179 reviews
A Kurosawa Classic
A great deal has been made of the fact that THRONE OF BLOOD (also known as SPIDER'S WEB CASTLE) is drawn from one of Shakespeare's most celebrated plays. This is both a blessing and a curse, for while it gives western audiences a point of reference, it also invites all sorts of comparisons that viewers familiar with the Shakespeare play feel honor-bound to make--and that can get in the way of seeing the film as it is rather than what we expect it to be. And that would be a great pity, because what it is in and of itself is quite fine indeed.
The cast is a very strong ensemble, with frequent Kurosawa star Torshiro Mifune leading the film with a remarkably fine performance as the ambitious warrior Taketori Washizu. To my mind, however, the most memorable performance is offered by Isuzu Yamada as Lady Washizu--who plays the role with a demonic stillness that cracks into physical action only when she is completely sure of herself or in utter desperation. It is one of the most disturbing characterizations I have ever encountered.
As usual in any Kurosawa film, the imagery involved is extremely powerful, and the moody tone of the film quickly draws viewers in--and once ensnared there is no escape; the film holds your attention with considerable ease throughout. Even so, I would not recommend THRONE OF BLOOD to western audiences who have never seen a Kurosawa film, for it is so completely Japanese in aesthetic that some may find it hard to grasp. It is best seen after you are already familiar with both Kurosawa's work and Japanese cinema in general.
The film is available via Criterion DVD, which is quite good, with a nicely restored transfer and bonus features that include the original trailer, a choice of subtitle translations (I prefer the Hoagland translation), and a somewhat awkward but ultimately rewarding commentary track by Michael Jeck. If you're a Kurosawa fan and you've never seen THRONE OF BLOOD, this is your opportunity; if you're looking to replace an existing video with a DVD, this one is likely as good as it gets. Strongly recommended.
Gary F. Taylor aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
The cast is a very strong ensemble, with frequent Kurosawa star Torshiro Mifune leading the film with a remarkably fine performance as the ambitious warrior Taketori Washizu. To my mind, however, the most memorable performance is offered by Isuzu Yamada as Lady Washizu--who plays the role with a demonic stillness that cracks into physical action only when she is completely sure of herself or in utter desperation. It is one of the most disturbing characterizations I have ever encountered.
As usual in any Kurosawa film, the imagery involved is extremely powerful, and the moody tone of the film quickly draws viewers in--and once ensnared there is no escape; the film holds your attention with considerable ease throughout. Even so, I would not recommend THRONE OF BLOOD to western audiences who have never seen a Kurosawa film, for it is so completely Japanese in aesthetic that some may find it hard to grasp. It is best seen after you are already familiar with both Kurosawa's work and Japanese cinema in general.
The film is available via Criterion DVD, which is quite good, with a nicely restored transfer and bonus features that include the original trailer, a choice of subtitle translations (I prefer the Hoagland translation), and a somewhat awkward but ultimately rewarding commentary track by Michael Jeck. If you're a Kurosawa fan and you've never seen THRONE OF BLOOD, this is your opportunity; if you're looking to replace an existing video with a DVD, this one is likely as good as it gets. Strongly recommended.
Gary F. Taylor aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Timeless action, drama and war epic
Throne of Blood is an epic historical drama by renowned director Kurosawa Akira and with charismatic lead actor Mifune Toshiro. The plot revolves around betrayal, conspiracy, greed, honour and megalomania. It is inspired by William Shakespeare's Macbeth intertwined with stylistic elements from Japanese Noh which is a visually appealing but physically static type of traditional musical drama.
The movie tells the story of friends and generals Washizu and Miki who are foretold a bright future by a mysterious spirit in a misty forest. Initially skeptical, the prophecies of the spirit happen to be true when Washizu is named Lord of the Northern Garrison and Miki Commander of the First Fortress. However, Washizu's cold-blooded wife Asaji manipulates her husband into forcing his luck instead of waiting for it to fall into his hands. They plot to assassinate Lord Tsuzuki and then kill Miki but their gloomy plans soon backfire and spiral out of control.
The movie convinces with gorgeous settings such as gigantic Spider's Web Castle. The acting performances are really intense and especially Yamada Isuzu convinces as sinister femme fatale. The plot is filled with interesting conspiracies, intrigues and twists. The film's pace is relatively steady after a slow but necessary introduction. The final quarter of the movie is particularly intense and ends in a brutal tragedy. The movie has aged rather well thanks to its timeless plot.
This movie isn't among Kurosawa Akira's greatest films like Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress but is still in the upper middle section of his impressive works. This dynamic historical drama is a clever take on William Shakespeare's timeless Macbeth and convinces thanks to stunning settings, gloomy atmosphere and intense acting performances. If you like elegant action films, intense dramas or epic war movies, you will certainly appreciate Throne of Blood. This entertaining movie has aged quite well and would serve as an appropriate introduction to the works of both Kurosawa Akira and Mifune Toshiro.
The movie tells the story of friends and generals Washizu and Miki who are foretold a bright future by a mysterious spirit in a misty forest. Initially skeptical, the prophecies of the spirit happen to be true when Washizu is named Lord of the Northern Garrison and Miki Commander of the First Fortress. However, Washizu's cold-blooded wife Asaji manipulates her husband into forcing his luck instead of waiting for it to fall into his hands. They plot to assassinate Lord Tsuzuki and then kill Miki but their gloomy plans soon backfire and spiral out of control.
The movie convinces with gorgeous settings such as gigantic Spider's Web Castle. The acting performances are really intense and especially Yamada Isuzu convinces as sinister femme fatale. The plot is filled with interesting conspiracies, intrigues and twists. The film's pace is relatively steady after a slow but necessary introduction. The final quarter of the movie is particularly intense and ends in a brutal tragedy. The movie has aged rather well thanks to its timeless plot.
This movie isn't among Kurosawa Akira's greatest films like Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress but is still in the upper middle section of his impressive works. This dynamic historical drama is a clever take on William Shakespeare's timeless Macbeth and convinces thanks to stunning settings, gloomy atmosphere and intense acting performances. If you like elegant action films, intense dramas or epic war movies, you will certainly appreciate Throne of Blood. This entertaining movie has aged quite well and would serve as an appropriate introduction to the works of both Kurosawa Akira and Mifune Toshiro.
I Will Paint This Whole Forest With Blood
- ShootingShark
- Jul 5, 2008
- Permalink
"Every Samurai Longs To Be Master Of A Castle"
Washizu is a brave samurai who helps his lord to fight off a violent rebellion. Washizu and his friend Miki are riding through Cobweb Forest when a spirit appears to them and makes predictions which fire their ambitions. When Washizu explains this vision to his wife Asaji, she urges him to murder his lord and rule in his stead. Thus the tragedy begins.
Kurosawa's interpretation of Macbeth is visually fascinating. Swirling mist, colossal trees dripping with rain, rich black volcanic soil and bulky fortress architecture provide the imposing, dread-laden backdrop against which the humans move in superbly stylized patterns. The director chose to shoot the action on Mount Fuji precisely because of the volcanic soil - and even had truckloads brought to the studio for pickup shots.
Westerners unfamiliar with Noh are missing a huge part of the film's meaning. This thousand-year-old theatrical tradition corresponds broadly to our Elizabethan Tragedy, and Kurosawa shows how the two cultural strains, eastern and western, interlock and interact. The one illumines the other.
