Scotland, PA
1991: Billy Morrissette

This is Macbeth recast as a comedy. Unsurprisingly, it’s a black comedy. Macbeth and his wife really do murder Duncan, and suffer all the pangs of conscience that ensue, but part of the humor is the paralellism to Macbeth. But the oracular witches (who read a Magic 8-ball) come from the “Witch’s Brew” Tavern and are stoned on marijuana; Joe McBeth is a short-order cook in Norm Duncan’s diner; after they shove him fatally (head-first) into the deep-frying vat, Joe McBeth takes over and opens a donut outlet in his memory (Duncan’s Donuts — get it?). It’s all played at about that level, and if that’s what you’re looking for, it’s pretty funny.

There is definitely a good deal of R-rated language, and some fairly graphic violence; it is rather crude at some points, and there’s not a lot of reason for pursuing it with any seriousness.

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