PauloFloyd This 1957 masterpiece is one of the best films of one of the best years for film, if you don't know where to start with the master Kurosawa, Throne of Blood is the my recomendation. Also, If you're like me, was never much interest in Shakespeare, this picture is also a great starting point, it will make you hungry for more movies based on Shakespeare, also the most important, it will make you wanting to read it.

Lee Eisenberg Akira Kurosawa's "Kumonosu-jō" ("Throne of Blood" in English) opens with a chorus recounting the story of a man who rose to power, sung over the shot of an abandoned castle. An eerie introduction, definitely, but it's no match for what the movie portrays. This adaptation of "Macbeth" seamlessly infuses western literature with Noh theater. I should admit that I have never seen a production of "Macbeth" and am not familiar with Noh, but I understand that a key feature of the latter is stylized conventional gestures to express emotions, and the use of masks. Instead of masks, the characters wear stylized makeup.In transposing Shakespeare's play to feudal Japan, Kurosawa makes war the focus. The final scene - which should be one of the most famous in cinema history - poses the question: does war truly end, or does it persist beyond the actual fighting? All in all, this is probably one of the greatest movies ever made. It's only the fourth Kurosawa movie that I've seen, but I do hope to see the rest of his work, as well as a production of "Macbeth".

WILLIAM FLANIGAN Viewed on DVD. Restoration = ten (10) stars. Ultimately over time a film stands or falls on its own merits, and not by high jacking the acclaim of its source material(s). This movie is yet another case study of the dangers associated with parasitic piggy backing. The script is co-written by the director, and is confusing and lacks polish (script traits usually exhibited when the director is one of two authors or the sole author). Acting by the lead male actor is mostly confined to grimaces (he looks like he needs a root canal operation due to all the scenery he has chewed on). The lead female actress employs an acting style consisting of monotonic line readings and a mask-like, unchanging facial expression. The real co-stars are the costumes which are spectacular (too bad the film was not shot in color), and in-camera special effects (especially the arrow showers at the film's end). Sets are OK, but exterior long shots of "castles" show structures that are far removed from restored/rebuilt castles of the period on view in Japan today. (Perhaps impoverished exterior sets are a result of budgetary constraints?) Subtitles are a bit long and often abrupt. Film score is fine. A highly not recommended film experience. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

Deigues "Throne of Blood" is an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Macbeth", by the Japanese master Akira Kurosawa. It stars Toshiro Mifune as Washizu: a brave and honorable general whom, upon hearing a prophecy on how he will become Lord of Forest Castle, goes down a spiral of wrath and corruption.As usual Kurosawa's staging is masterful. His camera glides and smoothly pans across the scenes, showing us the main drama, but also revealing other actions occurring in the background - this gives the viewer a much more heightened sense of immersion into the world. The film's pace is infamously slow, but this was a personal choice by Kurosawa, who was greatly influenced by the Japanese style of theatre, "Noh". By adopting this very formal and specific influence, Kurosawa creates an interesting fusion between stage and film.The only detail that bothered me in "Throne of Blood" was the way Kurosawa lessened Washizu's (Macbeth's) thirst for power. While he is still seen as a tyrant, I couldn't help but empathize with him more than with the original Macbeth. Washizu is more reluctant to believe the prophecy and it is only after his wife convinces him that it is either "kill or be killed" that he actually commits the first murder. The first Lord he murders is also seen as a less noble one than King Duncan, as he actually also came into power after murdering the previous lord. Details such as these ended up toning down on Washizu's craving for power, which in turn made the film lose some of its as well.Nevertheless, "Throne of Blood" is still a great adaptation of Macbeth; encapsulated in a gorgeously shot, black and white feudal Japan, which paints a terrifying portrait of Man's relentless ambition and lust for power.