The Noh stage must have on it three pine branches and a symbolic Shinto temple-arch. In the film, shots are carefully composed to include tangles of branches in the foreground, and the vast entrance gate of Washizu's fortress serves for the temple arch. And yet Kurosawa is not including these details redundantly, for mere form's sake - the ubiquitous branches, framing the human action, remind us all the time of the forest nemesis awaiting Washizu. The arch is Washizu's interface with the world - open in the early stages, but gradually less so as the protagonist retreats into his own diseased inner self.
A Noh play features a "doer" (Shite) and a "companion" (Waku) who plays a subordinate role. Washizu and Asaji are the Shite and Waku respectively. Elements in the Noh include a battle-drama (we get one here) and a so-called "wig drama", in which a female character dominates the action. This is the central portion of the film, in the quiet of the fortress quarters, when Asaji ruthlessly manipulates her husband's ambition. Every Noh play has a ghost which appears to the Shite, and the spirit in the forest fulfils that function. Noh plays are never original works, in that (by a venerable convention) they are re-workings of ancient legends. Kurosawa follows tradition by quarrying his tale from Shakespeare's play.
There is no western term to describe the stylized striking of poses so important in Noh. Our word "dance" is a crude word which approximates to, but does not convey, the grace of the Japanese art-form. Asaji, alone with the blood-stain, gives us a glimpse of this delightful ritual.
Finally, Noh contains an aural richness almost totally absent from western tragedy - the complex rhythms of stamping and percussion which accompany the spoken word. In the film, the rhythmic patterns of horses' hooves on soil, and Washizu's bare feet on the boards of the banquet hall, are meant to reinforce the mood as they creep into our emotions by subliminal insistence.
Isuzu Yamada is terrific as Asaji. Her stillness absolutely oozes determination, contrasting strongly with her husband's hollow bluster.
It seems that Kurosawa cherished the concept of a Noh Macbeth for some years before committing it to celluloid. Apparently the project had to be scrapped in 1952 because Welles' Macbeth was nearing completion, and Kurosawa did not want the two films to suffer by being endlessly compared. This version, then, had to wait until 1957 to be realised.
The director is not afraid to add his own flourishes to the well-known story. We hear of the notorious traitor Fujimaki who disembowelled himself in a room of the fortress. The exact spot is now known as the Forbidden Room, a place of evil omen with its indelible bloodstain on the floor. It is a symbol which encapsulates the spirit of the film, interweaving the related themes of treachery, blood and guilt. In a brilliant transition, we are taken to a change of scene by the ripping down of a banner by galloping horsemen. Washizu at the pinnacle of his arrogance is filmed from below with severe foreshortening, conveying his vainglory more effectively than words ever could. The death scene, with its railing, hysterical protagonist and relentless volleys of arrows (their grouped shafts recalling the fateful forest) has enormous power and lives long in the viewer's memory.
Kurosawa's interpretation of Macbeth is visually fascinating. Swirling mist, colossal trees dripping with rain, rich black volcanic soil and bulky fortress architecture provide the imposing, dread-laden backdrop against which the humans move in superbly stylized patterns. The director chose to shoot the action on Mount Fuji precisely because of the volcanic soil - and even had truckloads brought to the studio for pickup shots.
Westerners unfamiliar with Noh are missing a huge part of the film's meaning. This thousand-year-old theatrical tradition corresponds broadly to our Elizabethan Tragedy, and Kurosawa shows how the two cultural strains, eastern and western, interlock and interact. The one illumines the other.
The Noh stage must have on it three pine branches and a symbolic Shinto temple-arch. In the film, shots are carefully composed to include tangles of branches in the foreground, and the vast entrance gate of Washizu's fortress serves for the temple arch. And yet Kurosawa is not including these details redundantly, for mere form's sake - the ubiquitous branches, framing the human action, remind us all the time of the forest nemesis awaiting Washizu. The arch is Washizu's interface with the world - open in the early stages, but gradually less so as the protagonist retreats into his own diseased inner self.
A Noh play features a "doer" (Shite) and a "companion" (Waku) who plays a subordinate role. Washizu and Asaji are the Shite and Waku respectively. Elements in the Noh include a battle-drama (we get one here) and a so-called "wig drama", in which a female character dominates the action. This is the central portion of the film, in the quiet of the fortress quarters, when Asaji ruthlessly manipulates her husband's ambition. Every Noh play has a ghost which appears to the Shite, and the spirit in the forest fulfils that function. Noh plays are never original works, in that (by a venerable convention) they are re-workings of ancient legends. Kurosawa follows tradition by quarrying his tale from Shakespeare's play.
There is no western term to describe the stylized striking of poses so important in Noh. Our word "dance" is a crude word which approximates to, but does not convey, the grace of the Japanese art-form. Asaji, alone with the blood-stain, gives us a glimpse of this delightful ritual.
Finally, Noh contains an aural richness almost totally absent from western tragedy - the complex rhythms of stamping and percussion which accompany the spoken word. In the film, the rhythmic patterns of horses' hooves on soil, and Washizu's bare feet on the boards of the banquet hall, are meant to reinforce the mood as they creep into our emotions by subliminal insistence.
Isuzu Yamada is terrific as Asaji. Her stillness absolutely oozes determination, contrasting strongly with her husband's hollow bluster.
It seems that Kurosawa cherished the concept of a Noh Macbeth for some years before committing it to celluloid. Apparently the project had to be scrapped in 1952 because Welles' Macbeth was nearing completion, and Kurosawa did not want the two films to suffer by being endlessly compared. This version, then, had to wait until 1957 to be realised.
The director is not afraid to add his own flourishes to the well-known story. We hear of the notorious traitor Fujimaki who disembowelled himself in a room of the fortress. The exact spot is now known as the Forbidden Room, a place of evil omen with its indelible bloodstain on the floor. It is a symbol which encapsulates the spirit of the film, interweaving the related themes of treachery, blood and guilt. In a brilliant transition, we are taken to a change of scene by the ripping down of a banner by galloping horsemen. Washizu at the pinnacle of his arrogance is filmed from below with severe foreshortening, conveying his vainglory more effectively than words ever could. The death scene, with its railing, hysterical protagonist and relentless volleys of arrows (their grouped shafts recalling the fateful forest) has enormous power and lives long in the viewer's memory.
Best Shakespeare on Film
As most people know, this is Shakespeare's Macbeth rendered by Kurosawa into Noh format for cinema. Not for nothing is Akira Kurosawa regarded as Japan's greatest director, for this is the best cinematic version of any Shakespeare play (and also one of Kurosawa's best films). Kurosawa had the advantage of working in a different language (Japanese), so he didn't have to agonize over the usual dilemma - whether to use Shakespeare's rotund oratory and blank verse (which is glorious, but goes badly on screen). Kurosawa essentially translates Shakespeare's poetry into visual images, while keeping dialogue to a minimum. He also had the good fortune of accessing two great cultures - European literature and Japanese visual art (he was originally a painter before entering cinema as a set-designer). There are many painterly images reminiscent of Ukiyo-e (e.g. Washizu full of arrows).
