Akira Kurosawa
Directing
Born: March 23, 1910 · Shinagawa, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Died: September 6, 1998 (aged 88)
Highest Rated
Biography
Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明) was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. He displayed a bold, dynamic style, strongly influenced by Western cinema yet distinct from it; he was involved with all aspects of film production. Kurosawa entered the Japanese film industry in 1936, following a brief stint as a painter. After years of working on numerous films as an assistant director and scriptwriter, he made his debut as a director during World War II with the popular action film Sanshiro Sugata (1943). After the war, the critically acclaimed Drunken Angel (1948), in which Kurosawa cast the then little-known actor Toshiro Mifune in a starring role, cemented the director's reputation as one of the most important young filmmakers in Japan. The two men would go on to collaborate on another fifteen films. Rashomon (1950), which premiered in Tokyo, became the surprise winner of the Golden Lion at the 1951 Venice Film Festival. The commercial and critical success of that film opened up Western film markets for the first time to the products of the Japanese film industry, which in turn led to international recognition for other Japanese filmmakers. Kurosawa directed approximately one film per year throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, including a number of highly regarded (and often adapted) films, such as Ikiru (1952), Seven Samurai (1954), Throne of Blood (1957), Yojimbo (1961) and High and Low (1963). After the 1960s he became much less prolific; even so, his later work—including two of his final films, Kagemusha (1980) and Ran (1985)—continued to receive great acclaim. In 1990, he accepted the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Posthumously, he was named Asian of the Century in the Arts, Literature, and Culture category by AsianWeek magazine and CNN, cited there as being among the five people who most prominently contributed to the improvement of Asia in the 20th century. His career has been honored by many retrospectives, critical studies and biographies in both print and video, and by releases in many consumer media.
Known for
The Magnificent Seven
2016
A Fistful of Dollars
1964
Seven Samurai
1954
Rashomon
1950
The Magnificent Seven
1960
Ran
1985
Yojimbo
1961
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
1999
Ikiru
1952
High and Low
1963
Last Man Standing
1996
Throne of Blood
1957
Photos (7)
Movies (3)
Self / Appearances (26)
Spécial cinéma
Self · 2 eps
Kurosawa's Way
Self (archive footage)
A. K.
Self
Kurosawa
Self
Babenco: Tell Me When I Die
Self (archive footage)
What Is Cinema?
Self
Making of 'Dreams'
Self
In Love With and Living Within Movies - Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ikiru'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Dodes'ka-den'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Kagemusha'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Bad Sleep Well'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Hidden Fortress'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'The Lower Depths'
Self
A Message from Akira Kurosawa: For Beautiful Movies
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Sanjuro'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'High and Low'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Throne of Blood'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Ran'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Stray Dog'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Seven Samurai'
Self
Making of Ran
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Drunken Angel'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: My Life in Cinema
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Yojimbo'
Self
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: 'Red Beard'
Self
Directing (55)
Seven Samurai
Director
Rashomon
Director
Ran
Director
High and Low
Director
Ikiru
Director
Yojimbo
Director
Sanjuro
Director
Throne of Blood
Director
Kagemusha
Director
Red Beard
Director
Dreams
Director
Dersu Uzala
Director
The Hidden Fortress
Director
Drunken Angel
Director
Rhapsody in August
Director
Stray Dog
Director
The Bad Sleep Well
Director
Dodes'ka-den
Director
The Lower Depths
Director
Madadayo
Director
I Live in Fear
Director
The Quiet Duel
Director
The Idiot
Director
Sanshiro Sugata
Director
One Wonderful Sunday
Director
Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two
Director
No Regrets for Our Youth
Director
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
Director
Scandal
Director
The Most Beautiful
Director
Horse
Assistant Director
Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 2 – Returning Is Scary, but the Weather Will Clear If You Wait
Third Assistant Director
Japanese Women's Textbook
Third Assistant Director
Saga of the Vagabonds, Part Two: Forward at Dawn
Third Assistant Director
A Husband's Chastity: Fall Again
Third Assistant Director
Those Who Make Tomorrow
Director
Enoken's Surprising Life
Assistant Director
Song of the Horse
Director
Paradise of the Virgin Flowers
Assistant Director
Avalanche
Assistant Director
A Husband's Chastity: If Spring Comes & Fall Once Again
Third Assistant Director
Tojuro's Love
Assistant Director
Subterranean Heat
Assistant Director
Composition Class
Assistant Director
The Monkey King
Assistant Director
Enoken’s Shrewd Period
Assistant Director
Easy Alley
Assistant Director
A Husband's Chastity: If Spring Comes
Third Assistant Director
Enoken’s Ten Millions
Third Assistant Director
Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 1 – Momma, the Hat: The Nice Way
Third Assistant Director
Saga of the Vagabonds, Part One: Tiger and Wolf
Third Assistant Director
Roppa's Honeymoon
Assistant Director
Tokyo Rhapsody
Third Assistant Director
The Beautiful Hawk
Assistant Director
Enoken’s Ten Millions Sequel
Third Assistant Director
Writing (86)
The Magnificent Seven
Original Film Writer
The Magnificent Seven
Original Film Writer
Seven Samurai
Screenplay
A Fistful of Dollars
Original Story
Rashomon
Screenplay
Ran
Screenplay
Highest 2 Lowest
Original Film Writer
High and Low
Screenplay
Ikiru
Screenplay
Samurai 7
Original Concept
Samurai 7
Original Film Writer
Yojimbo
Screenplay
Last Man Standing
Original Film Writer
Sanjuro
Screenplay
Kaze no Yojimbo
Original Film Writer
Throne of Blood
Screenplay
Kagemusha
Screenplay
Red Beard
Screenplay
Living
Original Film Writer
The Magnificent Seven Ride!
