought of as asinine otherwise Polanski just wanted to focus on Macbeth’s true fate and ambition and that his superstitions had little to do with his destiny. This is shown through the scene of which Banquo and Macbeth first meet the witches/weird sisters. When Banquo asks where they disappeared to Macbeth answers him with a lie saying they vanished to thin air. But in reality Macbeth knew that they went into a crypt so he knew where to find them later. We are given an idea from the beginning what kind of character Macbeth really is. This implies that Macbeth is responsible for his own acts and was going to end up on the same path whether the witches had provoked him or not. The witches lost their need and Polanski paid more attention to the detail of other characters.

Unlike the script and other films, there are more attributes in the other characters presented. Polanski shows more of the character’s own stories of their own lives that do not revolve around Macbeth. For example, Ross is portrayed as ambitious and will even kill his own cousins for power. Ross is sly and unfaithful and will only do what is beneficial for himself. This is shown when he transfers sides from Macbeth (because he was defeated) to Malcolm. Ross is not the only character