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Throne of Blood

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Throne of Blood
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAkira Kurosawa
Screenplay by
Based onMacbeth
byWilliam Shakespeare(uncredited)
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAsakazu Nakai
Edited byAkira Kurosawa
Music byMasaru Sato
Production
company
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • January 15, 1957(1957-01-15)(Japan)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Budget$350,000[1]
Box officeUS$46,808(Kurosawa & Mifune Festival)[2]

Throne of Blood(Japanese:Tri chu 巣 thành,Hepburn:Kumonosu-jō,lit. 'The Spider Web Castle')is a 1957 Japanesejidaigekifilm co-written, produced, edited, and directed byAkira Kurosawa,with special effects byEiji Tsuburaya.The film transposes the plot of EnglishdramatistWilliam Shakespeare's playMacbeth(1606) from Medieval Scotland to feudal Japan, with stylistic elements drawn fromNohdrama. The film starsToshiro MifuneandIsuzu Yamadain the lead roles, modelled on the charactersMacbethandLady Macbeth.

As with the play, the film tells the story of a warrior who assassinates his sovereign at the urging of his ambitious wife. Kurosawa was a fan of the play and intended to make his own adaptation for several years, delaying it after learning ofOrson Welles'Macbeth(1948). Among his changes was the ending, which required archers to shoot arrows around Mifune. The film was shot aroundMount FujiandIzu Peninsula.With a budget ofUS$350,000(equivalent to $3,797,000 in 2023), the film was one of themost expensive films ever madein Japan at the time of its release.[1]

Despite the change in setting and language and numerous creative liberties,Throne of Bloodis often considered one of the bestfilm adaptations of the classic play,and has received much critical praise. The film won twoMainichi Film Awards,includingBest Actorfor Toshiro Mifune.[3]

Plot

[edit]

Generals Miki and Washizu aresamuraicommanders and friends under Tsuzuki, a local lord who reigns in the castle of the Spider's Web Forest. After defeating the lord's enemies in battle, they return to his castle. On their way through the thick forest, they meet an evil spirit, who foretells their future, telling them that Washizu will be named Lord of the Northern Garrison and Miki will become commander of the first fortress that day. The spirit then foretells that Washizu eventually will become Lord of Spider's Web Castle, and finally, Miki's son will become lord. When the two return to Tsuzuki's estate, he rewards them with exactly what the spirit had predicted. As Washizu discusses this with his wife Asaji, she manipulates him into causing the second part of the prophecy to come true by murdering Tsuzuki when he visits.

Asaji gives druggedsaketo Tsuzuki's guards, causing them to fall asleep and allowing Washizu to enter Tsuzuki's bedchamber and kill him in his sleep. When Washizu returns in shock at his deed, Asaji grabs the bloody spear and puts it in the hands of an unconscious guard, then cries out that an intruder has entered the castle; Washizu slays the guard before he has a chance to plead his innocence. Kunimaru, Tsuzuki's vengeful son, and Noriyasu, one of Tsuzuki's advisors, both suspect Washizu's treachery and try to warn Miki, who refuses to believe what they are saying about his friend. Under Asaji's influence, Washizu is unsure of Miki's loyalty but chooses Miki's son as his heir because he and Asaji have no child of their own. Washizu plans to tell Miki and his son about his decision at a grand banquet. However, Asaji tells him that she is pregnant, which leaves him with a quandary concerning his heir: now, Miki and his son have to be eliminated.

During the banquet, Washizu is agitated because Miki and his son have not arrived and drinks sake copiously. He loses his self-control when Miki's ghost suddenly appears. In a delusional panic, he reveals what has happened to Miki by exclaiming that he is willing to slay Miki a second time, unsheathing his sword and slashing at the empty air near Miki's seat. Attempting to cover for him, Asaji tells the guests that he is drunk and has everyone retire for the evening. One of Washizu's men arrives carrying a bundle containing the severed head of Miki, and tells Washizu and Asaji that Miki's son escaped. Washizu kills the man.

Later, Washizu's men are beginning to doubt and fear him, and rumors circulate that Miki's son Yoshiteru, Kunimaru, and Noriyasu have joined forces with their onetime rival Inui. Washizu is distraught by the news that his heir has beenborn dead.In order to ascertain the outcome of the impending battle with his foes, he returns to the forest in search of the evil spirit. The spirit tells him that he will not be defeated in battle until "the trees of the Spider's Web Forest rise against the castle". Washizu believes this is impossible and becomes confident of his victory. Washizu tells his troops of the prophecy, and they share his confidence. The next morning, Washizu is awakened by the screams of Asaji's attendants. In her quarters, he finds Asaji in a semi-catatonic state, trying to wash clean an imaginary stain and stench of blood from her hands. Distracted by the sound of his troops, Washizu leaves to investigate. Washizu is told by a panicked soldier that the trees of Spider's Web Forest "have risen to attack us".

