Xixax Film Forum

The Director's Chair => The Director's Chair => Topic started by: xerxes on January 10, 2003, 12:56:53 AM

Title: Akira Kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on January 10, 2003, 12:56:53 AM
my favorite director... he should be up there
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Duck Sauce on January 10, 2003, 02:45:33 AM
I am slowly but steadily working my way through his films, and I am mesmorized by how beautiful the black and white works. Anyway, quick and ignorant question... Are all his films about or related to samurais?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on January 10, 2003, 04:35:27 AM
Quote from: Duck SauceI am slowly but steadily working my way through his films, and I am mesmorized by how beautiful the black and white works. Anyway, quick and ignorant question... Are all his films about or related to samurais?
no, he did quite a few non-samurai related films... check out 'ikiru' and 'dreams'
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on January 12, 2003, 02:37:08 PM
Kurosawa went through many stages of directing different stories. The samuari stage is the most well known of his stages but there are also stages that involve everything from humanitarian films (Read Beard) to crime thrillers (High and Low, Stray Dogs) that spoke well on society at the times. I disagree though Kurosawa should have his own forum because he is way too unkown amongst this crowd but I do promote more talk of his work because I am a great admirer of his films. Actually, his greatest of all movies, Ran, was his reaction to being pigeonhold into just being a man who only directed war movies involving samuarias in the sense it was the tale of a man of war who was trying to make ammends with his bloody past and do the right thing. After Ran in 1985, Kurosawa made movies like he was a man finally at peace with his subjects and more observant in a delicate way.

Kurosawa filmed all his movies like they were westerns and his stories only followed that because they were never stories of someone being good and overcoming evil but someone just trying to be good in the first place.

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on January 13, 2003, 03:11:21 PM
i not sure he ever really went through 'stages' as you put it.  'high and low' and 'stray dog' were made 14 years apart if i remember correctly.  but, i ask you, isn't the fact that he is not too widely known on this board a great reason to have a forum dedicated to him?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on January 13, 2003, 03:43:21 PM
No, because all a category would mainly do for him is go untouched for the most part and as most people see that his forum is getting no attention for the most part, they will likely visit there less and less to the point they won't even touch it. Kurosawa is not a director who everyone here will run to see every post about. That's PTA only for the most part. I think having a big board of all different directors will allow people to be able to see the threads on them and give them an easier time on seeing it since it will be all within one forum.

Also, stages was the wrong word. Lets say Kurosawa films fall into three different categories of films: the samuari dramas steeped in Japanese history, literary adaptations, and contempary stories set in Japan. Though some films do go into more than one category, it seems Kurosawa has basically made films within those three categories for the most part. This info (basic three categories of his films) was courtesy of Roger Ebert's memorium of Kurosawa.

~rougerum

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: budgie on January 14, 2003, 08:30:45 AM
Quote from: The Gold Trumpet
~rougerum

~rougerum

The first Xixax cloning... I always knew there was something cultish going on.

:shock: *


*God, I love that smiley
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on January 14, 2003, 03:48:43 PM
i think he's got some fans here... and although a general director's forum might work, if we're gonna have seperate forums for different directors, i think it would do us some good to have him up there
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Pwaybloe on January 14, 2003, 04:02:06 PM
Quote from: The Gold TrumpetI disagree though Kurosawa should have his own forum because he is way too unkown amongst this crowd...
~rougerum

Hmmm... Can someone say, "film snob?"
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on January 14, 2003, 04:26:38 PM
I am a film "snob", but thats not even a comment that shows me as being a film snob since I mentioned nothing about his films being too good or superior to this forum, but that is he way too unkown here. and I think i wrote that sentence wrong you quoted anyways because i should have said he shouldn't get a forum here.

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Xixax on January 14, 2003, 04:30:50 PM
Gold Trumpet is right about this one. No snobbery involved!

Some better known directors have already lost their board because of inactivity. And, there have even been a few complaints about too many forums.

I would guess we're at a good number right now. Maybe even cut back a little.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: RegularKarate on January 14, 2003, 04:48:33 PM
Quote from: The Gold Trumpetbut that is he way too unkown here. ~rougerum

you very wrong... he very very kown here.  Me kow him, you kow him, Budgie Kow him.

Much Kown is he.

you know I'm just fuckin' with you GT
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Xixax on January 14, 2003, 04:52:50 PM
Quote from: RegularKarateyou very wrong... he very very kown here.  Me kow him, you kow him, Budgie Kow him.
RK love you long time!
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on January 14, 2003, 04:53:19 PM
then he mysteriously makes most people here very shy

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on January 17, 2003, 09:53:40 AM
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that writer Marshall Smith has been tapped as scriptwriter for a remake of the Akira Kurosawa classic SEVEN SAMURAI in production at Miramax.

The remake remains untitled, and the article notes that it's unlikely the filmmakers will adopt the same tack as a previous American remake, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: budgie on January 17, 2003, 10:05:57 AM
Quote from: MacGuffinTHE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER notes that writer Marshall Smith has been tapped as scriptwriter for a remake of the Akira Kurosawa classic SEVEN SAMURAI in production at Miramax.

The remake remains untitled, and the article notes that it's unlikely the filmmakers will adopt the same tack as a previous American remake, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.

It has to be a sci-fi.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on March 25, 2003, 01:26:11 AM
Tom Hanks Up for Price's Ikiru Remake

According to Variety, DreamWorks is in talks with Richard Price to script a remake of the 1952 Akira Kurosawa film Ikiru as a starring vehicle for Tom Hanks.

The project is the story of a low-level bureaucrat who learns that he has terminal stomach cancer and tries to have some impact on the world. In Kurosawa's version, the man decides to use his skills to build a park.

Price will begin work on the film right after he turns in his script for a Rudin-produced untitled project that reteams Jodie Foster and director Jonathan Demme for the first time since both won Oscars for "Silence of the Lambs". The movie is expected to be filmed next year.

Price wrote Ransom, Sea of Love and The Color of Money and has authored novels including "Clockers," "Freedomland" and "The Wanderers." Knopf just published his latest novel, "Samaritan," which was set up at Paramount with producer Scott Rudin for $2 million last year.

Hanks is shooting the Robert Zemeckis-directed The Polar Express, then will do the Joel and Ethan Coen-directed remake of The Ladykillers for Disney. He then reteams with "Private Ryan" helmer Steven Spielberg in the DreamWorks drama Terminal.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on March 25, 2003, 10:41:58 AM
this saddens me
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on March 27, 2003, 04:16:17 PM
Why bother to remake a Kurosawa film?  His films are so great that the remake would seem pale in comparison.  I'm glad that the Kurosawa retrospective is making the rounds and will be in my city in April!

What did you guys think of "Those Who Tread on Tiger's Tail"?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on March 27, 2003, 05:18:06 PM
Quote from: Ravi
What did you guys think of "Those Who Tread on Tiger's Tail"?

i enjoyed it... although it is not one of his best
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on April 05, 2003, 02:05:43 PM
Remaking "Ikiru" will encourage more North American filmgoers to fall in love with the Tom Hanks performance and snub Shimura's, and thats a crying shame. There's too many people out there now who love "the Magnificent Seven" and haven't even heard of a Samurai before. Seriously thats really sad. Also, lets not forget that Lucas is NOT a genius for inventing some of those unforgettable characters in "Star Wars".. yeah, guess what.. watch "The Hidden Fortress"... Most people around HERE knew all that... but the majority.. nope. And they won't be picking up a Japanese film anytime soon either.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on April 05, 2003, 11:16:48 PM
Quote from: CinephileRemaking "Ikiru" will encourage more North American filmgoers to fall in love with the Tom Hanks performance and snub Shimura's, and thats a crying shame. There's too many people out there now who love "the Magnificent Seven" and haven't even heard of a Samurai before. Seriously thats really sad. Also, lets not forget that Lucas is NOT a genius for inventing some of those unforgettable characters in "Star Wars".. yeah, guess what.. watch "The Hidden Fortress"... Most people around HERE knew all that... but the majority.. nope. And they won't be picking up a Japanese film anytime soon either.

