directed by: Akira Kurosawa, year: 1957
actors: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki

Throne of Blood (1957) is Akira Kurosawa's stark adaptation of Macbeth set in feudal Japan. Warlord Washizu, spurred by ambition and a calculating wife, seizes power only to be consumed by paranoia as a prophecy and murder close in on him. The film combines potent storytelling with stark, atmospheric visuals, Noh-inspired staging, and rain-soaked cinematography. With Mifune and Yamada delivering chilling performances, Kurosawa crafts a myth of fate, hubris, and doom.

Edo Period, Drama, Samurai Film, Macbeth Adaptation, Japanese Cinema, Psychological Thriller