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.

Join our mailing list and we'll make sure you always know what's on and when.

What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 19th August)

15:15

The Summer Book PG
1h 35m
Eight-year-old Sophia spends the summer with her father and grandmother on their family island in Finland's Gulf, all three grieving her mother's recent death. Directed by Charlie McDowell and starring Glenn Close, this quiet drama adapts Tove Jansson's novel.

Book here

17:30

Daughters of the Dust 12A
1h 52m
At the dawn of the 20th century, a Gullah family on South Carolina's Sea Islands faces a difficult choice between preserving their cultural heritage and embracing an uncertain future. Julie Dash's groundbreaking film is a visually stunning, deeply moving landmark of American cinema.

Book here

20:00

The Odyssey 15
2h 52m
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, journeys home after the Trojan War, confronting vengeful gods and monstrous trials along the way. Christopher Nolan adapts Homer's epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 20th August)

11:45

The Summer Book PG
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 35m
Eight-year-old Sophia spends the summer with her father and grandmother on their family island in Finland's Gulf, all three grieving her mother's recent death. Directed by Charlie McDowell and starring Glenn Close, this quiet drama adapts Tove Jansson's novel.

Book here

14:00

The Odyssey 15
2h 52m
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, journeys home after the Trojan War, confronting vengeful gods and monstrous trials along the way. Christopher Nolan adapts Homer's epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Book here

17:30

The Summer Book PG
1h 35m
Eight-year-old Sophia spends the summer with her father and grandmother on their family island in Finland's Gulf, all three grieving her mother's recent death. Directed by Charlie McDowell and starring Glenn Close, this quiet drama adapts Tove Jansson's novel.

Book here

19:45

The Odyssey 15
2h 52m
Odysseus, King of Ithaca, journeys home after the Trojan War, confronting vengeful gods and monstrous trials along the way. Christopher Nolan adapts Homer's epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Book here


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!