Review of Throne of Blood (1957) by Jh K — 17 Jun 2015

Akira Kurosawa cross-pollinates Macbeth with Noh theater for this gripping and powerful film. The story moves the Shakespeare tragedy to feudal Japan, but its minimalist sets, Buddhist motifs, and spartan dialogue make the resulting film into something far different from a mere adaptation.

Toshiro Mifune dominates the running time with his ferocious rendition of the Macbeth analogue; Isuzu Yamada is also noteworthy as his manipulative wife. Kurosawa's wipes, rain scenes, and weather-beaten costumes are in full effect, yet his best efforts are exerted towards giving his cast enough room to get to the core of their characters and strut their stuff.