The Noh style of acting (like Kabuki, but more refined) seems stilted and exaggerated for the first few minutes; then you realize that is ideally suited to a story like this - more natural acting would seem out of place, as other Macbeth-movies go to prove.
The Japanese title of this film translates as "Cobweb Castle" (or Spider City) and this really should have been the title in English. The film is full of the notion of spiders spinning webs (and plots) in secret. It is worth noting that the witch (or "monster") is first seen with a ghostly spinning-wheel. This symbolizes the thread of fate, but also reflects the cobweb theme.
The story is sometimes slow-moving, but you have to realize that this is a story of insidious slow rot (hence the references to spiders and cobwebs). The decay is punctured by occasional bursts of violent action, as befits the story. The black-and-white picture adds to the creepiness, and the atmosphere is so thick that the movie works more effectively than "Ran" (Kurosawa's more polished Shakespeare-adaptation).
Macbeth is the great-granddaddy of the entire horror genre, and Kurosawa is a worthy descendant.
The Noh style of acting (like Kabuki, but more refined) seems stilted and exaggerated for the first few minutes; then you realize that is ideally suited to a story like this - more natural acting would seem out of place, as other Macbeth-movies go to prove.
The Japanese title of this film translates as "Cobweb Castle" (or Spider City) and this really should have been the title in English. The film is full of the notion of spiders spinning webs (and plots) in secret. It is worth noting that the witch (or "monster") is first seen with a ghostly spinning-wheel. This symbolizes the thread of fate, but also reflects the cobweb theme.
The story is sometimes slow-moving, but you have to realize that this is a story of insidious slow rot (hence the references to spiders and cobwebs). The decay is punctured by occasional bursts of violent action, as befits the story. The black-and-white picture adds to the creepiness, and the atmosphere is so thick that the movie works more effectively than "Ran" (Kurosawa's more polished Shakespeare-adaptation).
Macbeth is the great-granddaddy of the entire horror genre, and Kurosawa is a worthy descendant.
- Prof_Lostiswitz
- Jan 21, 2004
- Permalink
more should watch this
As much as I praise Mifune, it may well be Yamada who stands out in Kurosawa's version of Macbeth. Her Lady Macbeth is one of the most terrifying things I have ever seen, a forerunner to Sadako. Dressed in Noh make-up, slow moving like the world's most effective predator, unblinking, she is, without a doubt, the true lady Macbeth. She turns Mifune towards murder, and, although she is seen going mad at the end, we do not see her die. The tragedy of the tale is heightened by the fact that we are told at the start what will happen. Every shot Kurosawa composes is memorable. The arrow through the neck, the thread spinning witch in the forest, Mifune turning his back on his master, all are haunting and unforgettable. This film cannot be praised enough, and although it is not a horror movie, it puts all modern horror movies to shame with its deadly atmosphere. Great Quotes: Asaji. Every samurai longs to be the master of a castle'. 10 out of ten.
- malkane316
- May 15, 2004
- Permalink
Shakespeare meets Kurosowa (round 1)
The Scottish Play gets a very Oriental makeover in this combination of samurai film and Noh theater from master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. As a fan of both AK and Shakespeare I owed it to myself to give this a go, particularly as this play has drawn many gifted filmmakers over the years, always to interesting results.
If you know Kurosawa's Seven Samurai or Yojombo, your expectations going into Throne of Blood will probably let you down at first. The energy and visual flair are there, but expressed very differently: a suffocating formality and simmering rage replaces the vitality and dynamism of those other films. Lost in a thick, perpetual fog, Kurosawa's characters stumble around like broken puppets, heavily made up in Noh theater makeup that is at first hard to adjust to. it creates a useful distance, and underlines the power of the cruel hand of Fate, moving its victims across an apocalyptic landscape to a shockingly violent conclusion, one you would do well not to preview online before viewing the film.
Of his three adaptations - Ran being a masterful retelling of King Lear and The Bad Sleep Well using elements of Hamlet - this is the least accessible, but also the most visionary and unique. Oddly enough, it has similarities to Orson Welles' earlier adaptation made half a world away. Both films focus on tribal symbolism, are doused in fog and could never conceivably have had the same impact in color.
If you're interested in either Japanese cinema or Shakespeare, this should definitely be near the top of your list. As an entry-point to Kurosawa's catalog, you'd probably be better off with some less weighty fare.
If you know Kurosawa's Seven Samurai or Yojombo, your expectations going into Throne of Blood will probably let you down at first. The energy and visual flair are there, but expressed very differently: a suffocating formality and simmering rage replaces the vitality and dynamism of those other films. Lost in a thick, perpetual fog, Kurosawa's characters stumble around like broken puppets, heavily made up in Noh theater makeup that is at first hard to adjust to. it creates a useful distance, and underlines the power of the cruel hand of Fate, moving its victims across an apocalyptic landscape to a shockingly violent conclusion, one you would do well not to preview online before viewing the film.
Of his three adaptations - Ran being a masterful retelling of King Lear and The Bad Sleep Well using elements of Hamlet - this is the least accessible, but also the most visionary and unique. Oddly enough, it has similarities to Orson Welles' earlier adaptation made half a world away. Both films focus on tribal symbolism, are doused in fog and could never conceivably have had the same impact in color.
If you're interested in either Japanese cinema or Shakespeare, this should definitely be near the top of your list. As an entry-point to Kurosawa's catalog, you'd probably be better off with some less weighty fare.
Another ambitious film from Akira Kurosawa.
Throne of Blood is, in fact, ambitious as a film as well as in its meaning. It suggests that ambition, when based on whimsical motivation, can sometimes lead to the destruction of very close relationships, and even one's own ruination. Throne of Blood begins with a series of messengers bringing news to their daimyo about an invasion of North Castle by the Fujimaki, which is led by an enemy samurai named Inui. The invasion is broken and then bravely retaliated against by two armies which are led by two samurai, Washizu and Miki. As they are returning to the daimyo, they come across a ghostly spirit in the woods, who predicts leadership positions to be attained by each of them that very day. These predictions come true to the last detail, which sets off a destructive chain of events.
Miki becomes the leader of Fort One, as predicted, and Washizu becomes the leader of the North Castle, as predicted, but it is also predicted that Miki's son will rule North Castle after Washizu, which causes problems later in the film. Despite their good fortune, Miki and especially Washizu must keep their encounter with the fortune-telling spirit in the woods a secret because, if word gets out, Washizu is likely to become endangered because people will want him dead out of suspicion that he will try to kill Yoshiteru, Miki's son, to keep him from taking over Washizu's position. In an effort to prevent any of this, Washizu decides to name Yoshiteru as his heir, but Asaji, his wife, forbids this, saying that she is pregnant. It is Asaji who pressures Washizu into having Miki killed so that he can be the sole ruler of all of the provinces, but when this happens, the other castles turn against him and seek to avenge the leaders who have been killed under his orders. In the end, he is killed by his own army, which has lost all faith in him and has also turned against him.
