Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection Rating: Release Date: 27 May, 2003 Retail Price: $39.95 OUR Price: $35.99 You SAVE: $3.96! Cast: Toshirô Mifune Minoru Chiaki Toshiro Mifune Takashi Shimura Complete Cast (6 total)

Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection Reviews

---

True Classical Shakespearian Japan Style
I liked it better then "Ran". Deep visual and dramatic expression. Leaves you thinking about it for days.

Men's Lives Are As Meaningless As The Lives Of Insects.
Throne of Blood is Akira Kurosawa's transposition of William Shakespeare's classic play, Macbeth. I say transposition rather than adaptation because Kurosawa does not adapt Shakespeare's play into Throne of Blood; but he takes the basic idea of a universe filled with turmoil, treachery, and numerous battles and places these ideas into feudal Japan. Throne of Blood is an unrelenting film that has an almost enchanting thrall over it. The film has an incredibly bleak atmosphere fueled by the dense fog, cavernous Spider's Web forest, and the evil spirits that seem all to realistic. Kurosawa's distinctive way of storytelling shines through the entire film. His embracement of Japanese Noh drama fits the film to a perfect tee. Noh is usually depicted by its slow, captivating grace and sparse sets. Kurosawa certainly captures the grace and sparse settings in his direction by shooting the film in black and white, using massive amounts of fog, barren lands, and gray skies but the film never once grows tiring. Kurosawa's talent is evident in his smart way of foreshadowing, the remnants of bloodstains from past lords and even the swarming of the black crows. Kurosawa's terrific directorial choices are also highlighted in scenes involving the fog misleading the warriors, the rainstorm in Spider's Web forest, numerous scenes including the sinister evil spirits, Asaji's breakdown, Taketori's demise, the Spider's Web forest finale, and too many more to mention. Immune and Yamada gave exceptional performances as the psychotic Taketori and cunning Asaji. Another point to the film's brilliance is its uncanny flute score that certainly ran chills down my spine on several occasions. Overall, Throne of Blood is an exceptional film from a miraculous director.

More Customer Reviews (33 total)

You like Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection? Then You'll Love This Booty! Ran Rashomon - Criterion Collection Macbeth Akira Kurosawa - 4 Samurai Classics (Seven Samurai / The Hidden Fortress / Yojimbo / Sanjuro) - Criterion Collection Akira Kurosawa's Dreams Find more DVD's in: Art House & International Classics Drama Art House & International > By Country > Japan All Categories (18 total)