Akira Kurosawa -- Why He's Great, and What Are His Greatest Movies?
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Akira Kurosawa is a widely acknowledged master of the cinematic arts. His best-known films are considered by everybody to be beloved world classics: Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Red Beard, Yojimbo.
I watched his 30 movies, thought hard about them, and then created this video for anybody who has or has not seen a Kurosawa movie. Whether you love him or have never heard of him, you'll get a lot out of this video.
It covers seven of his major themes, spread across his five decades' worth of movies.
Discussed in the video: Sanjuro; I Live in Fear; Scandal; Drunken Angel; Kagemusha; Derzu Uzala; Ikiru; Ran, and more.
See joshmatthews.org for more great movie criticism.
Watching a Kurosawa movie is like watching a Hitchcock movie. You start off and watch a couple of his films, and then realize you are hooked and need to see more of his films.
yes!
Yes but there a quite a few that are pretty dull !
@@cliftonwebb3295nonsense…
When we think Akira Kurosawa, we automatically think of Toshirô Mifune. But let's not forget that Kurosawa elicited amazing performances from Takashi Shimura in 20 of Kurosawa's 31 films. Think Ikiru, Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Scandal, and Drunken Angel.
Just yesterday had the absolute pleasure of seeing Rashomon at the cinema, without know anything about the actual story, except of course that it would be a "rashomon" style with multiple views... a wonderful wonderful treat, I was totally absorbed and was grinning from ear to ear when I left the cinema!!!
Just watched "High and Low" yesterday. The scene with the junky's in the alley was totally iconic. "Ikiru" is still breaking my heart. When he sings that song for the first time at the bar with the novelist, I lost it. The sheer hopeless regret in that scene is almost unbearable. I can only compare it to the end of Sansho the Bailiff, except unblunted bu Sansho's almost mythic context.
Just watched red beard because of this video. What an incredible, moving film. Kurosawa’s a genius!
great!
Nice, Red Beard is my favorite of all his movies.
Beauty! Mifune's pairing with Kurosawa is akin to DiNiro with Scorsese, linkage of which (i.e. director to director) is already established. It's like a hand finding a perfectly fitted glove, and one the wearer appreciates again, and again.
Hello from England, I've just discovered your channel. Really enjoying all your videos so far, thank you for making some great content. I share your passion for Kurosawa movies!
thank you! I hope you gain much from the videos and comments on them, as this channel has attracted many excellent commenters. England is a great country, and I hope to visit for a long period of time eventually.
it’s interesting that kurosawa’s “I live in fear”, tarkovsky’s “The Sacrifice”, and Bergman’s “Winter Light” all share the common theme of a man obsessing over nuclear war.
yes. do you think kurosawa influenced the other two?
Learning about Movies It’s hard to say but knowing how much Bergman and Tarkovsky admire Kurosawa. It’s definitely likely. I also believe they all share much of the same feelings having went through WW2.
HBOMax has a collection of Kurosawa’s movies and I’m going through them now, started with Rashomon - just wow! Came here to hear your thoughts and glad found your video. Thank you for the themes and pairings, I’m looking forward to watching your recs.
Kurosawa's movies help one understand the potential in combining modern technology with traditional aesthetics. Japanese movie of that era was the perfect recipe for that exceptional visual storytelling. Kurosawa used all the techniques of modern movie making e.g. tele lenses to capture movements, multiple camera setup, shooting in real location,etc. But, these were only props to tell his extraordinary tales. no compromise in acting, editing or storytelling were there. New movies try to emulate that effect. But those were not effects at all. You can not even imitate Mifune by only scowling or shouting or brandishing the Katana. You have to imbibe that Bushi spirit. And the framing ! The castle staircase scene in The Hidden Fortress! Heavenly! Thanks Dr.Josh for the excellent video. With love from India Jiten...
excellent, jiten. thank you.
@@LearningaboutMovies You can analyse other movies of Satyajit Ray like Mahanagar, and Agantuk. And a great adventure movie Sonar Kella! These are cinematic masterpieces. Thank you for replying ! I have rarely seen any content creator replying to comments in such a gentle way!
@@LearningaboutMovies kzhead.info/sun/eMqrf9KJnnekp6M/bejne.html Please watch if you like. English subtitled Agantuk, the last movie by Satyajit Ray
1. Seven Samurai 2. High and Low 3. Rashomon 4. Throne of Blood 5. Yojimbo 6. Ikiru 7. Sanjuro 8. Ran 9. The Hidden Fortress 10. Kagemusha
thank you.
Honestly with every other director out there, someone else’s top ten list is almost never something I agree with 100%- but in this case I can’t argue with you
His movies are TOP NOTCH ! I LOVE EVERYONE I'VE EVER WATCHED .🤠🖖🎄
His film "Ran" is one of the most Epic films ever
love that you talk about the classics. keep it up
thank you, Chance. I appreciate you watching and commenting.
I finally got round to watching Rashomon today and I loved it! Thanks for the great run down of his other work, I think this week is gonna become Kurosawa week as they all sound great. Subscribed and liked! :D
thank you.