Well, maybe Ringu and Spirited Away...
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ernie on April 06, 2003, 12:18:05 AM
The only thing I've put off seeing more than The Matrix is kurosawa's films. I have to admit my ignorance to his films. Not because I am disinterested in them, I just ALWAYS forget about wanting to rent them. I do the same thing with Ingmar Bergmanm, it's weird. It's completely unintentional, I have no idea why I always put it off. I'm putting them on my Netflix list right now...I must see them.

I finally did end up seeing The Matrix recently by the way...very cool. I need to see it again.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on April 06, 2003, 12:29:49 AM
Quote from: Ravi
Quote from: CinephileRemaking "Ikiru" will encourage more North American filmgoers to fall in love with the Tom Hanks performance and snub Shimura's, and thats a crying shame. There's too many people out there now who love "the Magnificent Seven" and haven't even heard of a Samurai before. Seriously thats really sad. Also, lets not forget that Lucas is NOT a genius for inventing some of those unforgettable characters in "Star Wars".. yeah, guess what.. watch "The Hidden Fortress"... Most people around HERE knew all that... but the majority.. nope. And they won't be picking up a Japanese film anytime soon either.

Well, maybe Ringu and Spirited Away...

Oh yeah, I shouldn't have said nobody will be picking up Japanese films.. I meant the predecessors for the American remakes.. I should've made that clear. Mayazaki films are popular everywhere within North America.. while "Ringu", I think is getting attention because people saw "the Ring" and news spread it was the original.. Anyway, good call.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: budgie on April 06, 2003, 07:19:52 AM
Quote from: CinephileRemaking "Ikiru" will encourage more North American filmgoers to fall in love with the Tom Hanks performance and snub Shimura's, and thats a crying shame. There's too many people out there now who love "the Magnificent Seven" and haven't even heard of a Samurai before. Seriously thats really sad. Also, lets not forget that Lucas is NOT a genius for inventing some of those unforgettable characters in "Star Wars".. yeah, guess what.. watch "The Hidden Fortress"... Most people around HERE knew all that... but the majority.. nope. And they won't be picking up a Japanese film anytime soon either.

On the other hand, if we forget the world is against us for a moment, remaking Ikiru will encourage some North American filmgoers to go see the original as well as falling in love with another Tom Hanks performance (and personally I am looking forward to that moment). Also, may I have the names and addresses of all those people 'out there' who love the Magnificent Seven? I volunteer to enlighten them and show them how inferior their culture is. Soon enough all of America will be snapping up Japanese movies and you will have even more reason to treat them with disdain. Suddenly we will be hearing all about The Magnificent Seven being a cult movie and how nobody understands you... I can't wait.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on April 06, 2003, 10:49:59 AM
Quote from: budgie
Suddenly we will be hearing all about The Magnificent Seven being a cult movie and how nobody understands you... I can't wait.

Whatever tickles your fancy, right?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on April 06, 2003, 03:05:17 PM
i've never seen the magnificent seven
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Mesh on April 29, 2003, 02:16:51 PM
Quote from: The Gold TrumpetThough some films do go into more than one category, it seems Kurosawa has basically made films within those three categories for the most part.

DREAMS, of course, can't be categorized this way.  Unlike anything else in Kurosawa's career: it's his FOUR ROOMS, if you will.... :roll:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Mesh on April 29, 2003, 02:19:41 PM
Quote from: CinephileRemaking "Ikiru" will encourage more North American filmgoers to fall in love with the Tom Hanks performance and snub Shimura's, and thats a crying shame.

A successful Tom Hanks remake would unquestionably bring about well-deserved, renewed attention to the brilliant Kurosawa original....How could that be a bad thing?

Keep in mind that IKIRU really does present a timeless, almost Capra-esque folk tale....it's applicable to virutally any culture, any time.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on April 29, 2003, 02:21:01 PM
exception to rule, of course.

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on April 30, 2003, 10:52:23 AM
is the HIdden Fortress the one where the army attacks with trees? or something about the moving forrest? i saw 4 or 5 of his films at school in a short time and i mix them all together.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on April 30, 2003, 11:22:44 AM
Quote from: bigideasis the HIdden Fortress the one where the army attacks with trees? or something about the moving forrest? i saw 4 or 5 of his films at school in a short time and i mix them all together.

that would be throne of blood
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on April 30, 2003, 09:24:54 PM
ah yes. the one where he gets that pesky wife/queen or whatever and she tells him to kill that guy and there's a blood stain? yes/no? what happens in the hidden fortress then?

i'm trying to think. i know i've seen Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Rashomon......they all have Mifune so that doesn't help me seperate them.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Duck Sauce on May 01, 2003, 01:07:15 AM
Quote from: bigideasah yes. the one where he gets that pesky wife/queen or whatever and she tells him to kill that guy and there's a blood stain? yes/no? what happens in the hidden fortress then?

i'm trying to think. i know i've seen Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, Rashomon......they all have Mifune so that doesn't help me seperate them.

Is hidden fortress the one where the two guys find gold in sticks?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on May 01, 2003, 06:28:58 AM
yea

~rougerum
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on June 06, 2003, 04:35:04 PM
bad news for those already with Kurosawa dvds, or good news for those who like re-buying things.  accroding to www.thedigitalbits.com  

By the way, we mentioned yesterday that Criterion is releasing Akira Kurosawa's The Lower Depths on 8/19. Well, in the liner notes for their new Throne of Blood DVD, subtitle translator Linda Hoaglund mentions that Criterion has commissioned her to create new subtitle translations for Seven Samurai, Ikiru, Stray Dog, The Bad Sleep Well, Drunken Angel and I Live in Fear (a.k.a. Record of a Living Being) as well. Meaning that you can expect new Criterion DVD releases of all of those great Kurosawa films in the future.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 10, 2003, 08:24:20 AM
RANKING KUROSAWA FILMS

01. The Hidden Fortress A+++
02. The Seven Samurai A+++
03. Rashomon A+++
04. Throne Of Blood A++

Seeing Yojimbo tomorrow. I have a whole heap that I am slowly working my way through. I really, really love the guy. He is fast forging himself as one of my favourite directors. When you have only seen four films by any given person and the worst one is an A++, you know you're on to something amazing.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on June 10, 2003, 09:38:22 PM
I recently saw some of his films on the big screen and they're even more impressive than at home on TV.  Kurosawa was not only a master of the camera, but also of character, stories, and emotions.  I remember first seeing Seven Samurai on public TV several years ago with my dad very early in the morning, and even though I was kind of tired, I watched the entire thing.  Absolutely fantastic.  He was so amazing to have been relatively prolific while making good or great films.

