In Act V, scene 5 of Shakespeare’s Macbeth we encounter Macbeth’s famous nihilistic soliloquy: “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.” The speech comes at a critical juncture for Macbeth in the play. All his Thanes have left him, and a united army of English and Scottish forces are advancing on his…
A Classical Hero in the Modern World: A Reading of Macbeth
A common reading of Shakespeare’s notorious “Scottish Play” is that Macbeth was written in tribute to the King of England and Shakespeare’s royal patron, King James I. Being a relatively new king on the throne of England, James was fascinated with two chief themes which are rife throughout Macbeth: witchcraft…
The Old Man and the Sea (1958) Review
The Old Man and the Sea (1958) Director: John Sturges ★★★★☆ The film version of Hemingway’s classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novella offers a surprisingly engaging take on the story. Click here to read my reflections on the 1952 novella as part of my Pulitzer Prize winners reading project. The film was…
Escape From Alcatraz
Escape From Alcatraz (1979) Director: Don Siegel “Some men are destined never to leave Alcatraz… alive.” ★★★★★ Escape from Alcatraz is an American realist film about the infamous 1962 prison break from America’s most impenetrable prisons. The movie stars Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Fred Ward, Jack Thibeau, Larry Hankin, and…