Review of Throne of Blood (1957) by Kong M — 13 Mar 2011

This shakespeare adaptation is seriously stunning and engaging, in particular its finale scene (omg they used REAL arrows to torture mifune hahaha). I like the fact that the Noh style or technique was used (i.e. the contrasting roles played by mifune and his wife, whose odd makeup suggests that she is perhaps playing the 'waki' counterpart of mifune's? ) , and was used so well that it is just right and not overdone, intending to mirror the 'elizabethan' acting methods used in Western theatres...because it is common sense to say that a realistic form of acting would not work in any shakespeare plays.

However as much as I respect Kurosawa-sama I can't let myself give a higher rating than what it should have deserved because the story seemed to weaken bit by bit after a strong solid start at the first half of the movie. The rating may be subject to changes and I may have to view it a second time if there is a chance... cuz the film that I have just watched was oddly edited in many parts and severely damaged my perception of the movie. But no matter what, as far as I know there is no other work of a shakespearean adaptation that I would or ady seen that can be better than this.