Throne of Blood

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Virgo V Throne of Blood (Kumonosu-jō), literally The Spider Web Castle, is a 1957 Japanese epic jidaigeki film co-written, directed, edited and produced by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film stars Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada and Takashi Shimura. It was written by Shinobu Hashimoto, Ryūzō Kikushima, Hideo Oguni and Akira himself. It was distributed and produced by Toho Company, Limited. In the lead roles, the stars are modelled after the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Kurosawa was a fan of the play and intended to make his own adaptation for several years. The film won two Mainichi Film Awards, including the best actor award for Toshiro Mifune’s performance of the insane king. Vision wrote: “this is the story of a warrior who ascends the throne through high treason. Embodied by the spirits, a man sits on a throne of insanity, not just a throne of blood. Toshiro Mifune plays his part. His performance is highly praised for being the insane king. Akira Kurosawa does it again! Three fries for the direction, performances and the production. The editing for its time was phenomenal.” Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/13/25 Full Review Nathan B. The beauty of the work is there. It’s my favorite film. Techniques used in this film have been used and reused by directors. A perfect film that reimagines one of the best tragic characters. It’s worth a watch if you like classic cinema, are curious, or if you like Kurosawa. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/07/25 Full Review Insomniac X Captivating period drama with epic mise en scene and a white knuckle performance by Toshiro Mifune. Kurosawa wisely simplifies the plot of Macbeth in order to emphasize its interplay of primal emotional drives and desires. The film's only weakness is that some of its most powerful moments occur offscreen, undermining its emotional depth and complexity. Nonetheless, timeless themes and iconic imagery solidify Throne of Blood as an undisputed classic. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/13/25 Full Review Neal C This is definitely Akira kowisowas darkest film yet and it’s a really good one to. Based off of Shakespears play Macbeth and try’s telling the audience that everything comes with consequences 8/10 Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/09/24 Full Review Sachin E Finally it was a Japanese guy in the 1950s who made an authentic film adaptation of a 1600s British play. Although Throne of Blood is set in feudal Japan unlike Macbeth which was set in medieval Scotland, Kurosawa has succesfully transformed Shakespearean literature into a visual extravaganza. And yet, Throne of Blood is not a mere adapation, it is a masterpiece on its own. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/30/24 Full Review Alec B It's a pretty outstanding adaptation/reinterpretation of "Macbeth" with Mifune's unhinged performance anchoring the film. The ending features one of cinema's great death scenes. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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