He seems to get a lot of attention for his samurai films, but his modern films, such as High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well are also good.  Derzu Uzala, which is in Russian, is another great one.  I wish I can someday see that one on the big screen.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: dufresne on June 11, 2003, 11:54:44 AM
Quote from: The Silver BulletHe is fast forging himself as one of my favourite directors.

i find this phenomenon awesome, especially since he's dead.   :)
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on June 11, 2003, 12:32:13 PM
Quote from: dufresne
Quote from: The Silver BulletHe is fast forging himself as one of my favourite directors.

i find this phenomenon awesome, especially since he's dead.   :)

well, now im even MORE excited to see what he does next!
Title: kurosawa
Post by: ShanghaiOrange on June 11, 2003, 05:26:50 PM
Kurosawa :(
Title: kurosawa
Post by: godardian on June 11, 2003, 06:52:37 PM
Quote from: Ravi

He seems to get a lot of attention for his samurai films, but his modern films, such as High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well are also good.  

I completely agree.  High and Low is by far my favorite Kurosawa. I think Sanjuro is very, very beautiful.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 11, 2003, 07:54:44 PM
Yojimbo A++
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on June 11, 2003, 09:18:52 PM
Quote from: RaviHe seems to get a lot of attention for his samurai films, but his modern films, such as High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well are also good.  Derzu Uzala, which is in Russian, is another great one.  I wish I can someday see that one on the big screen.

yeah, i've only seen samurai ones: Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo.

what are his modern day ones like? are they wearing 50's style clothing, etc? it's just hard for me to picture.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 11, 2003, 09:54:47 PM
I have only four Kurosawa films in my posession that I have not yet seen. I am leaving Ikiru for last.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on June 11, 2003, 10:01:54 PM
ikiru may be my favorite of his films. although there is no way i could ever pick. i wish i could go back to that month when i first discovered kurosawa and watched all that i could whenever i could. i envy you silver bullet.

stray dog is one of his great modern day films too. do try to find that one.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: godardian on June 12, 2003, 01:54:18 AM
Quote from: bigideas
what are his modern day ones like? are they wearing 50's style clothing, etc? it's just hard for me to picture.

They're just more... modern. High and Low is an interesting study of Japanese society at the time, but its overall theme- the frustration of an underclass and the blind spots of the overclass- are pretty universal and timeless. It's got a bit of a hard-boiled, detective-y feel to it. I think Ron Howard's Ransom was based on it.

I can't wait for Red Beard. Just ordered it. Apparently, it's also a modern-day piece.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on June 12, 2003, 05:55:48 AM
red beard is not a modern-day piece, someone can correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe it takes place in the 1800s.

his "mondern-day" films, as i remember:
-the most beautiful
-no regrets for our youth
-one wonderful sunday
-drunken angel
-the quiet duel
-stray dog
-scandal
-the idiot
-record of a living being (aka i live in fear)
-the bad sleep well
-high and low
-dodesukaden
-dreams (kinda)
-rhapsody in august
-madadayo (also kinda)
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 13, 2003, 11:18:45 PM
Quotei find this phenomenon awesome, especially since he's dead.
Um, yeah, I'm not an idiot. Via his films, he is fast forging himself as one of my favourite directors, dead or not, he is in the process of doing so, because I am in the process of watching his movies.

Meanwhile:

Dodes'ka-den A
The Bad Sleep Well A+
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on June 15, 2003, 03:05:16 AM
Quote from: godardian
Quote from: bigideas
what are his modern day ones like? are they wearing 50's style clothing, etc? it's just hard for me to picture.

They're just more... modern. High and Low is an interesting study of Japanese society at the time, but its overall theme- the frustration of an underclass and the blind spots of the overclass- are pretty universal and timeless. It's got a bit of a hard-boiled, detective-y feel to it. I think Ron Howard's Ransom was based on it.

I can't wait for Red Beard. Just ordered it. Apparently, it's also a modern-day piece.

High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well were based on Ed McBain novels.  I guess he's a hard-boiled detective story writer?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 15, 2003, 07:30:29 AM
The more I think about The Bad Sleep Well the more awesome I think it was.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Duck Sauce on June 15, 2003, 12:36:36 PM
Quote from: xerxesred beard is not a modern-day piece, someone can correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe it takes place in the 1800s.

his "mondern-day" films, as i remember:
-the most beautiful
-no regrets for our youth
-one wonderful sunday
-drunken angel
-the quiet duel
-stray dog
-scandal
-the idiot
-record of a living being (aka i live in fear)
-the bad sleep well
-high and low
-dodesukaden
-dreams (kinda)
-rhapsody in august
-madadayo (also kinda)

and I havent seen any of these.... seems like his samurai films get most coverage
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ghostboy on June 15, 2003, 02:02:43 PM
Man, looking at Xerxes' list there made me realize just how behind I am in seeing not just Kurosawa's films, but those of so many great directors. I've seen four Kurosawa movies, and I thought I was doign all right up until about now.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on June 15, 2003, 04:03:44 PM
Quote from: GhostboyMan, looking at Xerxes' list there made me realize just how behind I am in seeing not just Kurosawa's films, but those of so many great directors. I've seen four Kurosawa movies, and I thought I was doign all right up until about now.

I've seen more than 4, but there are a few films on that list I haven't even heard of.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 15, 2003, 07:56:24 PM
Oh, to be a director back when you could just make a movie each year...
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Duck Sauce on June 15, 2003, 10:57:59 PM
Quote from: The Silver BulletOh, to be a director back when you could just make a movie each year...

Thats when being a director was a JOB
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 16, 2003, 04:24:48 AM
And not a what? What is it now? A happening?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Duck Sauce on June 16, 2003, 11:22:10 AM
Quote from: The Silver BulletAnd not a what? What is it now? A happening?


now its a diversion







:shock:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on June 16, 2003, 07:08:14 PM
Ooh. I like that.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Vile5 on June 27, 2003, 12:02:19 PM
Kurosawa was, is and will be a god!!
Title: kurosawa
Post by: rustinglass on September 19, 2003, 07:01:11 PM
I just saw Dersu Uzala and it's really very good. Perfect cinematography, beautiful script. The best kurosawa film I saw.

I added it to the group of grand epics I like to watch on christmas afternoons: films like undergroud, ben-hur, lawrence of arabia, apocalypse now, 2001, the elephant man, limelight.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Stefen on January 06, 2004, 06:51:07 PM
Anyone pick up the Criterion Ikiru today? Still waiting for mine to arrive. Any thoughts?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: analogzombie on January 09, 2004, 02:38:54 AM
Any word on a new release date for The Lower Depths?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 02:43:18 PM
just saw Hidden Fortress which i liked.  i definitely agree about something about his black and white seems really cool to look at.  noticed a few Star Wars similarities, (although this cant touch SW!)  its only my 3rd kurosawa film after Seven Samurai and Rashomon (all of which i liked).  next up will be Ikiru, Throne Of Blood, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and High And Low.  so interesting how these foreign directors were obsessed with american directors and filtered their own things into their homages to them.  and in turn now they are influencing tons of directors themselves.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: ono on January 28, 2004, 03:30:20 PM
Umm... wasn't it the other way around?  I always thought the westerns and Star Wars stole borrowed everything from Kurosawa in the first place?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 03:34:15 PM
Quote from: OnomatopoeiaUmm... wasn't it the other way around?  I always thought the westerns and Star Wars stole borrowed everything from Kurosawa in the first place?
Yes, that's true, Ono. Maybe it's a backwards day for mod.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on January 28, 2004, 03:37:57 PM
But Kurosawa said he was influenced by John Ford and Frank Capra before him.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 03:40:55 PM
Quote from: MacGuffinBut Kurosawa said he was influenced by John Ford and Frank Capra before him.
yeah kurosawa was heavily heavily influenced by john ford.  and in turn influenced other filmmakers like Lucas etc.  just like godard was influenced by american gangster flicks and ended up making some of his movies.  who in turn influenced people like Tarantino.
Quote from: OnomatopoeiaUmm... wasn't it the other way around?  I always thought the westerns and Star Wars stole borrowed everything from Kurosawa in the first place?
smartass.  not everything some director who was from another country did means he was working without any sort of road map.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 03:42:09 PM
Yes, and people like Fassbinder were influenced by the likes of Douglas Sirk.
Perhaps we got confused and just channeled our thoughts to Lucas and his love for ripping off Kurosawa. :wink:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: ono on January 28, 2004, 03:44:50 PM
Quote from: themodernage02smartass.  not everything some director who was from another country did means he was working without any sort of road map.
Down, man.  That was hardly necessary.  I wasn't being sarcastic or anything.  Just trying to clarify what I'd read, because I haven't seen the films in question yet.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 03:50:08 PM
not directed in an angry way.  but the snide 'stole borrowed' seemed to ring of sarcasm.  it just bothers me that a lot of people assume that all these classic foriegn film directors were doing something totally different and turning their noses up at what had come before, when that wasnt the case at all.  they were trying to emulate their favorite american directors, but ended up filtering it through their own lenses.  everybody has only been ripping off everyone else since silent movies.  i dont see why lucas should be singled out when everyone has done it?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 03:55:27 PM
Quote from: themodernage02everybody has only been ripping off everyone else since silent movies.  i dont see why lucas should be singled out when everyone has done it?
At least what you're saying is that Lucas did rip off Kurosawa's structure. :wink:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 03:58:57 PM
Yojimbo was used as source material ripped off for Sergio Leone's first "spaghetti Western," A Fistful of Dollars .

