Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa is definitely one of the greatest directors in the history of film. He is the most famous Japanese Director. In his life, he had direct over 30 movies and many of them become classic in the film.

When I first saw his movie it was when I am in high school. We read the famous short novel Rashomon by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. The teacher shows us the film of Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa. The story of Rashomon is actually very simple. However, Akira Kurosawa combined the story with two short novels by the same author, Rashomon, and Yabu no Naka. I was surprised and confused when I first watch it. How can he tell a simple story and makes it so interesting? I was so confused.

After I get into college and slowly understand the language of film. Again, I am surprised by how brilliant Akira Kurosawa was. Seven Samurai, I watch it when I was in college. Every action and shot has design by art. There Is meaning of action. Every action in the film brings up the tension of the story. Again the story itself is pretty simple. A revenge of seven samurais. I think this is why the film can be considered as an independent art style. The story is just one part of a film, how to tell the story great by vision, music, editing, acting, etc… will all be considered as part of a film. Akira Kurosawa showed me how to tell the story with action. When the tension is up, actor world act up in the frame. Every establishes shot to show the elements of the environments (winds, light, etc..). And how he used light in the film. It is amazing.

When I was in Junior years and had a chance to direct my short film. I always think about Akira Kurosawa’s film. How would he build up the frame here and how would he place the action of characters? He becomes a great teacher in my life just y watching his work!