Forgot to mention that "The Bad Sleep Well" is an adaptation of Hamlet.
thanks.
I love all of his works, but Ran is my favorite movie of all time
good choice!
The cinematography in Ran is some of the best ever. Absolutely beautiful film. Plus, Shakespeare adaptation for bonus points.
Let's just say that I've forked out a lot of hard-earned bucks on a hardware compatibility upgrade SOLELY to be able to watch the new 4K-remastered Blu-ray of "Ran". Money well spent if you ask me!
Thanks so much for making this video! I want to check out some of his movies now in my free time! Excellent video
thank you. enjoy!
I wish more of these were on blu ray. Criterion has done fantastic releases of many of these, but there's still big holes in the Kurosawa catalog for people that want to buy high resolution physical copies.
agreed. "The Idiot" needs it badly. That movie depends on lighting, but the low-res version that I saw was incomprehensible, and it ruins the movie. Yet maybe the best candidates for them are "I Live in Fear" and "Scandal." The fact that they have a couple of Eclipse Series on Kurosawa might be why they haven't done the restorations. Eventually, they ought to do a Kurosawa Box Set, just like they did for Bergman.
I haven't watched it yet, but The Idiot is on the Criterion Channel. Wouldn't that be a restored version?
Love his movies, a real master of the arts. I'll come back later to watch the video.
great!
Thank you so much for this very useful video on Kurosawa filmmaking 🙏
you're welcome. I appreciate your comment.
Ikiru should be mandatory viewing for everyone on this planet. The most emotional, real and profound movie ever made.
I love that he can also be a short story director as well. Dreams and Dodeskaden pair well together. As a man who was a painter, he can frame small stories so well. Rhapsody in August is also a great small study of a quiet life. Ikiru was the film that changed my life, and I will always love him for that.
thank you. Very helpful!
Pick one? Hmm I think I will go for all of them! Thanks for the running through and listing them.
you're welcome.
I consider him the greatest filmmaker of all time. Love the attention you give him in this video!
thank you
Kurosawa = The Greatest Director ever.
if we had to pick one, he's a strong candidate.
This 2021 article mentions SEVEN SAMURAI and RASHOMON: "Final Scenes | Is The Increasing Subjectivity Of Truth Becoming The New Abnormal?"
Lovely video! The "poor doctor" theme reminded me of the movie "A Royal Affair" starring Mads Mikkelsen, based on a novel by swedish writer P.O Enquist.
thank you.good recommendation -- I"ll check it out.
Really interesting video. I have been interested in checking Kurosawa out for quite sometime, but I never had the opportunity. Now, thanks to a Black Friday sale, I have ordered a blu-ray box containing Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro. I can’t wait to finally see all of these, but I think I need to track down a copy of Ran after seeing this video as well
yes, wonderful. your path is through his historical films, but don't dismiss his modern films (set in the 20th century). I did for awhile, but once I watched High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well -- wow.
@@LearningaboutMovies I will definitely give them a watch. The ones you mentioned in this video stemmed really interesting. However, finding Kurosawa films in Sweden is a bit hard tbh. You mostly need to buy them from other countries in Europe which sucks.
is it possible for you to use a VPN and subscribe to Criterion Channel? it should have most or all of his available.
Thank you so much
You're most welcome.
I have Yojimbo , Sanjuro , Kagemusha and Ran
thank you.
Love this vid. Checking out Rashomon asap!
you might like it, though it takes concentration. Might help to read a little about it before watching. Totally depends on your movie-going experience though. When I show it college students, they don't take to it until it's discussed and explained a bit.
@@LearningaboutMovies Really liked it. Certainly takes a lot of focus considering the small details of each person's story is key in understanding what Kurosawa was going for. Toshirô Mifune was flat out incredible and is easily becoming my favorite actor. I've encouraged some friends to check it out so we can discuss.
I've seen all of these movies. Each one great in it's own way. It's funny you mentioned the influence of the West but forgot to mention how High and Low is based on book by a westerner Ed Mcbain.
Thank you.
Your reviews are great !! I would request you to make some analysis of Hirokazu Koreeda. I watched his Like Father, Like Son, and Still Walking. Simply great !! You can also work on Nuri Bilge Ceylan's movies. You are doing a great job !! People should first see your reviews and then watch the films for a better understanding. I love your Bergman reviews. Best wishes !!
thank you very much.
Great eye, I enjoy Ceylan too, especially Winter Sleep, one of my fave movies. I do not know H. Koreeda.
Ran and Kagemusha are my favourite!
that's how i feel too, for me 7 Sam and Roshomon are good, certainly revelations at the time, and Hidden Fortress a personal favorite, but Ran and Kagemusha really get one in a deep way, as Kurosawa in color really pops ... very meditative and dramatic
What are his greatest movies? The Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Ikiru. Of course he made many others, most them really good, once he got going. High and Low, Dersu Uzala. Red Beard.
