Intro post

[ghost_sonata]

Hi! I just joined this community and thought I could write a line to greet other members and share my appreciation for Akira Kurosawa. I only watched three of his movies so far, Akahige (Redbeard), Ran and Shichinin no Samurai (The Seven Samurai) but I hope to have a chance to see more. In particular I would like some help in choosing my fourth

Comments

[ibaraki]

I usually tend to think people who can sit through Red Beard and find it to be a great masterpiece are true appreciators of good film. So, kudos to you.

Anyway, I suggest you check out Rashomon. If you get the Criterion DVD make sure you watch Robert Altman's commentary on the film. Also check out Throne of Blood which is based off of Macbeth. The Yojimbo films..Yojimbo and Sanjuro. You need to see The Hidden Fortress as well which has some great commentary by George Lucas if you get the Criterion DVD. He talks how the story being told from the perspective of the two thieves was his inspiration for R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars.

Man, just watch all his films, haha.

If you liked Ran you will probably really like Kagemusha. The new criterion DVD is fantastic.

[nodisc]

a different cultural reality such as the Japanese.

Seems to me that a lot of the message of Kurosawa's film is that people are people, across culture.

[ghost_sonata]

Seems to me that a lot of the message of Kurosawa's film is that people are people, across culture.

Quite true. I think this is what made me think of Greek tragedy at first when I watched Ran (and the other movies as well). His characters communicate feelings, desires, hopes, fears that are the common background of all human beings, in all ages and countries. His movies are so true when it comes to depict the human being.

[poliphilo]

Ikiru- definitely- a sublime, life-enhancing movie.

And a late film- Akira Kurosawa's Dream's- a highly personal project and quite extraordinarily beautiful.

[jonathanchrist]

if you haven't seen "Yojimbo" yet, you need too! Toshiro Mifune at his best!

[karasawa]

Dude. Rashomon. Do it. Now. It's the first Kurosawa film I ever watched and I've been madly in love with him *and* Mifune ever since!

Also, Dreams is amazing ... seriously seriously beautiful.

[deathbeard]

I liked Dreams too! I think that its the fact that he has so much Japanese mythology in each dream that makes it special for me. I was hooked in the very first dream with the foxes' wedding, and it just kept me entranced from there.