#kurosawathon

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So I'm on yet another Kurosawa kick (among several kicks of the recent weeks), and this time I decided I was going to watch all 30 films in his filmography. This then led to me attempting to order them from least favorite to favorite, which became a cross between worst to best movie and least to most enjoyable to watch (which was partially affected by the quality and other issues of some of the DVDs), and even then, the order kept changing as I was taking these pictures. And a couple of them are just in order of release (to make it more confusing). • That all said, I have now watched the 19 of his 30 films that I have on DVD, and am about to start the 11 that are on blu-ray. All of his movies are well made, and have some value, but that fact that at least 17 of them are outstanding, and about a dozen of them are undeniable masterpieces, is very, very impressive. In any case, I'll probably be putting up some more post addressing the films in chunks at a time, in some vague approximation of what my brain in the current moment is calling the order from least to greatest. 🙃 • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLAdAgeja8N/?igshid=15wac6nibttjp

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part IX: Best of the Best Chapter 3 - The Literal Best 🎞️ 1. Seven Samurai [1954] Everyone knew this was coming. There was no other choice to be made. There isn't much at all I can say that hasn't already been said time and time again (though it deserves all of it). It's Kurosawa's greatest film. It's one of the greatest films of all time. It's damn near a perfect film. Its influence is one of the most prolific in the entire history of cinema. Every frame is like a work of art. And on top of all these things, it also has probably the best use of rain in film, one of the (if not the) best battles ever put on film, and it is the greatest samurai movie ever made. It's just, the literal best. 🎬 So that was no surprise at all, but I think this and Yojimbo in 2nd place are maybe the only two to stay firmly where they were, without question, over the course of this process. Further to that point, I updated the order, yet again, even after I finished the rest of the posts, as I went to do this one. I've included a photo of my even more recent new order for now, of Kurosawa's entire filmography, this time pictured greatest to least favorite, from top to bottom. Thanks for following along with my nonsense if you did! • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #bestofthebest #masterpiece #OneOfTheGreatestOfAllTime #perfectmovie #GoAT #greatestkurosawafilm #SevenSamurai #akirakurosawassevensamurai #sevensamurai1954 #7samurai #1954 #toshiromifune #takashishimura (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLVI53tj0cV/?igshid=1386ptrjmdj1w

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part VII: Best of the Best Chapter 2 - Incredible Incalculable Influence 🎞️ 4. The Hidden Fortress [1958] A fun, exciting, & funny samurai adventure film, the Hidden Fortress is of course well documented as one of the primary inspirations for Star Wars. It is also Kurosawa's 1st film in widescreen format, & thank goodness, because it is glorious. 3. Sanjuro [1962] If looking at the whole of movie making process, history, technique & impact, there are others that may've been higher on the list than where I ultimately placed them (Ikiru, Ran, & Rashomon, for instance), but just the sheer enjoyment (as well as the undeniable style & influence) of these firmly lands them near the very top. Sanjuro & Hidden Fortress's order will likely continue to jump around some, but I will always stand by their quality as among the best samurai films ever. 2. Yojimbo [1961] Aside from Sergio Leone's well publicized uncredited western remake, "A Fistful of Dollars", there have been at least several other Yojimbo remakes (Django, & Last Man Standing, for example), as well as countless shows, films, stories & more that have lifted the main premise/setup, & revolved around a very similar central figure. & I get it. This movie is astonishingly good entertainment on many levels & easily holds the #2 spot on my countdown. 🎬 The influence, impact, & imitations brought about by these films is nearly impossible to estimate. There are the obvious & famous examples, but also countless lesser known (or lesser recognized) in the decades of film since. The western imitations, homages, & remakes are particularly worth noting, as Kurosawa himself was influenced by earlier great American westerns. • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #bestofthebest #thehiddenfortress (#akirakurosawasthehiddenfortress #starwars ) #1958 #sanjuro (#sanjuro1962 #akirakurosawassanjuro ) #1962 #yojimbo (#yojimbo1961 #akirakurosawasyojimbo ) #1961 #toshiromifune #takashishimura #tatsuyanakada (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLUxMo2jvVR/?igshid=db9achmogx1k

