044 4 One man's life with full of ups and downs is pictured in the film , The Throne of Blood , directed by Akira Kurosawa . This film is a Japanese re-make version of the famous Shakespearean play , Macbeth . Because this film is a Japanese film , many details differ from Macbeth , although the basic plot of the story is the same . All the plot changes , character and setting differences are effective choices for this film because it adds a different taste to the original form of the story .
Most plot changes in the film due to cultural differences make the plot in this film natural and flowing , with a little twist at the end . Some detailed plot adaptations that the director had to make included Washizu ( playing the role of Macbeth ) taking over the Cob-web castle , Miki ( playing the role of Lady Macbeth ) being pregnant and Washizu being killed by his own men towards the end of the story . In medieval Japan , a man taking over a castle did not necessarily mean that he can be the Emperor of Japan , unlike Macbeth aiming to be the King from the start . Therefore , Washizu did not kill the Emperor , but he had to kill the others competing for the castle . However , the conflicts between Washizu and the other competent is similar to Macbeth's because the goal that they both had in mind was to achieve power . In this film , Miki's pregnancy does not seem to have a dramatical change in the plot of the story , but is thought to be necessary for this Japanese film . The reason for this is because the couple wanted their own child to inherit his throne after his death . This inheriting system is similar to the one in Macbeth , but this director decided to add this detail in to reveal the great desires of Washizu . After all of the killing and the struggles to take over the castle , Washizu did not want any other person but his child who shares his blood to inherit the throne . The climax of this film comes when hundreds of soldiers by Washizu's side points their arrows at him and one by one hits him . This is another plot adaptations that has been made for this film because the soldiers wanted to show the sign of surrender . Giving Washizu's head represented surrender . This change made the film more violent thus added a twist with an unexpected ending . In making changes , it is very important that the plot flows and that it is natural . This sort of change is needed because there is no fun in a film or story that is completely same from the original form .
The main character , Washizu is very different from the characteristic that Macbeth has . Washizu is brave , confident , demanding and more selfish than the Shakespearean Macbeth . A Shogun ( similar position as the Thane when referring to Macbeth ) has to be strong , determined and brave to take over a castle . Unlike Macbeth , he was demanding his wife and the tone of his speech was overall strong . The director probably wanted to express the image of a brave man going through one straight road towards his goal , but ending with a tragic death . This is maybe a typical image of a Shogun during the medieval Japan . One thing that is not expressed because of this characterization of Washizu , is the gradual change of Washizu the beginning to the end of the story . This is an important change to express because in Macbeth , he is growing to become more aggressive and greedy as he overcomes the obstacles to become the King . Similarly , Miki's characterization is different form Lady Macbeth too . Lady Macbeth was a pretty strong woman , telling her husband what to do . However , Miki was not like her because she was under a circumstance where she cannot , since Washizu was a demanding person . But overall , the two characters played the Japanese actors were very well suited for this version of Macbeth .
The Throne of Blood was set in medieval Japan , when Shoguns from each castle fought to prove the strongest castle and warlords . this setting is very suited to fit a story like Macbeth into . Both setting has Lords , Emperor / King , and warriors . This made it possible for details to be expressed in the film . An example of one detail is one of the three apparitions that the old lady , gave to Washizu . When the old lady told him that he will be victorious unless the wood nears the neighbor comes down to Washizu's castle . Since medieval castle in Japan were constructed on the top of the fort and used forests and woods as one of the protection and security methods , this apparition was realistic . The director chose Japan as the setting of this film , probably because many things matched with the original setting . Technically , it is a completely different setting but it is good enough to reproduce a similar story which is very impressive .
If people who have never seen or heard about Macbeth happens to see The Throne of Blood will not think that this film is a reproductive of a Shakespearean play . This is how almost perfectly Macbeth and The Throne of Blood matches . The changes were made rather to improve the film . Washizu and Macbeth , both who lived a fast and tragic life possess a lifestyle that people today can still learn and achieve from . That is the power of films and stories . The Throne of Blood will always be the classical and perfect example of a successful reproductive film .
001 4 Kurosawa and Shakespeare are a winning combination . With Throne of Blood , Kurosawa strips Macbeth to the bare bones of plot , then packs on new flesh in the form of scheming ambition in feudal Japan .
In this version , Washizu ( Macbeth ) is somewhat simple , and content with what comes his way , be it castle or fort , honor or deceit . His wife , the infamous Lady Macbeth , is chillingly calm and dangerous . She has no interest in her husband's contentment , and knows that the only way to advance her position is to advance the position of her husband , by whatever means necessary . Her role as the spider is particularly suited to the halls of the Cobweb Castle .
The acting and filming are up to the quality that one expects from Kurosawa and Mifune . The pacing of the film is full of dynamic contrasts , going from heart-pounding action to patient silence . This film is not spoon-fed to you , but demands your concentration . The visuals are particularly stunning in Throne of Blood . The cobweb forest is haunting , and the single weird sister , all in white spinning in a white cage , maintains the same chilling calmness of Washizu's wife .
One of the many nice touches of Throne of Blood is the chance to see that Samurai at the height of their power . These are not the poor , struggling warriors of Seven Samurai or Yojimbo . Washizu is decked out in full armor for the bulk of the film , and his castle is defended and attacked by well-dressed armies . Each lord is powerful and wields mighty forces .
Oh , and of course , the big finish . All I can say is wow .
002 4 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 Criterion DVD 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 .
GFT , Amazon Reviewer
003 4 Throne of Blood is a masterpiece by one of the world's greatest film makers at the height of his powers .
Only Kurosawa could take the essence of Shakespearian stage drama and incorporate it into the medium of film as a dynamic tour de force . Yet at the same time he remains faithful to elements of Noh ( a stagy traditional Japanese play-form in which design and movement are minimalized ) . A seeming contradiction , dynamism and static-ness yet Kurosawa masters both in the same medium . As usual ; acting , writing , cinematography , sound , direction and production are all pitch perfect .
In this second Shakespearian based film by Kurosawa , focus is on the interplay of fate , free will and the fine thread the human psyche uses to weave the two together . On a more simpler level it is a man living and dying by the sword . In short what goes around comes around . What comes around for Toshiro Mifune as he gets his just deserts is a scene with straight as an arrow , perfect direction by Kurosawa leading to quite a pointed culminatin of events ( pun intended . . . see the movie you'll understand ) .
Bonus features include excellent linear notes as well as the superb commentary of Donald Richie . Few people are more knowledgeable about film and Japanese film then he . The commentary is almost as interesting as the movie itself .
As usual Criterion presents its film in pristine condition . Some may complain that Criterion is too pricey but with them you get the best cinema has to offer . You cannot go wrong . One Kurosawa masterpiece packs more poignancy , punch and philosophy then 10 lesser films thus you get 10 times the movie at 5 times the price , really quite a deal if you look at it that way .
004 4 In this 1957 film directed by Akira Kurosawa , Lord Washizu ( Toshiro Mifune ) and Lord Miki ( Akira Kubo ) encounter a spirit in a maze-like forest that prophesies great things for the two comrades : the former will someday rule the imposing Spider's Web Castle and the latter will take his friend's position as commander of the First Fortress . Even beyond that , the spirit predicts that Miki's son will one day succeed Washizu as the master of Spider's Web Castle . Although the two men are initially reluctant to trust the spirit's words , preliminary parts of the prophecy come to pass , thus setting into motion a bloody chain of events that explores the differences between active and passive destiny . Lady Asaji ( Isuzu Yamada ) , Washizu's scheming wife , prods her husband to seize the reigns of power at any cost . She insists that Washizu's only restraint is his own ambition and that heaven itself had preordained his rise .
Here , of course , is where the trouble begins . Asaji is initially convinced of the legitimacy of the spirit's words and points out to her husband that without his doing anything , part of the prophecy had come to pass . She then declares that Washizu must take the next step of killing the Great Lord in order to fulfill his destiny . And yet there is an obvious question that arises at this point . . . Miki's son , skeptical of the prospect of his succession to the throne of Spider's Web Castle , tells his father that the spirit's prophecy is only coming true because he and Washizu took it upon themselves to make it so ; was it fate or was it a series of man-made coincidences ? Asaji paradoxically takes both views as she becomes enraged at the thought of Miki's son and his posterity being the ones to benefit most from Washizu's deeds . Now discounting the inevitability of the spirit's words , Asaji demands that Washizu put an end to Miki and his son to clear the way for their own unborn child . Will Washizu trust the spirit and remain passive or will he actively take matters into his own hand ? Will he succeed in rebuffing the spirit and shaping his own destiny or will he fail and fulfill the prophecy anyway ?
The film itself is excellently done ( it doesn't get much better than Mifune and Kurosawa working together ) and as with most Criterion Collection DVDs , this one is filled with extras . My favorite feature is the two separate English-language subtitlings . The first is a bit more literary and not quite as literal ( I'm so clever sometimes ) . The second is more conservative and stays closer to a truly accurate translation . Compare these sentences : he has imbibed too freely as opposed to he has had too much wine . Because this is a period drama , the first feels more appropriate to me , especially since the status-based honorifics of Japanese culture ( - san , - sama , - dono , etc . ) generally lend themselves to older modes of the English language when translating them . The more lyrical translation can be a bit much at times , however , so I can certainly understand why someone would be inclined to prefer the more accurate one .
Though I was not particularly enthusiastic about the price-tag of this film , I was satisfied with the results . Highly recommended to all those with a penchant for high quality cinema .
005 4 I am a student at Nagoya International School . Japanese is my first language , but I have studied English in my International School . And I was fortunate to see Throne of Blood in my English literature class . After viewing the movie , I found Kurosawa's Japanese version of Shakespeare's Macbeth was a spectacular masterpiece . Throne of Blood altered the setting of the story , but still kept the atmosphere of the original Macbeth , which was set in Scotland . I was afraid that the Japanese language in the movie would spoil the rich Shakespearian language included in the film . But Kurosawa kept the theme of Macbeth alive in the film by modifying couple of characters and plots of the story . For example , because witches aren't familiar to the Japanese in the 16th century , they replaced the witch by an evil spirit , Mononoke . Also , Kurosawa excluded characters like Macduff . So in the movie , the Mononoke didn't give the prophecy of Beware of Macduff and Be afraid of no women born . Other than that , virtually all of the plot and characters were the same as the original version of Macbeth . This exhibits the fact that Kurosawa has successfully managed to keep the mood and the theme of Macbeth alive in the film .
006 4 I liked it better then Ran . Deep visual and dramatic expression . Leaves you thinking about it for days .
