Kurosawa/Mizoguchi
Presented in 35mm
Friday, March 24 | 8:30 pm
Saturday, April 1 | 5:30 pm
In one of the finest, most richly cinematic Shakespearian adaptations ever committed to film, Akira Kurosawa transposes Macbeth—the Bard’s tragic tale of murderous ambition—to feudal Japan. Drawing aesthetic inspiration from the Noh Theater, Kurosawa makes masterful use of sound and silence, rendering the play’s supernatural elements with an eerie grace. Freely mixing sublime naturalism and overt theatricality, the film juxtaposes stark, stylized palace interiors against portentous fog-shrouded landscapes, where every birdcall and lightning strike is the bearer of prophetic meaning. Throne of Blood is further elevated by Toshirō Mifune’s blistering performance in the lead role. Brimming with intellect and intensity, he telegraphs the fatal combination of stalwart honor and barely suppressed wrath that leads tragic heroes to their untimely doom. It is our sincere pleasure to present Throne of Blood on 35mm.
Director Akira Kurosawa 1957 Japan 110 minutes NR 35mm
