![]() He used telephoto lenses because they flattened the frame and believed that placing the cameras farther away than normal produced better performances from actors. Kurosawa distinguished himself as a director because of his cinematic technique. Kurosawa’s early post-war work was mostly contemporary but he was recognized internationally for his unique storytelling in Rashomon. Having endured so much censorship in the pre-war era it was not surprising that Kurosawa’s first post-war film No Regrets for Our Youth was markedly critical of the old Japanese regime and about leftist wife who was arrested for her political convictions. During that period movies were used to promote Nationalism. As with most directors in pre-war Japan his work was strictly monitored by the Japanese government and closely monitored for propaganda value. He married actress Yoko Yaguchi and has two children with her.Īkira began his career in movies in an apprenticeship program for directors under PCL. By the time Akira was 23 a series of tragedies left him the sole survivor among four brothers in his family. During the Great Kanto earthquake which destroyed Tokyo Akira was an eye witness to the number of deaths and he took away the reflection that to look at a frightening thing head-on is to defeat its ability to cause fear. But it was Heigo his intelligent older brother who had a more profound impact on him. As a child Akira had some talent in drawing and this was encouraged by his teachers in school. ![]() His father embraced western culture and exposed his children to western movies which provided a considerable educational experience to the young Akira. Before he could become a legendary director/screenwriter he was firm born to modest beginnings as the youngest of eight children albeit the descendant of a samurai linage with above average means. His curriculum vitae as a filmmaker, producer, screenwriter and editor is the stuff of Japanese Legend. In order to better understand the two movies it would be best to first have a backgrounder on the two directors who made the movies possible.Īkira Kurosawa was born on 23 March 1910 and died at the age of 88 on 6 September 1998. You’ll not only see a great film but also appreciate it’s influence.Learn More Background information on the Directors Akira Kurosawa 1910-1998 Then follow it up by watching A Fistful of Dollars. It’s a true motion picture accomplishment and you don’t have to be a cinephile to appreciate it. It’s easy to see why another great director like Sergio Leone would be inspired by Yojimbo. With each viewing I gain a better appreciation for the movie and for Kurosawa’s brilliant vision. Yojimbo earns it’s recognition as a classic. Yet it’s never boring and more often times mesmerizing. The story is pretty basic but very efficient with the exception of a few too many conversations over sake at the restaurant. The cinematography is fascinating with some cleverly staged camera angles, near perfect camera movement, and beautiful wide-framed shots. Masaru Sato’s magnetic score starts with the opening credits and resonates throughout the picture. Their creative chemistry is evident in Yojimbo with Kurosawa really focusing on Mifune’s strength of communication through expressions and mannerisms. He and Kurosawa collaborated for 16 films with Kurosawa once saying of Mifune ”I am proud of nothing I have done other than with him”. Toshiro Mifune gives an impeccable performance as the solemn wandering samurai. ![]() Even Clint Eastwood’s Fistful character seems specifically patterned after Yojimbo’s samurai all the way down to his constant beard scratching. Instead of heeding the advice of a local resident, the stranger sees there’s money to be made in the village by playing both sides. Both films tell the story of a mysterious stranger who enters a small town ran by two brutal, warring gangs. Even more interesting is that it went on to be the inspiration for other westerns including Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, which is almost a scene by scene replication instead of a remake. Yojimbo was heavily influenced by American westerns from the Japanese village’s dusty, deserted main street to the face-offs reminiscent of classic western one-on-one gun duels. Kurosawa creates a gritty and audacious period picture that manages to mix action with small bits of dark comedy while constantly showing off his technical savvy. ![]() Akira Kurosawa’s 1961 classic Yojimbo is a Japanese samurai film that’s not only beautifully hypnotic entertainment but is a master’s class on camera work and film making. ![]()
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