007 4 Throne of Blood , like most of the other films Kurosawa turned his hand to at this point in his career , is a brilliant film . Some reviewers on this page have called it slow and plodding , or overdramatic , but I don't see it that way . If you take this film on a literal level , i.e . thinking of it only as a film , then you're missing out . Kurosawa , as usual , is thinking in different terms here , and has not made a cinematic movie as much as a theatrical one . This film almost bleeds with theatrical ideas and themes - - after all , it is an adaptation of Shakespeare's MacBeth . But to see it as just that , as I said , misses the point , because Throne of Blood is more than Shakespeare ; it is Shakespeare filtered through Noh theatre . In Noh plays , the acting is extremely stylized and deliberate ( what modern cinemagoers might see as slow , or plodding , or even overwrought ) , and the plays are largely symbolic in nature . Kurosawa has taken that idea and brilliantly melded it to one of Shakespeare's darkest plays , a tragedy that warns against the dangers of ambition . And clearly Kurosawa has studied theatre in preparing for this film ; the opening scene , which has a voice-over which echoes Noh , Greek , and Elizabethan Theatre , is a perfect illustration of what I mean . Then there is Kurosawa's minimal use of music in the film ; the silence one experiences is very much like being in a theater watching a play , rather than seeing a movie . Of course I've already mentioned the stylized , extremely Noh-influenced performances of the lead actors . . . and then there's this little idea : take a look at some of Kurosawa's settings , especially the meeting with the witch in the Cobweb Forest . It has the feeling of a stage setting , right ? You can almost see the proscenium .
Of course , as in Yojimbo , Sanjuro , Rashomon , Seven Samurai and so many others , what lifts this film from great to classic is the tremendous performance of Toshiro Mifune . The man simply explodes with intensity , even when he's not moving or speaking ; he commands the attention in much the same way that a great work of art does . His supporting cast , notably Tatsuya Nakadai , are equally good , and all have obviously studied the Noh tradition .
In short , Throne of Blood is a love letter to theatre and theatre-goers . Kurosawa , who would later return to Shakespeare with Ran ( his version of King Lear ) , triumphed with this film in a way almost completely unlike his others , for while Yojimbo or Seven Samurai may be perfect cinematically , Throne of Blood is one of the best theatrical experiences I've ever had .
008 4 I am a student at Nagoya International School , and have recently studied Shakespeare's Macbeth in my English class . After reading the original Macbeth , we watched several versions ( Polanski , BBC , and RSC ) which included Kurosawa's version of Macbeth , Throne of Blood . Each of Polanski , BBC , and RSC version reflected Shakespeare's original version of Macbeth , its rich and fluent language , and its fabulously distributed plot . Because of language difference , and difficulty to transfer Shakespearian language directly into Japanese , it seemed as though the value has been lost , but as a Japanese citizen , I was eager to understand that Kurosawa had used old fashioned Japanese language in his film , which created an harmony which can be compared to or to support the lackness of Shakespeare's language . I also enjoyed the way how Kurosawa transferred the witches of the original version , into ' evil spirits ' or what is called ' mononoke ' in Japanese . Kurosawa probably named the forest and the castle to match the evil spirit , or Macbeth's ( Washizu ) fate . The evil spirit appeared in white robe , with white messy hair , spinning a wheel in its hand , a stereotype of what a Japanese would imagine as a ' mononoke ' . Cobweb or ' spider ' was such a great aspect to extract the evilness of the original witches of Macbeth , because of the replacement of the witches to a ' mononoke ' . The black and white film also contributed to express the ' spookiness ' in the evil spirit . With some of these changes , Kurosawa perfectly fitted Macbeth itself from an English story into a brand new Japanese film , using ancient Japanese culture ( ex . feudal systems , japanese chivalry ) . He was successful in translating the original Macbeth for the Japanese , to spread the wonderfulness of the Shakespearian plays to a new and wide ranged people .
009 4 Macbeth comes to Japan , and although it's set in feudal times and sometimes has the feel of a classic Noh play , Kurosawa borrows freely from Shakespeare : there are the prophecies of an evil spirit ; there's Lady Macbeth feeding the fire of her husband's ambition and madly trying to wash the blood off her hands ; and , of course , there's Birnam woods moving toward the castle at the end . Toshiro Mifune is Macbeth , and the final scene as he's barraged with countless arrows is a classic . Isuzu Yamada is Lady Macbeth , and she puts in a virtuoso performance of frightening proportions . The movie is very atmospheric - foggy woods , braying horses , an eerie musical score - that only adds to its intensity ; but it's also poetic and moving in its own unique way . It's a brilliant piece of filmmaking . [ I identify the characters using Shakespeare's play ; in the movie they have Japanese names . ]
010 4 Throne of Blood , aka Castle of the Spider's Web , is the third Kurosawa film that I've seen , and it's definitely different from the other two ( The Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress ) . It's much more somber and introspective , less action-oriented , and the general theme centers on ambition and fate rather than cooperative action to overcome a common problem .
The film is an adaptation of Macbeth ; only instead of taking place in medieval Scotland , it's set in feudal Japan . I tend to be a Shakespeare purist , but I really enjoyed the different historical setting . Warlords , samurai and huge , squat fortresses are depicted in full glory . The samurai costumes are so beautiful and intricately detailed that I had to pause the film just to stare at them .
In addition , the dialogue and acting have been altered to fit a Japanese setting . Many of the scenes are shot in the Noh style , which is a very old , very classical form of Japanese theater . In Noh , the drama plays out on bare stages . In order to compensate for such sparse environments , the acting tends to be highly stylized . To Western audiences , this may translate as unrealistic , but to Eastern , I presume it comes off as compelling .
Toshiro Mifune plays the title character , Washizu , who receives predictions of power and glory from a forest spirit . Spurred on by his ambitious , scheming wife , Washizu commits heinous acts in order to fulfill the prophecy . The effect is like a tightening noose as Washizu becomes ensnared in his own web of ambition .
The final scene is a cinema classic . Never one to go for cheap effects , Kurosawa uses professional archers and real arrows , and Mifune's reaction is genuine . The scene visualizes the claustrophobic mood of the film and the idea of inescapable fate . Kurosawa was a master of this type of filmmaking .
I'm always impressed by how much Kurosawa accomplishes with so little . Take the forest spirit , for example . He simply shot her in blinding white light and removed all high notes from her voice . It's effectively creepy , yet it's something filmmakers today , with their multimillion-dollar CGI effects , would not even attempt . It's for these moments of filmmaking ingenuity , which Throne of Blood abounds in , that Kurosawa has become so well respected .
Throne of Blood , despite a few slow parts and some overacting , is a gripping , haunting and worthwhile journey . It's also great filmmaking . I wouldn't recommend it to Kurosawa neophytes , but once you're hooked on the master of Japanese cinema , it's definitely one to seek out . If you're looking to purchase , the Criterion DVD is well worth the price ; the film looks great and the commentary by Japanese-film expert Michael Jeck is entertaining and informative .
011 4 I was enormously fascinated by the film The Throne of Blood we just watched as part of our pre-AP English course in Nagoya International School , Japan . The film adopts the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth with a Japanese setting . Macbeth is characterized as a Japanese warrior , the head of the 1st fort . After the victory , he sees a spirit ( the witch-equivalent ) in the forest on his way to the shogun's castle . As he has predicted , he was awarded the prestigious status of the head of the castle .
The king decided to visit his castle one day to organize a plan to kill the Banquo-equivalent character . He is extremely proud of the trust that the king has in order to arrange such an important event , but his wife believes that the king insists on killing him instead . The big gap between his optimism and his wife's pessimism leads him to the road of Tragedy .
I believe the director of the film could easily adopt the setting very similar to that of the original Macbeth , thanks to the similarities in the feudal system of Japan and Scotland . Japan also believed in the existence of spirits and how the nobleman was ranked in status was similar to that of Scotland . Kurosawa would've struggled creating The Throne of Blood if he , for example , adopted dynastic China or the Kingdom of Thailand as the scene instead of Japan .
All of the characters in The Throne of Blood successfully and accurately emulated the characters in the Shakespearean version . Although there were some changes in their persona ( such as the Lady Macbeth character was a more modest figure than the original ) , all characters kept their qualities , tendencies and their role .
To people whom read Macbeth in the past , this movie is definitely worth the watch . Viewers can receive the same impression and the excitement of Macbeth with a totally different setting .
Koya
012 4 Throne of Blood is Akira Kurosawa's adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth . Macbeth has always been my favorite Shakespeare play ( of the ones I've read ) and I loved Roman Polanski's film version . Kurosawa's film is basically the same story , but set during the samurai era circa 16th century Japan . The legendary Toshiro Mifune plays the Macbeth character , Washizu , an ambitious warrior who is convinced by his wife to murder his lord , thereby taking command in the lord's place . Well , if you've read Macbeth then you know the story .
There have been straight-forward adaptations of the play , such as Orson Welles ' and Roman Polanski's , but Kurosawa's really gives the story a different feel with its new setting . There's not a whole lot of samurai action here to be found , it's more about the drama , really . The famous finale , however , featuring the flurry of arrows is positively stunning . One of the most memorable moments from any Kurosawa film I've seen .
Throne of Blood may be Kurosawa's eeriest film . It has a very creepy atmosphere throughout especially the scenes in the forest and the great scene where Washizu sees the ghost of Miki . It's a very atmospheric film , filled with images of fog moving through the trees , a giant army massing outside the castle , and the finale featuring the forest moving toward the castle as Washizu realizes that he's doomed . It's a great film and a must see for Kurosawa fans .
014 4 This review is from :
Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Kurosawa's epic Throne of Blood deftly captures both the spirit of Shakespeare's Macbeth and the Age of the Warring States ( Sengoku ) of Japan .
For students of Japanese history , Throne of Blood is great film to check out to understand the spirit of the Sengoku Period ( Age of Warring States ) . Though the story and characters are fictional , the motives are real and very similar events depicted in the film occurred often throughout that period .
The Sengoku Period from the late 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century is the perfect setting for a medival Japanese retelling of Macbeth . It was a time of relentless warfare between small provinces that were kingdoms in their own right . It was also a time of treachery and betrayal - the low overthrowing the high . A number of houses were toppled from within by their own deputies .
In fact , Kurosawa's retelling of Macbeth is actually more truthful in both reality and essence in this regard than Shakespeare . The real Macbeth was not the bloodthristy ambitious tyrant portrayed by Shakespeare whereas Kurosawa's characters while fictional themselves aptly represent the bloody and treacherous reality of the times .
015 4 Kurosawa's epic Throne of Blood deftly captures both the spirit of Shakespeare's Macbeth and the Age of the Warring States ( Sengoku ) of Japan .