now beat up on Leone! :wink:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 04:04:09 PM
Actually I thought it was already universally known that Leone's A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More were western remakes of Yojimbo and Sanjuro, respectively.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 04:07:54 PM
yes, but you dont see anyone beating up Leone for doing it.  because he's foriegn, so he's a genius!  but if John Sturges wants to remake seven samurai as the magnificent seven it's not any good, cause he's american!  i think its a double standard.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 04:12:43 PM
Wait, so are you saying the Magnificent Seven isn't any good?  :?
I'm saying there's a difference between remaking something and completely taking the structure of something else and calling it an influence. That's more than an influence.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 04:16:51 PM
no I LIKE Magnificent Seven, but you dont see him being revered the way Leone is for doing it.  it seems like if someone who is considered a great artist is borrowing from someone its an 'homage'.  but if they suck its a 'rip off'.  like if tony scott wants to rip off the music from badlands for his tarantino script its an 'homage'.  but if someone you dont like, like lucas steals kurosawas wipes, its a 'rip off'.  not that tony scott is a great artist, but you see what i mean?  if tarantino is doing it, or someone respected, its seen as an 'homage' and is given credit for being such.  if kurosawa is taking john fords ideas its an 'homage', if lucas takes kurosawa's its a 'rip off'.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 04:23:58 PM
Quote from: themodernage02if kurosawa is taking john fords ideas its an 'homage', if lucas takes kurosawa's its a 'rip off'.
There's a difference between an homage and a structure. Lucas using Kurosawa's entire structure for Hidden Fortress is NOT a fucking homage. So I think you keep confusing those two. I own the DVD where Lucas talks about Hidden Fortress and how much he loved it when he was a film student trying to study movies. He basically tiptoes (at least how I gathered it) around the fact that he used the entire structure for Star Wars. Again, there's a difference between remakes, homages, and taking structures and saying you're influenced by the film the structure was used for.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 04:26:58 PM
so what?  and Leone took Kurosawas entire structure for Dollars?   Tarantino took Malicks whole structure for True Romance?  he did something entirely different with it, so what is the difference?  Kurosawa didnt INVENT that structure.  he probably stole it from somewhere else just not as obvious.  nobody gives him any flack.  so is it, it doesnt matter if you're ripping off people, as long as theyre obscure?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on January 28, 2004, 04:28:11 PM
Quote from: CinephileThere's a difference between an homage and a structure. Lucas using Kurosawa's entire structure for Hidden Fortress is NOT a fucking homage. So I think you keep confusing those two. I own the DVD where Lucas talks about Hidden Fortress and how much he loved it when he was a film student trying to study movies. He basically tiptoes (at least how I gathered it) around the fact that he used the entire structure for Star Wars. Again, there's a difference between remakes, homages, and taking structures and saying you're influenced by the film the structure was used for.
But what mod-age is saying is Leone did the same in "stealing" the structure with his westerns and Sturges "stole" the structure of "Seven Samurai" for "Magnificent Seven" and no one bats an eye. Lucas is singled out because most believe he is a hack. But because Sturges and Leone have more credibility, it's looked over. In fact, as stated on IMDB, Kurosawa sued Leone.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on January 28, 2004, 04:34:16 PM
But Lucas is a hack partly because he doesn't call Star Wars a remake, which is what Leone and Sturges did!
Edit: Then I wish Lucas was sued too. The bottom line is that more people perceive Leone and Sturges' films as remakes whereas Lucas has always made it seem like Star Wars all his and nobody else's.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on January 28, 2004, 04:47:19 PM
so if you fess up, its not stealing?  what does that matter.  on the interview on the Hidden Fortress disc he admits to using that film as an influence on SW by making the story from the POV of the two losers.  does that absolve him?  if you're taking someones ideas, (which EVERYBODY DOES), does it matter if you are acknowledging them in making it more credible?  i'd rather have an 'homage' than a straight remake.  especially now when remakes are cranked out as brand names, i'd rather someone just take those ideas and run with them to make something new.  but yeah, like macguffin said.  if someone who has credibility does it, its okay, and if someone who doesnt, its not.

also: anyone else feel free to join the discussion on either side.  i think its a very facinating point and one i'm interested in finding out peoples opinions on.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on January 28, 2004, 07:41:38 PM
Quote from: themodernage02if you're taking someones ideas, (which EVERYBODY DOES), does it matter if you are acknowledging them in making it more credible?  

i think it's always nice when someone acknowledges the influences of someone else, so yeah, i think it does matter.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Silver Bullet on January 30, 2004, 02:34:01 AM
I saw Stray Dog the other day and loved it [of course].

Kurosawa's greatest gift, I feel, was probably his ability to make something remarkably pure out of something remarkably simple.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on February 06, 2004, 11:24:14 PM
Has anyone seen Runaway Train?  It is based on a screenplay by Kurosawa.  I read about how he wanted to make a story based on an article he read about a train that wouldn't stop, but since I hadn't heard of him doing such a film I assumed it was a scrapped idea.  I later saw it in the Kurosawa section of a local video store but I didn't know if it was any good.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ghostboy on March 13, 2004, 03:27:33 AM
I just saw Throne Of Blood this evening, and I can't for the life of me understand how they did that climactic arrow shot (you know what I'm talking about if you've seen it).

For maybe the first hour of the film, I was thinking that it was good, but that it brought little new to the story of Macbeth. But those last forty minutes are an amazing accomplishment. Kurosawa spends so long with the initial setup that, when everything begins to fall apart, you feel all the more caught up in the escalating spiral of insanity...like Mifune, you have no idea what's going on or who's attacking from where. The intensity of the editing and choreography in that  final arrow attack reminded me of a medieval version of the Wild Bunch siege. And those trees...wow. That shot made the movie for me.

