what's your favorite Akira Kurosawa Film?

theEnglishBeat

anone

?nema

Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to watch any of Kurosawa's Films. When Dreams came out here, I was just a kid and I didn't know what I was missing. To make up for it, I ordered Seven Samurai on DVD even though I haven't seen it yet. The disc will arrive sometime late February and I'll post my thoughts on the movie after I've seen it.

Bostsip

seven samurai is THE BEST film of Kurosawa...for me it is also one of the best films of all time. i watched its unedited version..three hours long but worth it! It has all the elements of a good film..good plot, great characterization, good cinematography. Even if it was only subtitled (the one i watched), i was laughing out loud at the dialogues. Mifune was GREAT there..

the Western version, Magic Seven (i forgot the title)..does not do it justice.
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i also like Rashomon
Rhapsody is August...so-so...very heavy siya sa images

?nema

I also heard that Bug's Life was based on Seven Samurai. I'm definitely looking forward to watching it.

|ostsou|

how i love to watch all of kurosawa's movies!!! the thing is is i have no means!!! darn! when i put up a biz it would be a videoshop wherein the hard to find movies of credited directors will be included!!! kurosawa, ang lee (where in the hell are the video copies of ice storm and ride with the devil?????!!!!???) and a lot of others.

Noel Vera

Kurosawa? What film can NOT be your favorite?

Yes, Seven Samurai--one of the greatest action film ever made. Three hours and twenty minutes, and it's so good you feel it's only half as long. Remade into The Magnificent Seven (Yul Brynner, Steve Mcqueen), Battle Beyond The Stars, THe Dirty Dozen, A Bug's Life, and half a dozen lesser movies.

Ikiru --I think this is my personal favorite. Man learns he is going to die in a few months. Touching, harrowingly intense.

Yojimbo--great black comedy, about a powerful samurai who decides to clean up a town by killing everyone in it. Was remade into A Fistful of Dollars (Clint Eastwood), and Last Man Standing (Bruce Willis).

Red Beard--about a doctor trying to cure people's souls as well as their sickness. Another personal favorite.

Ran--Kurosawa's King Lear. Great battle scenes

The HIdden Fortress---great entertainment, was stolen by George Lucas for his film, Star Wars.

Throne of Blood--Kurosawa's adaptation of Macbeth. Great blood drama, the ending stolen by Brian de Palma for Scarface remake.

HIgh and Low --great police thriller.

Dodeskaden--beautiful film on squatters.

Kagemusha--wonderful film about man chosen to impersonate the emperor.

Dreams--beautiful vignettes, on different subjects. First use of modern special effects in a Kurosawa film I can remember.

Sanjuro--funny, exciting sequel to Yojimbo.

The Bad Sleep Well--Kurosawa's Hamlet. Thrilling first three fourths of film.

Raphsody in August -- his anti-atom bomb film

Madadayo--his last film, about an old teacher not ready to retire.

purploony

i've only seen Yojimbo and Ikiru; i agree with Noel that Ikiru was great. really inspired me to change my life for the better. Yojimbo was funny, but unfortunately un-relate-able (how could you relate with a ruthless samurai?).

will get to watch all the kurosawa films by the end of this term, will go back here and tell you how they were

?nema

Noel Vera where can I find any of Kurosawa's movies? I don't want to have to order online everytime I want to see his other films. (Dreams cost around $59 on VHS!)

|ostsou| I have Ang Lee's Ice Storm on VHS, again, I had to order it online. The lengths we go just to watch good movies!

Noel Vera

Yojimbo--you're not meant to relate to his ruthlessness. It's a cry of bitterness, of total despair. It's Kurosawa washing his hands on humanity, pointing a finger, and laughing. It takes a savage, very cynical attitude to enjoy this movie, and if someone says he enjoyed it a lot, I would stay very, very far away from him.

And as a rule, I don't like inspirational films. I do like Ikiru, very much.

Kurosawa films can be found at video take out, at makati cinema square, all laserdiscs. Also, Video 48 at West Ave., Sound and Vision at Banawe and Del Monte in QC. Also, once in a while they show them at Home Cable's Star Mandarin channel.

Bostsip

Yeah, i also watched YOJIMBO..very brutal but i found it really good.

Every year there's a Japanese Film Fest at the UP Film Center..laging may Kurosawa film dun..

jukebox

the only movie i saw was dreams. i'm hoping to see seven samurai - hiram-mode, pau!
i've read james cameron and steven spielberg took supplementary film-making lessons from kurosawa's dreams - specifically from the tunnel and the blizzard chapters.
go and see the film you'll know what they/i'm talking about..

tr|n|ty

i love Dreams!!! love love love it i also like Ran, Yojimbo and Seven Samurai

oozbao

The only Kurosawa movie i've seen is Dreams and it's during a film showing pa during my high school days...galeng! did'nt know a lot about the others, although i'm hoping to see more pa...

kartoonista

I saw "Ran" and "Dreams."

First time I watched "Ran" I was impressed with the lighting, colors, the costumes, story telling and of course the war scenes (I wondered then how many gallons of blood was shed in reelty).

Same goes with "Dreams," except for the last part of my statement above. It was a very, very beautiful movie. Got a chance to watch it again at the SM Centerpoint Preview Studio some years back. Whoah nelly! Nearly blown off my chair back then.

Noel Vera

Dreams is very good. Ran is very, very good, close to great.

They are not, however, Kurosawa's best.

Spielberg, Lucas, Cameron all borrow from Kurosawa. He is, however, far superior to all of them.

gUm`S

THE SEVEN SAMURAI

angelicDAW

i liked dreams, especially the episode with van gogh.

i got to watch seven samurai and rhapsody in august (i'm not sure about this, kinda forgot na eh!)

Gollum

the only kurosawa's i've watched are rashomon and dreams. but it was enough to make him my favorite!

guys, medyo off topic, pero baka may gusto naman mag-organize ng film viewing ng kurosawa movies diyan? kahit may bayad ok lang. pls. tapos maybe we could have a discussion on his works. suggestion lang po, mr noel vera

i don't know where to rent or buy his works. :~(

unagi

Ran.

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Gollum-try this video along west avenue..video 48 ata pangalan non.

Manco

I love THRONE OF BLOOD! Unfortunately, that's the only Kurosawa film I've seen so far. Only saw some bits of RASHOMON when it was shown on CTV a couple of years back, but I was too distracted by something to pay attention.

sardonic wench

rashomon, and ran. yung ikiru, napanood ko na (sa japanese cinema class ko dati... and a host of other films) pero hinde ko maalala. maganda din yung rhapsody in august.



seven samurai di ko pa napapanood.