For students of Japanese history , Throne of Blood is great film to check out to understand the spirit of the Sengoku Period ( Age of Warring States ) . Though the story and characters are fictional , the motives are real and very similar events depicted in the film occurred often throughout that period .
The Sengoku Period from the late 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century is the perfect setting for a medival Japanese retelling of Macbeth . It was a time of relentless warfare between small provinces that were kingdoms in their own right . It was also a time of treachery and betrayal - the low overthrowing the high . A number of houses were toppled from within by their own deputies .
In fact , Kurosawa's retelling of Macbeth is actually more truthful in both reality and essence in this regard than Shakespeare . The real Macbeth was not the bloodthristy ambitious tyrant portrayed by Shakespeare whereas Kurosawa's characters while fictional themselves aptly represent the bloody and treacherous reality of the times .
016 4 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 .
017 4 Throne of Blood also known as ( SPIDER WEBS CASTLE ) is Kurosawa's attempt at Macbeth , only with a Japanese twist . This film is great and boasts a very strong and excellent supporting cast , including the legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune as the warrior Taketori Washizu in the lead . This is one of my favorite Kurosawa films . However it is the role of Lady Washizu ( Isuzu Yamada ) as the wife of Taketori which I found to be the most interesting character in the film .
In this Kurosawa version of Macbeth , we find the story taking place in medieval Japan with the samurai as the main characters . Both ( Toshiro Mifune ) and ( Minoru Chiaki ) [ a great and legendary actor himself ] are rewarded for putting down a rebellion . For this they are rewarded by their overlord . However , they were previously warned in the forest by an old women that Mifune would rule , but his reign will be short-lived . This film is more of a Japanese film than a Shakespeare adaptation [ which is good ] . The film is definetly one of the greatest of Kurosawa's films and I recommend it highly . Everything about the film is great . [ Stars : 5 + ]
018 4 This is a fascinating film . This is not really , as commonly assumed , a Japanese version of MacBeth . Kurosawa and his co-workers used the plot of MacBeth as a point of departure to make a superb film about ambition and betrayal . Set in Medieval Japan during a period of constant turmoil , Throne of Blood uses much of the plot of MacBeth . There is no effort to use the great language of Shakespeare , rather Kurosawa and his team reimagined MacBeth in a very specific Japanese context . To substitute for the power and poetry of Shakespeare's writing , Kurosawa uses his distinctive and striking visual style and acting techniques borrowed from Noh theatre . Use of the latter is particularly appropriate as Noh first became popular and matured as an art form during this period of Japanese history . Kurosawa also gives this film a undercurrent of Buddhist disdain for superficial aspects of life . This film is visually striking , gripping in plot , and features wonderful performances , particularly those of Toshiro Mifune and Izusu Yamada as the MacBeth and Lady MacBeth equivalents . One of Kurosawa's best films .
019 4 This is yet another of Akira Kurosawa's classic samurai films . Similar to Ran in its reworking of a famous Shakespeare play , Throne of Blood takes the tragedy of Macbeth and transports it to feudal Japan with amazing results . Toshiro Mifune delivers a great performance as the doomed and ambitious warrior . Wonderfully filmed , as usual , with a terrific final sequence of the embattered and surrounded Mifune as he realizes the consequences of an eerie prophecy . A must-see for all fans of Kurosawa but perhaps not for the initiate .
020 4 An electrifing performance by Toshiro Mifune dominates this superb film ! ! ! This is Kurosawa at his best . Spartan sets , crisp dialogue and extremely unsympathetic characters make this movie a tour do force of extremism ! Of all Kurosawa's film this is the most surreal . There is nothing warm or smooth in this film . It is all right angles and cold calculation . The entire cast is magnificent . The sets are oppressive yet beautiful . The fog is like an approaching army . All of these elements together make for one of the best films I have ever seen . Mifune's death scene is not to be believed . Incredible ! ! !
021 4 I first saw this film as a child , and what I remember most vividly is the arrow through the neck . Mifune stumbles this way and that , an impossible number of arrows perforating him and the wall near him . Screaming , shambling away , he cannot escape the crescendo of doom . The sequence is almost like the shower murder in Psycho ; it just builds and builds , quick cuts , whistling arrows , terrified reactions , until -
Until the arrow in the neck . Then there's this beat , this elongated pause . Mifune isn't screaming any more . His face is frozen like the proverbial deer in the headlights . His fate is truly sealed . He's dead and he knows it , even if he has not actually stopped breathing , just yet .
So climaxes Akira Kurosawa's telling of MacBeth . This is no spoiler - everybody knows he has to die . That we know his fate , even while he , himself denies it , is part of the tale's enduring power .
Kurosawa and his team have created some inspired and genuinely chilling images and sounds : consider the voice of the witch in the woods , which is not quite human-sounding and rumbles with basso profundo undertones . Or the silvery clouds of fog hugging the moist , coal-black forest floor in the film's brilliant black-and-white cinematography . Or the palpably other-worldly quality of the apparitions that drive our hero nearly to madness . The visual compositions have an eerie precision , an expressionism not generally seen outside of the old German masters of the 20 ' s .
The acting is , indeed , highly stylized - even stilted , but so is Elizabethan English and , for that matter , the very notion of the soliloquy . We don't complain about either of those aspects of MacBeth when we see it in its original form , do we ? Perhaps other reviewers here are correct in ascribing much of the film's style to the Noh theater tradition . I cannot say , since I have never seen it .
But I have seen this film , and it occupies an esteemed place in my video collection .
022 4 As a student attending an international school in Japan ( NIS ) it was very interesting to study Shakespeare's Macbeth and compare it to different movie versions of the same tragic story , the main one being Kurosawa's Throne of Blood . Each version of Macbeth ; Polanski's , BBC's , RSC's , and Kurosawa's , illustrate the play from a different angle . BBC's edition is rather boring compared to the other adaptations for it consists of just the actors . Scenery and props are scant . The RSC version modernizes everything ( the clothing , weapons , and housing ) , but the language is kept to Shakespeare's exact wording . Personally I felt that Polanski's rendition ran parallel to Shakespeare's vision and execution of the play . The time period is correct and Macbeth's transition from an honorable man to a murderous , power-craving beast is depressingly realistic . The blood , guts and fear in Polanski's version is exactly what the victims would have experienced and is dramatically shown on the screen . As for the Throne of Blood , the way Kurosawa takes an Elizabethan play and converts it into a Japanese tale of chivalry , power , treachery and murder is simply amazing . Certain elements of Shakespeare's play have been modified to better exemplify the Japanese culture . The three weird sisters or witches , who prophesy to Macbeth , are changed to just one unisexual spirit in Kurosawa's version , for in Japan witches with pots and potions do not exist . Although Kurosawa's version is black and white , the contrasts are so clear that even the bloodshed is nauseating . Camera angles are carefully thought out so that low-level shooting represents social positions , and close-up shooting causes the audience to feel the pain that the characters are experiencing . And where many may fear that the essence of Shakespeare and his Macbeth may be lost when translated into Japanese , Kurosawa - - through the strength of the Japanese actors ' voices and their body motions - - maintains the same themes of deceit , honor , blood and supernatural powers that is so strongly felt in the original play . I especially enjoyed studying Macbeth from many different viewpoints and I highly advice those who have not had the chance , to take the time to compare two impressive renditions ( Polanski's and Kurosawa's ) of Shakespeare's Macbeth .
023 4 I am a huge fan of Akira Kurosawa . I have watched as many of his movies as I could find . Seven Samurai was the first film I saw by him and I still think it is his best . It's hard to say , but Throne of Blood might be my second favorite . Their are a few other movies that challenge it , such as Yojimbo , but I think that it might be Throne of Blood . First of all , Throne of Blood is mostly based on Shakespeare's Macbeth . It turns out to be one of the best adaptations of Shakespeare's work to film . Kurosawa , however , did not just copy the story word for word . He hads some really brilliant concepts to the story and changes some of the scenes to fir the story seamlessly . Toshiro Mifune gives one of his best performances . Overall , Throne Of Blood is a very impressive movie that is both artistic and entertaining .
024 4 Kurosawa gives us a glimpse into horror and tragedy with a few new twists to the classic plot . Be prepared to see the wood come to the castle and Mifune's terror was real - Kurosawa used some real arrows !
025 4 This review is from :
Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
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 .
026 4 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 .
027 4 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 ! ! ! !
028 4 Throne of Blood is Kurosawa's variation on Shakespeare's Macbeth . Kurosawa takes the framework of Macbeth , but films it in , medieval Japan , a completely different setting . The major alternation of the setting and language makes it more Japanese legend than Shakespearean . Shakespeare's language is lost ; however , it is worthwhile exploring Kurosawa's interpretation of Macbeth .
In Throne of Blood , Macbeth's character is over dramatized . Toshiro Mifune takes the tragic role of Macbeth , the pitiful hero who deliberately abandons loyalty and conscience in order to take the position of a king , who then faces a progressive downfall until he is destroyed at last . The superfluous actions and facial expressions of Mifune seem to substitute the barrenness of the script . In view of the script , language does not take a paramount role as it does in Shakespeare's plays , but is merely the means to maintain the bare plot of Macbeth .
In contrast to the somewhat exaggerated characterization of Macbeth , Lady Macbeth is utterly expressionless . She brings about an air of composure and coolness , a nature quite ironic in a character like Lady Macbeth ; she is a ruthless and an ambitious woman who readily sells her peace to the hands of evil in order to have her husband the king . However , Isuzu Yamada , who portrays her , does not express this . Although Kurosawa's characterization of Lady Macbeth contradicts her corrupt nature , it is excusable when taking into consideration the cultural aspects of Japan . Its feudal society devoted to pursue high discipline and courtesy contributed to the reserved and reticent nature of Japanese men and women in particular .
There are major plot differences from the film and play . In the original version of Macbeth , Shakespeare does not show why Macbeth is unable to succeed his thrown to his children . Kurosawa attempts to explain this . In Throne of Blood , the baby between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is born dead . Although this remains as a minor part of the play , it inflicts a greater tragedy .
Kurosawa also rewrites the climax . Macbeth's death is portrayed as being more pitiful than heroic . Shakespeare characterizes Macbeth as a tragic hero . Kurosawa does not . Macbeth does not die heroically fighting against his enemy , but is defeated by his own army that had turned against him . At last , Macbeth , stricken by arrows , drops helplessly in front of the watchful eyes of his men . Thus , Macbeth is depicted as a corrupt king who stands feebly against his fate like the sand before a strong blow of wind .
