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ANNOTATED PROCESS JOURNAL the Films of Akira Kurosawa The Law of Nature the Films of Akira Kurosawa

The Law of Nature

Course GR.612 Integrated Communication (Fall 2019) Academy of Art University Instructor Hunter Wimmer Designed by Steven Lyu

“People today have forgotten they're really just a part of nature. Yet, they destroy the nature on which our lives depend. They always think they can make something better.” —Akira Kurosawa

The Law of Nature

CONTENTS

Director

Festival Logotype

Timeline

Selected Films

Photo Buckets

Poster

Film Moodboards

Typography

Catalogue

Design Brief

Graphic Elements

DVD Packaging

INITIAL RESEARCH

Initial Buckets

VISUAL IDENTITY

FESTIVAL DELIVERABLES

Tickets Schedule Sound Track Website Mobile App Business System Advertisements Container

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INITIAL RESEARCH Director Selected Films Film Moodboards Design Brief Initial Buckets

THE DIRECTOR

Akira Kurosawa Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dramatic devices and symbols of human passion; and (d) the recurrence of cycles of inexorable savage violence within history. According to Stephen Prince, the latter theme began with Throne of Blood (1957), and recurred in Kurosawa films of the 1980s. Mr. Prince calls this theme "the countertradition to the committed, heroic mode of Kurosawa's cinema". Ran is a 1985 epic period drama film directed, edited and co-written by him. The plot derives from William Shakespeare's King Lear. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.

Movies

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Title

Credit

Year

Madadayo

Screenwriter Director

2000

Ran

Screenwriter Director

1985

Kagemusha

Screenwriter Director, Producer

1980

High and Low

Screenwriter Director

1963

Stray Dog (Nora inu)

Screenwriter Director

1963

Throne of Blood

Screenwriter Director, Actor

1957

Seven Samurai

Screenwriter Director

1956

RashĂ´mon

Screenwriter Director

1951

Reviews "The philosophical puzzle at the core of Kurosawa’s film is clear already: what if we can’t really know and tell what’s going on? If whatever account we produce about the world around us is a world unto itself, and each person’s account is wildly different from any other’s, with no way of knowing whose one is actually the case? Even more compellingly, we then hear, via a medium, the version of the dead samurai himself: after Tajōmaru sleeps with his wife, the brigand begs her to go away with him, which she accepts on the condition that he kills her husband. But Tajōmaru suddenly takes her husband’s side. Somehow the lady manages to escape, the brigand frees the samurai and leaves, and the latter commits suicide." ... Qoutes “People today have forgotten they're really just a part of nature. Yet, they destroy the nature on which our lives depend. They always think they can make something better. Especially scientists. They may be smart, but most don't understand the heart of nature. They only invent things that, in the end, make people unhappy. Yet they're so proud of their inventions. What's worse, most people are, too. They view them as if they were miracles. They worship them. They don't know it, but they're losing nature. They don't see that they're going to perish. The most important things for human beings are clean air and clean water.” “For me, filmmaking combines everything. That’s the reason I’ve made cinema my life’s work. In films, painting and literature, theatre and music come together. But a film is still a film.” “A film should appeal to sophisticated, profound-thinking people while at the same time entertaining simplistic people. A truly good movie is really enjoyable too. There’s nothing complicated about it. A truly good movie is interesting and easy to understand.” “No matter where I go in the world, although I can't speak any foreign language, I don't feel out of place. I think of the earth as my home. If everyone thought this way, people might notice just how foolish international friction is, and they would put an end to it. We are, after all, at a point where it is almost narrow-minded to think merely in geocentric terms. Human beings have launched satellites into outer space, and yet they still grovel on earth looking at their own feet like wild dogs. What is to become of our planet?.”

www.nationalreview.com/2003/12/kurosawa-kills-bill-thomas-s-hibbs/ aeon.co/ideas/philosophers-have-much-to-learn-from-the-great-filmmakers latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-23-ca-2154-story.html

