by Jack Nilan            EMail : jacknilan@yahoo.com


Throne of Blood (1957)


Director: Akira Kurosawa

Jack   A

IMDB    8.2



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   Akira Kurosawa takes on MacBeth with samurais. Like he did with Ran, Kurosawa adapts Shakespeare with great results.

   After a victory, two commanders meet a spirit in the forest who foretells their future. When they get back to the castle the predictions come true. When one of the general tells his wife what has happened she convinces him that they should murder Lord Tsuzuki, to help move along another prophecy involving their son.

   Commander Washizu kills his Lord, and then he and his wife set up one of the guards as the assassin. Lord Tsuzuki's son, Kunimar suspects Washizu, but Washizu's frind Miki still believes in him.

   The movie moves along with more betrayals and more prophecies. Guilt sets in, but greed rules the day. A beautifully filmed movie doing justice to a great Shakespearean tragedy.