Kurosawa reiterates the great tragedy of Macbeth . This movie is highly recommended to all movie fans , especially to those devoted to Shakespeare's plays .
029 4 Blood , crows , ambition , arrows , fear , horror , fog , madness , death .
The endless scenes of the frightened , whinnying horses , dashing through the impenetrable fog , reined and turned again and again by the lost , frightened and confused Mifune and Chiaki . The scene is unbearable , frustrating , and makes us understand what it is to lose one's way in the metaphorical sense as shown by the physical reality . This is what great film does : works on many levels , and offers us an intimate visual experience of the conceptual .
Noh provided inspiration for Mifune's visual presence : Kuroswa showed Mifune a Noh mask and asked him to become that .
( Between us-you always thought that Toshiro Mifune looked like a Japanese woodcut , anyway , didn't you ? Something so deeply icon-like in that face ! Of course Mifune was born to become THE samurai of film . . . he was already a part of the Japanese Collective Unconscious ! )
Lady Macbeth's performance and makeup was also inspired by Noh . The blend of physical reality ( the legendary Kurosawan attention to the smallest details of set and ambience ) with the presentational aspects of traditional Japanese dramaturgy creates a rich and startling tapestry from Shakespeare's familiar story .
That this Macbeth is not language , but rather , image-driven shows us Kurosawa's great faith in the value of cinema as a form of deep human communication . He's convinced me , and I humbly submit my thanks .
030 4 I once heard Kurosawa was an avid fan of ancient Japanese theater . One element of this school is the idea of capturing a pose that will amaze and astound the audience . Such poses or shots can be seen in many of Kurosawa's works ( the descent of the Lord through the mix of yellow and red soldiers in Ran for instance ) , but perhaps never are they more apparent than in this movie , which plays out like a recorded Japanese play ( although certainly with better directing than PBS ' recorded theater ! ) .
Many shots leave you at first thinking , Yeah yeah move on but once their purpose is revealed you reap sweet rewards . For example , the opening scene opens on to a thick fog . It stays that way for several seconds and then suddenly the fog moves away , and slowly we are shown Cobweb Castle , the main setting for the story .
The other amazing shots are perhaps the descent of the allied armies into Cobweb Forest , Washizu ( the main character ) pursuing the demon spirit through the forest , and finally the climax of the Macbeth story . . . Cobweb Forest actually moving on the castle !
The Shakespearean play is adapted well . Lady Macbeth ( Washizu's wife ) doesn't go insane until near the end , but it is only one of a conglomeration of bad instances leading to Washizu's ultimate self-destruction . Also , the three witches are replaced by a demon forest spirit , giving a true Japanese mythical feel .
If you're a fan of Akira Kurosawa or you like this type of film-making , definately check this film out at least once .
031 4 I am , just like 50 others that have strenuously written customer reviews for this classic Kurosawa Akira masterpiece , from Nagoya International School . My class has worked on Shakespeare's MacBeth , and has watched four different versions of the play on video . It was my favorite . Of the four , this was the only version in which the setting was completely removed from the original ( Scotland ) setting and was in Japan . Japan ? MacBeth ? you might think . Even though a lot of the valuable Shakespearian English quotes have inevitably been replaced by those that are Japanese , the main themes of loyalties and ambitions are nevertheless shown very well . They are not necessarily shown in a similar fashion , but they are shown . You will probably know what I mean if you watch the movie . It is suprising ; Japan is on the opposite side of the world if you are in Scotland . But the unique feudal system of Japan , with its own distinct classes of nobility , allow the main storyline of MacBeth to flow smoothly in a pre-Tokugawa era Japanese setting . And don't forget : Mr . Kurosawa created this classic film . He does not remain in filmmaking history for nothing . From interesting camera angles ( looking up at the characters from the dirt ? ) to rapidly changing , exciting horse-riding scenes , Kurosawa makes the black and white characters come alive in times of tension . Just remember : if you have no good movies around and you have nothing to do , and you suddenly stumble upon The Throne of Blood , pick it up and watch it . Yes , its 42 years old . But does it really make a difference if its interesting ?
032 4 This is another wonderful film by Akira Kurosawa . We must remember that this film is an adaptation of Shakesphere's MacBeth , not a literal translation . Kurosawa was primarily interested in the general plot of MacBeth and adapted that to the classic Japanese Noh style of theater . Therefore , I wouldn't recommend a comparison for any purpose other than as a purely entertaining one . This isn't Shakesphere , this is Kurosawa ( but borrowing a basic storyline from Shakesphere because it happens to be good ) !
This is also one of Aikra Kurosawa's most experimental films , and in this reviewer's opinion , is a very successful experiment indeed ! The elements work , not just for a Japanese audience familiar to Noh , but to anyone from any culture of any age . This is also a fairly accesible movie for fans of all ages . The violence is theatric and underdone , and there really is no strong sexual content or situations , and like all great stories , this one also has a moral lesson at the end .
Coming off the huge International success of Seven Samurai , Akira Kurosawa was given a huge budget and obviously felt the urge and had creative the freedom to experiment with style to a large degree , and that is apprarent in this movie .
The DVD transfer is great - very little dust & scratches and the picture is a pure black & white 1.33 : 1 fullscreen aspect ratio . There is also a brilliant commentary track by a Japanese film expert that gives wonderful insight into this fascinating and dark film . Criterion has done an excellent job yet again !
I could not recommend this brilliant classic more . Worth every penny .
033 4 If there was ever a storyline that revolved around naked ambition , this is it . THRONE OF BLOOD is commonly referred to as Akira Kurosawa's masterful adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth . It is much more than that . And less . Although the heart of the plot remains , Shakespeare's words are gone . In their place are extraordinary images that are the visual equivalent to Shakespeare's expressions . And the setting has been transposed to 16th century feudal Japan . Toshiro Mifune is unforgettable as Washizu , the samurai who betrays his friend and in exchange for nobility . Thousands of pages have been written about Throne of Blood and no condensed review can do justice to this majestic and intense film . It simply must be experienced . Highest recommendation .
034 4 The story of Macbeth lends itself so beautifully to this film's Japanese setting that it's easy to forget that it was ever set anywhere else . Toshiro Mifune is amazing here , as are the other actors , and the direction is , of course , superb . There are so many other great elements in this movie , I don't know where to start praising them . I still wonder how they managed to pull off the final arrow sequence and the shot of the woods advancing is one of the most haunting images in cinema history . This is a must-see film for any movie fan - - as entertaining as it is artful .
035 4 Throne of Blood , loosely based on Macbeth , is widely regarded as one of the most successful film adaptations of a Bard play .
The 1957 film is full of fog , wind , rain and lightning - - sound and fury indeed - - reflecting the descent into madness of the film's Macbeth , Lord Washizu ( Toshiro Mifune ) . It was the closest Kurosawa came to a horror film . A match for Mifune is the veteran actress Isuzu Yamada , arguably the most chilling Lady Macbeth of them all .
The black-and-white Throne of Blood retains some speckling and a few jumpy transitions , but looks considerably better than previous versions . The high-definition transfer comes from a fine-grain positive . The film comes in its original 1.33 : 1 aspect ratio . Considerable work was done on the mono audio as well , benefiting its haunting score .
In a wildly unorthodox piece of packaging , the Throne of Blood DVD offers two separate sets of subtitles , both dramatically different in tone and translation . The authors explain their philosophies in the DVD's handsome booklet .
The academic approach continues in the commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck , recorded last fall . Jeck's voice sounds like a cross between Casey Kasem's and Mr . Roger's , taking quite a while to get used to , but it's well worth the effort .
036 4 In the English class I take , I read the original Macbeth which was written by Shakespeare . We watched several different versions of the play in this class . One of them was this version Throne of Blood . Before watching this , I wondered how the director was going to express the rich Shakespearean language which is the main thing that makes his plays so fascinating in a totally different language , Japanese . As I watched this video , I felt that the director was very successful in expressing the themes and motifs that were used in the original version . The director had changed a lot of the sceneries and the plots , but the story seemed to flow very well and I believe that these changes were the keys to success in expressing and keeping the rich Shakespearean language .
I would strongly recommend this movie to people that have read the original Macbeth . It is very worthwhile to take time to watch this version . It may be even better if you are able to understand Japanese .
037 4 When it comes to film adaptations , most films fail in some way . To think that a Japanese film director could transform one of the greatest plays written in the English language and mke it his own , is quite tremendous . To think that he could use Japanese Noh theater images to enhance the adpatation is a stroke of genius . Mifune is one of the greatest actors to play Macbeth , and dare say maybe the best . Akira Kurosawa directed a masterpiece and proves why he is at the top of the pantheon of great world directors .
And , of course , The Criterion Collection folk out do themselves , again . Thank goodness for them , because of it wasn't for them , we all would be missing out on great films .
038 4 This powerful statement is the answer given for the wife of Taketoki when he argues her his great loyalty and fervent gratitude for the king ; this answer is the spark which will initiate the whole drama of Macbeth the ancient and loyal warrior of Duncan in the original version of Shakespeare .
Nevertheless the Scottish landscape suffers in the hands of Akira Kurosawa , a colossal change transforming this landscape in a misty visage of feudal Japan . The strange supernatural encounters , the arresting atmospheres involved in a sordid fog where the evilness , the ambition , the betrayal and the greed will turn in a deadly and lethal device for Taketoki Washizu ( Macbeth ) in a nasty human being influenced by his wife in the first part of that infernal journey to reach the power and then the slow and progressive disolution . Behind these visible traces of death , distrust , guilt , suspicious and lies , the real world will never be the same for this couple .
Taketoki at first fights for getting the power and soon , very soon he will have to fight to preserve it : once more the eternal cycle of the power ' s tragedy shown with all its nasty reality .
The madness process in his wife is first rate ; her hands are filled with blood over and over again . And no matter how many times she intends to try to eliminate ; it's useless . Light employement of Kurosawa is overwhelming to emphasize it .
It is very embarrasing to describe this superb and magnificent masterpiece . Kurosawa made one of his landmarks films with this ravishing and incandescent adaptation ; brilliant in superlative degree , visually outstanding and emotionally powerful movie .
One of the supreme masters of the cinema : Akira Kurosawa ( 1910 - 1998 )
041 4 I'm not the biggest fan of Asian cinema . I find it overly chaotic and confusing and at times very , very unrealistically cheesy . It can be so over the top that I just sit back and laugh before rolling my eyes and walking away ; FAR AWAY . This problem is more prevalent in older Asian films , from the 50 ' s and 60 ' s . Modern Asian cinema ( especially the 90 ' s Gong Li driven miracles ) are much more grounded in realism and much more breathtakingly phenomenal .
