Akira Kurosawa

[Chris Daddy Cool]

I currently own 4 of his movies, which have all been fantastic. (Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ran, and Ikiru). How would you rate him to other great directors?

How would you rank his movies to other great (American) movies?

And any other comment.

[istewart]

I liked Moo Shu Pork. Great film.

[whiskeytown]

he's one of the top 10 in the world - IMHO - pretty good -

try yojimbo and sanjuro -

RB

[Paluka]

I hated Ran, but I've liked everything else. My faves are definitely Seven Samurai, High and Low, and Yojimbo.

[smokingrobot]

have you seen kurosawa's dreams?

his influence is spread throughout modern cinema, as i hear from many places. if i knew more about film i could be more specific.

definately one of the best.

[Blarg]

I like him a lot. I particularly like both that he has a social conscience and that he observes society at multiple levels, unlike so many other talented directors.

I also like him, frankly, because he takes a modern Western viewer into such a vastly different world. I feel like there's the possibility of surprise in every scene, which is the last thing I've come to expect from today's movies and t.v. His films always offer a chance to feel delight, and discovery.

He's not immune to letting his actors get a little hammy, but he also can have a modesty with the camera that I enjoy a lot. He shoots in wide angles, with lots of long and medium shots, and pans, giving his scenes time and space to unfold. This gives us a chance to look at more than one spot on the screen, and to feel we're getting to know the actors and their environment rather than being force-fed a narrow vision by over-eager editors or a show-off director. His space feels "lived-in," and even though he deals with a culture so different and separated in time from my own, I have an odd and refreshing tendency to "feel at home" somehow in the worlds his movies create. Still, though he gives his actors and scenes time and space to breathe and develop a tangible presence and life of their own, he isn't lazy about keeping the frame dynamic. He aggressively pans and tracks across and through a scene, has people run and armies surge in and out of frame, has a strong compositional sense, gives us interesting-looking actors, and uses sound cues well.

I have to admit I'm no fan of Ran, and saw but wasn't blown away by Rashomon, but loved Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and Tokyo Story(I think it was -- Mifune plays an executive out for revenge). The latter is the only one I haven't watched over and over again, because I don't own it. I think I've done that the most for Yojimbo, and after that, Seven Samurai. I'm really looking forward to seeing the other ones I have in my Netflix queue.

[private joker]

He is this good. (http://exitmusic.mindspring.com.namezero.com/id31.html)

[Blarg]

What a peculiar selection.

[private joker]

Not as peculiar as Tokyo Story, since that was directed by Ozu.

[Jeff W]

You think Do the Right Thing is the ninth best movie ever made?

Edit: NM, list is 50 favorite, not best. I can dig it.

[Blarg]

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Not as peculiar as Tokyo Story, since that was directed by Ozu.

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Thought it might be, so that's why I gave a quick synopsis. But I'm not here to compete with you, so don't squabble. I have no idea how you managed to dream up a competition or comparison, but I suspect it's not an uncommon occurrence.

And arguably, a list that has The Bugs Bunny Movie toward the top, and a short film, and puts Under Siege as one of the top 40 films ever made is a pretty unusual -- and very arguable -- list.

I have no idea why you linked to it, except perhaps to get people to visit your personal site. It would have been more useful to just say which of his films you liked best and why.

It is the subject of the thread, after all.

[private joker]

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I have no idea how you managed to dream up a competition or comparison, but I suspect it's not an uncommon occurrence.

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1. What are you talking about? What competition? I posted my opinion and you called KAGEMUSHA a peculiar choice. I made a funny retort. Explain.

2. Me making funny retorts is not uncommon, true.

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And arguably, a list that has The Bugs Bunny Movie

[/ QUOTE ]

It's The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, and the Warner Brothers - Chuck Jones cartoons from that period are some of the finest animation ever created. I see no reason to defend putting my favorite animated film among my 50 *favorite* movies.

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and a short film

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh. I see. Only long movies can be masterpieces.

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and puts Under Siege as one of the top 40 films ever made

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Now it's getting surreal. I hate Under Siege. Why would I put that on my list? It's not on the list. It wasn't even among the top 40 movies of whatever year it came out, let alone of all time. You must have been looking at your own list.

