Polanski's version of Macbeth is well interpretated and directed. The film is easy to follow and keeps the audience entertained. .
He has an appropriate cast of actors who do a great acting job; bringing the characters to life and making the audience feel for these characters. Their accents are well suited and create the Elizabethan era. He chooses distinct costumes to show the level of importance of each character, making us perceive them in a certain way. For example, the witches" black attire is mysterious, hideous and evil. Another example is Polanski's choice on Lady Macbeth being naked in the scene where she is reliving Duncan's murder to illustrate her vulnerability. In the previous scenes she is portrayed as a strong character, unsexed, and wearing extravagant clothing. But in the end we see she is still human and feminine. .
The music, lighting and special effects set the atmosphere and tone for the play, helping capture the audience's attention. The digestic and non digestic sound played during the witches" spells creates a scary feeling, producing a more realistic picture. The special effects also add to the horrific feeling making the scenes more terrifying and powerful. This film's mood is intensified by darkness, going from scary to wicked.
Polanski is very successful in creating his intended effect. The sound, music, and special effects are appropriate and set the audience into the right frame of mind. The audience is engaged by the constant change in costumes and actors. Polanski follows a different order than Shakespeare's Macbeth. This allows the film to be straightforward and less confusing. For example, the scene when the witches are casting their spell (act 4, scene 1), is combined with the scene where Macbeth goes to see the witches (act 4, scene 2). Most of the editing dissolves. This is adequate, since it is easier to go from scene to scene. We also know when one of the characters has a soliloquy because he is aside and the camera is at eye level.