That said , when one really hits me , it hits me hard , and that is just what happened when I sat down to watch ` Kumonosu-Jou ' . I admit , the first few minutes had me wondering if I was going to get tired of it and turn it off , but my worries were soon subsided as the film took me deeper and deeper into the world of Akira Kurosawa .
It felt like home .
My friends ( at least the cinemaphiles ) all tell me that Kurosawa will help me appreciate Asian cinema , and to be honest one of my ` other ' favorite Asian films is his ( ` Tengoku to Jigoku ' ) but I haven't really had the chance to see the one I really want to ( ` Ikiru ' ) , I don't have much interest in ` Ran ' , although they all tell me it is AMAZING , and I had ` Kagemusha ' on my DVR forever before I opted to delete it ( it was LONG ) to free up space for some films that peeked my interest a little more .
Oh yeah , and I find ` Rashomon ' to be one of the most overrated messes I've ever seen .
I'm really fickle sometimes .
That said , I really should give him more of my time because ` Kumonosu-Jou ' is actually one of my favorite films , period . I've seen it a handful of times over the past year and every time I see it my adoration grows . I love how you can take something as universally loved and as universally recognized as ` Macbeth ' and create something so unique and separate yet completely faithful and respectful of the source material . The initial concept is familiar , but the way that Kurosawa weaves this masterpiece is outstanding .
I don't want to really get into the film's plot too much , because really , the fun is watching it all unravel , but I will say that it revolves around two friends who find themselves adversaries when certain predictions of their future start to come true .
For me , the acting was truly outstanding , especially from Toshiro Mifune . His command of his character's struggle for power and consumption with greed is just magnificent to witness . I am one who found Isuzu Yamada brilliant as well . Sure some fault her , but I found her perfectly consumed by her character's evil obsessions .
And yet still , this film is all about Kurosawa . The way he dissects each scene , adding layers of gorgeous scenery to embellish the films central emotional core is just flawless , and that final scene ( those arrows ) is just beautifully composed despite the savage way it is rendered . He perfectly balances the ugly with the beautiful to create something that flourishes before our eyes .
So , in the end I have to say that this is beautiful . I really need to expound on my own intake of Asian art . It is all a matter of taste , and I know that my preference when it comes to foreign cinema lies in the European side of things ( the jovial French and Italian or the gritty rawness of German and Swedish ) but despite my afflictions with Asian ` chaos ' I have found delight in films I at first rendered a waste of time .
An open mind is wonderful thing .
042 4 I am a junior at Nagoya International School who has just recently finished a term studying Macbeth in English class . After an intense submersion in the study of Macbeth , my fellow classmates and I were able to watch Kurosawa's altered version of Macbeth - - Throne of Blood . Having carefully gone word-for-word through Shakespeare's script of Macbeth , and having watched a variety of different films of Macbeth - - ( RSC , BBC , and Polanski's versions ) with the original Shakespearean dialect , I was a bit skeptical about Kurosawa's version before viewing it . I assumed that the very different Japanese language would be a barrier to understanding and fully appreciating the complexity of Macbeth , as Shakespeare's play is wholly built on the richness of the Shakespearean language . However , by reading along the subtitles , one realizes that the Japanese language on its own , is a very figurative language - - almost poetic , and it serves as a complement to this particular production . Also , I enjoyed the way Kurosawa substitutes the Japanese feudal hierarchy ( samurai , lords , etc . ) for the Scottish feudal hierarchy used by Shakespeare in Macbeth . The portrayal of traditional Japanese props such as the bukeyashiki ( large wooden houses ) in this production's cinematography is excellent and perhaps its only close comparison would be Polanski's version of Macbeth as it is filmed as if in Macbeth's original time and place of Northern Europe . The RSC's on-stage-in-a-theater version lacks spectacular technical effects ( as in the BBC's motion picture ) as well as color as the all the actors and actresses perform against a bleak , black fading stage dressed in black clothing . The absense color serves to tune people's senses into the exquisiteness of the language . In this sense , Kurosawa's Throne of Blood is similar to RSC's production . It's use of black and white cinematography effectively conveys a sense of the traditional and impels people to look beyond the elegant simplicity of the Japanese interpretation . I was very impressed with the artistic elements in Throne of Blood . The traditional Japanese setting , costumes and language merge to produce a beautiful classic masterpiece .
The important themes in Shakespeare's original Macbeth are not lost in this production . To the contrary , the cultural adaptations serve to strengthen this production as it provides a completely different atmosphere and depiction of characters , but at the same time , naturally enables the main themes of honor , gaining power , loyalty and ambition to be transmitted successfully . The cultural interpretation of Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's relationship is particularly interesting to note , as compared to the other Macbeth productions done in English . In Throne of Blood , Lady Macbeth ( named Asaji ) is characterized as a demanding , bossy , behind-the-walls authoritative woman . Macbeth ( Washizu ) and Lady Macbeth's ( Asaji ) relationship is very reserved and is portrayed as if almost obligatory . You cannot sense any passion between the two , but a strong sense of loyalty . This contrasts the ` hot and steamy , ' affectionate relationship displayed between the two in the English versions of the Macbeth films . Most of the twists and unexpected additions of this production are interesting supplements ; however , the significant deletion of the character Macduff and the Weird Sister's warnings to Macbeth are a shame ! It is hard to imagine a Macbeth production without Macduff ! At any rate , Kurosawa manages to produce a wonderfully Japanese take on Shakespeare's Macbeth and succeeds in showing that themes dealing with human nature are universal . These are themes we can all understand . Kurosawa's is a very good production indeed !
043 4 For what it's worth , I am not especially a fan of Kurosawa , Japanese cinema , or anything else of that nature . I also think Shakespeare is boring as hell . But I worship Throne of Blood . This is without question the best adaptation of Macbeth ever by anyone . Awe-inspiring , gritty photography , creepy witches , and an ending that is so visually stunning that it will never leave your mind . . . just a few of the things this film has to offer . And pretentious as this may sound , I believe this is the most spiritually faithful version of Macbeth ever recorded . It is entertaining and poetic in a way that Shakespeare's play might have been to it's original audience . I like this film more than any other Kurosawa film and I wish they'd hurry up and put it on DVD . If you've ever tried to get into either Kurosawa or Shakespeare and found yourself rather bored , Throne of Blood will help you understand what all the excitement is about .
046 4 With fierce samurai warriors clad in heavy metal armor and ebony haired ladies in kimonos , gThrone of Blood h offers everything that one would expect from a historical Japanese film , yet , its uniqueness lies in the fact that this is veteran director Kurosawa fs adaptation of William Shakespeare fs master epic gMacbeth . h As a highschool student attending Nagoya International School in Japan , I found this odd mix of Shakespearean literature and ancient Japanese culture quite fitting . This film portrays a warrior Washizu ( Macbeth ) and his ambition to be the Lord of Cobweb Forest Castle led by his manipulative wife , Asaji ( Lady Macbeth ) . The scene change from Europe to ancient Japan does not affect the main ideas or the plot of the original Macbeth . The infamous scenes where Lady Macbeth ( Asaji ) is washing her hands and the banquet scene with the ghost of Banquo ( Miki ) are still there . The lack of Shakespearean language is well substituted by the old Japanese language ( which even a fluent Japanese speaker as myself could not fully understand . ) The cinematographic effects spice up this black and white film . What I found most stunningly significant was Kurosawa fs use of weather . There is rain , lightening , sand storms , and fogs . The uses of these weather elements bring out a dark and creepy image of the overall story that is shared with the original gMacbeth h . Also , this movie has some other cinematographic effects that only a black and white film can bring out . Evil and good , supernatural and natural are brought out by the salient contrast of black and white . For example , the witch of Cobweb Forest is surrounded by white smog and fully clad in white , which is most striking against the black , murky forest . Toshirou Mifune ( Washizu ) gives a tour-de-force performance as the Japanese Macbeth ; his facial expressions , large movements , and voice most appropriately conveys the turmoil and ambition that Macbeth was faced with has he struggled to reach to the top . Although this movie may seem gtoo old h and uninteresting to some , it has been a self-broadening experience for me , for it has exceeded all of my expectations from a black and white movie and given me a whole different view of Shakespeare fs gMacbeth . h gThrone of Blood h may not exactly be gfun for the whole family ! h but it is a classic worth watching .
048 4 I watched Throne of Blood in English class at my school , while studying about Shakespeare and Macbeth . This movie referred to Macbeth but it was a Japanese version of it . I found it fascinating how someone could change a Shakespeare movie to another countries perspective of it . The plot was pretty much the same but the language , enviroment , clothing , . . . etc . everything was changed to Japan . Macbeth was named Washizu , the soldiers held swords and arrows instead of guns , the castle had sliding doors , everyone ate on the floor with chopsticks . . . etc . These little things made the movie so Japanese , yet you could still tell that it was a translation of Macbeth .
I enjoyed this movie very much since I have seen the real Macbeth in Shakespearean language and it was just so intresting to compare it with this movie . Also since I am studying about Macbeth in English class . Many people might have seen different kinds of versions of Macbeth in English but I bet only a few has seen it the Japanese version ! I recommend it to all the people who have seen the English of the Macbeth first , then watch this movie you'll find it amazing !
leila offner
049 4 The remastering is slightly noticably better than the VHS ,
but only slightly . The image format is also not wide-screen .
The two special features , a running commentary and a second
subtitling , disappoint .
The commentary focuses largely on comparing the film to macbeth .
Macbeth was an inspiration for the film , but Throne of Blood is
not Macbeth . Yet the commentator insists on referring to the
protagonist as Macbeth ! The commentator also assumes that the
viewer is thoroughly familiar with Macbeth and all the
characters in it , making frequent references to scenes , plots ,
and characters in Macbeth instead of discussing the film on hand .
For commentaries well done , see those of the Seven Samurai and
the Road to Perdition .
The second subtitling by Hoaglund is much inferior to the
original subtitling by Richie ( also on the VHS version ) .
Here's Richie's subtitling of the opening chorus :
Behold , within this place / Now desolated , stood /
Once a mighty fortress / Lived a proud warrior /
Murdered by ambition / His spirit walking still /
Vain pride , then as now , will / Lead ambition to the kill .
That of Hoaglund : Look upon the ruins / Of the castle of
delusion / Haunted only now / By the spritis / Of those who
perished / A scene of carnage / Born of consuming desire /
Never changing / Now and throughout eternity .
I don't know Japanese and cannot tell which is closer to the
original . However , I find Richie's immediate , direct , and
tight , while Hoaglund's is wandering , limp , and tepid .
