Macbeth

(Roman Polanski, UK/US 1971, 140 min., 35mm)

Shakespeare. Polanski’s faithful adaptation of the Shakespeare classic is a graphic and bloody rendering of the Scottish play. The film’s gritty realism lifts the play free from the dictates of conventional theatrical techniques. Shot on location in the rainy and foggy Welsh countryside, Polanski creates a mood perfectly conducive to murder and witchcraft. Produced by Hugh Hefner, the film originally received a rating of X.