Washizu tries to muster his troops, but they ignore his commands and begin firing arrows at him. Several go through his armor, and one pierces his neck, severely wounding him. When he tells them that to kill their lord is treason, to which they accuse Washizu of the murder of his predecessor. With his enemies approaching the castle gates, he falls to his arrow wounds, trying to draw his sword as he dies. It is then revealed that the attacking force had used trees, cut from the forest during the night, to shield their advance onto the castle.

Cast

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Actor Character Macbethanalogue
Toshiro Mifune Taketoki Washizu Macbeth[4][5]
Isuzu Yamada Lady Asaji Washizu[6] Lady Macbeth[7][5]
Takashi Shimura Noriyasu Odagura Macduff[8]
Akira Kubo Yoshiteru Miki Fleance[9]
Yōichi Tachikawa Kunimaru Tsuzuki Malcolm[5]
Minoru Chiaki Yoshiaki Miki Banquo[5][9][10]
Takamaru Sasaki Lord Kuniharu Tsuzuki King Duncan[11]
Chieko Naniwa Witch[5] TheThree Witches[12]
Kokuten Kōdō First General
Sachio Sakai Washizu's samurai[6]
Yū Fujiki Washizu's samurai[6]
Kichijirō Ueda Washizu's workman[6]
Takeshi Katō Tsuzuki's samurai
Shōbun Inoue Tsuzuki's messenger
Asao Koike Tsuzuki's messenger
Eiko Miyoshi Senior lady-in-waiting
Isao Kimura Messenger (Phantom)
Seiji Miyaguchi Messenger (Phantom)

Crew

[edit]
  • Akira Kurosawa– director, co-writer, producer, editor
  • Eiji Tsuburaya– special effects director
  • Yoshimitsu Banno– assistant director
  • Kuichirō Kishida – lighting
  • Takao Saitō – camera assistant
  • Masao Fukuda – still photographer
  • Kohei Ezaki– chief art director
  • Yoshirō Muraki – art director and costume designer
  • Masanori Kobayashi – make-up artist
  • Ichirō Minawa – sound effects

Personnel taken fromThrone of Bloodby Robert N. Watson.[13]

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]
Nohwas an influence on the film.

William Shakespeare's plays had been read in Japan since theMeiji Restorationin 1868,[12]though banned during World War II for not being Japanese.[14]DirectorAkira Kurosawastated that he had admired Shakespeare'sMacbethfor a long time, and that he envisioned making a film adaptation of it after he completed his 1950 filmRashomon.When he learned thatOrson Welleshad released his own version ofMacbethin 1948, Kurosawa decided to postpone his adaptation project for several years.[15]

Kurosawa believed that Scotland and Japan in theMiddle Agesshared social problems and that these had lessons for the present day. Moreover,Macbethcould serve as acautionary talecomplementing his 1952 filmIkiru.[15]

In May 1956, Kurosawa announced that he would be producing threesamurai filmsforToho,Throne of Blood,The Hidden Fortress,andRevenge,each to be filmed from September 1956 to early 1957 by other directors.[16]Ishirō Honda,best known for directing the 1954kaijufilmGodzilla,was slated to directThrone of Blood,but Kurosawa ended up directing all three films himself.[17]

The film combines Shakespeare's play with theNohstyle of drama.[18]Kurosawa was an admirer of Noh, which he preferred overKabuki.In particular, he wished to incorporate Noh-style body movements and set design.[19]Noh also makes use of masks, and the evil spirit is seen, in different parts of the film, wearing faces reminiscent of these masks, starting withyaseonna(old lady).[20]Noh often stresses the Buddhist doctrine ofimpermanence.This is connected to Washizu being denied salvation, with the chorus singing that his ghost is still in the world.[21]Furthermore, the film score's use of flute and drum are drawn from Noh.[22]

Writing

[edit]

