If nothing else - I'd say that all of you fashion-trendy guys of today out there ought to feel right at home watching "Throne Of Blood" - 'Cause every male character in this film had his hair done up in one of those irksome, little ponytails, sitting on top of his head, as well.It really killed me that even when any of these male characters had been wearing a tight-fitting helmet on top of his head - Whenever that headgear was removed that goofy, little ponytail stood straight up again with no adjustments required.Anyway - I certainly found this 1957, Japanese version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" to be quite boring. Indeed. And tedious. And any attempts made at creating an atmosphere of surrealism seemed downright silly for the most part.And - Last, but not least - What the hell was with character, Lady Washizu's eyebrows, anyway??

The story of Macbeth by William Shakespeare as seen by Akira Kurosawa. Two generals of a powerful warlord return home from a great victory, but on their way through a haunted forest they encounter a spirit. He reads their future and tells that one of the generals would take their lord's place as the next lord of the castle. But he also reveals that it would be the son of the other general that would be the lord after that.And thus we follow these two wretched souls as they in vain try to fight against their destiny only in doing so end up fulfilling it. The story is about man's irrelevance to the world and about his arrogance despite this. Kurosawa drew heavily from Japanese Noh theatre tradition, which emphasizes hard, big emotions, stillnes and explosive movement intermixed and also clearcut stereotypical character archetypes. And for this story it works wonders. The sets are vast and detailed, at times almost drowning the actors, emphasizing their smallness. The dramatic acting fits the mythological and heavily thematic story very well, helped along by an ensemble cast.It should be noted that the pacing can feel weird to a Western audience. The traditions of Noh, as well as Japanese cinema in general, mean that the film has its own rhythm that takes some getting used to.Nevertheless, this is a masterful film and my favourite Kurosawa so far. Definitely worth a watch for all fans of epic, myth and the inevitable.

THRONE OF BLOOD is a tragic drama, which is combined with elements of Japanese musical drama. The film is an adaptation of the Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Popular Scottish tragedy is enriched with characteristics of Japanese culture. However, Mr. Kurosawa, through a famous tragedy, made a serious movie with a scene from the Middle Ages in Japan.Two brave samurai help their master in a fight against a rebel. After winning the battle, the samurai return to their master. They encounter a demon in a "strange" forest, who predicts their fate. Prophecies become real ...Scenery is really impressive. The visual effects are nearly perfect through the swirling fog, rainy forests, vast fields, volcanic soil and the imposing fortress. The interaction between the two film cultures and melodrama can be symbolic. The styling cues, which are borrowed from the Noh drama, are extremely strong in some scenes, but are not crucial for the story. Soundtrack is interestingly filled with all sorts of harsh and eerie noises. It follows the drama and action, which are both brutal and grotesque.Toshiro Mifune as Washizu Taketoki yells monstrous, to emphasize their position. A character, which is driven with passion and greed. His performance, which involves sudden movements and wild whim, can be hilarious. However, I think it's fascinating, especially in the final scenes. Isuzu Yamada as Washizu Asaji is determined in her intention. Her eerie voice that leads to a crime is certainly memorable. Scenes between spouses are impressive, tense and culturally colored. This is an amazing film about greed and superstition.

Akira Kurosawa's "Kumonosu-jō" ("Throne of Blood" in English) opens with a chorus recounting the story of a man who rose to power, sung over the shot of an abandoned castle. An eerie introduction, definitely, but it's no match for what the movie portrays. This adaptation of "Macbeth" seamlessly infuses western literature with Noh theater. I should admit that I have never seen a production of "Macbeth" and am not familiar with Noh, but I understand that a key feature of the latter is stylized conventional gestures to express emotions, and the use of masks. Instead of masks, the characters wear stylized makeup.In transposing Shakespeare's play to feudal Japan, Kurosawa makes war the focus. The final scene - which should be one of the most famous in cinema history - poses the question: does war truly end, or does it persist beyond the actual fighting? All in all, this is probably one of the greatest movies ever made. It's only the fourth Kurosawa movie that I've seen, but I do hope to see the rest of his work, as well as a production of "Macbeth".