There is simply no denying the filmography of this great director is filled with glorious and breathtaking moments. In “Throne of Blood”, when Lord Washizu (played by Toshiro Mifune) sees the ghost of Miki (Akira Kubo) who has been murdered by Washizu's assassins for fear of dethroning him, is one of these moments which still haunts audiences. The occasion, a dinner at Cobweb Caste, Washizu's fortress as the new lord, sets the tone for the event, as it is a festivity meant to re-affirm the former's general's status and the order within his realm. However, his expression when seeing the ghost destroys all illusion that basically anything is in order and highlights the chaos, as Washizu himself has continued to upset a much higher order and now has to pay the price.
The mastery of this scene in particular has to do with its execution, which is in stark contrast to other adaptation of William Shakespeare's “Macbeth”. While the clash of the supernatural and the reality of court could be the platform for great drama and theatrics, Kurosawa cleverly does not fall for that trap. The eerie silence of the majority of the scene, the missing sound and music, makes for a haunting depiction of a man's psychological downfall, or an image for his crimes against a higher order depending on your reading of the whole action. In combination with Mifune's expression and the reactions of the assembled generals witnessing the scene, emphasizes the distance between the lord and his underlings, between their state of mind and the person who is supposed to be their moral leader. At the same time, we observe the disintegration of a character who has been given a prophecy for this life, one which he aims to fulfill, even though he is digging his own grave.
In the end, this moment, similar to many others, are the reason “Throne of Blood” stays in the mind of the audience. While Akira Kurosawa is often associated with big drama and theatrics, this moment proves how he uses these elements effectively, as a contrast to create great effect and to stress the psychological state of his main character, wonderfully played by Toshiro Mifune.