SELECTED FILMS

Ran Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dra

Rashomon Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dra

The Law of Nature

Shadow Warrior Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dra

Seven Warriors Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dra

Throne of Blood Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. His films influnced many famous directors, for example, George Lucas and Quentin Tarrantino. Kurosawa employed a number of recurring major themes in his films. These include: (a) the master-disciple relationship between a usually older mentor and one or more novices, which often involves spiritual as well as technical mastery and self-mastery; (b) the heroic champion, the exceptional individual who emerges from the mass of people to produce something or right some injustice; (c) the depiction of extremes of weather as both dra

FILM MOODBOARDS Ran

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Shadow Warrior

FILM MOODBOARDS Seven Warriors

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Throne of Blood

Rashomon

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DESIGN BRIEF

Thread Facing the challenge which was not simply to win, but to make the right ethical choice. They sacrificed a lot to win. But the world/ nature keeps going no matter how individuals put their effort to change.

Guiding Narrative I am a tea waiter and I am serving two old men playing go game outside and old building. They keep playing back and forth and neither of them could beat the other. Positioning The Akira Kurosawa Film Festival is to review some of best-known Japanese director's films. The festival activities include special screenings, an exhibition about culture elements in the films and a lecture by a Japanese director. With this curated selection of films and events, the festival creates an opportunity to help people understand Kurosawa's interpretation of humanity and insights of the force of nature. The films help people to understand the value of their life

Target Audience People who get stuck in some small problems in their life and want to get some enlightenment and new ideas.

Location and Date AMC Kukabi 8, San Francisco (Theater in San Francisco Japantown) March 23, 2020

Festival Name The Law of Nature To understand the chaotic world from a macro perspective The meaning of individual existence from a macro perspective Searching the meaning of individual existence from a macro perspective The interpretation of how history repeats itself

INITIAL BUCKETS Photo Style

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Typography Style

Graphic Style

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Material Style

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VISUAL IDENTITY Festival Logotype Photo Buckets Typography Graphic Elements

LOGOTYPE First Draft of Title Options Solid

Natural

Shocking

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GR.612 Integrated Communications // Haolong (Steven) Lyu // Session 3

Solid

Natural

Shocking

LOGOTYPE Title/Subtitiles Title Flower and Sword Force of Nature The Law of Nature The Eternal Destiny/Fate Necessities Irresistible Realities The Reality of the Illusory World Karma Apathy Nature

Subtitle The interpretation of humanity in Akria Kurosawa’s films The world is keeping going no matter who rules it Akira Kurosawa’s films that pursued the essence of human nature Powerful and drastic expressions through Akira Kurosawa’s works The Endless Cycles that Resist Change in the Films of Akira Kurosawa The Incessant Cycle of Human’s Futile Effort on the Chaos of Reality

The Law of Nature

Final Logotype

GR.612 Integrated Communications // Haolong (Steven) Lyu // Dashboard

PHOTO BUCKETS LEVEL-1 Level-1

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LEVEL-2 Level-2

GR.612 Integrated Communications // Haolong (Steven) Lyu // Session 3

PHOTO BUCKETS LEVEL-3 Level-3

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TYPOGRAPHY

Titles Rockwell

Rockwell Rockwell Bold

Subtitles Titillium Web

Titillium Regular Titillium Semibold Titillium Bold

Body Copy ITC Galliard Pro

ITC Galliard Pro Regular I am a tea waiter and I am serving two old men playing go game outside and old building. They keep playing back and forth and neither of them could beat the other.

Numbers and Date Abolition

MARCH 1234567890

Decoration Hot Ninja Std

C M Y K

25 95 95 5

黑沢明羅生門

GRAPHIC ELEMENTS

C M Y K

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25 95 95 5

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FESTIVAL DELIVERABLES Timeline Poster Catalogue DVD Packaging Tickets Schedule Sound Track Website Mobile App Business System Advertisements Container

TIMELINE

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POSTER Initial Concepts Akira Kurosawa Film Festival

LAWOFNATURE.COM

EPICNATURE.COM

AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM FESTIVAL

黑澤明

AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

March 23 - 29, 2020 AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM FESTIVAL

Featured Films Ran Shadow Warrior

The Interpretation of How History Repeats Itself

Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Rashomon

The Interpretation of How History Repeats Itself

March 23 - 29, 2020

Interpretation of How History Repeats Itself

AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Featured Films Ran Shadow Warrior Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Rashomon