There was a very interesting use of symbolism in Throne of Blood that is worth pointing out here. From literally the beginning to the end of the film, the setting is covered in thick fog. One scene that comes to mind that quite clearly communicates the meaning of this fog is early in the film, just after Washizu and Miki saw the spirit in the woods, and had their futures revealed to them. As they are riding out of the woods and back to the castle, they begin to cross large, flat plains that are covered in this stiflingly thick fog. There is literally a couple of minutes of footage of them riding their horses into the fog, then back toward the camera, then into the fog in another direction, and then back toward the camera, and so on. This fog seems to symbolize a natural inability to see ahead, or to see the future, as it were. This technique is especially effective this early in the film because much of the two men's decisions later in the film are founded on what the spirit told them, yet the fog symbolizes a type of foreshadowing that suggests that this premonition cannot be correct.
Throne of Blood is also structured in a very unique way. The film starts off showing a desolated castle, as well as its surroundings, in which there is a sizeable gravestone marking a burial site. While this is being shown, there is a song being sung by an unseen choir about a brave warrior who once ruled this now-deserted castle, but who was `murdered by ambition.' At the end of the film, we see this same montage, and the same song is heard, and this is where we learn that the gravestone marks Washizu's burial site.
Kurosawa used different camera techniques to communicate parts of the story or to emphasize it in various ways much more than he did in other films, like Ran, Kagemusha, and High and Low. One particularly noteworthy example occurred late in the film, as Washizu is standing over his army. Washizu stands on an elevated walkway, and his army is crowded on the ground below, looking up at him. There is a low angle shot from amidst the men, and while Washizu is small in the shot itself, he is high above the other men, looking down at them, and they are all looking up at him in unison. However, it would seem that, rather than use this shot to convey a sense of superiority or of dominance, Kurosawa probably meant to emphasize his position of power, because this is the scene in which his army turns against him and he is shot with dozens of their arrows. The low angle shot would contradict Washizu's descent into madness if it was meant to show superiority, but to emphasize his position of power at this point in the film, it makes his downfall much more dramatic.
This is usually not the case with Akira Kurosawa, but Throne of Blood reflects more of a formalistic style of direction. For example, his use of high and low angle shots, as well as the extensive symbolic use of the fog, suggest more formalism here than realism. Besides that, and probably more obviously, is the way that the strange spirit in the woods was presented. She was in a radiantly lit hut in the middle of the dark woods, and Washizu's encounter with several other spirits later in the film was presented among an extensive use of cutting and editing. The extensive use of very long takes and slow action seen in Ran and Kagemusha is definitely seen here, but not nearly as much. There are scenes in which these long takes are seen, but in addition to them there can be found many more short takes and highly edited sequences, which were largely absent from the previous films. But having done this with the same skill, Kurosawa has fashioned another samurai masterpiece.
Miki becomes the leader of Fort One, as predicted, and Washizu becomes the leader of the North Castle, as predicted, but it is also predicted that Miki's son will rule North Castle after Washizu, which causes problems later in the film. Despite their good fortune, Miki and especially Washizu must keep their encounter with the fortune-telling spirit in the woods a secret because, if word gets out, Washizu is likely to become endangered because people will want him dead out of suspicion that he will try to kill Yoshiteru, Miki's son, to keep him from taking over Washizu's position. In an effort to prevent any of this, Washizu decides to name Yoshiteru as his heir, but Asaji, his wife, forbids this, saying that she is pregnant. It is Asaji who pressures Washizu into having Miki killed so that he can be the sole ruler of all of the provinces, but when this happens, the other castles turn against him and seek to avenge the leaders who have been killed under his orders. In the end, he is killed by his own army, which has lost all faith in him and has also turned against him.
There was a very interesting use of symbolism in Throne of Blood that is worth pointing out here. From literally the beginning to the end of the film, the setting is covered in thick fog. One scene that comes to mind that quite clearly communicates the meaning of this fog is early in the film, just after Washizu and Miki saw the spirit in the woods, and had their futures revealed to them. As they are riding out of the woods and back to the castle, they begin to cross large, flat plains that are covered in this stiflingly thick fog. There is literally a couple of minutes of footage of them riding their horses into the fog, then back toward the camera, then into the fog in another direction, and then back toward the camera, and so on. This fog seems to symbolize a natural inability to see ahead, or to see the future, as it were. This technique is especially effective this early in the film because much of the two men's decisions later in the film are founded on what the spirit told them, yet the fog symbolizes a type of foreshadowing that suggests that this premonition cannot be correct.
Throne of Blood is also structured in a very unique way. The film starts off showing a desolated castle, as well as its surroundings, in which there is a sizeable gravestone marking a burial site. While this is being shown, there is a song being sung by an unseen choir about a brave warrior who once ruled this now-deserted castle, but who was `murdered by ambition.' At the end of the film, we see this same montage, and the same song is heard, and this is where we learn that the gravestone marks Washizu's burial site.
Kurosawa used different camera techniques to communicate parts of the story or to emphasize it in various ways much more than he did in other films, like Ran, Kagemusha, and High and Low. One particularly noteworthy example occurred late in the film, as Washizu is standing over his army. Washizu stands on an elevated walkway, and his army is crowded on the ground below, looking up at him. There is a low angle shot from amidst the men, and while Washizu is small in the shot itself, he is high above the other men, looking down at them, and they are all looking up at him in unison. However, it would seem that, rather than use this shot to convey a sense of superiority or of dominance, Kurosawa probably meant to emphasize his position of power, because this is the scene in which his army turns against him and he is shot with dozens of their arrows. The low angle shot would contradict Washizu's descent into madness if it was meant to show superiority, but to emphasize his position of power at this point in the film, it makes his downfall much more dramatic.
This is usually not the case with Akira Kurosawa, but Throne of Blood reflects more of a formalistic style of direction. For example, his use of high and low angle shots, as well as the extensive symbolic use of the fog, suggest more formalism here than realism. Besides that, and probably more obviously, is the way that the strange spirit in the woods was presented. She was in a radiantly lit hut in the middle of the dark woods, and Washizu's encounter with several other spirits later in the film was presented among an extensive use of cutting and editing. The extensive use of very long takes and slow action seen in Ran and Kagemusha is definitely seen here, but not nearly as much. There are scenes in which these long takes are seen, but in addition to them there can be found many more short takes and highly edited sequences, which were largely absent from the previous films. But having done this with the same skill, Kurosawa has fashioned another samurai masterpiece.
- Anonymous_Maxine
- Aug 6, 2001
- Permalink
not Kurosawa's best, but a dark overtone and a terrific performance by Mifune as a bloodthirsty madman makes it worth your while
Akira Kurosawa is one of the most celebrated and renowned of all filmmakers not only because he created some of the world's greatest visionary masterpieces such "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Rashomon" (1950), and "Yojimbo" (1961) but because he had the nerve to draw in on formulas and elements from all around the world and not just those of his native Japan. He is considered the most Western of all Japanese filmmakers, having owed a lot of his influence to men such as John Ford. But there also came times when Kurosawa would tend to the realm of William Shakespeare and the influential plays that he created so many years before.
The Shakespearian play "Macbeth" is considered one of the playwright's classics, so it wasn't a surprise when Akira Kurosawa decided to film his own adaptation of the story and blend it with his own shocking twists and ideas. His 1957 film "Throne of Blood", while not entirely faithful to Shakespeare's play and not alluding to any of the original dialogue is ranked one of the greatest "Macbeth" adaptations of all time. And remember, this is a story that has been modified and reconstructed over and over again through the centuries.
