Samurai Macbeth

o Throne of Blood

1957 / B&W / 105 min. / Japanese with subtitles
Akira Kurosawa, dir. / Public Media Home Video

Not only is this one of Kurosawa's greatest films, it is also one of the most successful translations of Shakespeare into film. Based on the Bard's Macbeth, Throne of Blood proves there is much more to Shakespeare's work than the language. Though unable to make use of the poetry of the original, Kurosawa carefully preserves the dramatic dynamics and visual vitality of the play. His translation is so complete, the film seems totally Japanese in its character and totally cinematic in its language.

Kurosawa's version is faithful to the story, but he did not make the mistake of trying to keep all the original scenes intact at the expense of creating a true film. The Macbeth character is here called Washizu (Toshiro Mifune), whose characterization is much more animated than that of most portrayers of Macbeth. This contrasts with his much more subdued, though much more ambitious, wife. Lady Washizu's extreme lack of emotion provides a unique interpretation of the part of Lady Macbeth. While it works well early in the film, while she is constantly stoking the fires of ambition in her husband, it makes her mental breakdown toward the end of the film less convincing.

What editing Kurosawa has done to the original seems to actually improve upon it. There are times when Shakespeare seems to lose his plot in his words. While no one can deny the beauty of his poetry, many of his passages take on lives of their own and do little for the play as a whole.

As usual, Kurosawa distinguishes himself through the visual elements of his film. It is not only what he chooses to photograph, but how it is photographed and how the shots are edited together. If you did not know of Shakespeare's Macbeth, there would be little to clue you in to the fact that this film is based on a play. While some of Kurosawa's images, like the movement of Cobweb Forest (Birnam Wood), seem very similar to Orson Welles' earlier screen version, others, such as the blood-spattered room of North Castle, are uniquely his own. The final scene, in which Macbeth meets his end, is one of the most unforgettable in all of film.

This film is a must see for anyone who appreciates film as well as anyone who loves Shakespeare, two very laudable conditions.

-- Robert Stewart

o The Story

Macbeth is based on a true tale of a Scottish king who rose to power through bloody ambition. The play opens as Macbeth has just vanquished a usurper of the current king's throne. He and his comrade Banquo come across three witches who prophesy that Macbeth will be made thane of Cawdor and will eventually become king. When he reaches the king's court, Macbeth is made thane of Cawdor as a reward for his bravery and loyalty. Now the witches' greater prediction begins to occupy the minds of both him and his wife. It is Lady Macbeth who plots the murder of King Duncan and the ascension of her husband to the throne. Macbeth initially resists her prodding, but finally he agrees to commit the regicide. While the plot is successful and Macbeth rises to the throne, many suspect him of the murder. His reign is marked by the murders of his opponents, both real and imagined, and by the visitation of spirits. Both Macbeth and his wife suffer greatly from their guilt, until the dramatic conclusion that ends his bitter rule.