The Interpretation of How History Repeats Itself

March 23 - 29, 2020 AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco Featured Films

March 23 - 29, 2020

Featured Films Ran Shadow Warrior

AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Ran Shadow Warrior

Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Rashomon

AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM FESTIVAL

黑澤明

EPICNATURE.COM

LAWOFNATURE.COM LAWOFNATURE.COM

Akira Kurosawa Film Festival

黑澤明

The Incessant cycle of Human’s Futile Effort on the Chaos of Reality

The Incessant Cycle of Human’s Futile Effort on the Chaos of Reality

黑澤明

Watching the Human’s Futile Effort on the Unstable Reality as a Silent Watcher

March 23 - 29, 2020 AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

March 23—29, 2020

AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

The Interpretation of How History Repeats Itself

AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM FESTIVAL

March 23 - 29, 2020 AMC Kukabi 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Ran

Shadow Warrior

Throne of Blood

Featured Films

Seven Samurai

Ran

Rashomon

Shadow Warrior

Featured Films

Seven Samurai Rashomon

Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Rashomon

THELAWOFNATURE. COM

EPICNATURE.COM

An Akira Kurosawa Film Festival

黑澤明

The Endless Cycles that Resist Change in the Films of Akira Kurosawa

黑澤明

The Incessant Cycle that Human keep their Futile Efforts on the Chaos of the Reality

March 23-29, 2020

AMC Kabuki 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Ran

Ran Shadow Warrior

THELAWOFNATURE. COM

黑澤明

The Endless Cycles that Resist Change in the Films of Akira Kurosawa

March 23-29, 2020 AMC Kabuki 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Shadow Warrior

Ran

Throne of Blood

Shadow Warrior

Seven Samurai

Throne of Blood

Rashomon

Seven Samurai

Throne of Blood

Rashomon

Seven Samurai Rashomon

THELAWOFNATURE. COM

POSTER Final Poster

THELAWOFNATURE. US

黑澤明

The Endless Cycles that Resist Change in the Films of Akira Kurosawa

March 23-29, 2020 AMC Kabuki 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco Ran Shadow Warrior Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Rashomon

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CATALOGUE

Selected Spreads CONTENTS

FEATURED FILMS

THE FESTIVAL

Biography

Ran

Introduction

The Inter view

Shadow Warrior

Location

Filmography

Throne of Blood

Awards

Seven Samurai

Legacy

Rashomon

AKIRA KUROSAWA

the Films of Akira Kurosawa

THELAWOFNATURE.US

The Law of Nature

“He is noted for his visually arresting and intellectually adventurous evocations of Japan’s mythic past and agonized present. His films have established him as one of the great epic poets of the cinema.”

—Encyclopedia of World Biography, by Gale, Paula K. Byers

黑澤明

AKIRA KRUOSAWA Biography

Biography from Encyclopedia of World Biography. Up-Covering nearly 7000 notable figures from many cultures and time periods right up to the present day.

The Inter view

Early Life Kurosawa’s father, who had once been an army officer, was a teacher who contributed to the development of athletics instruction in Japan. After leaving secondary school, Kurosawa attended an art school and began painting in the Western style. Although he was awarded important art prizes, he gave up his ambition to become a painter and in 1936 became an assistant director in the PCL cinema studio. Until he worked there mainly as an assistant to Yamamoto Kajirō, one of Japan’s major directors of World War II films.

Filmography Awards Legacy

During this period Kurosawa became known as an excellent scenarist. Some of his best scenarios were never filmed but only published in journals; yet they were noticed by specialists for their freshness of representation and were awarded prizes.

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REFERENCES

First Films In 1943 Kurosawa was promoted to director and made his first feature film, Sanshiro Sugata, from his own scenario; this story of Japanese judo masters of the 1880s scored a great popular success. In 1944 he made his second film, Ichiban utsukushiku (The Most Beautiful), a story about girls at work in an arsenal. Immediately thereafter, he married the actress who had played the leading part in the picture, Yaguchi Yoko; they had two children, a son and a daughter. In August 1945, when Japan offered to surrender in World War II, he was shooting his picture Tora no o fumu otokotachi (They Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail), a parody of a well-known Kabuki drama. The Allied occupation forces, however, prohibited the release of most films dealing with Japan’s feudal past, and this outstanding comedy was not distributed until 1952.

