This is an original, rolled, Japanese B2 theatrical movie poster from 1957 for the ORIGINAL (!) release of Throne of Blood directed by Akira Kurosawa with Toshiro Mifune / Isuzu Yamada / Takashi Shimura / Akira Kubo.
This poster is in a near mint condition and has never been folded. It is very very difficult to find this poster in this condition in this day and age!
This very rare and highly sought after poster, is printed in 1957 - it is not a reproduction or a reprint.
As with all of our posters a Certificate of Authenticity is included.
Critical reception
In 1961, the Time review praised Kurosawa and the film as "a visual descent into the hell of greed and superstition". Writing for The New York Times, Bosley Crowther called the idea of Shakespeare in Japanese "amusing," and complimented the cinematography. Most critics stated it was the visuals that filled the gap left by the removal of Shakespeare's poetry. U.K. directors Geoffrey Reeve and Peter Brook considered the film to be a masterpiece, but denied it was a Shakespeare film because of the language. Author Donald Richie praised the film as "a marvel because it is made of so little: fog, wind, trees, mist".
The film has received praise from literary critics despite the many liberties it takes with the original play. The American literary critic Harold Bloom judged it "the most successful film version of Macbeth". Sylvan Barnet writes it captured Macbeth as a strong warrior, and that "Without worrying about fidelity to the original," Throne of Blood is "much more satisfactory" than most Shakespeare films.
In his 2015 Movie Guide, Leonard Maltin gave the film four stars, calling it a "Graphic, powerful adaptation". Throne of Blood currently holds a 95% "rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 43 reviews.