One of the greatest directors of all time, Akira Kurosawa, released his epic version of William Shakespeare’s MacBeth in 1957 as KUMONOSU JU. This supernatural samurai film became a true film classic, and is shown regularly in film schools around the globe, as a testament to Kurosawa’s film mastery. This was Kurosawa’s first film to employ the still and quiet filming style that he became known for. On this film, Kurosawa also served as a producer, writer, and editor. Though SEVEN SAMURAI is his best known film, it is THRONE OF BLOOD which Kurosawa fans recognize as his best film. The film has been available domestically on VHS (with poor prints) and even Criterion’s laserdisc was quite disappointing. THRONE OF BLOOD has not been available on DVD until now. Mei Ah Laserdisc Company has assembled 20 of the Kurosawa’s greatest films for an affordable Region 0 import DVD series. THRONE OF BLOOD is one of those releases.

THRONE OF BLOOD stars the great Toshiro Mifune, (Japan’s equivalent of Sir Laurence Olivier) as warrior turned master, Taketori Washizu. Isuzu (YOJIMBO) Yamada plays Taketori’s murderous wife, Asaji. Minoru (GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER) Chiaki plays best friend and fellow warrior, Yoshiaki Miki. Akira (DESTROY ALL MONSTERS) Kubo also stars as Yoshiteru, Miki’s son and the heir to Washizu’s throne. The film also features Takashi Shimura (Dr. Yamane from GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS).

Samurai warriors Washizu (Mifune) and Miki (Chiaki) are advance guards for their warlord master, Tsuzuki (Takamaru Sasaki). Tsuzuki is the master of Cobweb Castle, and is at war with a neighboring warlord, and he orders Washizu and Miki to go on a scouting mission to keep an eye on the enemy troops. Once in the woods, they get lost in the fog. When the fog mysteriously lifts, they encounter a spirit in the form of an old witch who has powers to foretell the future. She tells them that soon Washizu will one day be the new warlord; and after Washizu’s downfall, Miki’s son will take over as leader.

When Washizu informs his power-hungry wife of the spirit’s prediction, she immediately sees this as an opportunity to make her husband as ambitious as herself. She informs him that his friend Miki is probably going to the warlord to tell him of the events. Asaji believes Tsuzuki will have his men kill Washizu to keep the prophecy from coming true. Washizu insists he will retain his honor, but he is shaken by the sudden arrival of the warlord and his troops. Tsuzuki orders Washizu to lead his army into battle against their enemies in an attack the following day. Asaji thinks Tsuzuki ordered her husband to fight only to have him die in battle. So that night, Asaji poison’s Tsuzuki’s guards. She puts a weapon into her husband’s hands and encourages him to kill the sleeping warlord, which he does.

Washizu and Asaji stage Tsuzuki’s death and inform the troops outside that he was killed by his traitorous guards, whom he kills in front of the troops to make it seem like he is avenging Tsuzuki’s demise. Miki (unaware that Washizu killed Tsuzuki) has a lot of pull with the people and suggests that Washizu become the new warlord. Washizu thanks his best friend, and offers Miki’s son to be heir to the throne should he die. With this decree, the troops rally behind Washizu, and soon he is given leadership. Soon after he has come into power, he orders the death of his friend Miki, and his son Yoshiteru. Miki is decapitated, but his son escapes into the woods.

The spirit summons Washizu back into the fog-shrounded forest. The spirit manifests itself and provides another prophecy for Washizu. The spirit predicts he will not lose a battle until the forest walks. Washizu takes the spirit literally, and since he knows the forest can never walk, he believes he will be warlord indefinitely. Meanwhile, Miki’s son has joined forces with the enemies of CobWeb Castle. They intend to invade the castle by using bushes as camouflage. As the camouflaged warriors inch closer to the castle, Washizu watches in fear as the forest walks…

Kurosawa perfectly weaves a cross-cultural pollination of MacBeth in a feudal Japan setting. Like THE SEVEN SAMURAI, Kurosawa elevates the film to an epic status. All the classic Kurosawa techniques are here, including long takes, minimal camera movement, and social climbing women. The story unfolds in such a way that THRONE OF BLOOD could have easily been a live theater production. But Kurosawa wraps it all up with some truly fantastic (and eerie) photography. THRONE OF BLOOD has been criticized for its slower moving parts (such as the funeral procession scene); but there is so much power and emotion in those visuals.

The acting from everyone is perfection, especially Toshiro Mifune. He plays Washizu full of fire and passion. He paces back and forth, bellowing with disbelief as he sinks deeper into the quagmire of deceit. Asaji (Isuzu Yamada) contrasts this by sitting perfectly still. Asaji is the equivalent of Lady MacBeth, and very coldly insinuates and suggests as if she were Washizu’s conscience itself. Occasionally, she raises an eyebrow or smiles; very effective and equal of her husband’s fervent demeanor. Her face is an expressionless white mask, and she is more eerie than the otherworldly spirit herself. Mifune’s death scene is truly memorable, and one of the greatest ever in the history of film.

Eiji Tsuburaya’s simple special effects technique makes the supernatural spirit a truly haunting presence. The spirit resembles an old woman in white clothes. Her voice is hypnotic, and when she fades away, we hear her moaning laughter. The spirit always disappears in a flash of white light, while Mifune and Chiaki appear cowering in the background. Fog also plays a large role in THRONE OF BLOOD, and Kurosawa uses it for his fadeouts and cutaways. The cinematography is so eerie and otherworldly (even in the wide exterior shots) it feels like the film is set on a barren alien world.

- Tony Mustafa