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is a pretty unusual -- and very arguable -- list.

[/ QUOTE ]

All top movie lists are arguable, so I don't understand that comment.

And I want it to be unusual. I do not strive for the same canon that's on every AFI and Newsweek poll.

[Blarg]

1. You're the one who made a comparison. It's right there for you to read, so I don't know what the problem is. I remarked there was no reason to do so. There is nothing complicated going on here.

2. Die Hard, Under Siege, whatever. I gave the number as 40, and that's how I looked it up to go check. You know exactly what I meant.

3. Your list is titled "Top 50," not "My Favorite 50." The lack of clarity is helped in your introductory paragraph, but I skimmed it. As (I think it was)John Belushi said to Flounder in Animal House after his family's car was ruined on the road trip, "You f*cked up, Flounder. You trusted us!" It's pretty natural to think your title would actually be a closer match to the subject matter. The title suggests a ranking of best films. Why you would give someone a link to your personal favorites is simply beyond me.

4. The Bugs Bunny movie -- I love the old Warner stuff too, but again, this goes back to #3 above. I thought this was a "best of," as your title seems to imply. At least, that's what everybody else's Top X movie lists mean.

5. It's unusual that you included a short film. That's a fair observation. Most wouldn't.

By the standards of either best of or favorite, it would be hard to push aside shorts like that Michigan J. Frog short("Some Froggy Evening?" I forget) or some of the other Warners shorts, which Spielberg said was a flawless work. I just don't normally see them up for inclusion.

[-Skeme-]

MF Doom sucks. Anyway, I'm seeing Seven Samurai tomorrow.

[pshreck]

[ QUOTE ]

2. Die Hard, Under Siege, whatever.

[/ QUOTE ]

This comment along with the rest of your post is some of the worse arguing I have ever seen. It's like you actually think it makes sense though. Interesting.

[somethingstupid]

I thought this thread was going to have a lot of scantily clad women in it.

[Senor Cardgage]

[ QUOTE ]
1. You're the one who made a comparison. It's right there for you to read, so I don't know what the problem is. I remarked there was no reason to do so. There is nothing complicated going on here.

[/ QUOTE ]

You made what appeared to be an attack on his taste. He replied appropriately. Also: funny.

[ QUOTE ]

2. Die Hard, Under Siege, whatever. I gave the number as 40, and that's how I looked it up to go check. You know exactly what I meant.

3. Your list is titled "Top 50," not "My Favorite 50." The lack of clarity is helped in your introductory paragraph, but I skimmed it. As (I think it was)John Belushi said to Flounder in Animal House after his family's car was ruined on the road trip, "You f*cked up, Flounder. You trusted us!" It's pretty natural to think your title would actually be a closer match to the subject matter. The title suggests a ranking of best films. Why you would give someone a link to your personal favorites is simply beyond me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You said "one of the top 40" not "40th best". That's vague and led me to believe you meant one of the films in the 30s. I saw Die Hard at 40 and thought you might be referring to that, but it was hard to know "exactly what you meant". Don't criticize him for being vague when you're just as guilty.

Also, Die Hard: really good action flick. Under Siege: not so much.

[DavidC]

[ QUOTE ]
I currently own 4 of his movies, which have all been fantastic. (Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ran, and Ikiru). How would you rate him to other great directors?

How would you rank his movies to other great (American) movies?

And any other comment.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was just going to say... "Akira's a guy's name, I was kinda hoping for pics, but not of a guy."

[Blarg]

Please. Number 40 is by definition one of the top 40.

There is nothing hard to understand going on here.

I think your objections are clearly neither valid nor reasonable.

Besides, it looks like this thread has gotten permanently derailed, and neither a useful nor interesting direction.

I seem to recall it having something to do with Kurosawa.

