Throne of Blood

Throne of Blood (1957) is a masterpiece of film adaptation, drawing philosophical and psychological arguments from Shakespeare and translating them into striking visual metaphors. It explores the tension between individual aspiration and the stability of broader social and ecological collectives, and the consequences of viewing life as a ruthless competition in an era of neoliberal economics and environmental crisis.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 98 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Throne of Blood (1957), directed by Akira Kurosawa, is widely regarded as the greatest film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. In a comprehensive analysis of the film, Robert N. Watson delves into how Kurosawa draws upon Shakespeare's philosophical and psychological arguments, transforming them into visually striking metaphors and infusing them with the historical context of post-World War II Japan. Watson specifically focuses on the central tension between individual aspiration and the stability of broader social and ecological collectives, highlighting the interplay between free will and determinism. In his foreword to this new edition, Watson reflects on the central characters Washizu and his wife Asaji's misguided perception of life as a ruthless competition in the era of neoliberal economics, resurgent 'strongman political leaders, and myopic views of the environmental crisis, where nothing is valued beyond its monetary worth.

Weight: 164g
Dimension: 135 x 188 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839021879
Edition number: 2 ed