The same for the subtitling of the dialogues . In the first
scene , when a messenger rushes in to tell the Lord that the
battle has been won , Hoaglund has him use tides of war
instead of just plainly saying we've won . Which common
peasant soldier would use term such as tides of war ? Hoaglund
also use barricade , confine , etc . instead of siege , the
general term used when holding a castle . When the rebel sues
for peace by offering to shave his head , Hoaglund doesn't even
mention this in the subtitle ! The two subtitles cannot be shown
together for comparison either .
The slightly better image may be worth five bucks , not thirty .
050 4 I am a student at Nagoya International School in Japan . In our English Literature class , we had the opportunity to read and study one of Shakespeare's masterpieces Macbeth . While viewing several versions of Macbeth in English , we also watched Throne of Blood , a japanese version of Macbeth .
While watching this film , I thought that the several rich Shakespearean language , techniques and interesting events in the story were going to be ruined , since the language was different and the setting was different . But after watching the film , my opinions changed completely . Kurosawa did a terrific job in analyzing the plot and information and changing it into a japanese fashion . The characters acted out their part showing their unique character just like in Macbeth , and the plot was almost the same as in the original Macbeth . An interesting thing I found was that , instead of using witches , Kurosawa used evil spirits . Insetad of knives , he used bows and arrows in his play . These little changes suited the japanese culture , and it was interesting and very entertaining . I was honestly amazed by this .
To everyone who reads my film review , I really do reccomend this film , and hope that you do have a chance to compare the real Macbeth with Throne of Blood . Its interesting similarities and differences will amaze you !
051 4 Akira Kurosawa's Throne Of Blood may very well be his best , ranking up there with Seven Samurai , Ran , Yojimbo , Rashomon , and The Hidden Fortess .
A telling of Macbeth the film takes place in the time of the samurai . Tashiro Mifune plays Washizu a worrior who betrays his master and friend on his climb to the ultimite of power .
After encountering a witch in the woods who tells Washizu that he will take the place of his master Washizu , with the not so suddle proding of his wicked wife , dose everything in his power to gain , the lose control , of everything .
Kurosawa had done Shakespear before , quite possably the best telling of King Lear was Ran , but this time he strips everything down to the bear bone and unlike some films from Japan , the acting , manic and frantic , seeems only to enhance the film . Mifune is fantastic as Washizu , the ill fated worrior .
The movie grabs you right from the beggining and never lets go . It's a very violent film for it's time but if you ever want to see a master at his craft look no further than Akira Kurosawa'a Throne Of Blood .
052 4 Widly considered as one of the greatest shakespearean film adaptations ever made . Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood is a very different adaptation of Macbeth set in feudal japan . the characters are somewhat different from shakespeare's version . It is no doubt one of Kurosawa's finest films made in the height of his career . Mifune is at his finest here as well . I definitely recommend this movie to any film lover out there who enjoys great storytelling and fine acting .
053 4 Shakespeare's ' MacBeth ' is made into Japanese film history through Kurosawa's magical touch . The two warlords Washizu ( Toshirô Mifune ) and Miki are loyal to their ruler and on their way to display their loyalty they get lost in the Cobweb Forest . Bewildered and lost in the impenetrable forest they follow the laughter of an evil spirit that foretells the future of the two men . When the two men exit the woods they are promoted by their leader and once at home Washizu tells his wife about the encounter with the evil spirit . His gritty wife sways Washizu to take action and help the prophesy fulfill itself . Throne of Blood is a remarkable tragedy that keeps the audience gasping for air as greed , betrayal , guilt , and punishment are taking form on the screen .
054 4 Hi , Im a student at Nagoya International School ( in Japan ) . And i am a Japanese citizen . Im a Jr at this school . My classmates and I are learning about Shakespear . And recently , we have been reading Macbeth for English class .
There were many similarities with the Kurosawa production and Shakespear ` s work . It seems as though Kurosawa have stolen the whole consept of the story because the whole idea was the same.But the thing is that there wasnt the richness of Shakespear in the Kurosawa ` s movies . Instead , there was a great deal of beauty in the scenery , and how they used the fogs . As I have said there was no richness in thier words , the movie was good as the Shakespear ` s work by the tone of the actor , had wonderful actors . But over all , i gave this movie a 4 because it was as good as Shakespear ` s work but I disliked the way their lines were said too quickly for me to follow that was going on . As well as there were all of these extra scenery of Miki on a horse being lost in the fog for like a couple scenes . . . . quite a waste ! ! But over all , i guess its ok . I reccomend this movie to a foreign speaker ( not Japanese ) because you just have to follow the words . Being bilingual for the movie was not a good thing where the lines werent that accurate . Which made me a bit complicated where just listening them speak in Old Japanese was hard to follow as well .
055 4 Macbeth , a tragedy written by Shakespeare , was dramatically translated not only onto film from stage but also to a Japanese language , culture , and plot into this film , Throne of Blood . Kurosawa Akira , one of Japan's most incredible directors , altered the details of the play to make the plot take place during the Edo period . There is a huge impact in the new creation of the tragic heroes , Washizu and Asaji , with the absorption of Japanese culture by world's famous story Macbeth . Although , enjoying to the Japanese eyes , this may not be a significant alteration to all Shakespeare lovers .
Kurosawa's interpretation of Lady Macbeth was very emotionless compared to Shakespeare's to adapt to the old Japanese culture . Without the passion or the cruelty that Lady Macbeth possessed , Asaji was still and quiet ; yet she had the power to motivate her husband . This is ironic because the desperate desire of Lady Macbeth was the major blame of the tragedy ; however , Kurosawa intentionally made her into a quiet woman . Without knowing the original story , it would be hard to blame Asaji for the responsibility for her husband's murder and deeds . Actually , Washizu seems most culpable for the cause of the whole tragedy because he couldn't control his desire and was unaware of the approaching danger .
Warriors were a symbol of pride and honesty during the Edo period in Japan , and this influenced Washizu to become more chivalrous than Macbeth . Washizu does lack his devoted and sincere attitude during the end ; however , compared to Macbeth , he stayed loyal to the King and his friend for a longer time . Even when Asaji cried for their son to have the throne , Washizu kept his own idea to give his throne to Banquo's son to show him his appreciation and loyalty . This indicates that he still has kindness and humanness in his heart which Macbeth didn't have in the original play : he planned the murder of Banquo by himself , without his wife's advice or permission . Macbeth's cowardly character is not emphasized too much because of the Japanese custom , that men are strong willed , and especially if he is a warrior , he must be opinionated and brave .
In this film , Throne of Blood , Japanese culture and plot influenced the characters greatly , by changing their unique trademarks , which benefited the story to adapt to the Edo period and seem vivid and friendly to the Japanese audience . However , this edition weakened the cruel tragedy for the antagonists that Shakespeare created and the bizarre twist that distinguished Macbeth from other ordinary tragic plots .
056 4 This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
Throne of Blood , known in Japan as Kumonosu-Jo which translates to Spider's web Castle is one of the best known adaptations of Shakespeare's work . It is based on the Tragedy of Macbeth and since the story is well known , I will forego a synopsis . Just imagine the story being set in 15th century Japan .
The film is adapted in the style of the Japanese Noh theater and is well made . The DVD has some fine special features also .
There is audio commentary by Japanese film expert , Michael Jeck , who also did the commentary for the Seven Samurai DVD by Criterion . There is a theatrical trailer and the film has two subtitle translations both by famous translators of Japanese movies . One is by Linda Hoaglund , the other is by Donald Richie . they are presented in different fonts and are interchangable during play . The liner notes contain extra information about this in additiont to the essay about the film which is standard for all Criterion DVD's .
This is another fine release of a Japanese film by the Criterion Collection .
057 4 First off I would like to say that the cheap version of this film is not all that bad ( despite what people are saying ) . I bought it on ebay for .01 and it lived up to the price I paid and then some . There were some imperfections in sound quality and the translation was not exactly scholarly ( lots of profanity , in fact - which I do not think Kurosawa intended ) - but given the choice between this and the $40 criterion version - my choice was simple !
The film itself is a brilliant piece of work and deserves the praise it gets - as one of Kurosawa's greatest works - many people have mentioned the striking scenes of the horses galloping through an almost mystical fog - very startling effect indeed . Kurosawa is a master of space - and his camera movements always look perfect and spontaneous at the same time !
058 4 Throne of Blood was my first introduction to Kurosawa . To sum things up in a couple words , I'd say : Give me more ! I've never been into old movies , but one cannot like this movie , and being a Shakespeare fan helps even more , as it does the play justice . Not completely accurate , but close to perfection on the silver screen .
Like most of Kurosawas films , this stars Toshiro Mifune . Some say that he is the equivilant of harrison Ford in America . I dissagree . He's better than Ford . He can fit any roll , and his role as a Samurai given his destinee by a witch is very touching , and there are many moments in the movie that you soon won't forget .
I strongly recommend any film by Kurosawa , especially Ikiru . Kurosawa is a film-God and can change the way you look at life in just a couple hours .
059 4 I am a student at Nagoya International School and recently in my english literature class , we studied the great play of Macbeth , written by Shakespeare . After watching all the english versions of this play , our class watched the Japanese version produced by Kurosawa . I suppose Kurosawa has picked up the basic ideas and points thoroughly and has modified the play to suit the time period of ancietn Japan . Although Japanese is a completely different language and viewers may think that the same message would not be passed on , however Kurosawa resolves this problem through various visual techniques and minimizes the language in the play . In order to boost up the dark and evil atmosphere , Kurosawa continuously applies ' effects ' such as fog , haze , lightning , rain , spooky music , etc . The most significant scene in the play was how the witches were presented as a ' mononoke ' ( monster ) spinning a wheal that indicates evil fate ( same affect with witches ) , instead of three wicked women . As we can see Kurosawa did not leave out any details that needed modifications . The only major bit that Kurosawa left out was Macduff's existence ; he never appeared in this version , thus there was only one prophecy for washizu ( Macbeth ) to be aware of . And finally , I'd like to point out the relationship between Washizu ( Macbeth ) and Asaji ( L . Macbeth ) . In the original Shakespearean version , we see passion and love between them , but as the Japanese culture do not show much passion nor love through action , in this movie there are no physical attraction observed . However , the ambition of Asaji to achieve the ' goal ' probably is the most distinctive than any other versions of Macbeth .
060 4 I saw this movie Throne of blood during the class and I really enjoyed it . I think Akira Kurosawa was able to show the main point of Macbeth by using Japanese style movie . Still , there was some part where it was little different from actual Shakespear's Macbeth , such as , the ending , or the climax . Washizu was killed by his own men . I think this ending showed Kurosawas uniqueness in significant way .
