...and really liked it. Everyone raves about Kurosawa, and I see why. I might become a big Toshiro Mifune fan. Any recommendations on the next Kurosawa and/or Mifune movie I add to my Blockbuster queue? Besides the obvious Seven Samurai? Thanks!
not a samurai kurosawa, but ikiru is one of my favorites. you might be bored though. rashomon is another good one no one listed yet. you really can't go wrong with kurosawa. also if you're looking for mifune stuff inagaki's samurai trilogy is great too.
Thanks for all the suggestions! I read that Throne of Blood is a retelling of Macbeth. Very interested in watching that. I've also seen part of Ran a few years ago as part of a Shakespeare class and was intrigued. I don't remember why I didn't finish it. What is Ikiru about?
I'm slowly working through all the Kurosawa films that GreenCine has. Just watched High and Low, which has Mifune as a businessman whose chauffer's son was kidnapped in place of his own son, and he must choose to save his career or save the kid. It was remade into a Hollywood film, but I don't remember what the name of it was. He's also credited with inventing or greatly influencing the 'police procedural' movie. High and Low and Stray Dog, which is one of Mifune's first movies as well, are those kind of films. When you go for Seven Samurai, go for the long version, which is about 4 hours. Don't worry, it doesn't drag. Oh, and if you like Samurai Champloo, you'll see where they got the characters of Mugen (played by Mifune, incidentally) and Jun. They don't go by those names, tho. If you're looking for American movies with Mifune: Hell in the Pacific, Hell to Eternity, and Bridge on the River Kwai are ones I can list of the top of my head. He was also in 1941. Basically, whenever they needed a WWII Japanese general or soldier, he was the first they called. Ikiru is about a guy who is in a soul deadening government job who learns he has stomach cancer and only about 6 months to live. Its considered one of his very best films. It stars Takahiro Shimura, another Kurosawa film regular that you may recognize. --Moony
Sanjuro features the same character played by Mifune as Yojimbo. It stands alone, but might be considered a sequel. So I recommend that. Inagaki's Samurai trilogy is nearly as praised as Kurosawa's samurai films. That's another good recommendation. Lastly, catch a collaboration between Kurosawa and Mifune together set in modern times. The only one I've seen is The Bad Sleep Well... but I think it's great. Demonstrates that director and actor had more range than just samurai films. If you're looking for the roots of Kurosawa's films, the best known influence is Shakespeare. Throne of Blood is based on Macbeth. Ran is based on King Lear. Kurosawa's films have been remade or have heavily influenced the stories of other films, mostly Westerns. The Magnificent Seven (a good film in it's own right, I think) was a remake of Seven Samurai. Fistful of Dollars stole it's story from Yojimbo, and was sued because of it. If you care to see a Western version of Rashoman featuring William Shatner, check out The Outrage. If you see it, view it as an oddity, not because it's great in its own right. While on the subject of Westerns (and oddities), you may want to check out Toshiro Mifune in Red Sun, a samurai western. (It features Charles Bronson, one of the Magnificent Seven, working with Mifune, one of the Seven Samurai.) Sci-fi has drawn from Kurosawa as well. As you may know, Star Wars was inspired by the story of rescuing a princess in The Hidden Fortress. Battle Beyond the Stars was a remake of Seven Samurai by Roger Corman, featuring Robert Vaughn in the EXACT same role he played in The Magnificent Seven. Then there's The Three Amigos and A Bug's Life, which borrow the concept of Seven Samurai and substitutes actors or clowns for the samurai.
Since you watched Yojimbo (I absolutely love this movie, I watch it every few months, the same as Firefly series) get Sanjuro. It's about the same character in another altruistic mission. Not so spellbounding as Yojimbo, but also good non the less. As for other Kurosawa movies Throne of Blood and Seven Samurai are a must. After that Ran and Kagemusha. Rashomon is a must as well, and Hidden Fortress is also good.
Sanjuro, of course. Especially if you plan on being enamored with Mifune. Been updating my collection into Bluray as they are released. They look so much better than I imagined they would, especially the Yojimbo/San duology.
Well since you liked Yojimbo why not start with the sequel and check out Sanjuro? Oh and I can't recomend High and Low enough it's just an amazing movie. Actually High and Low and Ransom (the american movie you're thinking of) are both based off of King's Ransom by Ed McBain. The major difference being that High and Low did not suck.
You could also check out "I live in fear" to see an interesting psychological piece featuring Mifune in old man makeup. The plot centres around the fear of nuclear weapons in post-war Japan (film was made in the early 50s, I believe), and I think its similar in narrative style to films like Seven Samurai and Ran, although I Live In Fear features no samurai. Also, yeah, The Hidden Fortress is basically proto-Star Wars, and an amazing film to boot.
I turned in a comparison/contrast paper for Throne of Blood and Macbeth. it is the Macbeth story. the first three times i watched it, i ignored the subtitles completely. if you are familiar with Macbeth, you can enjoy the movie without subtitles. if some idiot wouldn't ruin it, Throne of Blood would be something i would like to see remade for today's audience. Ran is also fabulous.