All three of Kurosawa's frequent script collaborators participated for the first time:Hideo Oguni,Shinobu Hashimoto,andRyūzō Kikushima,each working with the director for their fourth time. Initially, the screenwriters wrote the script with the intention that it would be directed by Ishirō Honda, but Toho insisted Kurosawa take the directing position after reading the script and realizing a large budget was required for the film.[16]

Set design

[edit]
Cast and crew members on the open set ofThrone of Blood,published in the early September 1956 issue ofKinema Junpo.(from left to right) Shinjin Akiike, Fumio Yanoguchi, Kuichirō Kishida, Samaji Nonagase,Takao Saito,Toshiro Mifune(in the jeep),Minoru Chiaki,Takashi Shimura,Teruyo Nogami(scripter),Yoshirō Muraki,Akira Kurosawa,Hiroshi Nezu,Asakazu Nakai,andSōjirō Motoki.

The castle exteriors were built and shot on the volcanic slopes ofMount Fuji.[23]The castle courtyard was constructed at Toho's Tamagawa studio, with volcanic soil brought from Fuji so that the ground matched.[24]The interiors were shot in a smaller studio in Tokyo. The forest scenes were a combination of actual Fuji forest and studio shots in Tokyo. Washizu's mansion was shot in theIzu Peninsula.[24][25]

In Kurosawa's own words:

"It was a very hard film to make. We decided that the main castle set had to be built on the slope of Mount Fuji, not because I wanted to show this mountain but because it has precisely the stunted landscape that I wanted. And it is usually foggy. I had decided that I wanted lots of fog for this film... Making the set was very difficult because we didn't have enough people and the location was so far from Tokyo. Fortunately, there was aU.S. Marine Corpsbase nearby, and they helped a great deal; also a whole MP battalion helped us out. We all worked very hard indeed, clearing the ground, building the set. Our labor on this steep fog-bound slope, I remember, absolutely exhausted us; we almost got sick. "[24][25]

Production designerYoshirō Murakisaid the crew opted to employ the color black in the set walls, and a lot of armor, to complement the mist and fog effects. This design was based on ancient scrolls depicting Japanese castles.[26]

Special effects

[edit]

The scene in which trees from the Spider's Web Forest approach the castle, was created by Toho's special effects department and directed byEiji Tsuburaya.Originally, this scene was longer, but Kurosawa cut several shots of trees from the film because he was unimpressed by them.[27]

Washizu's death scene, in which his own archers turn upon him and shoot him with arrows, was in fact performed with real arrows, shot by knowledgeable and skilled archers. During filming, Mifune waved his arms, which was how the actor indicated his intended bodily direction. This was for his own safety in order to prevent the archers from accidentally hitting him.[28]

Release

[edit]

The film was released theatrically in Japan on January 15, 1957, byToho,[29]and grossed¥198 million,making it the second-highest-grossing Japanese film of 1957,[30]afterShintoho'sEmperor Meiji and the Great Russo-Japanese War,which grossed ¥542.91 million.[31]In the United States, the film was distributed by Brandon Films with English subtitles at 105 minutes and opened on November 22, 1961.[6][29]

Throne of Bloodwas the first film to be screened at the 1stBFI London Film Festivalon October 16, 1957.[32][33]After the screening,Akira Kurosawaattended a party at film criticDilys Powell's house, and had dinner with actorLaurence Olivier,and actressVivien Leighwho were planning on playingMacbethandLady Macbethin afilm adaptationofWilliam Shakespeare'sMacbeththat never materialized. Olivier told Kurosawa that he had enjoyed watching the film and was impressed by the scene in whichToshiro Mifune's Macbeth is shot by arrows.Isuzu Yamada's acting impressed Leigh, and she asked why Yamada made such little movement when she was mad.[34][33]

In 1991, the film was released in the United States onLaserDiscbyThe Criterion Collection,and onVHSbyMedia Home Entertainment.[35]Toho released the film onDVDin Japan in 2002 and onBlu-rayin 2010.[36]In 2013,Madman Entertainmentdistributed the film on DVD in Region 4.[37]InRegion A,The Criterion Collection released the film on Blu-ray in 2014, having released the film on DVD 10 years earlier.[38]

In 2018, the film was screened by theNational Film Archive of Japanat theEssential 2018 National Film Archive Opening Cinema MemorialinKyōbashi, Tokyo,along with 9 other Japanese films.[39]In 2021, the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute screened a4K remasterof the film at the 12th 10am Film Festival.[40]

Reception

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Critical response

[edit]

Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoesthe film has an approval rating of 96% based on 47 reviews, with an average score of 8.80/10. The site's consensus states: "A career high point for Akira Kurosawa – and one of the best film adaptations of a Shakespeare play."[41]

When it was released in the United States in 1961, theTimereview praised Kurosawa and the film as "a visual descent into the hell of greed and superstition".[42]

Bosley CrowtherfromThe New York Timescalled the idea of Shakespeare in Japanese "amusing", and complimented the cinematography.[43]Most critics stated it was the visuals that filled the gap left by the removal of Shakespeare's poetry.[44]

U.K. directorsGeoffrey ReeveandPeter Brookconsidered the film to be a masterpiece, but denied it was a Shakespeare film because of the language.[45]Film historianDonald Richiepraised the film as "a marvel because it is made of so little: fog, wind, trees, mist".[46][22]Film criticStephen Princecompared its minimalist landscapes to the painting techniquesumi-e.[47]

David Parkinson ofEmpiremagazine rated it 5 out of 5, calling it "highly cinematic" and "a film studded with magnificent set-pieces".[48]

The film has received praise from literary critics despite the many liberties it takes with the original play. The American literary criticHarold Bloomjudged it "the most successful film version ofMacbeth".[49]Sylvan Barnetwrites it captured Macbeth as a strong warrior, and that "Without worrying about fidelity to the original,"Throne of Bloodis "much more satisfactory" than most Shakespeare films.[50]Film historian David A. Conrad wrote that just as Shakespeare's play commented on "questions of legitimacy, masculinity, and civil war" that resonated in early 17th-century England, Kurosawa's movie engages with contemporary Japanese debates about the "spiderless cobweb" of postwar bureaucracy and industry.[51]In hisMovie Guide,Leonard Maltingave the film four stars, calling it a "graphic, powerful adaptation".[4]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Akira Kurosawa Nominated [52]
Kinema JunpoAwards Best 10 Japanese Films 4th place [53]
Best Actress Isuzu Yamada Won
Mainichi Film Awards Best Actor Toshiro Mifune Won [3]
Best Art Direction Yoshirō Muraki Won
Blue Ribbon Awards Best 10 Japanese Films 7th place [54]
Technology Award Yoshirō Muraki Won
Visual Technology Awards Art Yoshirō Muraki Won [55]

Legacy

[edit]

Akira Kurosawa's 1960 filmThe Bad Sleep Well,was heavily influenced byWilliam Shakespeare'sHamlet,as well asThe Count of Monte CristobyAlexandre Dumas.[56]Roman Polanski's 1971 film version ofMacbethhas similarities toThrone of Blood,in shots of characters on twisted roads, set design, and music to identify locations and psychological conditions.[57]Toshiro Mifune's death scene was the source of inspiration forPiper Laurie's death scene in the 1976 filmCarrie,[58]in which knives are thrown at her, in this case by characterCarrie Whiteusing her psychic powers. In 1985, Kurosawa returned to adapting Shakespeare, choosing the playKing Learfor his finalepic filmRan,and again moving the setting to feudal Japan.[59]