061 4 This is one of the many movies by Kurosawa Akira which I have seen , and I really enjoyed it . By this movie , I realized the universality of Shakespear's play along with Kurosawa's high ability of interpreting the story . The story seemed to follow the original story , Macbeth , well until the end . The ending part of this movie illustrates the tragedy stronger than Macbeth , which gave me surprise . The influence of the woman was also a big theme in the story . There are some long sequence with high tention but not much action . Many discussions can be done about these parts , but I generally like the tense mood . Kurosawa has been my favolite director , and now I am more confident in this idea after seening this movie .
062 4 I was interested in the film Throne of Blood because it was directed by Kurosawa , the film making Legend of Japan . I've seen some of Kurosawa's work and I wanted to know how he would screen Macbeth in Japanese style . It was a good thing that Kurosawa didn't change the story line too much . As always , his screen shots were very stylish . I liked the climax , how Washizu was killed by his own men . It added more tragedy in to it .
063 4 I am a once again a student from Nagoya International School and was given the opportunity to observe and comment on the Japanese version of Shakespeare's Macbeth .
Everyone enjoys a little variety , but variety is not always preferred of enjoyed . In my opinion , the variation that was made , recreating Macbeth into a Japanese version was not very favored . It was an effective choice for certain reasons I do believe ; however , there were many disappointing points as well .
Having the Throne of Blood set in Japan was an effective choice . This is because of several reasons , one being the fact that Japanese castles , clothes , make-up , everything in the old times were eerie . This emphasized a daunting atmosphere , foreshadowing the evil to come further into the film . The evil spirit who represented the witch from original version of Macbeth was especially bloodcurdling as well as Lady Macbeth who was presented as if she were a character from a horror movie . The deep forests and the dim , candle lit rooms enhanced the mood of the film . Since olden Japan was the antithesis of America , it was an effective choice to present the film so that the audience could enjoy the story from a different perspective . The black and white was effective like the original version of Macbeth . It conveys a mysterious atmosphere , ideal to the concept of the story .
There were several plot changes that were identifiable . First of all , Lady Macbeth did not commit suicide . Maybe this was because the notion of committing suicide was too harsh and violent to the audience back then . Also , there were no murderers who were ordered to kill the character similar to Banquo and it seemed to be a slight loss of effect to not have had the scene in which Banquo was killed . Third thing I realized was that there really were no witches , but a lady who represented the evil spirit . From what I know , Japan does not really focus / talk about witches but believe in evil spirits and ghosts . Therefore , this change may have been some what of an adaptation made so that the film would be suitable to the Japanese audience .
In my opinion , the portrayal of Macbeth was unsatisfactory . He seemed too eager and boisterous at all times . I never got the impression that he was even once courageous , admired and strong . He yelled almost throughout the whole movie making it difficult for me to understand what he was saying and also , the yelling did not suit some of the scenes . However , he was perfect at portraying the frantic Macbeth towards the end of the film . The yelling then was appropriate .
The portrayal of Lady Macbeth was reasonable . She seemed too ethereal , not at all feminine , the way Lady Macbeth was in the American version of the film . Her make-up and movements , as well as the things she said quietly just made her look like she was haunting Macbeth throughout the whole film . Maybe though , as a Japanese woman , she did a decent job . This is because some Japanese women in those days were actually that silent . In my opinion , to make the film more interesting , I would have preferred more emotion from Lady Macbeth as well as more freedom in movement .
The violence in the film was too planned . Very typical Japanese violence , I must say . The acting from my point of view was very pitiable looking and unexciting . As a matter of fact , there was actually no violence at all ! Only words of battles . There was no blood shed and very little action . The director and the actors as well should have made a better effort to make the violent scenes more realistic and effective , for we , the audience did not see any meaning in the violent scenes .
Overall , as I mentioned above , I found this Japanese version of Macbeth unsatisfactory . It was amusing to be able to enjoy the story through different characters as well as slight plot changes ; however , I'd much rather prefer the American version over the Japanese version . It is not necessarily a film I recommend to people who expect a decent movie but I will recommend it to those who are interested in a different version of Macbeth .
066 4 After watching and comparing several films of Macbeth acted by English , I found this film interesting . This film Throne of Blood was directed by one of the famous Japanese director Kurosawa Akira and is known as the Japanese version of Macbeth . When I first heard the existence of this film , I wondered how can a play written in English be acted in Japanese . The theme and the moral of Macbeth can only be expressed with the richness of the Shakespeare's word was my honest thought at the beginning . But after watching it , I was just amazed how the director converted the English lines into Japanese . He didn't take the English lines itself and just translated them into Japanese which a cheap director might do . He exactly knew the moral Shakespeare wanted to express in Macbeth and constructed a new series of lines in Japanese . Not only the lines were astonishing , also each shots in the scenes were just incredible . Some people might take the scenes to be slow pace and boring . But I take these slow pace scenes as one of the techniques the director used to convert the English lines to Japanese . There are too many techniques I can't mention at once used in this film . But this film is just incredible and is worth watching .
067 4 The movie is beautiful to look at , but it is a tad slow . Highlights of the movie are a horrifying , creepy old woman that tells Mifune's fortune , and the fantastic end when arrows fly all over creation . And the last arrow ! Ouch ! Oh , and watch Mifune's eyes when he loses his mind at the ceremonial supper . Great stuff !
068 4 The story of Macbeth is firmly rooted in western minds in Birnam Wood , and this is well-portrayed in Roman Polanski's version of the tale ( q.v . ) . Akira Kurosawa , however , who was long a fan of Western culture over his native Japanese society , has translated it well for the feudal Japanese setting into which he injects it . It loses some of the beauty of Shakespeare's original language , as a previous review suggested , but the story drives along at a pleasing clip and the characters pop off the screen and stick with you . Toshiro Mifune's portrayal of the warlord Washizu is much more pleasing to this viewer than his role in Yojimbo , the movie that made him a star . One note of intrest only to people like myself : this movie is worthless for practising Japanese . The nihongo in this movie is out of date and doesn't jibe with what you get in your college courses .
069 4 The atmosphere , the characters , the music and the costumes are all outstanding in this classic Japanese movie . If you are a military history fan or a reader of samurai tradition don't miss it .
070 4 This review is from :
Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I purchased Throne of Blood from one of the other listed sellers . It is clearly an asian version ( though it plays on U.S . systems ) , it says BoYing on a corner , . The print quality is just O.K . but the sub-titles and other english translations are not the usual bad but are atrocious . I don't know if the Criterion Edition is better , perhaps someone who reads this review and has a Criterion Edition can comment . If it is better , spend the extra money and do not get the BoYing version . This is acceptable only if nothing better is available .
071 4 I purchased Throne of Blood from one of the other listed sellers . It is clearly an asian version ( though it plays on U.S . systems ) , it says BoYing on a corner , . The print quality is just O.K . but the sub-titles and other english translations are not the usual bad but are atrocious . I don't know if the Criterion Edition is better , perhaps someone who reads this review and has a Criterion Edition can comment . If it is better , spend the extra money and do not get the BoYing version . This is acceptable only if nothing better is available .
072 4 My name is Towa and I am a student at Nagoya International School . I read Macbeth for English class and saw the movie Throne of Blood afterwards . This Kurosawa version of Macbeth was a powerful piece . Although it lacks artistic Shakespearean language , Kurosawa fs choice of deliberately using black and white , and the character fs extreme expressions bring out the meaning and images of the story . It is very interesting how Kurosawa emulated Macbeth fs Scottish culture with his own culture , Japan . For example , the title Thane of Cawdor is replaced with the title Lord of the North Castle . Throne of Blood is a great movie where viewers can enjoy the storyline of Macbeth and also enjoy Kurosawa fs cleverness by comparing Scottish and Japanese culture .
073 4 My name is Tetsuya Iwase and I'm a student in Nagoya International School . I just studied Macbeth and watched Kurosawa's Throne of blood .
The director of the Throne of Blood Akira Kurosawa showed similar perspectives that William Shakespeare showed in his play Macbeth . The rich language use of Shakespeare was not lost when the play was translated into Japanese language . Kurosawa created a harmony of rich Shakespearean language and Japanese . Kurosawa successfully expressed the theme and motifs that were originally in the Shakespeare's Macbeth . This was probably because of the Bushidou spirit that every Japanese have . Going back into Japanese history , the politician called Nitobe Inazou wrote a book called Bushidou which has an idea of samurai spirit of Japan which tell the loyalty , faithfulness and strong feeling about justice . This book was written to prove to the west that at that time Japan had similar aspects as western countries toward these attributes . In the film , there was strong feeling of justice by Inui against Washizu after he had murdered Ootono to get the throne . It was the same in Macbeth too with Malcolm and Banquo towards Macbeth after his murder of Duncan in order to take the throne . I would definitely recommend this movie and I would recommend to read Macbeth first and to watch . It will probably be easier to understand the movie after reading the novel rather then before .
074 4 Watching movie during class has been always my favorite . Since i had read Macbeth quite numerous and watched several different style of video of it during the class last year long , it came easy for me to understand the Japanese Macbeth also .
Written by Shakespear , and filmed by Japanese , was really interesting .
First of all I really liked the Title of it ; Throne of blood , it had well described the image of the tragic hero . Washizu had well expressed the feelings of the strong ambitious character .
Language in the film was in Japanese , old type of Japanese , hard to understand , but still it had well translated . It must be hard to translate Shakespears ' difficult language into Japanese , but it had well done , and also they transcend the cultural gap .
oh , my favorite scene was when Washizu got the arrow stuck on his neck . ^ ^
075 4 I think I need to pay more attention to these reviews when I write them ! I goofed on my review of Shadowland ( feel free to check it out ) , and now I've screwed up here ! Arrgh !
In my review , I made a reference to Tatsuya Nakadai , an actor who's appeared in other Kurosawa films , being in Throne of Blood . Well , he wasn't , and a quick check of the videocassette would have proved that . The actor I meant to name was Takashi Shimura , not Nakadai . Don't see how I could possibly confuse the two - - except to say that I'm not the best with names ( gee , ya think ? ) and I just wasn't paying attention that day . Once again , I apologize for my dishonorable inattention to detail .
