[ebooks] The Reel World: Music Pro Guides by Jeff Rona in Arts-Photography

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A Thought-provoking Tour Through the Spiders WebBy Patrick Mc Coyobert N. Watson has written some great commentary on one of Akira Kuroswawas masterpieces in BFI: Throne Of Blood (2014). The Japanese title of the film; incidentally; is Kumonosu-jo (Spiders Web Castle). In the introduction; Watson points out that there was a tepid reaction when the film was first released-it was voted the fourth best film of 1957 in the Kinema Junpo end of the year list. However; over time it has garnered respect as one of Kurosawas finest achievements and one of the best film adaptations of a Shakespeare play;Mac Beth; of all time. Watson cites its influence on him probably led him to become a Shakespearean professor. In fact; my own first viewing was as an assignment in an university Shakespeare course to watch the film and compare and contrast it with a filmed Royal Shakespeare performance of MacBeth. Watson states that it is a a profoundly ambivalent exploration of human morality that is at once intensely localized and transhistorical-and deeply self-conscious of the medium. In the next section; "A Guided Tour Through the Spiders Web;" Watson analyzes the film with commentary chronologically as it was presented in the film: from "Day One" until its conclusion on "Day Six." There are several photos to reflect points that Watson makes about mise en scene throughout the discussion. It is a very though provoking analysis and description; in fact; I was inspired to go back and watch my 2003 Criterion edition of the film again.