The life and work of Akira Kurosawa: every film in order, from Rashomon to Ran
Who was Akira Kurosawa? His life and essential films in order, from Rashomon and Seven Samurai to Yojimbo and Ran, with his awards, his influence on world cinema and where to start.
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese director, born on March 23, 1910, in Tokyo, who died on September 6, 1998. He made Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Ikiru, Yojimbo and Ran, and is considered one of the most influential directors in the history of cinema. This guide follows his career film by film, with posters, so you can see where to start.
Akira Kurosawa at a glance
- Born: March 23, 1910, in Tokyo, Japan (died September 6, 1998)
- Known for: Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Ikiru, Yojimbo, Kagemusha and Ran
- Signature: dynamic action, weather as a character, humanism, many tellings of one event and a long partnership with actor Toshiro Mifune
- Honors: the Golden Lion at Venice for Rashomon, an Oscar for Best International Feature for Dersu Uzala, the Palme d'Or for Kagemusha and an honorary Oscar in 1990
Early life and career
Kurosawa began as a painter and then became an assistant director at a Japanese studio in the 1930s. He directed his first film, Sanshiro Sugata, in 1943. Rashomon won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1951 and introduced Japanese cinema to audiences in the West. His films inspired directors from George Lucas to Sergio Leone.
The films, era by era
Rashomon (1950)
A murder in a forest is told by four witnesses, and each story contradicts the others. It gave the cinema a new way to question the truth and won the Golden Lion at Venice.
Ikiru (1952)
A dying bureaucrat, played by Takashi Shimura, decides to give his last months some meaning. One of the most moving films about life and death.
Seven Samurai (1954)
Villagers hire seven masterless samurai to defend them from bandits. It is the model of the team-up film and inspired The Magnificent Seven.
Throne of Blood (1957)
A Japanese retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth with Toshiro Mifune as a warlord driven by ambition. Its final scene of arrows is famous.
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Two bumbling peasants help a general and a princess cross enemy lines. George Lucas has cited it as an inspiration for Star Wars.
Yojimbo (1961)
A nameless samurai plays two gangs against each other in a corrupt town. Sergio Leone remade it as A Fistful of Dollars.
High and Low (1963)
A wealthy executive is pulled into a kidnapping case in Yokohama. A tense crime thriller in two halves, split between a hilltop mansion and the streets below.
Dersu Uzala (1975)
A Russian explorer and a hunter of the Siberian forest form a bond. Kurosawa's film shot in the Soviet Union won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Kagemusha (1980)
A thief is chosen to be the double of a dying warlord in sixteenth century Japan. It won the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
Ran (1985)
A king divides his kingdom among his sons, in a retelling of King Lear set in feudal Japan. It won an Oscar for costume design and is a late masterpiece.
Akira Kurosawa movies in order
- Rashomon (1950)
- Ikiru (1952)
- Seven Samurai (1954)
- Throne of Blood (1957)
- The Hidden Fortress (1958)
- Yojimbo (1961)
- High and Low (1963)
- Dersu Uzala (1975)
- Kagemusha (1980)
- Ran (1985)
What defines a Akira Kurosawa film?
- Dynamic action. Fast cuts, rain, wind and dust, and the use of several cameras to film battles.
- Humanism. His stories ask what a person owes to others, from the dying clerk to the hired samurai.
- Shakespeare in Japan. He moved Macbeth and King Lear to feudal Japan and made them his own.
Frequently asked questions about Akira Kurosawa
Who is Akira Kurosawa?
Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese director, born on March 23, 1910, in Tokyo, who died on September 6, 1998. He made Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Ikiru, Yojimbo and Ran, and is considered one of the most influential directors in the history of cinema. This guide follows his career film by film, with posters, so you can see where to start.
When and where was Akira Kurosawa born?
Akira Kurosawa was born on March 23, 1910, in Tokyo, Japan, and died on September 6, 1998.
What is Akira Kurosawa's best movie?
Many critics and fans pick Seven Samurai, and Rashomon, Ikiru and Ran are right behind. There is no single answer, so rate them on Rankiew and build your own ranking.
Which Akira Kurosawa movie should I watch first?
Start with Seven Samurai for action and a team story, Yojimbo for a short and fun samurai film, Rashomon for a classic about truth and Ikiru for a deeply human drama.
Did Akira Kurosawa win the Oscar for Best Director?
No. Kurosawa was nominated once for Best Director, for Ran, but did not win. Dersu Uzala won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and he received an honorary Oscar in 1990.
Rate every Akira Kurosawa movie
Which one is your favorite? On Rankiew you can rate every film, write reviews and build your own list of Akira Kurosawa movies.
Sources: official studio releases, filmographies and public records.
