Blu-ray & 4K UHD release: ‘Throne of Blood’

By   |  May 18, 2025

BFI are bringing the 1957 Japanese period drama ‘Throne of Blood’ (蜘蛛巣城) to UK Blu-ray and 4K UHD on May 19, 2025.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa and based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, the film revolves around a war-hardened general who, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfil a prophecy that he will become lord of Spider’s Web Castle. The cast includes Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura, Akira Kubo, and Hiroshi Tachikawa.

Synopsis: Returning to their lord’s castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the first part of the spirit’s prophecy comes true, Washizu’s scheming wife, Asaji, presses him to speed up the rest of the spirit’s prophecy by murdering his lord and usurping his place.

Features:
• Newly restored in 4K and presented in High Definition
• Introduction by Sir Ian McKellen (2016, 2 mins)
• Introduction to ‘Throne of Blood’ by Mamoun Hassan (2012, 7 mins)
• Audio commentary by Michael Jeck
• Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create – Throne of Blood (2002, 23 mins)
• Macbeth (1945, 16 mins): two scenes from Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy
• Original trailer
• Illustrated booklet [First Pressing only]

‘Throne of Blood’ is available to pre-order now from Amazon.co.uk.

Phil Mills
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