Macbeth. Part 1: The Politics of Power

Synopsis: Series, in three parts, showing how the meaning of the play can change in the hands of a director. Director Douglas Campbell has firm convictions about Macbeth (including his belief that parts of the play have been lost), which he illustrates with the help of actors of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Canada.
1: The POLITICS OF POWER explores the political dimensions of the play: are the witches goddesses of fate, wicked hags, or figments of Macbeth’s imagination? How is it possible to portray Macbeth both as a brutal murderer and a tragic hero?
Series: Macbeth
Language: English
Country: United States
Medium: Film
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Year of release: 1964
Duration: 89 mins
Availability: OUT OF DISTRIBUTION (2005)

Director

Writer

Cast

Theatre company: Stratford Shakespeare Company, Ontario
Production type: Documentary/Educational/News
Plays: Macbeth
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Stage directing; Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival

Notes: The Library of Congress holds master material only, no viewing copy (5/2008).
Reviews: Geoff Alexander, CEO of Academic Film Archive of North America, writing on the site www.afana.org reports on a series of letters describing the events surrounding John Barnes’ three MACBETH films believing that they offer ‘a fascinating glimpse into the politics and pressures faced by filmmakers working at Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, and also are indicative of Barnes’ personal involvement in quality film during his most productive years’. Alexander writes ‘I don’t think I’ve seen any documents on the subject of the classroom academic film genre as impressive or informative as these; they are valuable to anyone interested in Shakespeare, the creation of an academic film, the forces surrounding the making and distribution of a film, or the battles fought by a creative artist in his stand for art against the exigencies of the corporate economic structure’. A selection of the letters are posted on the site (accessed 11/2007).

Title: Macbeth I: the politics of power
Synopsis: 1: Explores the political dimensions of the play: are the witches goddesses of fate, wicked hags, or figments of Macbeth’s imagination? How is it possible to portray Macbeth both as a brutal murderer and a tragic hero?
Title: Macbeth II: the themes of Macbeth
Title: Macbeth III: the secret’st man

Name: National Education Video Library
Contact: John Lovell
Email: tryfannevl@aol.com
Phone: 01286 676001 or 07768 105467
Fax: 01286 676001
Address: Arfon House
Bontnewydd
Caernarvon
Gwynned
LL54 7UN
Notes: Formerly the National Audio Visual (Aids) Library. No longer holds 16mm material. Retains the negatives and copyright to the EFVA material, but have no viewing copies. Video only. (1/97) Alternative address might be Arfon House, Bontnewydd, Caernarvon, Gwynned LL54 7UN Telephone/Fax 01286 676001

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British Universities Film & Video Council