I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to take in, but I’m hoping to see at least a couple films. The clearest options are Hidden Fortress and Throne of Blood because they’re playing on the weekend, but the Yojimbo/Sanjuro double feature could be a hell of a lot of fun.
What I’m really hoping to be able to see is the 25th anniversary print of Ran, which is playing across town at the Coolidge Corner Theater. Based on the way my week looks that’ll be tomorrow night or bust. I love Ran.
Here’s more about the series at the Brattle:
The Warrior’s Camera: Akira Kurosawa Centennial
This year marks the 100th birthday of Akira Kurosawa, undoubtedly one of cinema’s most renowned, accomplished, and influential directors. In conjunction with the Coolidge Corner Theatre who are screening new restorations of his masterpieces Ran and Rashomon, the Brattle is thrilled to celebrate this amazing filmmaker. Our series includes 16 features with highlights including new 35mm prints of STRAY DOG, KAGEMUSHA, and the rarely screened DODES’KA-DEN. Descended from actual samurai and the son of an educator, Kurosawa studied painting before apprenticing at what was to become the great Japanese studio Toho. His artist’s eye allowed him to create the amazing visuals that populate his films, but it was his sensitivity to actors and performance that made his work indelible. We take the title for our series from Stephen Price’s exhaustive study of Kurosawa’s films, and we direct you to that book as well as Kurosawa’s own Something Like An Autobiography to learn more about this monumental figure.
This repertory series includes films playing Wednesday, March 24 through Thursday, April 15. See individual film and event listings below for details on today’s screenings, or click the Calendar link below to see the complete line-up for this series.
“One thing that distinguishes Akira Kurosawa is that he didn’t make a masterpiece or two masterpieces, he made, you know, eight masterpieces.” – Francis Ford Coppola
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By Jeff 2010/03/25 - 10:16
Nice fine Rob.
I’ve never seen RAN, so I got tickets for tonight’s show. I decided that experiencing it for the first time in a theatre was an opportunity that I could not pass up.
By rob 2010/03/25 - 10:37
Awesome. This week has been tough for me so I won’t end up seeing it.
It’s one of the five best movies ever made. #1 for me, depending on my mood.
Of course, I think Kurosawa made maybe 5-8 of the top 20, I’m not exactly unbiased.
In case you’re wondering the candidates are:
Rashomon
Ikiru
Seven Samurai
Throne of Blood
The Hidden Fortress
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Dersu Uzala
Ran
By Jeff 2010/03/30 - 12:45
I really enjoyed it. My two favorite shots/scenes (strictly from a theatre viewing) were the 3rd Castle burning and Saburo (& clan) crossing the river. I loved watching all those (real) horses cross the river in a single shot (and how they had to change speed with their horses because of the river’s depth).