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Lis got Throne of Blood out of the library for us. As you are probably aware, the movie is William Shakespeare's Scottish play transposed to feudal Japan by Kurosawa, starring Toshiro Mifune as Macbeth Washizu Taketori.
It's honestly one of the best versions of Macbeth I've ever seen. Including the opera. I mean, it really is just that damn good.
In terms of plot, it's a pretty straightforward transcription. There are a few differences -- the most significant is that there's no Macduff, so there's no "not of woman born" prophesy, and Washizu's death is therefore done differently than Macbeth's. And the timing from the hand-washing scene to the end is slightly faster than in the play (not that Shakespeare's version drags), so there's no scene where news of LadyMacbeth Asaji's death reaches Washizu (which is where the "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech comes in).
Obviously, the dialogue is different. What Shakespeare does with words, Kurosawa does with cinematography. But you get the same amount of poetry -- it's just visual instead of verbal.
As far as acting goes -- it's not a "naturalistic" style. Mifune is acting with his emotions turned up to eleven. The other characters, not quite so much -- they're acting, perhaps, melodramatically, but only Washizu is played that emotionally over-the-top.
And you know what? It works for Macbeth. It's a larger-than-life story about murders and ghosts and evil spirits giving prophesies that cause treason -- over-the-top emotion fits in.
Anyway -- if any of you are Shakespeare fans like Lis and I are, and you've not managed to see this one, get it from your library or put it on your Netflix queue. It's worth it. The only negative thing I can think of it is that the original Japanese title of "Spider-Web Castle" works a little better than the American title of "Throne of Blood."
It's honestly one of the best versions of Macbeth I've ever seen. Including the opera. I mean, it really is just that damn good.
In terms of plot, it's a pretty straightforward transcription. There are a few differences -- the most significant is that there's no Macduff, so there's no "not of woman born" prophesy, and Washizu's death is therefore done differently than Macbeth's. And the timing from the hand-washing scene to the end is slightly faster than in the play (not that Shakespeare's version drags), so there's no scene where news of Lady
Obviously, the dialogue is different. What Shakespeare does with words, Kurosawa does with cinematography. But you get the same amount of poetry -- it's just visual instead of verbal.
As far as acting goes -- it's not a "naturalistic" style. Mifune is acting with his emotions turned up to eleven. The other characters, not quite so much -- they're acting, perhaps, melodramatically, but only Washizu is played that emotionally over-the-top.
And you know what? It works for Macbeth. It's a larger-than-life story about murders and ghosts and evil spirits giving prophesies that cause treason -- over-the-top emotion fits in.
Anyway -- if any of you are Shakespeare fans like Lis and I are, and you've not managed to see this one, get it from your library or put it on your Netflix queue. It's worth it. The only negative thing I can think of it is that the original Japanese title of "Spider-Web Castle" works a little better than the American title of "Throne of Blood."