Throne of Blood [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Throne of Blood [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune
Toshiro Mifune
, Isuzu Yamada
Isuzu Yamada
, Takashi Shimura
Takashi Shimura
, Minoru Chiaki
Minoru Chiaki
Akira Kurosawa
Throne of Blood [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Throne of Blood [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune
Toshiro Mifune
, Isuzu Yamada
Isuzu Yamada
, Takashi Shimura
Takashi Shimura
, Minoru Chiaki
Minoru Chiaki
Akira Kurosawa

Blu-ray (Black & White)

$39.99 
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Overview

Macbeth is reimagined as a samurai in feudal Japan in director Akira Kurosawa's classic adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy. Familiar with Orson Welles's more faithful adaptation, Kurosawa chose to place a more personal stamp on his version by translating the events and characters to historical Japan. The equivalent of the tragic Scottish lord is Taketoki Washizu (Toshiro Mifune), a valiant warrior whose life is transformed by an encounter with a ghostly female spirit. The spirit offers several predictions, finally stating that Washizu will rise to power over the current warlord. When these predictions begin coming true, he and his ambitious wife decide to ensure his ascendancy to power by murdering the current ruler. As with Macbeth, Washizu achieves his goal, but his guilt and the suspicions of others soon bring about his downfall. The shift to Japanese settings is seamless, creating a historically accurate and resonant work with a culturally distinct visual style. The supporting performances also recall Japanese tradition, particularly Isuzu Yamada's creepily unemotional take on Lady Macbeth, while Mifune proves consistently gripping in the sheer intensity of his performance. The intelligence of Kurosawa's alterations retains the drama's tragic impact, especially during the conclusion, in which Washizu makes a memorable final stand against an advancing army. Impressive in every regard, Throne of Blood seems secure in the pantheon of superior film adaptations of William Shakespeare.

Product Details

Release Date: 08/25/2015
UPC: 0715515155113
Original Release: 1957
Rating: NR
Source: Criterion Collection
Region Code: A
Presentation: [B&W]
Sound: [Dolby Digital Mono]
Language: English
Time: 1:49:00
Sales rank: 3,539

Special Features

Audio commentary featuring Japanese film expert Michael Jeck; Documentary on the making of the film, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create; Two alternate subtitle translations, by Japanese film translator Linda Hoaglund and Kurosawa expert Donald Richie; Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Toshiro Mifune Taketoki Washizu
Isuzu Yamada Asaji
Takashi Shimura Noriyasu Odagura
Minoru Chiaki Yoshaki Miki
Akira Kubo Yoshiteru
Takamaru Sasaki Kuniharu Tsuzuki
Yoichi Tachikawa Kunimaru
Chieko Naniwa Witch
Kichijiro Ueda Washizu's workman
Masaru Sato Composer

Technical Credits
Akira Kurosawa Director,Producer,Screenwriter
Sojiro Motoki Producer,Producer
Hideo Oguni Screenwriter
Ryuzo Kikushima Screenwriter
Shinobu Hashimoto Screenwriter
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