★★★★★-Over the course of three decades, Japanese director Akira Kurosawa masterfully crafted three Shakespeare-inspired films:
Throne of Blood, an adaptation of Macbeth, set in feudal Japan,
The Bad Sleep Well a crime noir thriller based on Hamlet, and
Ran, an epic samurai tale inspired by King Lear. Each of these films showcases Kurosawa's exceptional talent for blending Shakespearean themes with the rich cultural tapestry of Japan.
Watched all of these Shakespeare inspired films for a Shakespeare Tragedies seminar I took in college. It was one of my favorite classes. We also read a lot of Samual Beckett along with the six Shakespeare plays we focused on: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear (my favorite), Macbeth, Othello, and Richard III. There were some others, of course, Merchant of Venice and The Tempest, for example, which are technically comedies, but are both as dark as they come. Anyway, this was my favorite adaptation, at the time. We'll see how I feel now. The class really opened up my eyes to Kurosawa. I love his films.
(Side note, for this class we all had to present on something Shakespeare related. I did pop culture Shakespeare, really going into detail about the film
Scotland, PA, which is also based on Macbeth. It is incredible and hilarious. I also talked about pornography based on the Barb. The one title I remember was
A Midsummer's Night Cream, which sounds like something that would make me vomit. I got an A+ in that class and would kill for that professor, by the by.)
Throne of Blood was Kurosawa's first reimagining of Shakespeare's work, transporting the plot from Medieval Scotland to feudal Japan, cleverly infusing elements from Noh drama. Noh is a classical Japanese dance-drama that dates back to the 14th century and remains a major theater art in Japan today. It is the oldest theater form still regularly performed. Noh integrates masks, costumes, and props in dance-based performances, relying on highly skilled actors and musicians to convey emotions through stylized gestures. The plays often draw from traditional literature, with supernatural beings transforming into human heroes who narrate captivating stories. Iconic masks represent various roles, from ghosts to deities. Pretty cool shit.
The film stars the iconic Toshiro Mifune and Isuzu Yamada, in the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth roles, respectively. Mifune's portrayal of a man unraveling is something to behold. Imagine this is a dude's first day ruling shit and he goes insane and starts fighting ghosts that aren't there. I imagine this wouldn't go over well. When he has his freakout moment in the forest and receiving prophecy, it truly is masterful filmmaking. Ghostly, strange, full of rage and madness. This is Macbeth at its finest. A raving lunatic with the enemy literally at the gate, taking arrows from his own army like he's Scarface.
Remember the last circle of hell in Dante devoted to this type of shit. Chewed on by Satan with Brutus, Cassius, and Judas shit. The scene where the guards getting blamed get shot with arrows and chased off is messed up.
The Lady Macbeth role isn't as strong as the Shakespearean version. In this, she shows up suddenly and is immediately like, “kill your lord, yo.” Feel like maybe he is relying on everyone to know the story or something. Plus, she is constantly swishing around in her little Geisha getup. Hearing that 24/7 would make me want to murder, too.
Classic Shakespeare meets feudal Japan. The film more or less retains the essence of the play. Gist is a warrior who, upon hearing a prophecy from a witch in the wood and with the prodding of his ambitious wife, kills his lord to consolidate his power. Despite the changes in setting, language, and creative liberties taken, the film is widely regarded as one of the most exceptional film adaptations of the play. Universal story shown in a uniquely Kurosawa way with a uniquely remarkable ending.
Overall, the scale of the film is staggering for a production outside of Hollywood in the 1950s. I still love nearly every second of this film. Could have been shot yesterday for all I know. It looks incredible. Samurai look is a good one. I might dress and do my hair like that. The prophet dance is a really tense and great scene. Think there could have been some more character development overall. Less than the Shakespeare plays, for sure. But that is a minor complaint. Highly recommend.
