320. Kumonosu Jo (Throne Of Blood) (1957)
Directed By Akira Kurosawa
Synopsis
Bitches are bitches, men are pussy-whipped.
Review
The above synopsis is obviously the original subtitle to Shakespeare's Macbeth, and Throne of Blood is an astonishing adaptation of the play. One of the great things about Shakespeare's plays is their universality, they deal with themes that are translatable into almost any culture and time, Macbeth could be set today among big business companies, in the stone-age between conflicting tribes or in space between aliens or whatever.
Kurosawa picks up on this and transports Macbeth into medieval Japan, making an amazingly great adaptation. Toshiro Mifune plays the pussy-whipped lord who is convinced by his wife to rise to and consolidate power through a series of murders. The guilt and paranoia destroy them both.
Kurosawa is particularly effective at creating environments and ambiances which work at an almost subliminal level. Then his characterisations are perfect, the ghosts more than scare, they freak you out, they are insidious. Kurosawa seems to have learned how to portray the supernatural with Mizoguchi and it tells. The movements are stylised, reminiscent of Noh theatre, the whole thing looks alien and familiar at the same time. The action sequences are breathtaking, the death of Mifune is one of the best deaths ever committed to screen. Say what you want about Kenneth Branagh, this is probably the best Shakespeare adaptation ever committed to screen. Japanese cinema fails to disappoint again.
Final Grade
10/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
Washizu's famous death scene, in which his own archers turn upon him and fill his body with arrows, was in fact performed with real arrows, a choice made to help Mifune produce realistic facial expressions of fear. The arrows seen to impact the wooden walls were not superimposed or faked by special effects (this is disputed, however, as cables are visible several times during the sequence and reverse motion photography was probably used), but instead shot by choreographed archers. During filming, Mifune waved his arms, ostensibly because his character was trying to brush away the arrows embedded in the planks; this indicated to the archers the direction in which Mifune wanted to move.
Trailer:
Synopsis
Bitches are bitches, men are pussy-whipped.
Review
The above synopsis is obviously the original subtitle to Shakespeare's Macbeth, and Throne of Blood is an astonishing adaptation of the play. One of the great things about Shakespeare's plays is their universality, they deal with themes that are translatable into almost any culture and time, Macbeth could be set today among big business companies, in the stone-age between conflicting tribes or in space between aliens or whatever.
Kurosawa picks up on this and transports Macbeth into medieval Japan, making an amazingly great adaptation. Toshiro Mifune plays the pussy-whipped lord who is convinced by his wife to rise to and consolidate power through a series of murders. The guilt and paranoia destroy them both.
Kurosawa is particularly effective at creating environments and ambiances which work at an almost subliminal level. Then his characterisations are perfect, the ghosts more than scare, they freak you out, they are insidious. Kurosawa seems to have learned how to portray the supernatural with Mizoguchi and it tells. The movements are stylised, reminiscent of Noh theatre, the whole thing looks alien and familiar at the same time. The action sequences are breathtaking, the death of Mifune is one of the best deaths ever committed to screen. Say what you want about Kenneth Branagh, this is probably the best Shakespeare adaptation ever committed to screen. Japanese cinema fails to disappoint again.
Final Grade
10/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
Washizu's famous death scene, in which his own archers turn upon him and fill his body with arrows, was in fact performed with real arrows, a choice made to help Mifune produce realistic facial expressions of fear. The arrows seen to impact the wooden walls were not superimposed or faked by special effects (this is disputed, however, as cables are visible several times during the sequence and reverse motion photography was probably used), but instead shot by choreographed archers. During filming, Mifune waved his arms, ostensibly because his character was trying to brush away the arrows embedded in the planks; this indicated to the archers the direction in which Mifune wanted to move.
Trailer:
posted by Francisco Silva @ 3:57 AM
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