The basic plot remains the same. Toshiro Mifune stars as the Japanese equivalent to Macbeth: a war hero-turned-ruler who, upon being egged by his vindictive and cynical wife (Isuzu Yamada) and being told a strange prophecy about his future, plots to murder his own master and anybody who stands in his way. Once the murder is committed, peace does not follow, but rather a long chain of bloody killings until the position Mifune holds is exactly what the title personifies.
Although I strongly feel that Kurosawa did a better treatment of the Shakespeare play "King Lear" with "Ran" (1985) and that this film does not rank on top with some of his others, "Throne of Blood" is still a very good and very visionary and creative opus. And part of the reason why I like it is because of its inherently dark nature. Unlike "Yojimbo" (1961) which made a sort of glory out of violence, "Throne of Blood" has an atmosphere of terror and intensity around it. Right from the beginning, when we hear Masaru Sato's chilling opening score, we know this is going to be a dark film. Toshiro Mifune was perfect casting as the bloodthirsty Washizu. Although he is far less evil that Macbeth from the play, Washizu is in his own way, more intimidating due to his viciousness and again, those eyes. Mifune maintains the impression of a madman throughout the course of the film and gives us the impression of a wild animal hungry for human flesh and blood. I was also very fond of the performance by Isuzu Yamada as Lady Macbeth's equivalent. Although her performance is mainly a one-note ordeal, it still works out well and there was something about her that reminded me not of a snake like one would expect, but a rat. I do not know if Kurosawa did this intentionally, but when she walks, the lower garments of her robe rubs against the floor with a kind of squeal-like wisp. And like a rat, she spreads her disease: the thirst for blood.
"Throne of Blood" is not a perfect film, however. The music score by Masaru Sato, save for the opening theme and a few cues here and there, is rather forgettable. Some of the supporting cast members, such as those by Akira Kubo and Takashi Shimura seem very underdeveloped. However, any weaknesses that become noticeable are soon forgiven when Kurosawa's original and terrific ending scene comes into frame which was a major improvement over the disappointing climax from the play.
So overall, Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" is again, not his best film, but certainly a very unique and entertaining one and a great vision of the Japanese perception of Shakespeare's classic.
The Shakespearian play "Macbeth" is considered one of the playwright's classics, so it wasn't a surprise when Akira Kurosawa decided to film his own adaptation of the story and blend it with his own shocking twists and ideas. His 1957 film "Throne of Blood", while not entirely faithful to Shakespeare's play and not alluding to any of the original dialogue is ranked one of the greatest "Macbeth" adaptations of all time. And remember, this is a story that has been modified and reconstructed over and over again through the centuries.
The basic plot remains the same. Toshiro Mifune stars as the Japanese equivalent to Macbeth: a war hero-turned-ruler who, upon being egged by his vindictive and cynical wife (Isuzu Yamada) and being told a strange prophecy about his future, plots to murder his own master and anybody who stands in his way. Once the murder is committed, peace does not follow, but rather a long chain of bloody killings until the position Mifune holds is exactly what the title personifies.
Although I strongly feel that Kurosawa did a better treatment of the Shakespeare play "King Lear" with "Ran" (1985) and that this film does not rank on top with some of his others, "Throne of Blood" is still a very good and very visionary and creative opus. And part of the reason why I like it is because of its inherently dark nature. Unlike "Yojimbo" (1961) which made a sort of glory out of violence, "Throne of Blood" has an atmosphere of terror and intensity around it. Right from the beginning, when we hear Masaru Sato's chilling opening score, we know this is going to be a dark film. Toshiro Mifune was perfect casting as the bloodthirsty Washizu. Although he is far less evil that Macbeth from the play, Washizu is in his own way, more intimidating due to his viciousness and again, those eyes. Mifune maintains the impression of a madman throughout the course of the film and gives us the impression of a wild animal hungry for human flesh and blood. I was also very fond of the performance by Isuzu Yamada as Lady Macbeth's equivalent. Although her performance is mainly a one-note ordeal, it still works out well and there was something about her that reminded me not of a snake like one would expect, but a rat. I do not know if Kurosawa did this intentionally, but when she walks, the lower garments of her robe rubs against the floor with a kind of squeal-like wisp. And like a rat, she spreads her disease: the thirst for blood.
"Throne of Blood" is not a perfect film, however. The music score by Masaru Sato, save for the opening theme and a few cues here and there, is rather forgettable. Some of the supporting cast members, such as those by Akira Kubo and Takashi Shimura seem very underdeveloped. However, any weaknesses that become noticeable are soon forgiven when Kurosawa's original and terrific ending scene comes into frame which was a major improvement over the disappointing climax from the play.
So overall, Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" is again, not his best film, but certainly a very unique and entertaining one and a great vision of the Japanese perception of Shakespeare's classic.
- TheUnknown837-1
- May 14, 2009
- Permalink
Kurosawa's masterful retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth
Akira Kurosawa would end up using Shakespearean influence on two of his films. Throne of Blood is Kurosawa's adaptation of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, but in a feudal Japanese setting.
The film begins with Taketoki Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Yoshaki Miki (Minoru Chiaki) winning a fierce battle for their lord. Afterwards, they are invited to the lord's castle. On their way there, they come across a spirit in the forest. the spirit tells Washizu that he will soon become in command of a castle but that he will not rule long, and Yoshaki's son will soon takeover. Washizu is soon convinced that these predictions will come true, and becomes consumed with greed and evil in order to make sure that they do indeed come true.
In this film Kurosawa uses a more still and quiet filming style than was used in his previous films (with the exception of Ikiru). A style that he continued to use for the rest of his career. The Shakespearean influence is obviously there, not only in story, but the film itself has a very theatre-esque feeling to it.
The film begins with Taketoki Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Yoshaki Miki (Minoru Chiaki) winning a fierce battle for their lord. Afterwards, they are invited to the lord's castle. On their way there, they come across a spirit in the forest. the spirit tells Washizu that he will soon become in command of a castle but that he will not rule long, and Yoshaki's son will soon takeover. Washizu is soon convinced that these predictions will come true, and becomes consumed with greed and evil in order to make sure that they do indeed come true.
In this film Kurosawa uses a more still and quiet filming style than was used in his previous films (with the exception of Ikiru). A style that he continued to use for the rest of his career. The Shakespearean influence is obviously there, not only in story, but the film itself has a very theatre-esque feeling to it.
- PureCinema
- Dec 25, 1998
- Permalink
beautiful, but sketchy and underwhelming Kurosawa take on Macbeth
A warlord consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife murders enemies and takes the rule for himself
Prestigious recounting marked by evocative production design , unflinching violence, intense drama and fatalistic atmosphere . It is an incredibly detailed vision in its own right . Akira Kurosawa masterful retelling of Macbeth transports the tale to Medieval Japan and the world of Samurai . As it is so steeped in Japanese style that it bears little resemblance to the Shakespearean Macbeth original . It deals with two war-hardened generals Washizu , Toshiro Mifune , and Miki , Chiaki, who after securing an important victory on the battlefield return home, they are to rewarded by their overlord after having put down a rebellion , as they are promoted because of their breathtaking victory. Then they come across a spirit-alike seer and tell them of their future . But they find themselves lost on woods on their way to their castle . Then they meet at a maze-like the mysterious old woman, a spirit-like who prophesizes that Mifune will soon rule , but his realm will be short . The witch is missed as crazy but her prophesies come to pass . The tough general egged by his scheming as well as ambitious wife lady Adaji , Yamada , works to fullfill a prophecy that he would become lord of spider's cobweb castle but with unexpected consequences . As Washizu takes action winding up to its inevitable result .
