Top 10 Facts About Akira Kurosawa

Top 10 Facts About Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa (left) with colleagues- Photo by Steve Ryfle, Ed Godziszewski-  Wikimedia

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker with a long career span of over five decades. He is held in high regard and considered one of film’s most important personalities. Kurosawa was voted by Film Mag Empire as the sixth greatest director of all time. You wouldn’t miss Kurosawa in a room- he stood over six feet tall, unusually tall by Japanese standards.

His many achievements in the film industry spoke for him- Steven Spielberg, a renowned American Screenwriter, producer, and director called him the ‘pictorial Shakespeare of our time’. He was awarded the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1989.

These top 10 facts about Akira Kurosawa elucidate who this incredible filmmaker was.

1. Kurosawa Influenced Hollywood

                                                                     Seven Samurai Logo- Wikimedia Commons

Akira Kurosawa’s work was recognizable, not only in Japan but worldwide. Audiences outside of Japan could see the greatness in his films, and directors also borrowed a leaf from his work. Albeit sometimes with a non-so-happy ending; the film “A Fist Full of Dollars” is a collection of sixteen specially selected classic Western films, which Kurosawa claimed had been plagiarized from his own film, Yojimbo.

“Seven Samurai” is one of the greatest action movies ever made- Kurosawa approved a remake of it in “The Magnificent Seven”, a Western classic.

Kurosawa has had an influence on many great filmmakers; five-time Oscar-nominated Polish and French film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor Roman Polanski named Kurosawa one of his top three most admired directors.

2. Akira Kurosawa Was Named Asian Of The Century

The AsianWeek Magazine- Photo by TeddyFang- Wikimedia Commons

AsianWeek was the largest English publication catering to Asian-Americans. The magazine named Akira Kurosawa the “Asian of the Century” in 1995, in the category of Arts, Culture, and Literature.

Another accolade accorded Kurosawa in 2005 was his number 6 ranking as “the greatest director ever“. This was given to him by “Empire”, a UK magazine.

3. Akira Kurosawa’s Career Path Was Not clear from the start

   Akira Kurosawa hand print in Cannes- Photo by Christian Meullner- Wikimedia Commons

It might be comforting to know that, like most, Kurosawa’s career path was slightly blurred in his early life.

For some time, when starting out in film-making, Kurosawa was not able to get financing- he resorted to directing and sometimes became cast in Japanese TV commercials. His start in movies was through one of his first jobs as a narrator for silent films.

Kurosawa was also a painter- he loved to paint in his early life and it was his source of income. It however was not enough. He would paint but also see numerous movies and ended up pursuing his film career with more resolve.

4. Akira Kurosawa Is A Shakespeare Fan

Shakespeare’s art and gift have been celebrated the world over; Japan was not left behind!

Kurosawa paid homage to Shakespeare in his work- he adapted two of Shakespeare’s plays into film. ‘Throne of Blood was based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. He also retold Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ in his film Jidaigeki Ran.

5. His work In ‘The Hidden Fortress” Inspired Star Wars

                                      Scene from Star Wars- Photo by Mirko Toller– Wikimedia Commons

Star Wars is a franchise that quickly took over the world and is one of the most successful. It was created by George Lucas in the 1970s.

Many themes and scenes in Star Wars are borrowed from The Hidden Fortress, created by Kurosawa in 1958. George Lucas learned the ropes from Kurosawa as he watched his works while still a student.

6. Akira Kurosawa Directed Propaganda During World War 11

Akira Kurosawa’s 1944 film, The Most Beautiful, dramatically opens in a factory scene where the workers are ‘assaulted’ by a loudspeaker blasting propaganda. Putting propaganda in film was sort of frowned upon in Kurosawa’s days but not uncommon. Most directors during the World War 11 Japan showcased propaganda in film.

7. Akira Kurosawa Attempted Suicide

                                    Akira Korusawa’s grave- Photo by Urashimataro – Wikimedia Commons

After 1968, TV and monster films were quite popularized. This led to the decline of films, and with it, Akira’s career. He went through an unfruitful season- he couldn’t secure financing and was viewed as old-fashioned in his ways. Frustrated, Akira slashed his wrists 30 times with a razor.

When Kurosawa’s first Hollywood film was released in 1970, it, unfortunately, was not well received, also causing his struggle at the time.

8. Akira Kurosawa Had Peculiar Methods

                 On set; Seven Samurai shooting- Photo by Eiga no Tomo- Wikimedia Commons

Kurosawa went by the nickname Tenno, which meant Emperor. This was due to his identifiable directing style that was rather dictatorial.

He would go to great lengths to achieve certain effects, especially on weather. He has been said to have dyed water black using calligraphy ink to produce intense heavy rain! What a level of commitment! Kurosawa had a castle built for a scene and burnt down in the final scene!

Contrary to the popular close-ups in the film, Kurosawa attempted to make each scene- take much better and more natural, or to get better performance from the actors by placing the cameras as far away as possible from them.

Additionally, in pursuit of authenticity and realism, Akira asked actors to wear their costumes daily to ‘break them in’ and look worn and authentic when filming began.

9. Kurosawa Broke The Mold

                     Scene from Yojimbo- Photo by Toho- Wikimedia Commons

As already established, Kurosawa did not do conventional. However, he did something that hadn’t been done before and wasn’t the norm. Kurosawa was the first director to film the sun! In 1950, Kurosawa shot ‘Rashomon’, in which he shot the sun! This was groundbreaking.

He was known to be an excellent scenarist.

10. Kurosawa Was A Descendant Of An Actual Samurai

A Samurai Commander with Jin-baori- Photo by Duck Nicholson- Wikimedia Commons

A Japanese samurai is a member of a powerful military caste in feudal Japan. They were an elite class in service to the nobles. Kurosawa’s father was a member of an actual samurai family. It is no wonder that Kurosawa’s film with the greatest commercial success was ‘Seven Samurai’. Japan’s leading critics voted it the best Japanese film ever made.

Akira Kurosawa was definitely made for film- his family attested to his early interest. His father was quite progressive and considered Kurosawa’s interest and choice in career acceptable.

He worked well with his crew who mostly agreed that he was cool and detached while on set. His last film was in 1993 and unfortunately wasn’t well received.  His son Hisao is a producer and writer, while his daughter Kazuko is an award-winning costume designer- they definitely carry on their father’s legacy.

In 2010 Google made a Doodle to remember the legend.