For the record, I just noticed the debate above, and I'll side with themodernage completely. I think there's definitely a double standard. I also don't think Lucas is a hack (or he wasn't, in any case, back then), and I think Star Wars is as legitimate an homage as The Magnificent Seven, whether its acknowledged or not.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Stefen on April 06, 2004, 06:37:20 PM
I just watched high and low again last night. That movie is aces. I love the way it is kind of two movies in one. In the beginning you have this uneasy feeling, like claustrophobia. Then the second half is just fun and exciting. I need to see more Kurosawa movies.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: samsong on April 06, 2004, 06:54:12 PM
Quote from: RaviHas anyone seen Runaway Train?  It is based on a screenplay by Kurosawa.  I read about how he wanted to make a story based on an article he read about a train that wouldn't stop, but since I hadn't heard of him doing such a film I assumed it was a scrapped idea.  I later saw it in the Kurosawa section of a local video store but I didn't know if it was any good.

Runaway Train suffers from some 80's-isms that make it feel dated and features a terrible performance from Eric Roberts.  Otherwise it's an excellent film... great entertainment that doesn't compromise intelligence or depth, and in that sense is very Kurosawa.  Of course it isn't on the same level as Kurosawa's other work, but what films are.  Check it out.  It's worth your time.  The third act is amazing.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ghostboy on April 06, 2004, 07:25:56 PM
I've been on a bit of a Kurosawa kick lately. Anyway, I watched Hidden Fortress a few nights ago, and while I enjoyed seeing the obvious parallels to Star Wars, I did think those parallels were only circumstantial, and you can't call Star Wars a remake of it the way you can with Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven. Hidden Fortress was terrific, btw -- the first Kurosawa film I've seen that could be considered more of a crowd pleaser than anything else.

I also saw High And Low the other night, which was even better -- and this was the first of his where I was really blown away by how he placed people in the frame. I've heard references to this talent of his before, but with this film I immediately saw why. The blocking was absolutely extraordinary.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on April 06, 2004, 10:35:25 PM
what about the film that was recently released by criterion?
i think it was Ikiru? but i might be wrong.
anyway, i was really surprised that the Hasting's here had it. i think whoever orders the videos there really likes Kurosawa because Throne of Blood is there to and several of the Criterions are there to buy.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Stefen on April 06, 2004, 10:39:04 PM
Quote from: bigideaswhat about the film that was recently released by criterion?
i think it was Ikiru? but i might be wrong.
anyway, i was really surprised that the Hasting's here had it. i think whoever orders the videos there really likes Kurosawa because Throne of Blood is there to and several of the Criterions are there to buy.

I used to work at hastings. It's great. They order all these great movies then the customers don't buy them. So retail price for customer is still the same but the employee discount goes way down. I got most of my criterions for under 10 dollars new. As for Ikiru. I never got it. I had a question in this thread when it was released asking how the dvd was but no one answered. If you have the dvd let me know how it is.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on April 06, 2004, 10:55:48 PM
so what youre saying is you want to start feeding the whole board criterions for under 10$ because you can?  right?  ...      RIght?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Stefen on April 06, 2004, 11:03:01 PM
Quote from: themodernage02so what youre saying is you want to start feeding the whole board criterions for under 10$ because you can?  right?  ...      RIght?

I do not work there anymore. I would if I still did. I'd be kind of like a drug dealer. But the kind of drug dealer who cares about the enviroment and stuff.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: analogzombie on April 07, 2004, 12:54:50 PM
Quote from: StefenAs for Ikiru.  If you have the dvd let me know how it is.

It's quite nice really. The extras include an exerpt from the Kurosawa documentary that Criterion have been spreading on their releases. The commentary track is really the star though. Nice, crisp transfer, and clear audio.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on April 07, 2004, 10:26:47 PM
okay all you kurosawa heads, i've only seen Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Hidden Fortress.  and since april is kurosawa month for me i'm planning on seeing ikiru, throne of blood, yojimbo, sanjuro, and high and low.  am i on the right track?  anyone want to disuade me against those or persuade me to swap one out?  i'm trying to focus on earlier stuff right now as opposed to Ran or any 80s stuff.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Stefen on April 07, 2004, 10:28:38 PM
Quote from: themodernage02okay all you kurosawa heads, i've only seen Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Hidden Fortress.  and since april is kurosawa month for me i'm planning on seeing ikiru, throne of blood, yojimbo, sanjuro, and high and low.  am i on the right track?  anyone want to disuade me against those or persuade me to swap one out?  i'm trying to focus on earlier stuff right now as opposed to Ran or any 80s stuff.

You are on the right track. I've only seen High and Low (my fave) Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress, and Ikiuru. But you can't go wrong with those. It's not that I don't want to see the others, I just have limited time. I hope you enjoy.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Perineum Falcon on April 07, 2004, 10:32:20 PM
Quote from: themodernage02okay all you kurosawa heads, i've only seen Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Hidden Fortress.  and since april is kurosawa month for me i'm planning on seeing ikiru, throne of blood, yojimbo, sanjuro, and high and low.  am i on the right track?  anyone want to disuade me against those or persuade me to swap one out?  i'm trying to focus on earlier stuff right now as opposed to Ran or any 80s stuff.
Great choices, but if you can find Red Beard deffinately get it. It's one of his very best.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on April 08, 2004, 07:01:51 AM
Quote from: ranemaka13Great choices, but if you can find Red Beard deffinately get it. It's one of his very best.

and it's Bill Murray's favorite movie! haha. i think it says that on the Rushmore Criterion.

anywho, how about Ikiru as a Kurosawa film? i didn't mean about the DVD per se. i've only seen K's samurai films to this point and i'm pretty sure this one is set in modern times.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on April 08, 2004, 05:47:54 PM
Quote from: bigideas

anywho, how about Ikiru as a Kurosawa film? i didn't mean about the DVD per se. i've only seen K's samurai films to this point and i'm pretty sure this one is set in modern times.

it's one of his best films

and just might be my favorite
Title: kurosawa
Post by: samsong on April 08, 2004, 07:19:22 PM
Red Beard generally goes overlooked but, like ranemaka13 said, it's one of his very best.  It's a quiet, human epic of incredible beauty... and Toshiro Mifune is at the top of his form... quite possibly my favorite performance of his.

One of his early films called The Scandal is a great one too.  Kurosawa had his composer implement the single-trumpet-as-score "technique" which of course is common in spaghetti westerns.  Takashi Shimura is so good in this film, second only to his heartbreaking and unbearably beautiful work in Ikiru (my favorite Kurosawa).    

oh and for those who haven't seen Sanjuro and Yojimbo, I highly recommend watching them back to back and in that order.  If you're a Sergio Leone fan you have Kurosawa to thank, as his influence is SO apparent in Leone's work.

Rhapsody in August is a nice, small film but far from great.  There's the scene it's infamous for -- the grandmother running in the rain -- is overwhelming and worth watching the entire film for.

after you familiarize yourself with Kurosawa check out Runaway Train, which is a good film in its own right.  He wrote the screenplay and it definitely comes through.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on April 09, 2004, 06:31:27 AM
Quote from: samsong
oh and for those who haven't seen Sanjuro and Yojimbo, I highly recommend watching them back to back and in that order.

why the second before the first???
Title: kurosawa
Post by: samsong on April 09, 2004, 09:57:44 PM
Quote from: xerxes
Quote from: samsong
oh and for those who haven't seen Sanjuro and Yojimbo, I highly recommend watching them back to back and in that order.

why the second before the first???

hmmm... maybe because my dad's a fucking moron and made me watch it in that order two years ago (i haven't seen them since) and i never looked up the correct order myself.  :oops:
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on April 09, 2004, 10:05:37 PM
Your dad make you watch Kurosawa, he not moron.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: samsong on April 09, 2004, 10:10:31 PM
Quote from: RaviYour dad make you watch Kurosawa, he not moron.

touche
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Find Your Magali on April 10, 2004, 05:03:04 PM
Quote from: Stefen
Quote from: themodernage02okay all you kurosawa heads, i've only seen Seven Samurai, Rashomon and Hidden Fortress.  and since april is kurosawa month for me i'm planning on seeing ikiru, throne of blood, yojimbo, sanjuro, and high and low.  am i on the right track?  anyone want to disuade me against those or persuade me to swap one out?  i'm trying to focus on earlier stuff right now as opposed to Ran or any 80s stuff.