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part VII: Best of the Best Chapter 1 - Works of Staggering Genius 🎞️ 7. Throne of Blood [1957] Throne of Blood is not only my favorite of Kurosawa's Shakespeare adaptions, but my favorite adaption of Macbeth, & further, my favorite Shakespeare adaptation overall. Aside from a couple specific moments that require it to slow, it moves long quickly, excitingly, & powerfully. It is brilliantly shot, delightfully performed, & just purely enjoyable Shakespearean film entertainment. 6. High and Low [1963] High and Low is the last of the noir like films that Kurosawa did, & in my opinion, easily the strongest (even if Stray Dog is the most noir-ish). It is a major influence on police procedural films to follow, particularly domestic drama & kidnapping related police procedurals. It is Toshiro Mifune's penultimate film with Kurosawa & is extremely tightly constructed, outstandingly performed & photographed, & perfectly paced (particularly for a movie its length). 5. Rashomon [1950] While Drunken Angel & Stray Dog were very strong films that came before, Rashomon was Kurosawa's first international hit & is still considered among the greatest films ever made by many. It's unique storytelling style is the inspiration for the term "Rashomon effect", about the unreliability of eyewitnesses (as they will each tell the tale differently), & nothing had been done quite like it before in film, though so many have since. & just so beautifully shot. 🎬 We've reached the top 7, the best of the best. 7 of the greatest Japanese films ever made, they stand out there among the greatest films, period. These 3 are each works of just staggering genius, & each in 3 completely different styles. • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #bestofthebest #throneofblood (#spiderwebcastle #akirakurosawasthroneofblood #macbeth ) #1957 #highandlow (#highandlow1963 #heavenandhell ) #1963 #rashomon (#akirakurosawasrashomon ) #1950 #toshiromifune #tatsuyanakadai #takashishimura (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLTY2oxD3o7/?igshid=bzg99qfxm8zk

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part VI: Going Out Big 🎞️ 10. Ran [1985] Each of these epic masterpieces represent various endings. Ran was Kurosawa's let samurai film, last Shakespeare adaption (King Lear), last film to feature Natsuya Nakadai, last epic scale film, and some consider it his last masterpiece. It is gorgeous and grand, and a fine Shakespeare adaptation (my 2nd favorite of the 3 he did). 9. Kagemusha [1980] The general consensus seems to be that this one isn't as good as Ran (indeed, Kurosawa himself referred to it afterwards as a practice run for Ran), but having just watched them again, I have moved Kagemusha up in my order. Overall I find it a more interesting, and more visually striking film. The colors are breathtaking. Also, random fact: George Lucas & Francis Ford Coppola helped it get made. As for endings, it was the final film to feature he most frequently used actor, Takashi Shimura (albeit in a very small part). 8. Red Beard [1965] Red Beard also represents some notable endings. It is Kurosawa's last black & white film, and also very notably, his final collaboration with the star most identified with him, Toshiro Mifune. And though it's not epic in the way of those samurai films, it was certainly epic in production. It took 2 years to make, and vast amounts of work and money for sets (some of which barely spent much time on screen). It is long, and by necessity a slow burn drama, intimate in turns, and an effective masterwork of character. 🎬 Starting with these, we've reached the top ten. Unquestionable masterpieces, all of them. Yet still, I kept updating my order. When I finish I may need to take more group pictures to show the final order I settled on (for the time being)... • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #Ran #1985 (#kinglear ) #kagemusha (#georgelucas #francisfordcoppola ) #1980 #redbeard (#akirakurosawasredbeard #redbeard1965 #redbeardmovie ) #1965 #tatsuyanakadai #toshiromifune #takashishimura (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLTJGy2jQ8m/?igshid=1xp4tzal1rwzc

