Throne of Blood12A

Dir. Akira Kurosawa | Japan | 1957 | 1h 50m | Japanese w/ English subs | Starring Toshirô Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura

In this vivid adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Akira Kurosawa transposes “The Scottish Play” into a deeply atmospheric exploration of warrior traditions in sixteenth-century Japan. Toshiro Mifune gives a feral performance as the doomed warlord Washizu striving for total power alongside his ruthless wife, portrayed by the brilliant Isuzu Yamada. Kurosawa fuses atmosphere and action with more formal elements taken from Noh theatre in this unforgettable, fog-laden re-telling of Shakespeare’s chilling tragedy.

If you buy a ticket for this screening of Throne of Blood as well as Seven Samurai (Sun 7 Nov, 16:30) and Yojimbo (Sun 7 Nov, 21:00) in a single transaction you will receive a 15% discount on the total cost. 

Reviews

‘It remains a landmark of visual strength, permeated by a particularly Japanese sensibility, and is possibly the finest Shakespearean adaptation ever committed to the screen.’
Derek Malcolm, The Guardian

 

          

Screening as part of Japan 2020: Over 100 years of Japanese Cinema, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network. bfijapan.co.uk

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Throne of Blood between November 7, 2021 and November 8, 2021.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 8th July)

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20:15

Disclosure Day 12A
2h 25m
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Tomorrow (Thursday 9th July)

12:00

Disclosure Day 12A
Parent + Baby Screening
2h 25m
When a Kansas City meteorologist intercepts an inexplicable alien signal during a live broadcast, she begins to unravel a decades-long government cover-up. Steven Spielberg returns to sci-fi with a summer blockbuster of genuine scale and philosophical weight, led by Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor.

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15:15

Familiar Touch 12A
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 32m
Believing she is heading out for a date, retired cook Ruth instead finds herself in an assisted living facility for people living with dementia. Sarah Friedland's Venice-awarded debut follows the rhythms of Ruth's shifting memory with quiet precision and profound tenderness.

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17:30

Disclosure Day 12A
2h 25m
When a Kansas City meteorologist intercepts an inexplicable alien signal during a live broadcast, she begins to unravel a decades-long government cover-up. Steven Spielberg returns to sci-fi with a summer blockbuster of genuine scale and philosophical weight, led by Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor.

Book here

20:45

Familiar Touch 12A
1h 32m
Believing she is heading out for a date, retired cook Ruth instead finds herself in an assisted living facility for people living with dementia. Sarah Friedland's Venice-awarded debut follows the rhythms of Ruth's shifting memory with quiet precision and profound tenderness.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!