Throne of Bloodis referenced in theanimefilmMillennium Actress(2001) in the form of the Forest Spirit/Witch.[citation needed]It was adapted for the stage by directorPing Chong,premiering at the 2010Oregon Shakespeare Festivalin Ashland, Oregon.[60]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"Now Japan Plans Fast Pix Prod of 'Macbeth'".Variety.May 1956. p. 14.
  2. ^"Throne of Blood".Box Office Mojo.IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-05-31.Retrieved2022-05-31.
  3. ^ab"Mỗi nhật ánh họa コンクール đệ 12 hồi (1957 niên )".Mainichi Film Awards(in Japanese). Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2022.RetrievedMay 1,2022.
  4. ^abMaltin 2014,p. 1429.
  5. ^abcdeMcDougal 1985,p. 253.
  6. ^abcdeGalbraith IV 2002,pp. 683–684.
  7. ^Richie 1998,p. 117.
  8. ^Burnett 2014,p. 67.
  9. ^abPhillips 2013,p. 31.
  10. ^Hatchuel, Vienne-Guerrin & Bladen 2013.
  11. ^Davies 1994,p. 161.
  12. ^abBuchanan 2014,p. 73.
  13. ^Watson 2020,p. 93.
  14. ^Buchanan 2014,p. 74.
  15. ^abRichie 1998,p. 115.
  16. ^abHamano 2009,p. 684.
  17. ^Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017,p. 130.
  18. ^Prince 1991,p. 142–147.
  19. ^McDonald 1994,p. 125.
  20. ^McDonald 1994,p. 129.
  21. ^McDonald 1994,p. 130.
  22. ^abJin 2009,p. 90.
  23. ^Galbraith IV 2002,p. 233.
  24. ^abcRichie 1998,p. 123.
  25. ^abRichie 1964.
  26. ^Richie 1998,p. 122.
  27. ^Takase 2003,p. 303.
  28. ^Blair, Gavin J. (March 16, 2016)."1957: When Akira Kurosawa's 'Throne of Blood' Was Ahead of Its Time".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2022.RetrievedDecember 10,2016.
  29. ^abGalbraith IV 2008,p. 129.
  30. ^Kinema Junpo2012,p. 128.
  31. ^Kinema Junpo2012,p. 138.
  32. ^Kurosawa 1957,p. 60.
  33. ^abHamano 2009,pp. 287–294.
  34. ^Kurosawa 1957,pp. 61–62.
  35. ^"Hắc trạch minh giam đốc tác phẩm ／LDジャケット đặc tập".LD, DVD, & Blu-ray Gallery(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on May 9, 2020.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  36. ^"Tri chu 巣 thành: DVD・ブルーレイ".Eiga.com(in Japanese).Kakaku.com.Archivedfrom the original on May 3, 2022.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  37. ^"Throne of Blood".Madman Entertainment NZ.Madman Entertainment.Archivedfrom the original on May 4, 2022.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  38. ^Baumgarten, Marjorie (January 8, 2014)."DVD Extra: 'Throne of Blood'".The Austin Chronicle.Archivedfrom the original on January 18, 2014.RetrievedDecember 11,2016.
  39. ^"Quốc lập ánh họa アーカイブ tân xí họa に hắc trạch minh ＆ tiểu lâm chính thụ ＆ kim thôn xương bình ＆ tương mễ thận nhị の danh tác ずらり!".Eiga.com(in Japanese).Kakaku.com.August 20, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on August 22, 2018.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  40. ^"“Ngọ tiền thập thời の ánh họa tế 12” ラインナップ phát biểu “Lý do なき phản kháng” “8 1/2” “Không の đại quái thú ラドン”…40 niên đại から00 niên đại の danh tác 29 bổn ".Eiga.com(in Japanese).Kakaku.com.February 21, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2022.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  41. ^"Throne of Blood".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-05-01.Retrieved2022-05-10.
  42. ^"Cinema: Kurosawa's Macbeth".Time.December 1, 1961.Archivedfrom the original on October 26, 2020.RetrievedDecember 9,2016.
  43. ^Crowther, Bosley(November 23, 1961)."Screen: Change in Scene: Japanese Production of 'Macbeth' Opens".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on April 25, 2022.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  44. ^Yoshimoto 2000,p. 268.
  45. ^Jin 2009,p. 88.
  46. ^Richie 1998,p. 120.
  47. ^Prince, Stephen(January 6, 2014)."Throne of Blood: Shakespeare Transposed".The Criterion Collection.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2022.RetrievedMay 3,2022.
  48. ^Parkinson, David (January 4, 2002)."Throne of BloodReview ".Empire.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-06-12.Retrieved2023-09-26.
  49. ^Bloom 1999,p. 519.
  50. ^Barnet 1998,p. 197-198.
  51. ^Conrad 2022,p. 116-122.
  52. ^Schneider 2008,p. 337.
  53. ^Kinema Junpo2012,pp. 138, 146.
  54. ^"ブルーリボン thưởng ヒストリー".Cinema Hochi(in Japanese). Archived fromthe originalon December 30, 2013.RetrievedApril 25,2022.
  55. ^"Nhật bổn ánh họa kỹ thuật thưởng thụ thưởng nhất lãm - nhất bàn xã đoàn pháp nhân nhật bổn ánh họa テレビ kỹ thuật hiệp hội".www.mpte.jp(in Japanese). Motion Picture and Television Engineering Society of Japan. Archived fromthe originalon November 25, 2021.RetrievedApril 27,2022.
  56. ^Tsuzuki 2010,p. 299.
  57. ^Kliman 2004,p. 195.
  58. ^Zinoman 2011,p. 168.
  59. ^Davies 1994,p. 153.
  60. ^Isherwood, Charles (November 11, 2010)."Sprawling Cinema, Tamed to a Stage".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on April 15, 2022.RetrievedDecember 10,2016.

Bibliography

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