Scotland, PA
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DVD Cover Information Actor: Christopher Walken, James LeGros, James Rebhorn, Kevin Corrigan, Maura Tierney Director: Billy Morrissette Brand: Hart Sharp Video Writer: Billy Morrissette Writer: William Shakespeare DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language) Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC Picture Format: 1.85:1 Running Time: 104 minutes DVD Release Date: 2005-04-01 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Studio: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment |
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Movie Reviews of Scotland, PA
Movie Review: A Mixed Bag at Mcbeth's Drive Through
Summary: 3 Stars
Scotland, Pa., a film inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth, proves steroid infused and grinningly delicious at times but leaves one with an artificial aftertaste.
Just how original is this production supported by Lot 49 Films and Billy Morrissette's direction? To ask this question fairly one must also ask how original Shakespeare's tragedy was to begin with. The answer, not very.
Both the drama's driving forces are greed, justice, and the universal question of fate as "Mac," played by James Legross, usurps Duncan of Duncan's diner with a number of casualties along the way. The basic plot and character roles are nearly symmetrical. Lady Mcbeth eggs Mcbeth on, some `witches' stand on the cusp of reality and the supernatural, chance and fate, Lady Mcbeth's anguish manifests itself on her hand, and the laudable Mcduff opposes Mcbeth.
It is important to note the origin of any story, and whether any offspring successfully reinterpret, and in this case, modernize it. Many artists openly admit they don't conceive of every element in their work as much as they inter-mingle them. Therefore, comparison of the frame is essential but the organic (or less than) art therein is the true subject of evaluation and whether or not it resolves its own unique conflicts. After all, should we write off Shakespeare's Macbeth because he borrowed an outline from Holinshed?
Morrissette successfully modernizes the practical details from the original Macbeth. Who better to replace the mystical role of the witches than hippies? How more aptly to exile Detective Mcduff from the scene than have Lady Mcbeth give him a false scent? and where more `punny' to set the film than in a Scotland, Pa: Scotland being a town named after Holinshed and Shakespeare's setting and a P.A., alluding to another name for innovative idea of a drive-through, that leads Mcbeth to indignation, and the murder of his boss, Duncan?
Christopher Walken plays detective Mcduff, and, as usual, has the most unique and believable stage presence. Just like Dustin Hoffman and the young Jack Nicholson, he translates himself into the role without shedding his charm. He first appears at Duncan's funeral, then begins his investigation when he struts into the newly built Mcbeth's fast food joint to the dismay of the Mcbeth couple, who Pat Mcbeth, played by Maura Tierney, succinctly describes as "underachievers that have to make up for lost time."
The interrogation scene is where the film starts taking flight due to the actors' chemistry, compiled with the post-production's chemistry with the footage. Walken interviews employees to the backdrop of a hardly noticeable, and therefore appropriate, instrumental track that mirrors his quirky character interaction and the underlying suspense. He even elevates the usually histrionic Maura Tierney (at least as Pat Mcbeth) to his caliber in their scenes together. On the same note, he might serve as a foil to other actor's scenes because his are just so artful. The only other noteworthy acting is Kevin Corrigan as Anthony 'Banquo' Banconi, playing a seemingly oblivious, but all too observant underling. His anything-but-haphazard haphazard look, voice and casual gestures create his character, whereas the audience finds itself questioning whether it is James Legross, or Mcbeth who is clueless.
Apart from the interrogation scene, the music is a miss with scattered tracks that don't resonate beyond their scene. Songs include a predictable "Moonlight Sonata" at Duncan's funeral and an entire, weary catalogue of Bad Company songs, the only partly suitable one being "Can't Get Enough" during Malcolm Duncan's decision to leave his rock gig and reconcile with his father, coinciding with his frialator death. Too often the music functioned solely as a segue between scenes, a bad idea altogether, or a crutch to define mood rather than reinforce it.
The only consistent production aspect of the film was the lighting and setting. Throughout the film, especially in the outside during the night, the viewer senses the ominousness essential to the tragedy aspect of this tragicomedy. Even when at bars, Duncan's dinner, or the Mcbeth's upper-class home, the production achieves this mood accompanied by a respective griminess or tackiness expected in the backwoods of Pennsylvania in the 70's; for this, dual cheers to the lighting crew and set designers. But even consistency doesn't necessarily equate itself with quality. The real tragic flaw is Morrissette's inability to recognize the cliché, silhouetted face--half shadowed, half illuminated. By the second time this started to get old, let alone the fifth.
Perhaps the most unique flip served with the modern day Macbeth is the theme of nutrition, a fully developed concept within the film. Mcbeth is a blood thirsty carnivore and Mcduff is a vegetarian. What each character eats is the true demarcation between their goals and values, and therefore the deeply rooted necessity for conflict. This idealogical conflict interjects into their characters--Mcduff talks about his wife's baba ghanoush; dialogue--Mcbeth sarcastically tells Mcduff that the spirit he is mixing him is made from a vegetable; and even the plot--Mcbeth shoves a burger into Mcduff's mouth behind a establishment sign reading "Mcbeth's," soon to be "Mcduff's," (a vegetarian establishment).
When all is said and credits run, you walk away from Scotland, Pa. feeling catered to if at least for the fact that Walken's Mcduff wins out. Besides that, the experience is like dipping a french fry in baba ghanoush; indigestible and imbalanced as a whole, but with true, unadulterated flavors shining through.