It seems hard for someone like me to review a work, this time Throne of Blood (1957) of one of the truly great auteurs, Akira Kurosawa, mainly because I'm an untrained cinematic observer, and as such my opinions matter little, but I give them anyways... because I'm just like that. I'm am still a Kurosawa neophyte, but it is within my powers to declare this a masterpiece of a movie and second only to his greatest film, and one of the all time classics: The Seven Samurai (1951).
The movie is supposed to be Macbeth transposed to feudal Japan, and as such is full of all the bloodshed and political turmoil that are the hallmarks for that play. Now to make a confession, I have not read Macbeth, and as a former drama student I rarely utter the word, but after observing the majesty of this movie, I will begin a reading of Macbeth shortly, despite my disdain for William Shakespeare.
Throne of Blood has all the hallmarks of a Kurosawa flick, There are duels, political back stabbing, and Toshihiro Mifune. All of which work perfectly. As per the usual, the cinematography is gorgeous, capturing the emotion and the action with a sweet eye for detail possessed by a select few directors, the elites of the elite. Kurosawa truly is one of these blessed few. We get gorgeous wide shots of feudal palaces, but we also get Leone style close ups (But a certain Japanese director did come first). Furthermore this is one of the few Black and White movies that is ultimately vibrant, a rarity in a dark medium.
Like I said I have not read Macbeth, but I do notice the high flowing dialogue typical of Billy S. is lost in this movie, instead being replaced by the very succinct and formal dialect of the Samurai, furthering how Kurosawa takes the bare bones structure of Macbeth and turns it into his own story.
Mifune is truly stunning Taketoki Washizu, also known as Macbeth. His inner conflict is beautifully portrayed to the watcher, as he wrestles with committing high treason to obtain some power. Although I don't watch a lot of Japanese cinema, Mifune truly stands out as one of the finest from that particular nation, stealing all of the Kurosawa movies I have seen him in.
But also turning in a strong performance is Isuzu Yamada, portraying Lady Asaji (Lady Macbeth). If this were a Bugs Bunny cartoon she would the Bugs dressed as a devil who sits on the shoulder of the real Bugs Bunny. Cruel and Calculating she truly personifies the Rudyard Kipling quote "The female of the species is more deadly than the male." I was quite surprised with her strong performance, and will hunt for more of her movies.
Over all Kurosawa captures all the right Shakespearean touches, while making the movie his own, all at the same time. If you haven't seen this movie check it out, even with a minimal knowledge of Macbeth, you won't be left in the dark. The script is strong, the acting, stronger, and the direction stronger still. Kurosawa hits not just a home run, but a grand slam.
Dr. Brooklyn says: LIKE this movie (10/10)
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