The original title of the film is Kumonosu Jô.

“Admirable, my Lord. You, who would soon rule the world, allow a ghost to frighten you.”

The story is about 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.

‘Throne of Blood’ is a gloomy, atmospheric retelling of Shakespeare's classic story of Macbeth. It took me awhile to realize that it’s a loose retelling of Macbeth until halfway through, so most of the time I was noticing certain plot points. Even then, it’s a intriguing interpretation with many elements of general horror, foreboding and dread. That’s director Akira Kurosawa for you.
Toshirô Mifune delivers an energetic and fiery performance. Isuzu Yamada (who basically plays Lady Macbeth) is both eerie and almost ghostly.

Who would’ve thought Shakespeare would still work effectively without the rhythm and rhyme, set in the backdrop of Japan. A timeless tale.

Pretty boring and tedious to be honest.

Knowing the Macbeth story well, there was never any tension in this

Yes the visuals and acting are good but it just drags.

4-5/10

It's a great movie. The director has made his master talk again. I was interested in both acting, visual and story. Supernatural scenes were also chilling.

Akira Kurosawa's first flirtation with Shakespearean material, and arguably his best. A loose interpretation of Macbeth, it's stunningly composed and shot, brilliantly acted and, oddly, very leisurely paced. Like a lazy stroll through a moonlit enchanted forest, it blends its more fantastic, mystical themes with a dark edge, setting it all against a hazy, eerie backdrop.

Kurosawa veteran Toshiro Mifune is the inescapable center of attention as a power-hungry young general who's slowly, violently losing his mind. His rapid descent into lunacy is vibrant and ensnaring, especially when he's fully lost the plot, dodging arrows in the unforgettable penultimate scene. Although its deliberate, methodical speed left me sleepwalking a few times, that's a small price to pay for the riches it delivers in other areas.

I don't like Kurosawa's pacing. Feels like he is in a hurry to get to the end.