‘Tragedy of Macbeth’: Anatomy of Masterful Photography

Joel Coen took a major risk by going solo, sans brother Ethan, with “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” I was skeptical about how adapting the umpteenth film version of Shakespeare’s classic play would turn out, but the film is worth watching just for Bruno Delbonnel’s stunning photography. It would be an absolute sin if he doesn’t get a Best Cinematography nod.

Some of the images conjured in the film are incredibly dreamy and surreal. The film is heavy in set design and it does feel like a hybrid of stage and screen. The risk payed off for Coen, but is there anyone who actually cares to watch this familiar story being retold again? I was won over, but this is not necessarily an essential addition to the Coen canon.

Then there’s Denzel Washington — a behemoth of an actor— delivering some of the best work of his career. In ‘Macbeth’ he’s astonishing in his physical and punctual delivery. Frances McDormand is the perfect Lady Macbeth nailing the eerie nature of the role. And, of course, there’s a creepy Kathryn Hunter as the circling witches, she appears mostly in dense fog, circling around Macbeth to up his paranoia.

For the most part, this a striking, gripping, and very short version of the play. I still prefer Roman Polanski’s 1971, film but consider me converted by Coen, Denzel and McDormand’s approach to the story.

The major flaw of the film is that we know where it’s going. The backstabbing, greed and revenge is all there, but, then again, so are these beautifully realized closeups by Coen. It doesn’t feel like a Coen-esque affair at all, and that’s besides the point, no, the film rather tries to reinvent the way Macbeth’s saga is told via the luscious and sharp imagery courtesy of Delbonnel.

If you want a dream-like atmosphere then hire Bruno Delbonnel. The man loves his softly-lit frames. Manipulating soft light and color, Delbonnel, uses a velvety contrast to emphasize his photography and colours on the characters rather than the darker shot background.

Who will be Delbonnel’s fiercest competitors for the Oscar? I’d definitely wager Janusz Kaminski (West Side Story) being up there, ditto Ari Wegner (The Power of the Dog), Greig Fraser (Dune), Andrew Droz Palermo (The Green Knight), Dan Laustsen (Nightmare Alley) and Haris Zambarloukos (Belfast).