Wednesday, May 12, 2010

empty chair blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5BtMgTW7c&feature=related
(the first 4:55 are all that is needed to get my point across)
There was a discussion in class after watching Roman Polanski's version of this scene. In that version, we saw what McBeth saw. The ghost, represented as more than a ghost, being shown as the corpse that he would be after McBeth's men's attack (bleeding, beaten). Not only are we inside of McBeth's head, but also inside of the reality of the situation (Banquo-after the action). The mistake here (and this is of course opinion) is the directness of this version. Too much vision, not enough imagination.
In the version posted, we have a mad McBeth screaming at nothing, while his guests look on -and the creepy music plays. Without seeing the ghost, the viewer's focus is only on the madness, the atmosphere created. The confusion created is obvious, but its source is not. Polanski showed us what MacBeth was reacting to. There was no question. In this version, we only see MacBeth's reaction, and his guests reaction to that. The focus is on the unknown and what grows out of that. That's where the power is.

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