Biography

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Interviewer: Maani Petgar, Iranian director, Photographer, producer Film Monthly (No. 225-1998)

Maani Petgar (Left), Akira Kurosawa (Right)

We got there at 35 o’clock sharp. (Of course, we had killed some time at the station so that we wouldn’t get there too early.) As the taxi approached Kurosawa’s hilltop villa, we noticed a man, about 35 years old, come out of the

We were immediately served cold drinks: iced coffee topped with a little whipped cream. I will never forget the taste of that drink which was very refreshing, but not enough for me. Anyway, when we mentioned to his assistant

house and walk across the yard to the driveway to lead us to the entrance. Between the

that we were ready, two minutes later Mr. Kurosawa walked in. A woman, about 35 years

entrance and the main door to the living room, there was an area, just like in Iranian homes,

old, followed him in, who I believed to be his daughter. Kurosawa walked towards us and

where everyone took off their shoes. The living room was quite large and had some huge windows on three sides with a view of Mountain Fuji. We were led to a table in one corner of the living room. We were asked how long we’d need to set up. I asked his assistant where Mr. Kurosawa prefers to sit. He pointed to a chair and that’s when I noticed a fan facing it. It was mid-summer and very hot. We were pouring sweat. The heat reminded me of the detective’s desperation, in his Stray Dog.

after greetings and hand shakes; he sat himself in his rather dignified chair. Our producer had brought him a gift: a book of some of Australia’s nature scenes, laid out on the two pages. Since the main reason for requesting this interview was to hear his words on Kiarostami, I wanted to get through that part as soon as possible, and then hopefully, to move on to more personal aspects of his own films.

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Resurrection On the verge of fading into obscurity, Kurosawa was approached by a Russian production company to make the adventure epic Dersu Uzala about a hermit. Shot on location in Siberia and premiering in 1975, international audiences enthusiastically received the film. However, the production took a toll on Kurosawa’s health. Although he was finding it increasingly difficult to win backing for his projects, Kurosawa persevered in his efforts to

Dreams In 1990, the 80-year-old director returned with Dreams, an experimental offering brought to the screen with help from yet another of his admirers, Steven Spielberg. Though the film met with a lukewarm reception, at that year’s Academy Awards Spielberg and Lucas presented Kurosawa with an honorary Oscar by in recognition of his body of work. The director made the mildly successful Rhapsody in August in 1990 and Madadayo in 1993. In 1995, he

Award for best foreign film. Working from a script by Kurosawa, Martin Ritt remade it as

Kurosawa released Throne of Blood. A reimagining of Macbeth, it is widely consid-

bring his vision to the screen.

was working on his next project when he fell and broke his back. The injuries he sustained

the 1964 Western The Outrage. It became the earliest of many of Kurosawa’s works adapted

ered to be one of the finest interpretations of Shakespeare’s works. Following on its heels

confined him to a wheelchair for the remainder of life and led to a rapid deterioration of his

to this genre.

was 1958's Hidden Fortress, the story of princess, her general and their two bumbling

health. He died from a stroke on September 6, 1998, in Tokyo. He was 88. Since his passing,

peasant companions on a quest to reach home. It marked a milestone as the first film in Japan

his impact on film continues to be felt through new interpretations of his work and the lasting

to make use of the widescreen format, but it is arguably even more important for the influence it had on the young American filmmaker George Lucas, who names Hidden Fortress as a primary influence for Star Wars.

influence he has had on some of the industry’s brightest lights.

