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IMDbPro

Throne of Blood

Original title: Kumonosu-jô
  • 19571957
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
52K
YOUR RATING
Toshirô Mifune and Isuzu Yamada in Throne of Blood (1957)
  • Drama
  • History
A war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle.A war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle.A war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
52K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Hideo Oguni(screenplay)
    • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
    • Ryûzô Kikushima(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Minoru Chiaki
    • Isuzu Yamada
Top credits
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Hideo Oguni(screenplay)
    • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
    • Ryûzô Kikushima(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Minoru Chiaki
    • Isuzu Yamada
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 166User reviews
    • 99Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos113

    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Isuzu Yamada in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Throne of Blood (1957)
    Throne of Blood (1957)
    Throne of Blood (1957)
    Throne of Blood (1957)
    Throne of Blood (1957)
    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)
    Toshirô Mifune in Throne of Blood (1957)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Toshirô Mifune
    Toshirô Mifune
    • Taketoki Washizu
    Minoru Chiaki
    Minoru Chiaki
    • Yoshiaki Miki
    Isuzu Yamada
    Isuzu Yamada
    • Lady Asaji Washizu
    Takashi Shimura
    Takashi Shimura
    • Noriyasu Odagura
    Akira Kubo
    Akira Kubo
    • Yoshiteru Miki
    Hiroshi Tachikawa
    • Kunimaru Tsuzuki
    • (as Yôichi Tachikawa)
    Takamaru Sasaki
    • Kuniharu Tsuzuki
    Gen Shimizu
    Gen Shimizu
    • Washizu samurai
    Kokuten Kôdô
    Kokuten Kôdô
    • Military Commander
    Kichijirô Ueda
    Kichijirô Ueda
    • Washizu's workman
    Eiko Miyoshi
    Eiko Miyoshi
    • Old Woman at castle
    Chieko Naniwa
    Chieko Naniwa
    • Old Ghost Woman
    Nakajirô Tomita
    • Second Military Commander
    Yû Fujiki
    • Washizu samurai
    Sachio Sakai
    • Washizu samurai
    Shin Ôtomo
    Shin Ôtomo
    • Washizu samurai
    Yoshio Tsuchiya
    Yoshio Tsuchiya
    • Washizu samurai
    Yoshio Inaba
    Yoshio Inaba
    • Third Military Commander
    • Director
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • Writers
      • Hideo Oguni(screenplay)
      • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
      • Ryûzô Kikushima(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally, Akira Kurosawa was planning on building merely a facade castle for the film, but this proved to be an impractical step, prompting the building of full castle sections to use in shooting. These were built with the help of United States Marines who were based in the area.
    • Goofs
      When the witch runs in the forest, she briefly can be seen wearing sneakers.
    • Quotes

      Lady Asaji Washizu: Admirable, my Lord. You, who would soon rule the world, allow a ghost to frighten you.

    • Connections
      Featured in A Japanese Film Festival (1957)

    User reviews166

    Review
    Top review
    Excellent Combination of Shakespeare & Kurosawa
    Directors don't come much better than Kurosawa, writers don't come much better than Shakespeare, and movies don't come much better than this excellent combination of the two. Add Mifune's acting, plus a good supporting cast (including a really good performance by Isuzu Yamada), and you have a top-quality, classic film. In retelling the story of "Macbeth" with characters from medieval Japan, Kurosawa does honor to the original and creates a fine achievement in its own right.

    Much of the time, when Shakespeare plots are transferred to different settings, what results is only a shadow of the original, because too many directors have only a limited grasp of what Shakespeare's deep masterpieces are all about. That is not at all the case here - Kurosawa shows a great appreciation for the themes and potential of the Macbeth story, and adds plenty of masterful touches of his own, creating a distinctive, memorable atmosphere and characters that come to life in their own right in addition to serving as worthy parallels to the Macbeth characters. There are many fine details that enhance both the medieval Japanese setting and also the important themes of the story itself.

    Whether you like Shakespeare, Kurosawa, or both, "Throne of Blood" is an excellent movie that should not disappoint.
    helpful•27
    4
    • Snow Leopard
    • Apr 25, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 22, 1961 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Krvavi prestol
    • Filming locations
      • Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Toho Company
      • Kurosawa Production Co.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,808
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,942
      • Jul 28, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $46,808
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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