What I like best from the DVD: Kurosawa's regret that he hasn't
done anything to resist Japan's war efforts, the frank discussion
of his suicide attempt, the discussions of his work ethics and
methods, his failed collaboration with Hollywood on ``Tora! Tora!
Tora!'', and the demonstration of the Iaido sword drawing
technique! What I wish they have covered better: the break
between Kurosawa and Mifune after Red Beard, and more
illustrations from the films when interviewees discuss various
aspects of the films.

One film that is strangely not mentioned at all in the whole DVD
is the Hidden Fortress. Interestingly, in his interview included
at the end of the Hidden Fortress Criterion Collection DVD,
George Lucas denies Hidden Fortress' influence on Star Wars. He
came across as rather annoyed by the question, actually. As for
the Seven Samurai, Michael Lesk's running commentary in the
Criterion Collection discusses in depth Kurosawa's directing
techniques. The present DVD also gives some more ``making of''
information on Seven Samurai. Kurosawa and Seven Samurai are
mentioned in perhaps two sentences in the ``making of'' special
feature of the Magnificient Seven's DVD.


A personal biography, not enough on the films   December 9, 2003
SPM (Eugene, Oregon)
4 out of 9 found this review helpful

I had only seen two Kurosawa movies (Ran and Seven Samurai) before I saw this documentary, and I was interested to learn more. I learned a lot about Kurosawa's life: His family, his childhood, his brother who committed suicide, and the early years at Toho. But when documentary turned to the films that made Kurosawa famous, I was unsatisfied. The films are presented as key moments in Kurosawa's emotional and professional life --- this one was his breakout film, that one was his hardest shoot, and another re-started his floundering career.

That approach isn't too bad. I can look elsewhere (on DVD and in books) to get a closer look at the films themselves, the production histories, and the reactions from fans and critics. But still, I wish more of his movies had been covered. What about The Hidden Fortress? (I was hoping to see it juxtaposed against Star Wars, to see if they really *are* alike.) And the excerpts from the films are too short. For example, rather than show key scenes from Rashomon, the documentary revisits the spot where those scenes were filmed 50 years ago.

This documentary is a little weak, but it's worth the time. The filmmakers introduce you to Kurosawa as an artist. There brief interviews with Americans like Clint Eastwood are a nice touch. The DVD has an extra hour of interviews, as well. A better documentary on Kurosawa could be made. Until then, this is good enough.


5 Star biography -- 2 Star Look at his films   April 10, 2003
4 out of 6 found this review helpful

Kurosawa reaches for great heights with Sam Shepherd narrating the body and Paul Scofield acting as the voice of Kurosawa's autobiography. It's certainly worth watching as a compelling story of a famous man, but it fails as an examination of his work. If it weren't for the films, Kurosawa would hardly be an interesting subject, but the documentary is only interested in certain films important to his overall career. The first half-hour is an interesting but empty tribute to how important he is supposed to be. I find it interesting to hear about Kurosawa's experiences with Hiroshima and his brother's suicide, but that should be a secondary attribute, not the heart of the film. Though decent length is spent on Rashomon and Seven Samurai, the films Hidden Fortress and High and Low aren't even discussed. Many actors and writers from the films are interviewed in current times, and they even return to the locations of the films. It was also interesting to see Clint Eastwood and James Coburn discuss the films and characters that they would later play in western remakes. But I still wanted more. A look at how Kurosawa's early rearing readied him for future art is would have been more worthwhile, had the actual work been discussed for its own merits.


An insightful documentary about my favorite film director   April 6, 2003
Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Akira Kurosawa directed my favorite film, "Shichinin no samurai." When I was teaching Honors World Literature I would show the film to my students in between their reading of Homer's "Iliad" and Cervantes's "Don Quixote" as part of a trilogy on the nature of heroism. Whenever I would teach a course on movies I would screen "Rashomon," and if I taught "King Lear" to a class they would see "Ran." If I had ever gotten around to teaching "MacBeth" I would have shown them "Throne of Blood." Consequently, I have taken advantage of any and all opportunities to advance the cinematic gospel of Akira Kurosawa.

This 2001 documentary about "Kurosawa" combines a chronological look at the director's life offering biographical insights into his films with some critical explications of his work. The latter is relatively limited and while I would have liked to have seen more cinematic analysis we do have a whole series of Criterion Edition DVDs of Kurosawa's film with superb commentary tracks by knowledgeable film critics. There are also almost 100 minutes of additional filmed interviews provided, arranged thematically. What this documentary offers that uniquely fills in the gap in any such home film appreciation course are some direct comparisons of scenes from Kurosawa films and their American versions (e.g., "Yojimbo" and "A Fistful of Dollars"). Similarly, there are some juxtapositions of key scenes from Kurosawa films with images from his life as well as the paintings he did while preparing for film projects.

The documentary combines footage from most of Kurosawa's films and interviews with key colleagues such as screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto and actor Tatsuya Nakadai, as well as interviews with Kurosawa himself and excerpts from his autobiography (read by Paul Scofield). At two hours in length the documentary has to neglect some popular ("The Hidden Fortress") and critically acclaimed ("Stray Dog") films. However, I would not be surprised if for every Kurosawa film you note is missing you will discover a hitherto unknown Kurosawa film that you can add to your list of what to see next (somehow I have missed out on "Red Beard" to this point in my life).

As long as you have seen at least a couple of Kurosawa's films you should be able to find this documentary informative and insightful. Even those who consider themselves knowledgeable about his career and his films should this documentary and its bonus interviews to be of more than passing interest.


A nostaligic, brief glimpse of a genius   February 21, 2003
Zack Davisson (Seattle, WA, USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

"Kurosawa" is a well-produced, rather easy going documentary of a master film maker. It reads like a fan letter to Kurosawa, each moment heaping praise on the director, while leading the viewer through a biographical timeline of his life. An enjoyable piece to watch.

That being said, I was disappointed in the depth of the documentary. There is little discussion of Kurosawa's impact on film, his innovations and, most importantly, what he was trying to achieve with his films and his success in achieving that goal. Kurosawa was a film maker with a definitive focus, seeking no less than to change the world for the better using films as his medium. This message is never really mentioned, which surprised me as it is so crucial to understanding his films. Few, if any, of his films are examined critically and little insight is gained as to why Kurosawa is such an important artist of the 20th century.

Even with its lack of depth, "Kurosawa" makes for a fine, nostalgic documentary. Clips of Kurosawa at work on his films are enjoyable, as is the reunion of the "Roshomon" workers and the interviews with a few former Kurosawa-film beauties. The presentation of artifacts, such as the Noh mask used for "Throne of Blood" and the Ryokan in Kyoto where Kurosawa wrote his screen plays, adds a human element to the piece.

The DVD adds to the missing depth with a good length of interviews of varying interests, each focusing on personal reminiscences of Kurosawa. The Suntory whisky easter eggs are quite charming, and a nice touch. This is why we have DVDs.

Should have been longer, should have been deeper, but still good.