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How many people died in the making of this film?

posted 15 years ago by yoncenator
7 replies | jump to latest

The battle scenes are amazing, I'm sure that at least a half dozen guys were maimed. Any record of deaths?

Did you tell LUKE..? Is THAT who you could tell??

[–] vincebruno11 15 years ago

i don't know but Kurosawa was such a stickler for detail that i wouldn't be surprised if people got hurt from the use of real arrows. in the film "Throne of Blood" his crew built an entire wooden castle, but Kurosawa had them tear it down and build it over again because they used nails instead of wooden pegs.

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[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] colwood 14 years ago

On the criterion dvd it's noted in the commentary that in the big battle when the third castle is stormed, there is a guy knocked to the ground (and it looks like a real knock) and several horses seem to run over him. Even if it was a stunt guy, there is one horse who jumps him and seems one of his hooves catches the guys' ankle and slams it to the ground. Hard to describe but when that was pointed out I kept thinking the guy had to have gotten some good damage to his ankle and/or knee.

[–] jtwillobee 14 years ago

Just watched this for a second time and noticed this. A horse actually STOMPS right on his leg! You can tell the guy was in some serious pain cause he kind of lifts up his leg, bent at the knee, but he stills plays dead/KOed, then the next horse jumps over him and kicks his foot or ankle mid-flight.

[–] spank-my-17 9 years ago

Yeah, I was horrified watching those scenes. Both for the actors and the horses. :/

[–] DogtownGirl 9 years ago

Whaaaa? 
Surely, every precaution was taken so as not to have any human casualties on set!
The fact that you raised this question is the ultimate compliment concerning Kurosawa's mastery.
I love those fire-tipped arrows, myself.

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] christomacin (4658) 3 years ago

The final, fatal arrow that goes into Mifune's neck at the end of Throne of Blood was actually a real arrow shot by an archer into a block of wood in the back of his head.