People are mistaking the subtle nature film allows with Shakespeare on state. There are no closeups, or music to convey emotion, it all must come from the actors. Like silent movies, it looks like overacting to the untrained eye, but like Noh Theater, the action must be conveyed in body movements akin to dance. Jeremy Brett meets this challenge with brilliant subtly one second and booming voice sure to be heard in the bleachers. The other actors however, are awful. Lady MacBeth is the worst. The rest seem to barely remember their lines, reciting them in a monotone barely worthy of a grade school production. Watch it for Jeremy, the rest (as Hamlet would say) SHOULD be silence.

I didn't really know what to expect, but......wow! No wonder most kids in English class hate this play! This is easily the WORST production of this play I have ever seen, and I love the play very much, so was this ever hard to watch.SHAME on everybody involved!There are just so many things wrong with it:1) Terrible production values 2) Horribly overdone scene gnashing (acting) 3) What's with the hair? 4) Totally garbage sword fightsAll I can say is, rent Polanski's version, or Throne of Blood.STAY AWAY!

I agree that it is one of the worst versions of Macbeth ever made. Perhaps the worst. Brett overacts and Laurie is just ludicrous. The one good feature is the choreography for the three Witches. I had to preview this for inclusion in a college curriculum. All of us in the small audience (admittedly of English teachers) were laughing hysterically by the middle of the film. I am a strong admirer of Jeremy Brett, though even as Sherlock Holmes, he sometimes was over the top. His performance here is embarrassing. The Trevor Nunn video with Dench and McKellan is by far the best Macbeth ever put on film. I first saw it in the 1980's and have never forgotten it. Now if only some producer would pay to have Patrick Stewart's recent Chichester Macbeth on DVD, we would have two great productions to enjoy.

Not only is this the worst interpretation ( OR LACK THEREOF ) of Shakespeare's classic , it also includes one of the worst performances by a great actor ever witnessed. The brilliant Jeremy Brett is so over the top its laughable. not since peter o'toole's henry higgin's has there been such a loud bellowing performance so devoid of human emotion. Piper Laurie is also awful as his Lady. it seems the production was put up in a matter of days for a "take the money and run.' pay check. UNINSPIRED WITH NO VISION IS THE BOTTOM LINE.