You are on the right track. I've only seen High and Low (my fave) Seven Samurai, Hidden Fortress, and Ikiuru. But you can't go wrong with those. It's not that I don't want to see the others, I just have limited time. I hope you enjoy.

You should check out Dersu Uzala, too, from his Russian collaboration days. ... My copy is from Kino, and it's fine.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on May 03, 2004, 06:01:44 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa408.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F408%2F1284%2F24h%2Fimage.netflix.com%2FNetFlix_Assets%2Fboxshots%2Flarge%2F60033661.jpg&hash=a41cab2dc804072b507aa8ba0f1d963b7e8cd538)
finally started my kurosawa week and watched Ikiru last night.  i didnt really care for it.  i felt the movie really spelled everything out for you a little too much as far as its ideas which were pretty simplistic and at 2 hours and 20 minutes, the film went on about 40 minutes too long.  the lead actors performance seemed a little too flat and his voice was very obnoxious.  SPOILER when he exited midway through the film, things picked up a bit and i liked how the other characters then flashbacked to the final months of his life, END SPOILER so, the film didnt bother me, but i didnt care for it particularly.  he should stick with toshiro mifune.

also: compared to most criterion transfers i thought this one was pretty bad.  (i mean, i dont doubt it was the best existing transfer of the film they could find), but it still had lines running through the whole print almost constantly and it was distracting.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on May 04, 2004, 12:12:51 AM
I liked the film precisely because of the whole flashback structure.  I expected the main character to learn he has cancer, start doing good stuff, and die recognized for his deeds, but we get the flashbacks instead.

The 35mm print I saw was not in the very best condition, so the original elements must not be in great shape either.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: cine on May 04, 2004, 12:27:43 AM
Quote from: themodernage02he should stick with toshiro mifune.
Well, I don't see that happening, what with him being dead and all.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on May 08, 2004, 12:53:57 AM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa408.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F408%2F1284%2F24h%2Fimage.netflix.com%2FNetFlix_Assets%2Fboxshots%2Flarge%2F60028182.jpg&hash=62fce098dc74938b229464bcec22d8993695deb0) (https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa408.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F408%2F1284%2F24h%2Fimage.netflix.com%2FNetFlix_Assets%2Fboxshots%2Flarge%2F588717.jpg&hash=fbad5c75f043451e58b3922e9e832bffd1386b97)

okay very quickly, i watched Throne of Blood and High and Low.  TOB was okay, seemed sort of standard shakespearean adaptation to me.  although the finale did ring of Scarface (or the other way around i guess), didnt it?  H&L seemed like a pretty standard kidnapping story which seemed all too obvious that his partners had hired a thug to do the kidnapping to out him from his company.  but when the ending scene came, i realized that i was all wrong and the movie had actually been about something completely different.  all of those layers werent apparent however until he said how he'd been staring up at him from his crappy apartment just hating him, and then i got the bigger picture of what the film had REALLY been about.  i also, enjoyed it.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: xerxes on May 08, 2004, 01:34:50 AM
i never really liked the translation of the title, it really should be heaven and hell, not high and low.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: modage on May 09, 2004, 11:21:48 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa408.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F408%2F1284%2F24h%2Fimage.netflix.com%2FNetFlix_Assets%2Fboxshots%2Flarge%2F1142559.jpg&hash=3b60fee0e9539cf012f54192361bb7b9f61e0f20) (https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa408.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F408%2F1284%2F24h%2Fimage.netflix.com%2FNetFlix_Assets%2Fboxshots%2Flarge%2F931837.jpg&hash=1212ace3412a3b0d660c1e6903c3e2bb58993673)

finally finished up my Kurosawa week tonite with Yojimbo and Sanjuro.  yojimbo i really liked (and was SO interesting to see how badly sergio leone ripped off the movie like only TWO YEARS LATER and thought no one would notice!  incredible...)  so it was interesting seeing the similarities between that and fistful of dollars.  i really liked mifune's character in this one and there were a handful of really cool shots i recognized from cinephiles banners (as i seem to be doing in everything i watch now.  HEY!  i know that scene!)  Sanjuro i liked but thought they spent far too much time on the bumbling idiots and left mifune relegated to the background instead of being proactive and the one propelling the story like in the first one.  BUT the best part was at the end (after an entire film of bloodlessness), a geyser of blood shoots out!  i couldnt believe my eyes.  i knew they'd been in samurai films pre-Kill Bill, but i didnt know they used it as early as 1962!  does anybody know if there is a bloodgeyser scene that pre-dates that one?  or was that the first (because that would be pretty cool).  also so interesting to me...

john ford makes westerns which inspire...
akira kurosawa to make samurai films which inspire...
sergio leone to make westerns whcih inspire...
quentin tarantino to make samurai films!

wow, is that cool or what?  so to rank my favorites of my INTRO to KUROSAWA  i liked...

1. Seven Samurai
2. Rashomon
3. Hidden Fortress
4. Yojimbo
5. High and Low
6. Sanjuro
7. Throne of Blood
8. Ikiru
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on June 26, 2004, 11:13:38 PM
Xerxes, i always thought your avatar was of Paul Newman in Road to Perdition...........now i know the truth

i liked your thought modernage:

"john ford makes westerns which inspire...
akira kurosawa to make samurai films which inspire...
sergio leone to make westerns whcih inspire...
quentin tarantino to make samurai films! "

i saw Ikiru this week. i found it to be pretty inspiring. it made me think of It's a Wonderful Life in a way......the Capra-esque feel.....

SPOILER??


i especially loved the finally shot on the swing set......the image in the trailer of Watanabe emerging from the darkness between the swings is really good, too.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ghostboy on July 07, 2004, 04:52:11 PM
I watched Ikiru this morning. I didn't love it as much as I expected to...it didn't have the same impact as his other films (particularly High And Low), and like themodernage pointed out above, it's often a little too unsubtle. The narration certainly wasn't necessary, I don't think, and overall I felt that it went on a bit too long. But there's a lot of beauty in it, particularly in the scenes with the writer who takes him out on the town, and then with his young co-worker -- and the switch to flashback format halfway through was a brilliant decision. All the red tape around the city hall was very well illustrated, and the film is a good indictment of the bureacracratic process.

There's one scene in particular that will stick with me; it's the last one with his co-worker, when he takes her out to eat and there's the preparations for a celebration in the restuarant occurring behind them. When get gets up to leave and is walking down the stairs, everyone from that party closes in around the stairs and begins to sing happy birthday -- to someone else, of course, but the way Kurosawa frames the shot is absolutely transcendant.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on July 08, 2004, 10:19:22 PM
yes, i agree. that birthday shot is great.
i also love the x-ray and the music that plays with it.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on December 06, 2004, 10:03:06 PM
i finally rented Red Beard.
very beautiful film. the black and white photography is superb. the commentary talks about Kurosawa's camera setups, etc, and was very interesting to me. now i know about telephoto lenses. them seem pretty cool.