Big budgeted production , with lavish setting , lots of mood , impressive battles , sad atmosphere, though it holds limited likeness to the Shakespearean play , due to Samurai and Japan style . Classic tragedy is performed with a celebrated lead acting by Toshiro Mifune, he is the tragic lord as a demonic leader of a feudal society who is prophecised to have a short reign . Mifune gives an extraordinary acting as the angry lord who receives a prophecy by a witch , as he one day will become the main ruler, while Miki'son will someday govern as Great Lord as well . It contains stunning fight scenes , fine performances, overwhelming sets , intense drama in which all of the fire , ambition, and doom of the Shakespearean text come brilliantly to life.
The motion picture titled Cobweb castle or The castle of the Spider's web was stunningly directed by Akita Kurosawa . He was a master filmmaker who made a lot of masterpieces . He realized several films about Samurai world such as Ran , Kagemusha , Yojimbo , 7 Samurai , The hidden fortress , Rashomon . And influenced in American and European cinema . As Rashomon inspired The outrage by Martin Ritt , Basic by John MacTiernan and Yojimbo inspired Sergio Leone's For a fisful of dollars . And he directed other versions based on Dostowieski's The Idiot, and Ran based on Shakespeare's King Lear. Other notorious films by Kurosawa were Doden Kaden , High and low, Sanjuro, The bad sleep well, Red beard, Scandal , A quiet duel , On wonderful Sunday, The lower depths, I live in fear, Ikuru . With the help of admirers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, he made the samurai tale Kagemusha (1980), which Kurosawa described as a dry run for Ran (1985), an epic adaptation of Shakespeare's "King Lear" . His last films were a larger-scale Russian co-production Dersu Uzala (1975) , it is an epic tale and nature ode as well as adventure in turn-of-the-century Siberia , the colorful : Dreams in which plays Martin Scorsese , and finally , Rapsody in August 1991 about Hiroshima atomic bombings .
Other films based on Macbeth are the followings : Macbeth 1948 starred and directed by Orson Welles with Daniel O'Herlihy , Roddy McDowall, Jeanette Nolan , Macbeth 1971 by Roman Polanski with John Finch, Francesca Annis , Martin Shaw, Macbeth 1976 with Eric Porter, Janet Suzman , Macbeth 1990 with Michael Jayston, Leigh Hunt , Macbeth 2015 by Justin Kurzel with Michael Fassbinder, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine , Sean Harris.
Big budgeted production , with lavish setting , lots of mood , impressive battles , sad atmosphere, though it holds limited likeness to the Shakespearean play , due to Samurai and Japan style . Classic tragedy is performed with a celebrated lead acting by Toshiro Mifune, he is the tragic lord as a demonic leader of a feudal society who is prophecised to have a short reign . Mifune gives an extraordinary acting as the angry lord who receives a prophecy by a witch , as he one day will become the main ruler, while Miki'son will someday govern as Great Lord as well . It contains stunning fight scenes , fine performances, overwhelming sets , intense drama in which all of the fire , ambition, and doom of the Shakespearean text come brilliantly to life.
The motion picture titled Cobweb castle or The castle of the Spider's web was stunningly directed by Akita Kurosawa . He was a master filmmaker who made a lot of masterpieces . He realized several films about Samurai world such as Ran , Kagemusha , Yojimbo , 7 Samurai , The hidden fortress , Rashomon . And influenced in American and European cinema . As Rashomon inspired The outrage by Martin Ritt , Basic by John MacTiernan and Yojimbo inspired Sergio Leone's For a fisful of dollars . And he directed other versions based on Dostowieski's The Idiot, and Ran based on Shakespeare's King Lear. Other notorious films by Kurosawa were Doden Kaden , High and low, Sanjuro, The bad sleep well, Red beard, Scandal , A quiet duel , On wonderful Sunday, The lower depths, I live in fear, Ikuru . With the help of admirers Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, he made the samurai tale Kagemusha (1980), which Kurosawa described as a dry run for Ran (1985), an epic adaptation of Shakespeare's "King Lear" . His last films were a larger-scale Russian co-production Dersu Uzala (1975) , it is an epic tale and nature ode as well as adventure in turn-of-the-century Siberia , the colorful : Dreams in which plays Martin Scorsese , and finally , Rapsody in August 1991 about Hiroshima atomic bombings .
Other films based on Macbeth are the followings : Macbeth 1948 starred and directed by Orson Welles with Daniel O'Herlihy , Roddy McDowall, Jeanette Nolan , Macbeth 1971 by Roman Polanski with John Finch, Francesca Annis , Martin Shaw, Macbeth 1976 with Eric Porter, Janet Suzman , Macbeth 1990 with Michael Jayston, Leigh Hunt , Macbeth 2015 by Justin Kurzel with Michael Fassbinder, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine , Sean Harris.
Kumonosu-jô: Passable stuff
Throne of Blood was met with critical acclaim and has been in the IMDB top 250 movies several times. Though I don't personally agree with it's place there, it's hard to dispute it's quality.
The film is a Japanese Toho made (Kurosawa directed) adaptation of William Shakespeares Macbeth. Though many of us have a slight bias against the tale due to it being forced down our throats in school it's hard to argue with its quality.
Sure Toho have tweaked it but you can clearly identify the original story and it's made masterfully as most Toho movies are.
It demonstrates once again that at the time the acting pool was small and you tend to see the same faces. Once again we see Seven Samurai (1954) stars Toshirô Mifune and the excellent (Though barely in this) Takashi Shimura.
It all looks fantastic though I'm quite surprised the movie wasn't in colour. Truth be told though it didn't need to be and might have taken away from some of the effects had it been.
The gritty tale of greed and betrayal is a well made 2hr epic, but I'm so burnt out on the story I didn't fully appreciate it like I perhaps should.
Regardless it's Toho, it's Kurosawa, and it's worth a watch.
The Good:
Looks great
Solid cast
Well written
The Bad:
Overly played out tale
Shimura is wasted
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
Pretending to be a forest is a traditional military strategy
Eyebrows can grow as high as just below the hairline
The film is a Japanese Toho made (Kurosawa directed) adaptation of William Shakespeares Macbeth. Though many of us have a slight bias against the tale due to it being forced down our throats in school it's hard to argue with its quality.
Sure Toho have tweaked it but you can clearly identify the original story and it's made masterfully as most Toho movies are.
It demonstrates once again that at the time the acting pool was small and you tend to see the same faces. Once again we see Seven Samurai (1954) stars Toshirô Mifune and the excellent (Though barely in this) Takashi Shimura.
It all looks fantastic though I'm quite surprised the movie wasn't in colour. Truth be told though it didn't need to be and might have taken away from some of the effects had it been.
The gritty tale of greed and betrayal is a well made 2hr epic, but I'm so burnt out on the story I didn't fully appreciate it like I perhaps should.
Regardless it's Toho, it's Kurosawa, and it's worth a watch.
