Throne of Blood (1957)

THRONE OF BLOOD

DIRECTED BY: AKIRA KUROSAWA
WRITTEN BY: AKIRA KUROSAWA, HIDEO OGUNI, RYUZO KIKUSHIMA, & SHINOBU HASHIMOTO
BASED ON THE PLAY 'MACBETH' BY: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
OVERALL SCORE: 7.75/10

Samurai Lord (Toshiro Mifune) and scheming wife (Isuzu Yamada) enact plan to remove the Emperor from power, and stake their own claim, following an oracle prophecy.

"...ambition is false fame and will fall, death will reign, man falls in vain"

Out of all of Kurosawa's films, Throne of Blood is inarguably the one I have the most difficulty reviewing. Among those theatrically inclined it is one, if not the, greatest of Kurosawa's film selection. While those who seek out a more calm, seductively smooth, flair, this movie tends to fall on hollow disinterest. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) I fall dead smack in the center.

The over the top performances add extreme emotion to the scenes, but can easily be misconstrued as comical, and not emotional. Mifune and Yamada are marvelous in the depth, and gusto they bring to each scene. Added to the solid supporting cast, and writing of Shakespeare, anyone can see why many consider this to be his true masterpiece. The writing, dialogue, and storytelling are premium, but even still I couldn't escape the off giggle at improper moments. It all seems just a tad too over the top for me. Such a strong story needs strong acting, and at times I wonder if Kurosawa's love for theatricality in acting doesn't make it a bit too off-putting, especially for those with my taste.

Even still, few handle direction as well as Kurosawa, and here he is at his A-game. It's strong, direct, touching on the mystical, but mostly concerned with the characters. There's a dark understand in the lighting, and an ever growing sense of claustrophobia in the rooms. It's great when all of these tie together, but I'm never certain it's as well tied together as it should have been. Kurosawa's minor changes (primarily towards the end) of Shakespeare's tale, leave me a bit befuddled. They're ok, but I think they take away from some of the story's natural irony, and dark comedic moments. Not the worst you can do, but still, I think it's no where near perfect.

Throne of Blood is the sort of Kurosawa film that truly divides its audiences. Yet I think it's well worth the chance, especially if you find it to be one of the grand masterpieces you've been searching for.

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Alternate Perspectives:

"I had issues with characters and certain plot points related to characters but all of the technical brilliance you would expect from a Kurosawa film starring Mifune is there." - GmanReviews

"Throne of Blood is one of the truly grand achievements in the history of cinema!" - Brian's Film Review Blog

Henry V (1989)

HENRY V
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: KENNETH BRANAGH
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
TOP 100 FILMS: #79

After being insulted by the king of France, young King Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) leads his English army into the depths of France, and into one of the bloodiest wars in history.

Deciding between Olivier and Branagh's versions of Henry V and Hamlet depend entirely on what you look for in your movies. If you like your play adaptations to be literal in their shot technique, Olivier is your man, a method I think works great for his Hamlet, but if you're looking for very cinematic style, Branagh brings Henry V to screen in amazing form. As Branagh and Olivier both know, there's no adapting Shakespeare's words for the screen, you just don't do it, and as such both seek to capitalize on his use of them.

Yet Branagh goes the extra mile, he brings to life Shakespeare's highly underrated play, encompassing a world within the film, self aware, and yet a gritty look at war. Using Derek Jacobi as the narrator, Henry V comes to life in the hands of Branagh, with amazing performances from Branagh himself, and supporting stars Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, and a very young Christian Bale. Each delivering their performance in fine form, grasping the dark, and gritty nature Branagh seeks to show amidst the 80s anti-war film movement (alongside films like Platoon).

In doing so Branagh creates what may just be one of the single greatest shots ever designed for a play to film adaptation. The post battle march of the wounded song scene is simply perfection personified. It may be worth watching this entire film alone for that one scene alone, as you grasp all the meaning of the entire film, and the pain felt by each of these characters, in a simple no-cut 3minute shot. Some directors will go their entire career and not design a shot 1/10th a great as that single one.

Yet one shot alone does not make a film, and Branagh knows this. Leading up to it, he keeps the film moving, even during conversations, people are always running around rooms, moving in halls, charging on horses. As such Branagh keeps the pace fast, gripping, ever building in anticipation. While at the same time utilizing some of the Henry play back stories from Shakespeare to give a grander perspective of those outside the mind of the King. So as, we are rewarded with a Shakespeare adaptation that is both concise, entertaining, gripping, and when it comes to films on Henry V, unmatched in execution.

While it depends on your flair of film, in terms of play adapting, Branagh's 1989 masterpiece brings to life one of the most cinematically inclined plays of all time.