076 4 My name is Amy and I am a student at Nagoya International School in Japan . I watched Kurosawa's Throne of Blood in my English class a few weeks ago , and prior to watching that I saw many different versions of Macbeth including Polanski's version . I believe that in this adaptation of Macbeth , the actor who played Washizu , did an excellent job of portraying an extremely doubtful man prior to killing the king ( or lord in this case ) . Kurosawa did a great job in showing how Asaji was the main drive behind the murder of the king , that without her , it's doubtful that Washizu would have ever followed through with the murder . Also in that scene , Asaji discusses ambition , the exact word which is used in the original play , Macbeth . I believe that ambition is an extremely important theme in Macbeth and it was wise for Kurosawa to use it . Although Throne of Blood was a very different style than the original Macbeth play , I think that Kurosawa changed it enough to make it very interesting compared to the other versions , yet he kept many important themes , which were necessary to keep the original story alive .
077 4 Although the case may say its Kurosawa's version of Shakespeare's ' Macbeth ' , it is a very loose adaption . ' Throne of Blood ' was more or less inspiried by ' Macbeth ' , but the story is very different . I'm willing to bet the same is true for ' Ran ' , which is an adaption of ' King Lear ' ( which I have not read ) . Nonetheless , the story is pure Kurosawa as dividing clans fight for territorial disputes and castles . A female character here is very similar to Lady Macbeth and many scenes do come right out of the play . She pushes her husband to do evil thing before the evil is done to him . If one is expecting to find Shakespere here , do not rent or buy it . The film does not have the unbelievably awesome monologue given by Macbeth at the end of the play . But if one is wanting to find a gem from Kurosawa's early years , this is bound to satisfy . As always in all of his movies , at least one unforgettable sequence exists . In this one , it comes at the end . You will know it when you see it .
078 4 Okay , this is a Kurosawa epic , so the rave reviews are always going to come flying in . Well , I am a huge fan of Akira Kurosawa , and I have to say that this is probably one of his least creative works . It is just Macbeth in a different setting , which of course Shakespeare afficionados are going to appreciate , but the story isn't original and is therefore very predictable . The pacing is plodding , even by Kurosawa standards ; I found myself bored out of my gourd during scenes that were supposed to inspire tension or dread . Nakadai overacts as usual . . . sometimes like in Kagemusha he can be good but often his mugging for the camera is painful to watch . The ending is excellent , at least a twist that sets it apart from Macbeth , but in my opinion it just isn't enough to make up for the drudgery of the rest of the work . If you want good Kurosawa , get Ran , Ikiru , Seven Samurai or Yojimbo . . . don't waste your time on this .
079 4 My name is Brandon and I am a student of Nagoya International School . Recently I watched the Throne of Blood in my pre-AP British Literature class . I found that the Japanese culture gave the story a very different feeling from the original Macbeth . For example it made the witch , or evil spirit , very fearsome and serious . This gave the movie some suspense the book didn't have . Some famous scenes , like Macbeth's soliloquy , were left out but were replaced with others , like Lady Macbeth's pregnancy , death and reappearance as a ghost . I liked how Macbeth's own soldiers killed him , but I missed the scene with Macbeth and Macduff in Act 5 .
Macbeth's character was portrayed quite differently in my opinion . He was much stronger and courageous , showing more pride and power . This made Macbeth seem more like a real samurai . The only time he struggled with fear and guilt was when he saw Banquo's ghost . That is because in the Japanese culture ghosts were very real and resembled fear and death .
Although Lady Macbeth had fewer lines , she seemed corrupt from the very beginning . She didn't persuade Macbeth to kill the King , by telling him he was a coward , she just subtly nagged at him until he broke . Macbeth's weaknesses were revealed to the audience in this way . In the film Macbeth actually saw his wife go insane whereas in the play he chose to ignore it . This let Macbeth know that his corruption was even affecting his wife .
There was a significant more amount of violence in this film , but it fit the samurai impression that most of us have . Macbeth's killing of his servant allowed the audience to clearly see his anger and frustration .
The director of the Throne of Blood cleverly mixed the themes of Macbeth with the Japanese culture , allowing fans of Macbeth to experience the story in a whole new way . I recommend this movie for anyone who has enjoyed the tragedy of Macbeth either by book or by another film .
080 4 I am a student of NIS ( nagoya international school ) , and I saw the ' throne of blood ' during my English liturature class . I afraid that I ' m not either japanese nor american , so I thought I would not understand clearly , but since I read Macbeth , and saw some of movies Shakespeare's verson which means I know basic story of Macbeth , and fortunely there was a caption in English , so it was easy to understand . Also I afraid the languages of Shakespeare's , becuase I didn't sure that Japanese can use the magnitude languages which is used by shakespeare . As I respect , the language was not rich as much as shakespear's , but director shows some scenes of interest scenes to cover the language that couldn't translate everything of shakespeare's language . Also it was pretty interest to see the Macbeth of samurai verson . I would strongly recommend this movie for student who wants to know Macbeth's interest .
081 4 A very short review . . .
This film is very beautifully and affectively done .
The last scene with the moving trees and many arrows were very convincing , makes me kind of wonder how it was done so well such a long time ago .
Toshiro Mifune acts excellently ( like usual . . ) and plays Washizu ( Macbeth . . ) very convincingly . His acting is very instinctive , human and real . In my point of view , that's the best way an actor / actress can act .
Spoilers contained here :
Personally , I prefer the ending provided Kurosawa had instead of Shakespeare's because it seemed that since after Washizu / Macbeth had assassins kill Miki / Banquo , he kept having other people kill others , being killed by the arrows of normal soldiers instead of being slayed by Macduff / ( forgot the name of the character in Throne of Blood who is basically Macduff ) seems to be a more fitting / deserving ending to Washizu / Macbeth .
083 4 I'm Ryan Sheppard , from the Nagoya International School , and have recently examined the different and similar qualities of Shakespeare's Macbeth , and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood .
Macbeth is not only one of Shakespeare's best plays , but one of the most well-known plays of all time . Since the cold , rainy day a few hundred years ago when Shakespeare added the finishing touch to his play , and sprinkled it with sand , the ingeniously writen work has been transformed into plays with a mirage of different tastes , flavors , and spices . Although all versions continue to intrigue audiences , there are some traits of the original which are often soiled by unique transformation . Akira Kurosawa's , Throne of Blood was an attempt to recreate Macbeth's sole plot , themes , and characterizations , which turned out to be well-done overall , but unfortunately deprived of Shakespear's quality in some areas .
The basic plot of Macbeth is mostly continuous throughout the Throne of Blood . However there are a few minor additions or cancellations of scenes and details which you would expect to find in any book-based movie . At the beginning of the movie there were a few sequences when the Lord / King's messengers came to his fort notifying him of the fall of his forts . The dramatic series of news breaks from the messenger's was not apparent in the book , nor did it add value to the film . There were also instances of the troops getting a pep-talk from their Japanese Macbeth . Other additions varied , but who would expect a book-based movie to be exactly like the book ?
The Japanese setting was quite an effective aspect of the film . Samurai forts fit Shakespeare's feel of armies and forts in the book . The samurai's system of forts ran quite parallel to the English system . Therefore the change made good sense , putting everything in a Japanese perspective . After living in Japan and traveling for several years , I would not say that the landscape I saw on the movie reflected that of the actual Japanese landscape . Regardless of this point , I felt the misty-wet landscape was rather effective when strengthening the dark , chilly and miserable feel of the story .
The aspect of the movie which struck me the most was the Japanese characterizations of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth . Macbeth talked with an evil , angry , serious , and almost threatening look on his face . Facial expression was monotonous , except for the rare laugh . Essentially , he had almost the same facial and vocal expression for different emotions-a tense , evil , angry , and aggressive look . Lady Macbeth , even more so , conveyed this sense of emptiness in her voice . When confronted by Macbeth regarding the issue of becoming King / Lord , she persisted that Macbeth should kill Duncan to achieve power of king if he was a real man . Her words are forceful , but her voice and facial expressions are almost nil . This lack of facial expression deprives the characters of excitement and life . However , later on in the movie , when Lady Macbeth assists in the murder of the lord / king and starts vigorously scrubbing the blood of her hands , and sobs with guilt . This is perhaps one of the most powerful scenes in the movie because the quiet , emotionless , calm Lady Macbeth the audience knows is now in an extreme emotional state .
Taken as a whole , Akira Kurosawa did a good job of transforming Macbeth into a Japanese setting . But having been deprived of some of Shakespeare's qualities as a result of this particular transformation , I do no admire this production as much as Shakespeare's original version . To all those who despise trashy modern movies like Scary Movie and Tomb Raider , but instead enjoy older quality work , like Casablanca , this film is for you !
086 4 Watching movie during class , has been always my favorite . Since i had read Macbeth quite numerous time and watched several different style of video of it during the class last year long , it came easy for me to understand the Japanese Macbeth also .
Written by Shakespear , and filmed by Japanese , was really interesting .
First of all I really liked the Title of it ; Throne of blood , it had well decribed the image of the tagic hero . Washizu had well expressed the feelings of the stong ambitious charater .
Language in the film was in Japanese , old type of Japanese , hard to understand , but still it had well translated . It must be hard to translate shakespears ' difficult language into Japanese , but it had well done , and also they transcend the cultural gap .
oh , my favorite scene was when Washizu got the arrow stuck on his neck . ^ ^
047 4 THIS JAPANESE VERSION OF MACBETH IS WEIRD AT TIMES , BUT IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST INTERNATIONAL MOVIES OF ALL TIME . THIS MOVIE TELLS A WARRIOR'S RISE TO POWER AND HOW HE VIOLENTLY LOST IT . ONCE YOU START LOOKING AT THIS MOVIE , IT BECOMES ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WATCHING . TOSHIRO MIFUNE PUTS ON A CLASSIC PERFORMANCE AS WASHIZU . THE FINALE IS VERY THRILLING . THIS IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN MUCH OF THE AMERICAN FILM VERSIONS OF ' ' MACBETH ' ' . AN INTERESTING PLOT AND INTENSELY GOOD PERFORMANCES MAKE THIS A 5 STAR CLASSIC . FIND A COPY OF THIS MOVIE AND BUY IT AS SOON AS YOU CAN ! IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES . I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS MOVIE HAS AN ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION .
040 4 I am watching a bunch of MacBeth movies and also got this DVD from our public library . It was hard for me to get into this but I am REALLY ENJOYING the commentary on this DVD . It helps me appreciate different aspects of the movie . Thanks , whoever the commentator is !
Throne of Blood [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
one of mifunde's best.shows life in medevil japan . its organization and structure . mecbeth transported.one of the greatest death scenes ever .
084 4 This review is from :
Throne of Blood [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
one of mifunde's best.shows life in medevil japan . its organization and structure . mecbeth transported.one of the greatest death scenes ever .