Original Concept
Dreams
Writer
Runaway Train
Original Film Writer
Runaway Train
Story
Dersu Uzala
Screenplay
The Hidden Fortress
Screenplay
Battle Beyond the Stars
Original Story
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
Original Concept
Drunken Angel
Writer
Return of the Seven
Original Concept
After the Rain
Screenplay
Rhapsody in August
Screenplay
Stray Dog
Writer
The Bad Sleep Well
Writer
Dodes'ka-den
Screenplay
The Lower Depths
Screenplay
The Outrage
Original Story
Madadayo
Screenplay
I Live in Fear
Story
Snow Trail
Screenplay
The Quiet Duel
Writer
The Idiot
Screenplay
The Last Day of Hsianyang
Original Film Writer
Sanshiro Sugata
Screenplay
One Wonderful Sunday
Screenplay
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Original Concept
Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two
Screenplay
No Regrets for Our Youth
Writer
Play of the Week: Rashomon
Original Film Writer
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
Writer
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
Screenplay
Tsubaki Sanjuro
Writer
Scandal
Screenplay
Jakoman and Tetsu
Screenplay
The Most Beautiful
Writer
The Sea Is Watching
Screenplay
Jiruba no Tetsu
Screenplay
The Fencing Master
Screenplay
Horse
Writer
Dora-heita
Screenplay
Ikiru
Screenplay
Four Love Stories
Screenplay
Vendetta of a Samurai
Writer
The Portrait
Screenplay
The Last Princess
Original Story
Sanshiro Sugata
Writer
At the Gate of the Ghost
Original Story
Beyond Love and Hate
Screenplay
Wings of Victory
Writer
Sword for Hire
Screenplay
High and Low
Original Film Writer
Stray Dog
Original Story
Wrestling-Ring Festival
Writer
Advance Patrol
Screenplay
Currents of Youth
Story
Saga of the Vagabonds
Writer
Lady From Hell
Writer
Escape at Dawn
Screenplay
Jakoman and Tetsu
Writer
Song of the Horse
Writer
My Wonderful Yellow Car
Screenplay
Fencing Master
Adaptation
The Den of Beasts
Screenplay
World of Love
Writer
The Admirable Isshin Tasuke!
Screenplay
Vanished Enlisted Man
Screenplay
Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree
Screenplay
Producing (11)
High and Low
Associate Producer
Yojimbo
Producer
Throne of Blood
Producer
Kagemusha
Producer
The Hidden Fortress
Producer
Stray Dog
Associate Producer
The Bad Sleep Well
Producer
Dodes'ka-den
Executive Producer
The Lower Depths
Producer
Flirtation in Spring
Producer
Sanshiro Sugata
Producer
Other Crew (28)
Seven Samurai
Editor
Rashomon
Editor
Ran
Editor
Ran
Storyboard Artist
High and Low
Editor
Ikiru
Editor
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Thanks
Yojimbo
Editor
Sanjuro
Editor
Throne of Blood
Editor
Kagemusha
Storyboard Artist
Kagemusha
Editor
Red Beard
Editor
Dreams
Storyboard Artist
The Hidden Fortress
Editor
After the Rain
Title Designer
Rhapsody in August
Editor
The Bad Sleep Well
Editor
The Draft!
Thanks
The Lower Depths
Editor
Madadayo
Editor
The Idiot
Editor
Sanshiro Sugata
Editor
No Regrets for Our Youth
Editor
Saga of the Vagabonds
Script
Avalanche
Second Unit
Legacy of the 500,000
Editor
Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree
Editor