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part V: The Epic in the Intimate 🎞️ 13. Dersu Uzala [1975] Dersu Uzala won the oscar for best foreign language film in 1975, & yet is one of the least talked about amongst Kurosawa's greats. The film is epic is scope, yet considerably more intimate in storytelling. It's a beautiful & moving, if slow paced film, & it bothers me to no end that they haven't released a restored HD transfer of it on blu-ray. 12. The Lower Depths [1957] The Lower Depths is opposite in a way, to Dersu Uzala, in that it's much more intimate in scope, yet oddly kind of epic in the immersion in the characters' lives. Based on a play by Maxim Gorky (though like "The Idiot", moved to Japan), it takes place in a rundown tenement in the late Edo period, & plays out a bit like a slice of life examination of the tenement dwellers (thieves, gamblers, prostitutes, alcoholic wanderers, etc). Though as it moves along, focusing in more on the specific dramas among & between the characters, mostly bred by the unfortunate circumstances they find themselves in, & their inability to escape them. 11. Ikiru [1952] The epic-ness of Ikiru lies in its intimate nature; it's epically intimate, if you will. We are down to the point of unqualified masterworks now, & there are many who count Ikiru near or at the very pinnacle of Kurosawa's work. While it's not quite that high on my personal (constantly shifting) list, it's easy to understand why. It is a brilliantly acted, shot, & overall realized piece of moving, dramatic significance. Takashi Shimura is something to behold in this tragic, touching, effecting film. 🎬 My suggestion: If you should have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and watch every remaining film on this list. • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #DersuUzala #1975 #thelowerdepths (#thelowerdepths1957 #maximgorky #thelowerdepthsmovie ) #1957 #Ikiru (#tolive #ikirumovie #ikirufilm #ikiru1952 ) #1952 #maximmunzuk #toshiromifune #takashishimura (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLQOymNj2En/?igshid=4jwc3kt2w09l

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part IV: They're All Great from Here 🎞️ 17. Dreams [1990] Kurosawa's 3rd to last film was made with help from George Lucas & Steven Spielberg, and includes an appearance by Martin Scorsese as Vincent Van Gogh. It is an odd but visually stunning collection of vignettes based on his own dreams. I consider it both his last truly great film, but also the least of his greatest films (yes, I consider 17 of his 30 films his greatest). 16. Drunken Angel [1948] Going from his last great to his first great, Drunken Angel represents a few important firsts for Kurosawa. It was his first truly stand out film (& first he could achieve something close to what he wanted), the first of 16 films with actor Toshiro Mifune, and also the first of his films considered by some as Japanese Noir. (Also apparently the first film in general to depict post war yakuza.) 15. The Bad Sleep Well [1960] Speaking of, this is the 3rd of his films sometimes classified as noir. This one is also one of three adapted from Shakespeare. Though, admittedly, this is by far the loosest of those adaptions, and the least of the 3 films, but it is still very well--I mean, good. 😏 (Oh, and Hamlet, in case you were wondering.) 14. Stray Dog [1949] The 2nd of Kurosawa's 4 noir experiments, and the closest to a straight forward noir as we think about them, Stray Dog is a great film that also is something of a precursor to the police procedural genre. (Apparently some also think of it as a precursor to the buddy cop genre, though that one feels like a bit more of a stretch to me...) 🎬 Yup. Every film from here on is great in some or many ways. Also, I am still continuing to update the order as I go along. • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #dreams (#dreams1990 #akirakurosawasdreams #georgelucas #stevenspielberg #martinscorsese ) #1990 #drunkenangel #1948 #thebadsleepwell #1960 #straydog (#straydog1949 #akirakurosawasstraydog) #1949 #toshiromifune #takashishimura (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLGclw9D7Hu/?igshid=j9mdp7oxc677