←you can meet Akira Kurosawa
After watching your video, I had to dip into my Criterion channel and watch a few Kurosawa that I Had not seen before. I am a tremendous fan of Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, and Ikiru, (and others). Ikiru is an existential poem. I watched Scandal, which although interesting because of it’s truly ahead-of-its-time subject matter, and, always, Mifune is worth watching. But I wouldn’t put it on upper tier. Next was Stray Dog, Which I found fascinating, and close to upper tier. (That’s after one viewing). Mifune’s obsession and guilt as he chases after the man he almost became, his alternate-reality doppelgänger. And the movie seems a template for the movie trope detective duo (Se7en, and so many others). Is this the earliest representation of the trope?
my guess is that it isn't, even though results on the Internet say yes. however, I don't know its inspiration. Kurosawa seems to me a great adapter and amalgamater, taking familiar materials and reworking them. not sure he came up with anything new. The doctor in "Drunken Angel" seems taken directly from the drunk Doc Boone character in "Stagecoach." My guess is that you can find literature or Hollywood movies that are some inspiration for "Stray Dog." Good question!
There were so many nice, specific, humanizing details in Stray Dog (that superficially seem "unnecessary", but add so much). Such as the prolonged sequence where Mifune tails the prostitute only to have her buy him a beer and admire the stars, or the close ups of the sighing and sweaty dancers resting. After the Kurosawa binge I watched "Bunny Lake is Missing" by Otto Preminger, which, although I wouldn't call "G" Great, has a lot to recommend it, and pulled me in and kept me there. Criterion Channel is great, especially in quarantine. My class has to watch your Rashoman video (I certainly won't be teaching it this year!)
thanks for mentioning Preminiger movie. looked interesting. The only problem with Criterion Channel is that you need a couple of decades to watch it all.
Option anxiety. I have the same problem with Spotify. But options sure beat back when it was IMPOSSIBLE to see many movies.
i'm curious about your thoughts on kurosawa's film Dreams (1990)!
a very nice film which I should've mentioned in the video. been awhile since I've seen it, but one of the better final movies of an older director.
Bt where this films are available ? Plez mention the website
Criterion Channel streams most or maybe even all of them. It does require a subscription. That's the easiest way to find them, but hopefully it is available in your country.
IKIRU is his most underrated film. For me my favourite is Seven Samurai.
Ikiru is pretty highly rated, usually . For me the underrated are Throne of Blood, I Live in Fear, and Derzu Uzala, with maybe The Bad Sleep Well in there too.
Dersu Uzala definitely one of the most underrated
Also, I would like to bring to your attention the Alchemical elements of Kubrick in his master work 2001: A Space Odyssey. Diggin' in to this would be an amazing video. Cinema is such a rich medium with so much to uncover.
yeah, 2001 is on my list. thank you.
Everyone forgets yojimbo is the. same story in Bruce Willis Last Man Standing about a depression town.
yes.
Akira Kurosawa's "Dreams"?? With Scorsese as Vincent Van Gogh ✔✔✔✔✔
could be in here!
a personal fav of mine as well
where do i get to watch his films
Criterion channel streams most of them, if you are willing to pay. A VPN might help you access it.
Rashomon was definitely a great movie. However, the acting in several instances was very over the top, which took away from the experience a bit for me. I also found the sound in the film to be rather piercing and difficult to listen to.
that's fair. I believe that Japanese acting, at least then, was more histrionic than we are used to. Plus the Mifune character is supposed to be animalistic, and the exaggerated actions of everybody can be excused as the false or impartial stories told by the film's four narrators. as for sound, I ought to listen to it on headphones carefully to see.
@@LearningaboutMovies those are some great points, it is a whole other culture with a completely different cinematic history. As far as sounds, really the moments I’m talking about are (iirc) the scene with the medium, when the wife would scream, and the baby at the end. I just felt these sounds were annoying and lasted too long lol. A dumb complaint I know, and the movie certainly excellent outside of these circumstantial complaints
heh, that baby is supposed to be startling and the witch is supposed to be scary! you could be right. sound design I think improved vastly from 1950 to the late 1960s, and late Kurosawa probably has far superior sound.
@@LearningaboutMovies yeah that’s definitely it
you can toss up his films and they can land in any order and that's it... except you always put Seven Samurai on top. 😆
pretty sure the majority isn't picking Dodeskaden over Ikiru though.
hey thats not how High and Low happened
well you are in luck, as I have a video on that movie coming out in two weeks.
@@LearningaboutMovies man one of my favourite films. Watched it 10 times in the past 4 years.
Dodes ka den most under rated movie of Kurosawa about the slums of Tokyo in the 1970s
not my favorite at all, but I encourage anyone reading this to try that strange experiment of a movie.
Dodes'ka-den is a hidden gem that most people don't take the time or don't have the empathy/insight for it to resonate with them. On the one hand it's a movie that shines a bright no holds barred spotlight on the realities of life among the lower classes in Japan. Meanwhile, it's also exploring the various coping mechanisms people in those situations utilize to make life bearable. Most (but not all) of the residents, cope through some form of escapism (not much different than modern America in that respect). But there are also glimmers of hope, honor, acceptance and community that are not tinged with deception. It's a masterpiece, and a bit heartbreaking that it's not appreciated.