Film Review
Bringing Shakespeare's
Macbeth
to a Japanese audience had been a lifelong ambition of director Akira
Kurosawa. It was not until he had mastered the art of cinema and become
a world class filmmaker that Kurosawa rose to the challenge, and crafted
what is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Shakespearean
adaptations. Although the film contains not one line of
dialogue from the original play, it closely follows its plot and
perfectly evokes its chilling atmosphere and sense of brooding evil.
Stylistically,
Throne of Blood
is a complete contrast to Kurosawa's previous great samurai film,
Seven Samurai (1954).
Stripped of the western influences seen in that earlier film,
Throne of Blood is much closer in
style to the Noh theatre of traditional Japanese culture. Most of
the scenes are theatrical compositions, statically photographed, with
actors giving exaggerated performances - either manically over-the-top
(Toshirô Mifune in the leading role) or subdued to the point of
statue-like (Isuzu Yamada in the Lady Macbeth part). This stylisation
gives the film a chilling stillness that somehow amplifies the
grotesque evil that Washizu and his wife succumb to as they let
ambition get the better of them.
Whilst the film lacks the remarkable fluidity seen in Kurosawa's other
films, the visuals are just as striking. Particularly memorable
is the sequence at the top of the film when Washizu and Miki lose their
way in a mist-shrouded forest and encounter the old woman who predicts
their future. There is a mesmeric dreamlike quality to this part
of the film, which is mirrored by a similarly mystical sequence near
the end, when Washizu sees the trees of the forest apparently walking
through a mist towards his castle. Kurosawa leaves open the
possibility that what we are seeing is not real, but rather the fevered
hallucination of a deranged mind.
There are some departures from the original play, but these are pretty
inconsequential and it is perhaps surprising how effectively
Macbeth is transposed to a medieval
Japanese setting. The purists will lament the fact that there is
no Macduff (hence no one 'not born of woman' to slay the principal
villain with a smug grin), but this is surely compensated for by the
spectacular fashion in which Washizu is despatched, butchered by his
own archers. Its seems incredible that this stunning
denouement was performed without the aid of special effects or stunt
men. Actor Toshirô Mifune really did put himself at
risk of personal injury when he agreed to have showers of arrows fired
into the set around him by experienced archers. Well, it's one
way to get a convincing performance...
Throne of Blood is one of
Kurosawa's most visually potent masterworks. Not only is it a
brilliant reinterpretation of Shakespeare's play but it succinctly
conveys the very essence of the play and shows that its central themes
- of ambition, betrayal and retribution - are indeed universal.
Every decent production of
Macbeth
should leave you shaken and chilled to the bone. Kurosawa's film
does just this, for what it reveals is the utter blackness of a human
soul that has been totally warped by the baser instincts. Here is
a naked depiction of pure evil that will haunt you forever.
© James Travers 2010
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Akira Kurosawa film:
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Film Synopsis
Sent by the Lord Tzuzuki, two samurai warriors, Washizu and Miki,
succeed in crushing a local uprising led by a treacherous
warlord. On the return to their master's castle, they lose their
way in the forest and encounter a strange old woman who prophesies
their future. Washizu shall succeed Tzuzuki, but his reign will
be short and Miki's son will be his successor. The two men
laugh this off and return to Tzuzuki, who showers them with honours in
reward for their valour. Tzuzuki's wife Asaji is determined
that the old woman's prophesy will come true. Playing on her
husband's fear and vanity, she goads him into murdering Tzuzuki when he
visits their castle. Once he has been appointed Tzuzuki's
successor, Washizu becomes wary of Miki. He has no intention of
surrendering his hard won throne to Miki's offspring, so he hires a
murderer to kill Miki and his son. Miki is slain, but his son
escapes. Washizu then receives news that samurai loyal to Tzuzuki
are preparing to turn against him. Fearful of what the future now
holds for him, Washizu returns to the forest to visit the old
woman. She tells him that he will never lose a battle until the
forest moves towards his castle. Reassured by these words,
Washizu returns to his castle, confident that his throne is secure...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.