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part III: Best of the Worst/Worst of the Best 🎞️ 22. Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two [1945] Kurosawa’s 3rd film, and possibly (depending on translations) the 1st film to use “Part Two” in the title, many rankings place this near or at the bottom. Between the included propaganda elements, and nature of a sequel that he probably didn’t want to make, I get it, but even with all that, I still found it more interesting & active than some other films. 21. Sanshiro Sugata [1943] This is his first film, and it’s rather well made for a first film, and shows much promise, if rough on some edges. 20. Dodes'ka-Den [1970] His first color film, it has a lot going for it, particularly in style, though some things it doesn’t quite achieve, and some of it is a difficult watch. Definitely be aware it needs CW/TWs. 19. The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail [1945] Technically this is his first Samurai film. Sure there’s no real fights or much samurai-like goings-on, but technically… It’s a nice, short little film (just under an hour, made quick & inexpensively). 18. Scandal [1950] Part celebrity gossip/tabloid commentary, part courtroom drama, it has strong performances and message, but ultimately feels like it falls a little short of what it might’ve achieved. 🎬 During these is where we skirt the line between the greatest of the lesser works, and the least of the greater works (in my opinion, anyway). • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #sanshirosugataparttwo #1945 #sanshirosugata #1943 #dodeskaden #1970 #themenwhotreadonthetigerstail #scandal (#scandal1950 ) #1950 #takashishimura #toshiromifune (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLBTebujnPC/?igshid=jib38y7rk3sc

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A Journey through the Entire Kurosawa Filmography [from My Current Approximation of Least to Most Favorite] 🎥 Part II: Pretty Good for its Faults 🎞️ 26. No Regrets for our Youth [1946] His 5th film, and his first released post-war film, while it's another that definitely has some strong performances, and emotionally effective moments, as well as rare (for Kurosawa) primary female lead, it unfortunately plods along a bit more inconsistently & slowly than I'd prefer. 25. Madadayo [1993] Kurosawa's last film (& as I hadn't seen it until a little while ago, it also completed me seeing all his films), it is touching, and well shot, but unfortunately suffers from pacing some, and also from the disappointing quality of the DVD. 24. One Wonderful Sunday [1947] Jumping back now to his 6th film, this films shows the influence of Frank Capri (among others), and it quaint and enjoyable enough, but would be more enjoyable (and more Capra-esque) if the male lead wasn't quite so damn mopey and pessimistic (or at least let frustratingly so manner). 23. The Idiot [1951] An adaption of Dostoevsky's novel, aside from issues stemming from the period's understanding mental health issues (from both novel's time, 1869, as well as the time of the movie's making), the primary issue with this is that it's an incomplete film. It was by accounts a faithful adaption of the novel (other than physical setting) in its original 265 minute length, but it was then cut down 100 minutes by the studio (now considered lost), and the result is variously unclear and inconsistent in places. But it also has clear strengths, and hints at what it truly could've/should've been. 🎬 Despite the faults, things continue to improve as we move along. Also a side note on the DVDs in the list- it appears (not terribly surprisingly) that the ones not put out by Criterion tend to be noticeably worse quality. • • • #kurosawa #akirakurosawa #KurosawaFilmography #kurosawathon #all30films #iLoveMovies #dvd ? #blurays #dvds #bluray #kurosawafilms #kurosawamovies #noregretsforouryouth #1946 #madadayo #1993 #onewonderfulsunday #1947 #theidiot #1951 #toshiromifune #takashishimura #setsukohara (at Jersey City, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLBKpgEjxBF/?igshid=nqdcrcrlihv

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Continuing this short Kurosawathon: Dreams • • #dreams #kurosawa (#martinscorsese) #criterion #akirakurosawa #criterioncollection (a very short) #kurosawathon #1990 #bluray #iLoveMovies #blurays #movies #EternalBlurayCatchUp (at The Matt Cave)

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As I sit here, sipping tea, painfully coughing, and unable to fall back asleep, it occurs to me that it is obviously time for some Kurosawa: Ikiru • • #ikiru #kurosawa #takashishimura #criterion #akirakurosawa #criterioncollection (a very short) #kurosawathon #1952 #bluray #iLoveMovies #blurays #movies #EternalBlurayCatchUp (at The Matt Cave)

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Next on the Kurosawathon, the film which was an original primary influence on Star Wars. Chapter 4: The Hidden Fortress #Kurosawathon #akirakurosawa #Kurosawa #bluray @jim_gallo #TheHiddenFortress #1958 #toshiromifune (at The Matt Cave)