The Good:
Looks great
Solid cast
Well written
The Bad:
Overly played out tale
Shimura is wasted
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
Pretending to be a forest is a traditional military strategy
Eyebrows can grow as high as just below the hairline
- Platypuschow
- Sep 16, 2018
- Permalink
A thin recasting of Macbeth
Another haunting movie masterpiece from Kurosawa.
In my opinion 'Throne Of Blood' is almost as brilliant as Kurosawa's more celebrated 'Rashomon'. It's almost impossible to fault this brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. It's the most compelling version of the story I have seen, even better than Polanski's outstanding film of the early 1970s, which until seeing 'Throne Of Blood' was my favourite. Kurosawa is without doubt one of the greatest film makers of all time, and watching this movie is experiencing a master at work. Toshiro Mifune gives another brilliant performance and Isuzu Yamada, who plays his wife (the equivalent of the Lady Macbeth character) is absolutely chilling. The stylized acting combined with the superb cinematography gives this movie a frightening nightmarish feel, yet the characters are always human. This makes it a very powerful and haunting movie. I don't seem to see 'Throne Of Blood' mentioned a lot as one of Kurosawa's best, but I was incredibly impressed by it, and it comes with my highest recommendation. This is a brilliant movie and to call it a masterpiece is no exaggeration.
Macbeth's Version in Japanese Fields - Another Masterpiece of Akira Kurosawa
In the Sixteenth Century in Japan, the brave generals Taketori Washizu (Toshirô Mifune) and Yoshiaki Miki (Minoru Chiaki) are invited to visit their lord in his castle after a battle wined by them against a traitor general. In the way to the castle, they meet in the forest an evil spirit that foresees their future from the bottom of their hearts, with Washizu being the lord of an important mansion in the fields of their lord, Miki the commander of the First Fortress and Miki's son the successor of Washizu. When they meet their master, the first part of the prophecy comes true for Washizu and Miki. However, the wife of Washizu poisons his heart with calumnies and malicious feelings against the lord and Miki. Washizu kills them both, becoming the new lord of the Spider's Web Castle, but tormented by his guilty and afraid of his future.
"Kumonosu Jô" is another masterpiece of Akira Kurosawa, indeed a version of Shakespeare's Macbeth play brilliantly transposed to the scenario of the feudalistic Japan of the Sixteenth Century. The shootings and the cinematography are very impressive even in the present days, and the performances are outstanding, highlighting Toshirô Mifune in the role of a strong warrior in the battlefields, but weak in front of his venomous and ambitious wife. The sequence with the arrows in the end of the story is amazingly perfect. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): "Trono Manchado de Sangue" ("Throne Stained by Blood")
"Kumonosu Jô" is another masterpiece of Akira Kurosawa, indeed a version of Shakespeare's Macbeth play brilliantly transposed to the scenario of the feudalistic Japan of the Sixteenth Century. The shootings and the cinematography are very impressive even in the present days, and the performances are outstanding, highlighting Toshirô Mifune in the role of a strong warrior in the battlefields, but weak in front of his venomous and ambitious wife. The sequence with the arrows in the end of the story is amazingly perfect. My vote is ten.
Title (Brazil): "Trono Manchado de Sangue" ("Throne Stained by Blood")
- claudio_carvalho
- Sep 6, 2005
- Permalink
Macbeth is better in Japanese!
I must first point out that I must be a total Neanderthal, as I don't particularly like Shakepeare plays or movies. The language is a pain and could use updating. I'm sure literature majors out there are having an apoplexy now that I said that. It's just that in using such stilted language, the plays often become ponderous. This is definitely NOT the case with Akira Kuraswawa's version of Macbeth. Because you really don't translate 17th century English into 17th century Japanese, the more modern language used in the movie makes this Japanese version MORE ACCESSIBLE to the average English-speaking person! Plus, the Japanese imagery (such as the witches now appearing as bleached out demons) is spectacular and exciting to watch. I think Shakespeare himself would have enjoyed the effort, though considering he is currently dead (and it appears this will not change in the near future), it is only a guess on my part. As it is, this is one of Kurosawa's best films and a must-see for film fans.
- planktonrules
- Jun 10, 2005
- Permalink
Macbeth in a Japanese feudal setting
I am more of a Seven Samurai, Ran and Hidden Fortress fan myself when it comes to Akira Kurasawa's films. However I do think alongside the likes of Welles' Chimes at Midnight, Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing and Olivier's Richard III to be one of the finest films based on Shakespeare's work ever made. Throne of Blood is a somewhat loose adaptation of Macbeth, not as bloody perhaps and set in a Japanese feudal setting, and I am aware that it has been criticised for one-dimensional characters and its dramatic structure. For me though, the dramatic structure, even with the purposefully slow-moving pace(at times), was compelling and sometimes even moving in places, and the characters while not exactly complex are not that one-dimensional in comparison to other characters in other movies. Taketoki Washizu, masterfully played by Toshiro Mifune, is one of those villains where you do feel a lot of pity for at the end I found. Whatever Throne of Blood is criticised for, I cannot deny how powerful the atmosphere conveyed is here, it is very intense and eerie with a harrowing final scene. Kurasawa's direction is superb, the basic essence of Macbeth is there but there are also touches like the Forbidden Room that are part of the director's own creative touch. Of the other acting, which is not naturalistic to start with and considering the tone and subject matter all the better for it but always effective, Isuzu Yamada is a standout, determined and intensely still. And Throne of Blood is an incredibly well made film, the camera work is exemplary and the spooky sets add so much to the atmosphere. All in all, one of the finest Shakespeare adaptations on film. 10/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jun 7, 2012
- Permalink
Another Kurosawa masterpiece.
When it comes to portraying feudal Japan and samurai culture, there is no other director who does it so masterfully. The combats, costumes, makeup, haircuts, locations, photography, in short, everything is very good. The only thing that the film lacks (and it's not the director's fault) is the lack of color, if the film is already good black and white imagine color. Mifune, always very expressive in his roles, again masterfully plays a samurai.
- igornveiga
- Jul 18, 2022
- Permalink
Kurosawa's Macbeth
Secondary school dissection of Romeo & Juliet aside I've never read anything by Shakespeare, and I'm shamefully unfamiliar with much of Kurosawa's work, so it's no surprise, perhaps, that I wasn't as impressed by this as its reputation suggest I should be. This adaptation of the bard's Macbeth is one of Kurosawa's classics but I have to say I found it hard going at times. Definitely a film you have to be in the mood to watch, it's without doubt a technically superb piece of work with some undeniably effective moments (the spooky witch in the woods, the famous rain of arrows, Isuzu Yamada's wonderfully manipulative Lady Asaji) and some overt symbolism that even I could grasp. So, on that level, the film works wonderfully. And yet I don't know, it just seems so emotionally detached from its characters that Washizu's inexorable descent into madness as he realises the ambitions fired by an encounter with the aforementioned witch in the Cobweb Forest failed to engage me. Assured direction, and superb cinematography make this a film that always has something to occupy the attentive viewer's mind, but the slow, by-the-numbers treatment left me feeling as if I had done a duty rather than indulged in a pleasure.
- JoeytheBrit
- Nov 19, 2008
- Permalink
By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Macbeth has come to Japan and it was somewhat amazing! Throne of Blood is worth checking out!
