Lady Macbeth

[Florence1]

I saw this period drama based on a Russian novel at the BFI. Florence Pugh is cast well as the malevolent character in William Oldroyd's feature film debut. She starts as naive teenager and transforms into a character barely recognizable. A low budget film made over 24 days which keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. The Q&A with Florence Pugh and William Oldroyd was very interesting. Well worth a watch. 8/10

[missgotty]

I described Lady Macbeth as: Powerful, Disturbing and Brilliant. 9/10

[raj101]

Hilariously brutal, although one of the scenes is a bit too much. Be warned. Good though. It wraps way too quickly and too "neatly" for so many loose strings.

Happy Birthday Shakespeare mhuahha

4 stars.

[mustard93]

We've just seen it today and it definitely had something. It makes you wonder how many women had to endure such dominating men in their lives. It is more of a work of cinematic art than a gripping story but I'm glad we went.

[prettyxcool]

Intriguing but very disturbing. A young woman fights back, as she coolly gets rid of anybody that gets in her way. Seems implausible as the body count rises. There are a lot of very still and quiet shots and stunning scenery, beautifully filmed, but the plot leaves you more than a bit shaken. 8/10

[D-Fens]

Bit rapey.

Cutting away to a cat every few scenes doesn't make an art film although the moors did look good.

For the first time watching a Shakespeare-esque story I realised that maybe this kind of plot was entirely relevant and necessary during that period. Although I'm not sure what point it was making then and now.

[Leoscato]

Quite enjoyed it, 8/10...Acting was great, use of the ambient noise was interesting!

[annase]

Can someone please tell me the ending, I missed last 15mins or so, from bit where she was left alone with child? Ir was getting too unpleasant to watch but now I need to know how it ended please!

[D-Fens]

The end

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Katherine smothers the child and Sebastian comes in and holds the legs.

Anna arrives in the morning and immediately sees what's happened.

Katherine sobs through an excuse to doctor/police and she's asked precisely what time it happened. She lies that it was recent. She's told that there was bruising and she says it must have happened at the waterfall.

Sebastian enters again and confesses to both their parts in everything. It's not looking good for Katherine so she turns on him and says he's lying due to his beating. She also implicates Anna and points to their morning walks. She yells to get Anna.

The cat is spinning around on the floor like an excited Homer Simpson.

For some reason the child's guardian seems to believe Katherine. Anna just stands there suppressing tears.

It cuts to the back of a moving horse & cart where Sebastian and Anna are lying in chains.

Can't remember if there was a shot after that but after the credits the cat comes out in a dressing gown and says "You're still here? It's over. Go homiaow"

[midian]

I loved this. think i am on a bit of a roll at the mo with films that leave me tingling with excitement for the beautiful and creative ways they have of dealing with rather gritty and unpleasant subject matter. first handmaiden and now this. I just feel spoiled by sff.

sound - as Leoscato says above really interesting use of ambient noise. This alone makes em really eager to visit it again, i often feel overwhelmed by some directors musical choices as they try to manipulate our emotions. this film cleverly lets us hear what the characters would hear and decide for ourself, a much more subtle for of manipulation but makes for much more interesting aural landscape.

vision - i just kept thinking so many frames could be a painting hung lavishly in a gallery. these often causing a pause in the 'action' making the story slow and deliberate as well as hot and sensual.

actors - with a saint (the maid Anna) and many sinners (almost all other characters). some wonderful scenery chewing bad guys and a fallen woman. Anna's face was exquisitely expressive.

story - the story starts off not complicated or original with a kindness-starved maiden, ignored by her husband, making out with the stable-hand for some tenderness and passionate sex. How far this she goes once she realises that she can stray off the straight and narrow is both shocking and entertaining.

I wasn't exepecting so much humour in this dreary setting but it was often laugh out loud funny. there is a horrible scene with a chair that actually made me laugh so hard i had tears in my eyes.

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I didn't realise the chair scene was a murder until Sebastian said so near the end; i assumed a heart attack. puts a whole different shade on the gallows humour

def not what i was expecting from an adaptation of 19th Century Russian novel!

10/10.