A little over three years ago I sent an e-mail to Matt Gamble which, paraphrased, began “I have an idea for a column.” Looking back, I didn’t know quite what I was getting into, for good and ill. Obviously, I was going to watch a series of tremendous films, Kurosawa has some peers but no […]
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MADADAYO (1993) Undoubtedly sensing he was running out of time, Kurosawa rapidly turned around from Rhapsody in August to his next project. Madadayo would turn out to be his final film, and although he may have hoped to make more films, he fashioned a film that would serve as his goodbye if those hopes didn’t
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RHAPSODY IN AUGUST (1991) The previous 25 years, during which Kurosawa made only five films, were especially daunting in how hard it took to mount a production. Rhapsody in August came together remarkably easy in comparison. Kurosawa wrote the film during Dreams, found financing easily through the studio Shochiku, and ran into Richard Gere in
Kurosawa, In Order #29 – Rhapsody in August Read More »
DREAMS (1990) Surprisingly, it took a little bit of doing following the triumphant success of Ran for Kurosawa to secure financing for his next film, the much smaller Dreams. Then again, Kurosawa’s ambitions were for a pure art film which jettisoned plot and obvious spectacle for something more personal. Perhaps too personal, as a film
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RAN (1985) Kagemusha was an unqualified success for Kurosawa and although there were always complications in getting funds, it was a foregone conclusion that Kurosawa would get the funding he required for his next project. Ran was something of a dream project for Kurosawa, an epic retelling of “King Lear” in the style of Japanese
Kurosawa, In Order #27 – Ran Read More »
KAGEMUSHA (1980) Although Dersu Uzala was a hit in the Soviet Union and Europe, it didn’t do much to help Kurosawa get films made in Japan despite Kurosawa’s willingness to get back to work. Kurosawa was prepping three projects, Ran, a film based on Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, and Kagemusha. Japan proved
Kurosawa, In Order #26 – Kagemusha Read More »