Tom's treasures of fiction, poetry, literature and more...

They keep coming... Yes, another review for a film of my favourite Shakespeare play. This time the film is the 2010 version directed by Rupert Goold. Here is a confusing film that delivers one your worst nightmares! I give to you the three witches of Macbeth, dressed as masked nurses! Every time we see them, there is always a horrid act. This includes one of the witches cleaning a large knife, or even when the three witches first meet Macbeth and Banquo, a witch holds up a patients heart. This is after the patient's death of course. I meticulously noticed that these three sinister sisters continued to appear throughout the film, even in the form of other guises to that of the masked nurses. Aside from masked nurses, witches or however they are perceived, the king and other characters are soldiers. This film is based on the idea of a war which is to be won. With soldiers shooting guns and planes heard from above, this film is a bloody and violent depiction of the Scottish play. The ...

Hello everyone, it is time for another Macbeth film review. This time I am taking you into Michael Bogdanov's rough and tough world. For one thing, the Macbeth home looks like some abandoned warehouse with missing windows or doors. But we get an impression of how this version of Macbeth is to be just from seeing the opening. The three witches, played by Lesley Joseph, Lorren Bent and Denise Black are presently discussing their affairs in a junkyard with an array of debris scattered about. When Macbeth and Banquo arrive, I thought it was cleverly done how the three witches were able to disappear in the way they did, not just 'vanish' as if. Later on when Macbeth returns to speak with them, the scene is in black and white as they make magic with their cauldron. The only colour which is present at the start of that scene is the fire. To me this was a unique take on the scene and having the fire created a sinister, troublesome atmosphere. This sums up the witches of Macbeth bec...

Today I am gifting you with my review of the 1997 film version of  Macbeth  directed by Jeremy Freeston. This version of the play opens with the fighting scene, which in the play is scene two. This is a scene that is loud, with all the men fighting with one another and charging at each other to kill in a field. That is until Macbeth comes along. The noises all stop and it goes silent until he strikes down an opposing man and all that can be heard is the final striking with the sword being delivered. Only then do we get the witches from amidst the smoke. These witches give off an appearance of peasantry, as though they are poor women. I state this based on their outfits, which are nothing special. When Macbeth and Banquo first meet the witches their appearance changes to ghastly and not fully there to emphasise they are supernatural. This time they are also have blackish make up which I like because it contrasts their paleness. In general the costumes and make up was well thoug...

I just wanted to start off by wishing all those who celebrate a very happy Christmas! I am also going to give you another review, this time of the 1983 TV film of Macbeth. This is quite possibly a favourite of all the different films of Shakespeare's plays I have seen. At the start of the play, the witches are presented looking like rocks. The way they blend in with the background is clever. Then when they unfurl and show themselves in full, standing up it can be seen that they are wearing ragged clothing. Brenda Bruce, Annie Dyson and Eileen Way play the three witches well, offering a good visual idea of the witches. What adds to their opening scene is how lightning is used. It not only boosts the supernatural and mysterious atmosphere. The film additionally stood out thanks to Jane Lapotaire's Lady Macbeth who portrayed the character excellently with a huge depth to the character of Lady Macbeth and a range of such strong and vivid emotions. One particular scene is when Lady ...

It is Christmas eve so I hope to all of those who celebrate, that you have a good Christmas this year. Anyway,  here I am to give you a review of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. Or rather the Scottish play as those in the acting world will call it. Just a little secret, but out of all the Shakespeare plays I have read, this is my favourite! I love how Shakespeare set the tone of the play by opening the play with the three witches. We looked at that opening scene with the witches in drama at school. The year after we fully studied the whole play in English. When I had the opportunity to pick a subject for one of my university assignments, I picked witches and linked it to  Macbeth . Admittedly that was not my first assignment in four years that had a link to witches. However, the witches in the play are not the only characters providing a supernatural element which I love. In act three, Macbeth is plagued by the ghost of his late friend, Banquo. I love how Banquo's ghost comes b...

Lately I have been thinking about horror and its subgenres. There is gothic, which I have mentioned here on my blog. There is also the supernatural, which I have not covered yet. That is about to change... For today's blog post I am reviewing the supernatural novella  A Christmas Carol  (1843) by Charles Dickens. I remember first reading this Victorian ghost story back when I was at school. What stands out most to me is how Dickens makes us realise that people can change and that does mean anyone. At the start of the novella we see that Scrooge is a grumpy man who despises Christmas. To him Christmas Day is just another ordinary day. But when the ghosts start to appear, Scrooge is made to rethink some of his attitudes and opinions. As the ghosts continue to offer him the versions of what was, is and could be, Scrooge changes. Sometimes I think now that we showed some people what could be if they continue to make the choices they make, then we could do some good. However, that ...