to be slightly horrified a 15 film was shown to 11 year olds?

[plumandvanilla]

The film was Macbeth which they have been reading in English, but although it is Shakespeare aibu to think this is so inappropriate? Or will I be 'that parent'?

The scariest thing about the Polanski Macbeth is (a very young) Keith Chegwin as Fleance.

Tinycitrus agree about the film of TBITSP. Even David Thewlis can't redeem the way they've buggered up showing the quiet horror of the ending.

Dustysparrow - I love that McKellen/Dench version, but it's classroom death. Far too spare & understated for ks3.

McKellen doing Richard III, on the other hand - awesome & I've used at KS3 & KS5.

You're right, it's not 'bloody difficult' to find a version of Macbeth that won't upset anyone.

But it's a 'bloody difficult' play, addressing difficult ideas in a bloody way.

I'm familiar with all the film versions (Sean Pertwee? Lame. James MacEvoy - interesting but not where you start, as it's a modern re-telling. Patrick Stewart - good in parts, but frankly if you don't approve of Polanski you really wouldn't like this one! Ian McKellen - amazing performance, but not engaging at school level. Animated Tales - brilliant animation, good starting point. Fassbender - just no. Awful) etc etc.

It's not as simple as 'oh there's obviously going to be a tamer version out there, so that will do just as well. They'll learn the plot & the teacher will get an easy lesson. Sorted'

If I'm showing students a film version of a text we are studying in class, it's because I think that version has something interesting to say about the themes & imagery OF the play.

I can't just substitute some random, polite BBC production. That wouldn't add anything to the purposes of studying this particular text in the first place. It needs to be engaging, & it needs to be provoking.

You might think it has something interesting to say purple. It doesn't make it appropriate for every age and stage.

Op this is mn where people play death metal to their four month olds. And probably let their ten year olds play violent computer games. So of course the response was going to be yabu.

And yet they themselves at work run to her with the most minor gripe and expect to stand back while teacher tells the other kid off.

Hr.
Wow I am grumpy today

They should have obtained consent, I'm surprised they didn't actually. I'd want to watch a 15 to judge for myself if I wanted my 11 year old to watch it. Parents should be given the choice.

As an English teacher I'm surprised year 7s are studying Macbeth, it's got very adult themes and I've only ever taught it to GCSE pupils. I have watched the Polanski film countless times and it is incredibly gory, particularly the scenes where Macduff's wife and children are murdered and the extremely long battle scenes culminating in the vivid beheading of Macbeth at the end. Not sure I would be happy if my child watched it in year 7.

I’m going to use the Joseph Millson Globe version, I think, along with maybe extracts of the Polanski. I like showing contrasting interpretations of Banquo’s ghost scene.

Have been using the Roger Allam Globe version of The Tempest for A Level and it’s worked well. I like them to think of it as a stage production.

Stealth surely you’ve been on here long enough to know that MN represents the only group of parents in the country that actually do pay attention to game age ratings. Pants hoicking and pearl clutching about the way that other lesser parents let their DCs play GTA from primary school is a MN staple. There’s usually one MNer who dares to venture on and say “meh it’s only a game” so we can all be shocked at her. Ditto the MN norm is to be highly respectful of film age ratings and pretty judgemental about letting your 8 year old watch the later Harry Potters although that’s not quite so strictly enforced because so many of us have fond memories of watching inappropriate films when young and “it never did us any harm”.

This thread is more complicated because it’s Shakespeare.

As a side point the Polanski Macbeth was classified as a 15 certificate in 2002, when it came up for DVD release. So no, not being judged by the standards of fifty years ago, just fifteen.

Very true. I know there's no hive mind. But I've just been on c thread where a load of posters were calling some parents uptight for not wanting music with lyrics about suicide, fucking played to their four month old. I was one of only few who thought I probably wouldn't.

YABU it is Shakespeare and not just a random film being shown. It is also required for GCSE.

The OPS child is 5 years away from taking GCSE's.

Having been involved in a recent Safeguarding issue where the type of books/films etc my child had access to was questioned I think it's hypocritical if schools to expose kids to this stuff before they are ready

Usually schools edit things to be age appropriate so anything leading to a 15 would be edited out. If you suspect they've watched a non edited version then it's illegal! You might wish to enquire at the school rather than go in with full rage and then complain when you have all the facts.

The IMDb parents guide suggests it should be R rated
It actually sounds horrific

Yanbu
Did they watch the whole thing?

"Given the extremely boring context in which it is shown - learning to understand an incredibly difficult text - i doubt they will have been disturbed by it, only slightly less bored than otherwise."

Happily, not at all my experience of studying Shakespeare at school. Why would you assume that it's boring?

I bought the Polanski version (with gritted teeth) last week as DD is about to start studying it for GCSE, it isn’t a 15. It’s an 18. Presumably it’s been recently reclassified again. I also bought the Trevor Nunn version (Ian Mckellen and Judi Dench) and that is a PG.

Surely the school could find a better version than Roman Polanski's film! It's rubbish!

I knew from your first post it would be the Polanski version. YY I'd complain. There are more age appropriate versions available. Also, I don't see why a school has to laud a director who is a child rapist. It shows poor judgement on every level imo.

YABU it is Shakespeare and not just a random film being shown. It is also required for GCSE

This attitude just sums up this thread. It is irrelevant that it is Shakespeare in the context of whether it is suitable for children and whether parents should have been asked. It's not the school's call to make. GCSE's are also three years away!

If it has been the op's partner (for example) showing an 11 year old a film depicting a woman screaming whilst being raped and the other specifics mentioned nobody would be ok with this.

Shakespeare isn't some soet of magic making violence less violent to children

I think the school should have informed you in advance that they were planning to show this film and the version so you could watch it yourself and make a decision on whether you wanted child to watch it. My opinion if it helps with coursework/exam I would allow it.

You could ask that they find a version that is for younger viewers. It is about death & betrayal. Is it just the film you're concerned about or the Macbeth itself?

Appropriate to topic and the teaching staff obviously felt it was suitable.