[Phoenix1010]

I didn;yt read the whole post, or any of the wreplies. What;s awesome, is I read the title of this post, then whent out to the bars. And at the bar, Seven Samurai was playing on the TV for some reason. I ignored my friends and my dart game to watch it. Such an incredible moviel.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
He is this good. (http://exitmusic.mindspring.com.namezero.com/id31.html)

[/ QUOTE ]

I just saved that link for future reference, great selection PJ. A few movies surprised me, but overall I need to work my way down your list with the ones I haven't seen yet. Really happy to see Cool Hand Luke, Raise the Red Lantern, and Midnight Cowboy up there, these are often overlooked yet are all classics in my book.
I forgot Amadeus, I must rent that again. I think you should add Harold &amp; Maude to your list, its a genre that was missing.


Back to the topic - Kurosawa's cinematography is always without a doubt some of the most awe inspiring of all time.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[fnord_too]

Korusawa is great. He is in the top tier of directors, and I don't think you can really rank the directors of that level against each other.

Ozu, who was mentioned in this thread, is probably the second biggest Japanese director. I have only seen one of his films, "Floating Weeds," and it was pretty good. He does more character studies than plot based films. (Also, he judged the quality of the scripts he worked on by how many empty saki bottles were lined up at the end of the effort.)

I'm getting DVD collection envy just reading this thread.

[AsiaKurosawa]

I'm not a movie buff, but Kagemusha is a must for fans imo (just released on dvd). Even if you're not a "fan," it is epic film making and just... a stunner. (Netflix is your friend!)

I'm not a Ran fan either (as it seems others aren't), but that's mostly because I'm a Shakespeare snob who thinks that homage to Lear without women-children is incomplete (or just not as... something as it is in Lear). I'm also a big Lear/Shakespeare in general fan, so anything "inspired" is often judged more harshly by me than if they wouldn't have been. (And also another reason to love kurosawa; I think he does shakespeare on film much better than ... a lot of people! The only other Shakespeare film I enjoy more than his is Branaugh's Hamlet.)

In that vein, throne of blood is a favorite, mainly b/c of "lady macbeth" and how ... jesus just thinking of her raises the hackles on my neck! It's not LM, but it is... For me it's hard to see Mifune in a non-sympathetic type of role like tob, but <font color="white">the death's scene awesome nonetheless. </font>

Rashomon's also awesome storytelling, but I saw it in hs and kinda reminds me too much of those days to make me want to watch it again. Of course seven samurai rocks, and yojimbo/sanjuro too!

I read on imdb that he was responsible for the japanese scenes in tora tora tora... didn't know that! /images/graemlins/smile.gif (one of my grandfather's favorite films, going to go to the top of my netflix queue once I get home to norcal.)

My favorite remains Dreams though. Too many reasons why! Fav vignette from Dreams-- Van Gogh one. The entire movie's way different, haunting, and a masterpiece, really.

aK
(no relation!)

[private joker]

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Back to the topic - Kurosawa's cinematography is always without a doubt some of the most awe inspiring of all time.



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Yes. Which is why KAGEMUSHA is so incredible. It has a few shots that are just whoppers even on Kurosawa terms. I'm thinking of the soldiers returning from war single file against the burning sunset, the sleeping soldiers rising like ants as the messenger races through them, and of course the body floating past the floating war flag in the water.

An unforgettable film.

[hoyaboy1]

Haven't seen Kagemusha yet - when I get back to the US and restart netflix I'll check it out.

Of the Kurosawa I've seen, my rankings go like this:

1 - Ran
2 - Seven Samurai
3 - Yojimbo
4 - Rashomon
5 - Hidden Fortress
6 - Sanjuro

I need to see more.

[Felix_Nietsche]

"The Seven Samurai" is my favorite samurai movie of all time. Part of it is because it is a great story, good acting, and great directing. AK was a pioneer in several directing techniques that are still in use today. But 5 hour movies with subtitles doesn't appeal to mass audiences.

I think most Hollywood movies have LOUSY stories with TERRIBLE writing so even if the world's greatest director were assigned to these movies, the film would still suck.

Anyway, Akira Kurosawa is a great director.

[Phat Mack]

He's one of my favorites. One of his flicks that I like is High and Low, sort of a noirish crime flick. It used to be hard to find, but with all the web-based dvd rental places, might be readily available now.