Re-reading the Archive: A 21st Century Re-appraisal of Kurosawa’s "The Bad Sleep Well" as a Modern "Hamlet"

Among Japanese film director Kurosawa Akira’s three Shakespeare films, Throne of Blood (1957), Ran (1985), and The Bad Sleep Well (1960), the latter has been relatively ignored in Anglophone criticism. This article investigates reception argues favor its re-appraisal as a Hamlet. On reception, it examines explanations for neglect: modern setting, deconstructive adaptation, cinematic quality. Considering unconvincing, posits that first two were only detrimental to film’s because they respectively did not conform Western expectations essentially pre-modern ‘Oriental’ Japan ‘straight’ canonical Shakespeare. changed attitudes studies, neither these should still be held against film. re-appraisal, may reread 21st century part our continuing memory global discourse. Centering on innovative presentation Claudius Mousetrap, porous border between production ‘crooked’ value tradition oblique approaches familiar scenes characters. By arguing Hamlet worthy study, furthers discussion archival silences new rhizomatic models seek move past more reductive qualities ‘national Shakespeares’ mode discourse dominated 1990s 2000s.