!!!spoilers!!!





like all Kurosawa films there are extremely beautiful moments that stick in your mind:
- several scenes in Sahachi's flashback involving the wind chime throughout
-the mantis scared the crap out of me
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Perineum Falcon on December 06, 2004, 10:07:17 PM
Quote from: bigideas!!!spoilers!!!
like all Kurosawa films there are extremely beautiful moments that stick in your mind:
- several scenes in Sahachi's flashback involving the wind chime throughout
-the mantis scared the crap out of me
I absolutely love the shot of the old man dying. Beautiful. I think this may be my favorite Kurosawa.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: tpfkabi on December 06, 2004, 11:09:07 PM
Quote from: ranemaka13
Quote from: bigideas!!!spoilers!!!
like all Kurosawa films there are extremely beautiful moments that stick in your mind:
- several scenes in Sahachi's flashback involving the wind chime throughout
-the mantis scared the crap out of me
I absolutely love the shot of the old man dying. Beautiful. I think this may be my favorite Kurosawa.

do you mean the arms reaching up, shown in shadow?
Title: kurosawa
Post by: The Perineum Falcon on December 07, 2004, 07:40:23 PM
Quote from: bigideas
Quote from: ranemaka13
Quote from: bigideas!!!spoilers!!!
like all Kurosawa films there are extremely beautiful moments that stick in your mind:
- several scenes in Sahachi's flashback involving the wind chime throughout
-the mantis scared the crap out of me
I absolutely love the shot of the old man dying. Beautiful. I think this may be my favorite Kurosawa.

do you mean the arms reaching up, shown in shadow?
It's the one shown during "Okuni's Sad Tale."
It's just a cut to profile of Rokusuke, in shadow, drawing his last breath. I found the music and the way it was shot very touching.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: SiliasRuby on March 12, 2005, 04:53:55 AM
I watched Rashomon tonight and I thought it was wonderful. The idea of this three different perspectives all told from different points of view really got me hooked. Definitely be getting this to buy in the future. Sorry if this post doesn't make sense, but I am a tiny bit drunk.
Title: kurosawa
Post by: Ravi on August 25, 2005, 12:25:50 AM
Kagemusha (spoilers)






Kagemusha is about the reality and appearances.  Shingen, leader of the Takeda clan, dies and is replaced by a double to create an illusion that Shingen is still alive.  At any moment he could be called out on this, and indeed Shingen's grandson immediately says "he is not my grandfather," but is convinced by the leaders that this is indeed him.  "Shingen's" leadership and the existence of the Takeda clan depend on this illusion.

To be honest, I was kind of underwhelmed by it for most of its running time, but never bored, and the film came together in the end, when Shingen's son ordered the troops to charge, only to be completely gunned down and the kagemusha was killed.

Kurosawa's visuals are pretty formal in most of his work, but this is probably the most formal work of his that I've seen.  Makes sense, since the Takeda leader is symbolically known as a mountain, so the camera didn't move most of the time.  He often uses colors to great effect, particularly in the dream sequence, which resembles Kurosawa's conceptual paintings.  Of course, there are lots of moments of stunning visual poetry.

I had to return the DVD today, so I didn't get to watch the commentary, but I read the 40-page booklet and watched most of the second disc.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: JG on November 07, 2005, 09:05:02 PM
Apart of their samurai series, The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusets will be showing Seven Samurai this thursday night.  so if any of you are from boston then u might wanna check it out.  i
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on June 11, 2006, 09:59:18 PM
Kurosawa and Coppola Bonded over Whiskey

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinematical.com%2Fmedia%2F2006%2F06%2Fffcandak.jpg&hash=80951480cd0a267a7202bcc553b5d704684c4cd8)

Thanks to the epic power of the internet, we all now know about the appearances Hollywood stars make in Japanese ads. No matter what they're shilling for, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, George Clooney and dozens of others can earn piles of obscenely easy money by simply lending their mugs to an advertising campaign or 12. This is not, however, a new phenomenon. For example, way back in the dark ages of 1980, Francis Ford Coppola joined Akira Kurosawa (whose Kagemusha he was then producing) in spots for Suntory whiskey, a product Kurosawa had been endorsing for at least a decade.

Happily, a bunch of the spots -- both with and without Coppola, and directed by Kurosawa himself -- have been uploaded to YouTube for our viewing pleasure.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xz7fQCE_icU&search=kurosawa
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: MacGuffin on September 24, 2006, 01:35:04 PM
How 'Seven Samurai' was saved

(CNN) -- The process of restoring a classic film -- indeed a film considered one of the greatest in movie history -- conjures up the old joke about how to feed a hungry lion.

The answer: very carefully.

Such was the challenge to the folks at the Criterion Collection when they embarked on a project to reissue Akira Kurosawa's 1954 work "Seven Samurai." The film had been the second the company had ever released on DVD, in 1998, in an edition that duplicated a version the company had put out in the now-defunct laserdisc format.

But technology had greatly improved in the ensuing decade, and when the opportunity came to clean up a release that Criterion executive producer Kim Hendrickson describes as "substandard" by the company's lights, they dove in.

"It was a huge opportunity to tackle a great film," she said.

Not that it was easy.

"Samurai" is one of Kurosawa's masterpieces, a 207-minute epic of 16th-century Japan. Villagers, terrorized by bandits, asks an old samurai if he'll defend their town. He finds six other samurai -- as well as an apprentice -- and the group does battle with the bandits.

The simple plot doesn't do justice to the movie, which includes an energetic and almost feral performance by Toshiro Mifune and concludes with a messy, gloriously shot and edited confrontation in the rain.

"Complicated tracking shots compete with equally elaborate and fast-paced editing to create a film whose constant prevailing tempo is that of war punctuated by ever shorter intervals of peace," wrote film historian David Cook in "A History of Narrative Film," describing "Samurai" as "a stunning achievement."

The film inspired "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), along with a number of other American (and spaghetti) Westerns.

"This is a special film," said Lee Kline, the technical director on the "Samurai" reissue, which came out at the beginning of September.

But special or not, it had been more than a half-century since "Samurai" was made, and the original negative -- the source material for printing the finished product on celluloid -- was missing.

To begin the process, Criterion located an early negative and an early positive and determined the positive was the closest to the original. So the company made a new negative, using "Wetgate processing," a chemical system that fills in flaws in the original material.

That was just for starters. The technical team had to cope with the fact that the positive had shrunk, meaning that light could get in around the edges of the frame; that scenes contained black frames or missing frames, making transitions jarring; even that the original mono soundtrack had to be restored. (See below.)

Some issues were dealt with through technology; others took painstaking research, as with a search to find existing versions of the film's shots without the black frames.

In some cases, the Criterion crew had to ask itself what the filmmaker intended. (Kurosawa died in 1998.) One scene shows a very obvious hair at the top of the frame, a hair that probably existed in Kurosawa's camera -- and has been seen in the film since its release.

"They opted not to reshoot, and we had to honor that," Kline said. The crew is constantly asking itself, he said, "When we fix something, are we doing something we shouldn't do?"

The result -- which took two years and thousands of hours -- has earned raves from cinephiles. "This is my vote for release of the year," wrote reviewer Pat Wahlquist on HomeTheaterForum.com.

Kline said he is pleased as well, though he always wishes he had more time.

"For the most part, you wish you had a few more weeks," he said. "People are used to pristine. But if we did that, we'd never get it out."

