The name Joe Macbeth was used before, in a 1955 version with a gangster setting. This new version seems also to tip its hand to the Orson Welles and Roman Polanski versions, by borrowing details. But plenty is new and interesting. Lady Macbeth gets a bit of a back story involving that baby whom Shakespeare mentions in a throwaway remark, and she has a literally luminous presence (compared to the rest of the lighting) that does not depend on her relationship to Macbeth. For Macbeth's part, a little extra motivation is inserted to replace the lust for the crown, since there's no crown to be had this time-- at least not one that any arguably sane person could imagine killing for. It may be a matter of opinion, but I think that all the kitchen business does manage to fill the gap in interest left by the omission of Shakespeare's language (though no one could compare a pig's head to "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow"). What I did see as a flaw is that no great contrast emerges between Mr. and Mrs. Macbeth as the story advances after the first murder. They seem to break down pretty much in parallel, and he is the less interesting, even in his climactic comeuppance.
