Starting Toshirô Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura
directed by Akira Kurosawa
108 minutes
Washizu (Toshiro Mifune), commander of the First Fortress, and Miki, commander of the Second Fortress, friends since childhood, get lost in Spider's Web Forest while traveling to see Lord Tsuzuki. They ride around in circles until they find a spirit of the forest who tells them about their futures. The spirit vanishes suddenly and they resume their journey through the forest. They laugh about the future that the forest spirit foretold as they eventually make their way to Spider's Web Castle.
Washizu and Miki are stunned, when upon arriving at Spider's Web Castle, Lord Tsuzuki rewards them for successfully defending his domain (when all seemed lost) from the invading forces of Lord Inui and the traitorous Fujimaki. Washizu is made Lord of the Northern Garrison and Miki is made Commander of the First Fortress. Both promotions are exactly what the forest spirit predicted.
Washizu settles in as Lord of the Northern Garrison but Asaji (Isuzu Yamada), his wife, places doubt in his mind and leads him to believe that his life is in danger. She convinces him, while Lord Tsuzuki is visiting the Northern Garrison, to slay Tsuzuki and blame it on Noriyasu, another of Lord Tsuzuki’s vassals. He does as she suggests and then orders his men to turn on those who came with Lord Tsuzuki.
Kunimaru, Tsuzuki’s son, and Noriyasu (Takashi Shimura) escape back to Spider's Web Castle, chased by Washizu and a small group of men. Lord Miki, who was left in charge of the castle, won’t open the gates for Noriyasu and Kunimaru. Miki’s archers open fire on the two men who are forced to flee.
Washizu brings Lord Tsuzuki’s body back for burial. Miki lets him and his men enter Spider's Web Castle. The two old friends get along but Asaji objects when Washizu says that he (who has no children) plans to make Yoshiteru, Miki’s son, his heir. Asaji convinces him to reconsider (but possibly not alter) his decision after she reveals that she is pregnant.
Things break down between Washizu and Miki. Washizu sends his men to kill Miki and Yoshiteru but the Yoshiteru, whom the forest spirit said would succeed Washizu as Lord of Spider's Castle, escapes. Asaji gives birth not long after that but the baby is stillborn.
Yoshiteru joins forces with Inui, Noriyasu, and Kunimaru. Washizu braces the Spider’s Web Castle for attack but before the enemy strikes he heads back into Spider’s Web Forest and seeks out the forest spirit. It tells him that he can’t be defeated until the forest rises up against him. He takes this to mean that he has nothing to worry about.
Thoughts
This was technically speaking my second time watching this movie. I went to see it at the AFI Silver on Nov 10 but I could barely keep my eyes open and missed a good chunk of the movie. I went home and requested the DVD from the library and finally watched it (properly) for the first time today.
This film, as I understand it, is based on Shakespeare's MacBeth. I took a class in Shakespeare when I was in college but I don't recall if MacBeth was among the plays I read for that class. The closest I have come to watching MacBeth is the film Scotland, PA (2001) which I haven't seen in quite a long time, possibly since I saw it in the theater in 2001.
My one qualm with Throne of Blood is that it is mostly Washizu. It is about how he destroys his relationships with others but it is mostly his story. There are two central relationships in the story: Washizu and Miki, Washizu and Asaji. Miki and Asaji are both very important to the plot of the film but neither of them plays anywhere near as big a role in the film as Washizu.
I like this movie very much. I've seen ten (roughly a third) of Kurosawa's movies. It is not my favorite Kurosawa film, but it's very good.
No comments:
Post a Comment