Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Akira Kurosawa Films

This is topic Akira Kurosawa Films in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-18-2003, 12:46 AM:

I watched "RED BEARD" last night and I am watching "SANJURA" this weekend.This man made Great Movies!!!! I wish I had grown up in a different era - so I could have watched these on the big screen...

Anyone else a big fan??????

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-18-2003, 01:17 AM:

Welcome to the club Dennis. [Smile]

There's a few of us here.

Old Film-Yak thread: AKIRA KUROSAWA: A Life In Pictures

BTW it's Sanjuro. [Smile]

I have most of his films in my library on LD or DVD. Plus original Japanese theater posters and roadshow program booklets for many of his films. I guess that makes me a fan.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-18-2003, 12:31 PM:

Yes Paul - I just opened the sleeve on the disc and found the "O" instead of an "A".

[Wink]

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 04-18-2003, 12:54 PM:

I am also a great fan of the films of the late Japanese film master, Akira Kurosawa ever since I saw "RASHOMON in 1952 when I was about thirteen years old. With the exception of one film I had seen all of the remainder of the master's creations including IKIRU", "SHICHININ NO SAMURAI" (Seven Samurai),"THE BAD SLEEP WELL", "THE LOWER DEPTHS", "THRONE OF BLOOD", "YOJIMBO", "HIDDEN FORTRESS", "HIGH & LOW", SANJURO", and "AKAHIGE (Red Beard) all in black & white. In 1970, Kurosawa started to use color for the first time with "DODES KA-DEN". It was very interesting to see the master return to the flat film format when he started to work in color instead of scope which he loved very much. The Japanese/Russian co production, "DERSU UZALA' was the only film of his I had never seen so I do not know if it was flat or scope when it was released in 70mm. By the way, Kurosawa co directed "DERSU UZALA" with Vladimer Arseniev a prominent Soviet filmmaker in 1974. "KAGEMUSHA", "RAN", "YUMEI" (Dreams). "WINDS OF AUGUST" and "MADADOYO", his final films were all in the flat format. With the exception of "KAGEMUSHA" and "WINDS OF AUGUST", all are currently available on DVD. "WINDS OF AUGUST" will be released very soon by MGM Home Video but there is no word yet on "KAGEMUSHA". "YUMEI (Dreams)" was recently released for the very first time in a very sparkling transfer by Warner Home Video and "RAN" The Masterworks Edition was only released a few days ago by Wellspring Home Video. I have the current new version and had the original that was released a few years ago on another label and one should avoid that DVD like the plague.

-Claude

[ 04-19-2003, 12:58 AM: Message edited by: Claude S. Ayakawa ]

Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 04-18-2003, 02:42 PM:

Dennis, who says that you can't see them on the big screen? There are actually newish prints of many of Kurosawa films circulating right now. Cowboy Pictures recently released a restored Seven Samurai, and are distributing 11 films as a Kurosawa/Mifune series. They all played the Twin Cities in March. (lucky me! [Smile]

) If there is a rep house by you, try to get them to book the films. I only had time to catch five of them, but they were all pretty well attended. I was so happy to have waited to see many of them for the first time on the big screen. The Seven Samurai restoration looked incredible! Try to catch them if at all possible.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 04-18-2003, 02:55 PM:

Joe,

"THE SEVEN SAMURAI" and four other films by Akira Kurosawa was recently shown as part of the master's film series at the Wallace Theatres Art House Cinemas at Restaurant Row here in Honolulu. Because I dislike Wallace Theatres for their very dreadful presentations, I never bothered to attend any of the showings despite the fact that they had very low senior citizen $4.75 admission prices.

-Claude