Description: One of the most celebrated screen adaptations of Shakespeare into film, Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood re-imagines Macbeth in feudal Japan. Starring Kurosawa’s longtime collaborator Toshiro Mifune and the legendary Isuzu Yamada as his ruthless wife, the film tells of a valiant warrior’s savage rise to power and his ignominious fall. With Throne of Blood, Kurosawa fuses one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies with the formal elements of Japanese Noh theater to make a Macbeth that is all his own—a classic tale of ambition and duplicity set against a ghostly landscape of fog and inescapable doom.
Amazon.com essential video: A champion of illumination and experimental shading, Kurosawa brings his unerring eye for indelible images to Shakespeare in this 1957 adaptation of Macbeth. By changing the locale from Birnam Wood to 16th-century Japan, Kurosawa makes an oddball argument for the trans-historicity of Shakespeare's narrative; and indeed, stripped to the bare mechanics of the plot, the tale of cutthroat ambition rewarded (and thwarted) feels infinitely adaptable. What's lost in the translation, of course, is the force and beauty of the language--much of the script of Throne of Blood is maddeningly repetitive or superfluous--but striking visual images (including the surreal Cobweb Forest and some extremely artful gore) replace the sublime poetry. Toshiro Mifune is theatrically intense as Washizu, the samurai fated to betray his friend and master in exchange for the prestige of nobility; he portrays the ill-fated warrior with a passion bordering on violence, and a barely concealed conviviality. Somewhat less successful is Isuzu Yamada as Washizu's scheming wife; her poise and creepy impassivity, chilling at first, soon grows tedious. Kurosawa himself is the star of the show, though, and his masterful use of black-and-white contrast-- not to mention his steady, dramatic hand with a battle scene--keeps the proceedings thrilling. A must-see for fans of Japanese cinema, as well as all you devotees of samurai weapons and armor. --Miles Bethany
Classic Kurosawa Throne of Blood is a study of a warlord (played by Toshiro Mifune) led by fate in form of a prophesy, straight to his doom. Is it the prophesy or the characters lack of trust in each other that leads them to their doom? The film has a supernatural element: a spirit who, early in the movie, utters a prophesy. This is not a realistic movie depicting 16th century Japan, but rather a dark fairy tale. The acting and the stage sets are terrific, and the film can easily be watched again. This DVD is up to Criterions usual standards. The picture is awesome (I watched it on a projector) with sharp details of armor pieces and foggy landscapes rendered beautiful. Especially for a movie 47 years old. Also there are two different subtitles, the new one is considered more difficult. I watched it with the new one and while some sentences seemed a little strange, there are no difficulties understanding what is going on.
Blood Will Have Blood Another Kurosawa masterpiece. Kurosawa directed four masterpieces in the 1950's: Throne of Blood, Ikiru, Rashomon & Seven Samurai. Throne of Blood is the master director's loose interpretation of MacBeth. Shakespeare's themes of ambition, betrayal, & regicide are brought to Japan's feudal 14th century as a Kurosawan noh play.
Kurosawa brilliantly combines innovative and distinctive narrative and camera techniques with classic noh elements such as noh masks, exaggerated body movements and speech, flute and drums, unadorned sets, elaborate costumes and ghosts. Toshiro Mifune is, as always, a perfect contrast to Kurosawa's meticulous storytelling. Mifune had a leave-nothing-in-the-dressing room approach to acting and the effect is fascinating and electrifying as he hurls toward his fate at the behest of his evil, scheming wife. Isuzu Yamada is perfectly creepy as she wears her heavily made up face as a series of noh masks that shield the madness of her intentions. She has little trouble convincing her husband to exercise his barely hidden ambition. His fate is little more than treachery given chance to flower.
The dense choking forest, the squat ominous castles, the swirling mists, the ominous ghosts and the grim mortal struggles for power convey an era of constant turmoil in a time of spirits. Life is grim and violence rules the land. Power is bought and lost by the sword. Great warrior leaders locked in never-ending battles down through the generations. Kurosawa wisely does not comfort us with a happy ending. Instead, we are witness to a bloody end to a deed drenched in blood in one of the most striking and exciting climatic scenes ever filmed.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown Shakespeare reimagined with samurai steel. Kurosawa takes a stab at Macbeth, and the translation is bloody brilliant. All the universal themes are still intact--ambition, selfishness, guilt, fear, despair...and of course betrayal. Here's a brief summary--a ghostly spirit predicts that a couple of brave warriors will rise into power. This prophecy becomes reality, but with this power comes great responsibility. Everything soon goes spiraling out of control. The acting is tremendous--Toshiro Mifune absolutely shines as the neurotic ruler. Kurosawa once again presents some bleak and striking images that will engulf you in the period. Really the only weakness of Throne of Blood is its inevitable comparisons to Kurosawa's other masterpieces. It's nearly impossible for any film to match the visual splendour of Ran or Kagemusha. Plus this film seems overshadowed by the gritty realism of Seven Samurai or Yojimbo. Akira set the bar so high, it's difficult to match his other work. 4.5 stars.
Shakespeare From The Land Of The Rising Sun This is a good movie to watch, but not the best. The sound effects will drive yuo up a wall, but other than that the movie serves as an interesting take on Macbeth. Good movie, get it!!!!
Throne of Blood A brilliant re-imagining of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan, Kurosawa's gripping 1957 tragedy is a less frenetic, more haunting outing than previous films like "Seven Samurai." Yet it's still visually potent, containing unforgettable images of austere beauty within a persistently tense and eerie atmosphere. Yamada's character, modeled on Lady Macbeth, is sensationally chilling, while the outsize Mifune's breath-catching demise in a hail of piercing arrows is something every film lover should see more than once. For a provocative East-meets-West experience, mount "Throne of Blood."
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