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Finteractive%2Fus%2F0609%2Fgallery.samurai%2Fsamurai1.jpg&hash=8c586a75daad8c027a587ca720c6226ea6f28041)

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Finteractive%2Fus%2F0609%2Fgallery.samurai%2Fsamurai2.jpg&hash=ef0d7672715fc3b20ab8687838c3a9ea6476f93b)
Before and after versions of details from two frames from Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" show improvements after the 1954 Japanese film classic underwent a rigorous restoration process.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: SiliasRuby on March 04, 2009, 01:49:08 PM
Kagemusha Review

For a while I've been meaning to see more Kurosawa since I only have seen 5 of his films: 'Dreams', 'rashoman' 'Sanjuro', 'Yojimbo', and 'the seven samurai', (even though I have 'stray dog' on dvd). I love all of them. Especially 'sanjuro' and 'yojimbo'. So I was excited when I popped in 'Kagemusha' into my dvd player.

'Kagemusha' is quite an epic feat, clocking in at just under three hours and showing the story of a shadow of a very powerful man, it was a bit confusing at times in the sense that finding out exactly what was going to happen next. It kept you guessing and although I prefer my Kurosawa in a more violent and scarier light this had shades of another conspiracy thriller 'JFK'-from the heavy cover up side. Its amazing how far others will go in the name of keeping the honor of someone so loved and hated within the country.

There's a scene an hour in, in which if you just listened to the audio, you think you were listening to an Africanized version of Radiohead. This film really has everything you want from a big epic, including some characters you don't care for at all. Its strange to be so involved in a story when you have no real stake in the characters. It is really quite beautiful and its really about a transformation.

It mixes with a lot of ideas of why a figurehead, even a destitute one, or an unlearned one has to be presented to uphold the illusion of power and safety.

Ravi is quite right, and yes I was never bored during the running time as well. There's sequence thats actually pretty cool that appears to be in a dream, its extremely colorful and decadent and while this film is shot in a traditional way and the story itself is a bit traditional, the film itself isn't.

And oh, god, that ending.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: Alexandro on March 27, 2009, 06:59:07 PM
well just to contribute a little this thread...

IKIRU: Was a minor letdown for me. I felt at times chocked with it's lack of subtlety, and damn is 2 hours and 40 minutes!!! Kurosawa had a kind of bipolar approach to his art. He was capable of almost saccharine sentimentality and of the darkest of views, Ikiru goes in the first direction a little too much.

YOJIMBO and SANJURO: Are terrific, crazy fun. His use of the widescreen is impeccable, and really he gives depth and elegance to what lesser filmmakers have turned into genre crap.

RED BEARD: One of his bests. Such a human, compassionate portrait of a life. I agree that this is probably Mifune's best work of what I've seen. It feels like an intimate epic.

RASHOMON: Of course a corner stone. I've seen it a bunch of times and it never stops being interesting and fun, this is the work of a master at the top of his game.

SEVEN SAMURAI: Well, few films are as perfect as this one. We wouldn't have half of the adventure films out there if it weren't for this. I mean Lord of the Rings is basically Seven Samurai all over again.

HIGH & LOW: I liked it but felt it was tooo long. And not too subtle either. But Mifune is amazing in it.

THE BAD SLEEP WELL: This is one of my favorites. And it's also my favorite Hamlet re imagining. Doesn't feel long at all and it has a kind of fast pace compared to the rest of his filmography.

DERSU UZALA: Damn this is a fine movie, one of those that breathes and lives because of the main character who is just awesome in every possible way. You can feel Kurosawa's heart and hurt in this film, but also the grandness of his soul.

DREAMS: Was the first Kurosawa I ever saw. Love the visuals even though the film is waaay too in your face with the ecological message. Some of the images in this movie are unforgettable.

THRONE OF BLOOD: I love it because of it's darkness, and it just feels like a tremendous achievement. I just don't understand how one guy can make so many great movies in such a scale.

KAGEMUSHA: Doesn't really gets to the point where it wants to and it shows, nevertheless it still pretty amazing, the use of color, the wardrobes, the regard I guess. I think Coppola is right that maybe the film needed another actor.

RAPSODY IN AUGUST: Not too good. But still moving at points, I mean the shot of the old lady fighting the storm is classic for me.

RAN: This is my favorite and his definitive masterpiece of masterpieces. Really awesomely dark and depressing, but never preachy. You can feel he had a clear and resoluted mind when making this film, and it just gets me every time. The way the main character starts losing it, the blood, the battles, damn just writing about it made wanna see it again. The criterion is fantastic by the way.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: SiliasRuby on August 01, 2009, 09:50:33 PM
I just saw 'Red Beard' and man what a triumph. Sooo soo good. A intimate character story if I saw one. A bit long but I was totally engrossed in this story of the doctor and his new intern. Just blew me the hell away. Sounds like I'm going to be let down by 'Ikiru' but I'm going to try to be optimistic.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: Gold Trumpet on August 01, 2009, 10:20:42 PM
Quote from: SiliasRuby on August 01, 2009, 09:50:33 PM
I just saw 'Red Beard' and man what a triumph. Sooo soo good. A intimate character story if I saw one. A bit long but I was totally engrossed in this story of the doctor and his new intern. Just blew me the hell away. Sounds like I'm going to be let down by 'Ikiru' but I'm going to try to be optimistic.

Ikiru is a major film for Kurosawa so look forward to it. It was made in the early 50s so is different than his later dramas, but the film is still magnificent. Because of the time period in which the film was made, I like to depict the film as a continuation of Italian Neo-Realism. The Italians were heralded for their realism, but subsequent decades of storytelling advancement shows that the Italians were still very sentimental and genre oriented in their storytelling at the time. They were forced to shoot films in the street, but many of the filmmakers were still indoctrinated in the Italian system of filmmaking so revolutionary advancements weren't being made. The French New Wave had lots of new filmmakers with new sensibilities so that was a true new wave.

I think it's more than coincidence that when Ikiru was released in America, De Sica's Umberto D (the final major Neo-Realist film) was also being released. Some critics even wrote original reviews for both films in the same article because they begged comparison, but it seems obvious to me Kurosawa was influenced by different storytelling and filmmakers at the time. Italian Neo-Realism had been in vogue for years and Ikiru feels like that movement. I think it allows the viewer to take the film into context because you can't start putting Red Beard, Ran, and Ikiru together like they beg comparison. Considering how far apart each film was made, it would be unfair.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: SiliasRuby on August 01, 2009, 11:02:33 PM
I haven't seen 'Ran' yet, but I won't compare them. I haven't compared any of Kurosawa's films yet and will continue not to, but only because of you GT.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: SiliasRuby on August 02, 2009, 12:41:58 PM
'Ikiru' had it all. It feels strange to weep at he end of a kurosawa film. The sentimentality worked for me and i felt vindacated at every action the main character made. It does have that neo-realism vibe and its very different from 'red beard'. The sad but inspirational journey this man goes on could make every atheist feel scared. It also shows the bearacratic nature of government. These a great humorous scene near the beginning that made me sight with laughter.
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: Lottery on February 14, 2014, 07:26:50 AM
I just watched Ame Agaru (After the Rain) which is based on the last screenplay Kurosawa ever wrote. Lovely little film at heart and quite removed from the heroic intensity of his other works. Though I must say, a more appropriate title would be 'The Nicest and Best Samurai in the World'. Can't find a trailer but there's like two or three copies of the entire film up on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU9g8-a2xHo
Title: Re: kurosawa
Post by: Mel on September 21, 2014, 02:27:01 PM
Sidney Lumet on 'RAN' (video) (http://vimeo.com/24116562)