AK 100: 25 Films of Akira Kurosawa from Criterion

[Jet_Jaguar]

Wouldn't this be an amazing set to own?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NO ... B002NOZUEW

[Tom]

I like Kurosawa but my top 3 Japanese Film Directors:

1) Kenji MIZOGUCHI;

2) Yasujiro OZU;

3) Masaki KOBAYASHI.

[Jet_Jaguar]

I've seen Kobayashi's Kwaidan (great movie) and a couple of Ozu films (which I liked), but never anything by Mizoguchi. Which Mizoguchi film would be a good one to start with?

[Maka]

Hello Tom,

Welcome to the Dojo.

My favorite is Ozu. I love his low camera angles, japanese clotheslines, and very little camera movement. And his films seem to always look at the conflict between holding to traditional values and the modern values which appeals to me.

But I like Kurosawa, Mizoguichi and Kobayashi a lot too. Kobayashi made my favorite Japanese film, Seppuku.

Peace, maka

[Tom]

Which Mizoguchi film would be a good one to start with?

- Tales of Moonlight and Rain (Ugetsu monogatari);
- The Life of Oharu (Saikaku Ichidai Onna);
- The Crucified Lovers (Chikamatsu Monogatari);
- Sansho the Bailiff (Sanshō Dayu);
- Taira Clan Saga (Shin Heike Monogatari).

[Tom]

Kobayashi made my favorite Japanese film, Seppuku.

What about Samurai Rebellion? In my opinion, the best "Samurai" movie ever

My favorite is Ozu. I love his low camera angles, japanese clotheslines, and very little camera movement. And his films seem to always look at the conflict between holding to traditional values and the modern values which appeals to me.

Ok, maybe I am crazy but could JIZO story (from "Shades of Death) remember a movie from OZU?

[Maka]

It's sad, but I haven't watched Samurai Rebellion. And I only have seen Mizoguchi's Tales of Moonlight and Rain (Ugetsu monogatari)

The local public library has a pretty good foreign section of DVDs. I'll have to see if I can view some on loan. Thanks for the list.

Peace, Maka

[Steve Hubbell]

I am sad to say that, with all the Japanese films I've watched over the last ten years, I have only seen one by Mizoguchi, his MIYAMOTO MUSASHI (1944).

Kobayashi only made four films which fall within the jidai geki / samurai period film genre, but they are all so good that he is considered one of the top directors in most reviews of samurai films. Unfortunately, there is not an authorized release of the fourth film, Inn of Evil, but it is available as a fan-subbed DVD through a few places.

INOCHI BÔNIFURÔ (1971) Inn of Evil
This is another masterpiece from filmmaker KOBAYASHI Masaki, noted director of HARA KIRI, KWAIDAN, and SAMURAI REBELLION. The Japanese title is actually translated as “We give our lives for nothing”, and is the true heart and soul of this story. Based on a novel by YAMAMOTO Shugoro, who also wrote the books upon which SANJURO, KILL, and AFTER THE RAIN, were based, it tells the tale of a group of thieves and murderers who find it within themselves to sacrifice their lives with no hope of personal gain. NAKADAI Tatsuya stars as Sada, an expert with knives, whose mysterious past comes to light as he leads a group of fugitives in their last-ditch battle to save their home, a dilapidated inn, which does not welcome strangers in its doors. KATSU Shintaro plays against type in a pivotal role as one of the only outsiders ever allowed to drink at the inn. Tension and suspense lead up to a conclusion like no other. A magnificent motion picture, and a true work of art.
Directed by: KOBAYASHI Masaki
Cast: NAKADAI Tatsuya, SATO Kei, SAKAI Wakako, NAKAMURA Ganemon, KATSU Shintaro

[go]

Dear Readers,
Be aware the Kurosawa big box set is does not contain:
The Quiet Duel
Dersu Uzala
Ran
Dreams
Rhapsody in August
A complete set would be nice.
Best wishes to all!
go

[Jet_Jaguar]

Dear Readers,
Be aware the Kurosawa big box set is does not contain:
The Quiet Duel
Dersu Uzala
Ran
Dreams
Rhapsody in August
A complete set would be nice.
Best wishes to all!
go

That's kind of disappointing since Ran is probably my second or third favorite Kurosawa film (I think the reason that it's not in the set is because Criterion/Janus's rights to it lapsed). I like Dersu Uzala a lot too and think that it's an underappreciated movie. I haven't seen The Quiet Duel or Rhapsody in August.

I also remember reading something that said that the DVDs in this set are missing the extras from the individual editions of these movies, which is a bit disappointing. It doesn't seem like it would have been hard to include them.

[Jet_Jaguar]

Here's an interesting article I read a few days ago about The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail, one of Kurosawa's early WWII-era films that was released on DVD for the first time as a part of the AK 100 box set:

http://daily.greencine.com/archives/007671.html

I've never seen this movie, but I'm interested in seeing it now. I had no idea that Kurosawa had wanted to film the story that Kagemusha was based on for that long. I think Criterion is going to release an individual DVD of this movie sometime in 2010.

[Tom]

Another "Samurai" masterpiece:

GATE OF HELL (Jigokumon), 1953
Teinosuke Kinugasa

And don't forget Yoji Yamada Samurai Trilogy!

[Jet_Jaguar]

I case anyone wanted to get the first four Kurosawa films on DVD without buying the AK 100 set, a separate DVD set that includes them just came out:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003N2 ... B003N2CVQ8

Only seen two of these films (Sanshiro Sugata and The Men Who Tread on The Tiger's Tail); I'd put them in the not-great-but-still-pretty-good category, and they're both only about an hour long, so they're worth watching if you're a Kurosawa fan.

Speaking of Kurosawa, I recently read his autobiography, Something Like an Autobiography, and I found it interesting. I was a little disappointed that Rashomon is the latest movie he talks about making (the book was written around 1980, and he doesn't say very much about his life after 1950), but it's still worth reading.