- ironhorse_iv
- Jul 12, 2016
- Permalink
Haunting slug-paced Kurusawa
Macbeth is a haunting play, and Kurusawa is always such an interesting character to make Japanese recreations of his work. Of course, in the process, he does change them a bit, creating something that is not Shakespearian anymore: it's Kurusawa. Some themes are altered, mostly thanks to the images that Kurusawa takes his time to study.
Here, however there is a problem. It is quite lengthy. It's almost forgivable, because Kurusawa really sets the dark mood to a point when it becomes unbearable: it's so haunting that you almost feel sick. Mifune is incredible, his performance as Washizu, the loyal warrior who kills the king to take over his throne. It's excellent whether you know Japanese or not. I didn't really like the other performances, however, they were all pretty cartoonish and at that, static and monotoned. Again, I must say, though, that Mifune does a great job because he has got an evil face.
The cinematography is overwhelming. The emptiness of the rooms, the majesty of the noble samurais, and the mystique of the sinister and magical characters and plot developments. The apparitions are quite admirable. The second time he sees the witch, the apparitions become scary. The way people appear and reappear: it's all mad, and you can understand why Washizu has become insane. And in the scene where, during a dinner where Miki was invited, but had been killed, Washizu sees his ghost, and it's an unnatural vision that is edited excellently on the spot. The camera moves around the set as it we were following Washizu's own destructions at the end of all that is evil, and himself.
As I said, the photography is beautiful, and overwhelming. And example of this is when Asaji, now collapsed under the pressure of 'the deed', keeps scrubbing her hands because she can't get rid of the smell of his Lordship's blood off them. It's a very dramatic sequence, made even more dramatic by Mifune's brilliant performance, particularly when he hopelessly calls out her name. It is the prelude of the end here isn't Throne of Blood, whereas in Macbeth by Sakespeare, it's a secondary even that almost comes as a relief to Macbeth.
The film drags on a little too much is a few sequences. The dialog is repetitive, and sometimes that can be frustrating. This happens quite a lot when Washizu and Asaji talk about the reasons why he should kill his Lordship. This is the only point where Kurusawa heavily relies on dialog, and it's a misstep.
WATCH FOR THE MOMENT - Miki's apparition at Wasizu's dinner. His public breakdown. The clear beginning of his insanity and self-destruction. And Kurusawa's brilliant camera-work, aided by a great Mifune.
Here, however there is a problem. It is quite lengthy. It's almost forgivable, because Kurusawa really sets the dark mood to a point when it becomes unbearable: it's so haunting that you almost feel sick. Mifune is incredible, his performance as Washizu, the loyal warrior who kills the king to take over his throne. It's excellent whether you know Japanese or not. I didn't really like the other performances, however, they were all pretty cartoonish and at that, static and monotoned. Again, I must say, though, that Mifune does a great job because he has got an evil face.
The cinematography is overwhelming. The emptiness of the rooms, the majesty of the noble samurais, and the mystique of the sinister and magical characters and plot developments. The apparitions are quite admirable. The second time he sees the witch, the apparitions become scary. The way people appear and reappear: it's all mad, and you can understand why Washizu has become insane. And in the scene where, during a dinner where Miki was invited, but had been killed, Washizu sees his ghost, and it's an unnatural vision that is edited excellently on the spot. The camera moves around the set as it we were following Washizu's own destructions at the end of all that is evil, and himself.
As I said, the photography is beautiful, and overwhelming. And example of this is when Asaji, now collapsed under the pressure of 'the deed', keeps scrubbing her hands because she can't get rid of the smell of his Lordship's blood off them. It's a very dramatic sequence, made even more dramatic by Mifune's brilliant performance, particularly when he hopelessly calls out her name. It is the prelude of the end here isn't Throne of Blood, whereas in Macbeth by Sakespeare, it's a secondary even that almost comes as a relief to Macbeth.
The film drags on a little too much is a few sequences. The dialog is repetitive, and sometimes that can be frustrating. This happens quite a lot when Washizu and Asaji talk about the reasons why he should kill his Lordship. This is the only point where Kurusawa heavily relies on dialog, and it's a misstep.
WATCH FOR THE MOMENT - Miki's apparition at Wasizu's dinner. His public breakdown. The clear beginning of his insanity and self-destruction. And Kurusawa's brilliant camera-work, aided by a great Mifune.
- peapulation
- Nov 30, 2008
- Permalink
Haunting Mood and Imagery
Director Kurosawa is a Visual Master. The Images in His Films remind of Kubrick. Its no wonder that Stills from Their Movies look like Great Photographs, because that's what they are. They just Move on the Movie Screen, but when Isolated they alone are Masterpieces.
Here is a Japanese retelling of Macbeth. There is quite a Haunt to this Movie and in its Creepiness manages to Embody the Horror Tale. Striking in its Simplicity, yet it Gloms on to the Imagination and won't let go. The Dialog here is Sparse and that does not bode well for the Shakespeare Play but this is Cinema, Magnificently Pure and Simple.
Do not expect Epic Battles, so well Associated with the Director or Samurai Sword Fights. This is all Mood and Character, with the Cinematography Proudly Portraying one of the most Important Characters. Even Kurosawa Fans must admit this is not his most Inspiring Film and not as easily accepted by a Wide Audience like some of His other Great Movies (The Seven Samurai (1954) or Ran (1985).
Here is a Japanese retelling of Macbeth. There is quite a Haunt to this Movie and in its Creepiness manages to Embody the Horror Tale. Striking in its Simplicity, yet it Gloms on to the Imagination and won't let go. The Dialog here is Sparse and that does not bode well for the Shakespeare Play but this is Cinema, Magnificently Pure and Simple.
Do not expect Epic Battles, so well Associated with the Director or Samurai Sword Fights. This is all Mood and Character, with the Cinematography Proudly Portraying one of the most Important Characters. Even Kurosawa Fans must admit this is not his most Inspiring Film and not as easily accepted by a Wide Audience like some of His other Great Movies (The Seven Samurai (1954) or Ran (1985).
- LeonLouisRicci
- Oct 14, 2013
- Permalink
Macbeth-san.
- rmax304823
- Dec 1, 2007
- Permalink
dull retelling of Macbeth
This movie is separated from Kurosawa's masterworks like "Rashomon" and "shichin no samurai" by such a gap that it is difficult to accept that they were produced by the same director.
Of course there is the problem that the story is already known to most watchers. But this id not the real problem. Kurosawa does not succeed in creating any tension and psychological depth. He indulges in battle scenes or in exaggerated acting. The film is moreover devoid of the masterly depiction of architecture which is so typical for many Japanese films. In this respect "Kumonosu jo" may be compared to his later "Kagemusha" and not to his masterworks. Or even the masterworks of Ozu and Mizoguchi. (4/10)
Of course there is the problem that the story is already known to most watchers. But this id not the real problem. Kurosawa does not succeed in creating any tension and psychological depth. He indulges in battle scenes or in exaggerated acting. The film is moreover devoid of the masterly depiction of architecture which is so typical for many Japanese films. In this respect "Kumonosu jo" may be compared to his later "Kagemusha" and not to his masterworks. Or even the masterworks of Ozu and Mizoguchi. (4/10)