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Quick Facts Name Akira Kurosawa

Birth March 23, 1910

Death September 6, 1998

Place of birth Tokyo, Japan

Biography

—Akira Kurosawa

Mr. Kurosawa, I was wondering how you were introduced to Iranian cinema. The first film I saw was a Kiarostami film. During the Shah’s regime, I was invited to Iran to judge in the Tehran Film Festival which I declined since it was a huge responsibility. After the revolution, I saw Mr. Kiarostami’s film (Where is the Friend’s House?) and was quite amazed at how well it was made. Then he continued on describing Kiarostami films, and talked about similarities between his own Madadayo and Kiarostami’s Where is the Friend’s House? The screen is like a major square in which everyone can gather and talk to each other. For example, I bring to the screen my own country’s problems and Kiarostami his. The actors voice our words and touch everyone’s heart and this is the role of cinemad talk to each other. And that’s the responsibility of the cinema.

(For the complete conversation, please refer to The Emperor and I: Abbas Kiarostami Meets Akira Kurosawa. Maybe is worth mentioning that after seeing the published interview, Mr. Kurosawa was rather upset with the main title). A film must be made with the heart, not the mind. I think today’s young filmmakers have forgotten this and instead they make films through their calculations. That is why Japanese films no longer have an audience. In all honesty, films must be made to target the hearts. During the time of Ozu, my mentor, and also in my time, no filmmaker made films based on theory and calculation, and that was why Japan’s cinema was capable of shaping its golden years. Young filmmakers use techniques to humiliate the audience. This is wrong. We must serve cinema and make a film that would stimulate the audience. Ultimately, the aim should be to make an artistic film. That’s simple, isn’t it?

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The International Now recognized as an important voice in cinema, over the course of the next decade, Kurosawa made some of his most influential and entertaining films. In 1952, he released the internationally acclaimed Ikiru and in 1954, he released the epic Seven Samurai, a homage to Westerns that would later come full circle when it was remade as The Magnificent Seven (1960). Once more demonstrating his range and flair for adaptation, in 1957,

“The people that are depicted on screen in their films are not molded characters. They express human problems in a natural way.”

THE INTERVIEW Paradise is around here: A Rare Interview with Akira Kurosawa

Kurosawa followed his first domestic success with what would become his first international hit, Rashomon (1950), a samurai murder story told from the perspective of four different characters. It is now considered a masterfully innovative storytelling device for the time, but it was met with mixed reactions in Japan. However, its genius was not lost on the international circuit and it won both the top prize of the Venice Film Festival and the Academy

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In your older films there was always some concern about human situations. What is the root of this? When there is talk of humanity in Japan, everyone thinks of complex subjects and stories. However, whatever an ordinary human feels, we try to project on the screen in an honest way. That’s all. You were keen on American cinema… Regarding American cinema, I could say that much better films were made in the past. Today’s American cinema provides the wrong service to the audience. Violence and car crashes are often seen. What pleasure is there in watching such scenes? Old American films expressed human problems quite well, but these days the American cinema has problems. There is no doubt that a film like Jurassic Park is interesting, but there used to be more impressive films in the past. In contrast, films, like those of Kiarostami, touch the heart and are very beautiful. These new sci-fi, action films, are good but they are not cinema.

From left: Michelangelo Antonioni, Akira Kurosawa, and Satyajit Ray at the Taj Mahal in 1977.

You said something about humanity in Japan. Can you please elaborate on that? I can talk politics also, but I tend to speak about people more often. For example, such and such kind of humans used to exist in the past but they no longer do. Society is heading towards corruption. In the past, we didn’t have abundance or any means of comfort, but man lived in a natural way. Nowadays there’s always news of murders and violence on Japanese TV and in newspapers. When I was young, there were rarely any murders, and if one was committed it aroused a great deal of commotion. I’ve heard that it’s worse in America. In the past, people were more decent.

The Interview

RAN

FILMOGRAPHY

‘Ran’ is by all standards one of master Kurosawa’s best films in his resume

1943-1959

1949

The Quiet Duel Stray Dog

1950

Scandal Rashomon

1951

The Idiot

From left: Roshomon (1950) Seven Samurai (1954). Credit: Toho Co., Ltd

1960-1993

1960

The Bad Sleep Well

1961

Yojimbo (The Bodyguard)

1962

Sanjurō

1963

High and Low (Heaven and Hell)

1965

Red Beard

1970

Dodesukaden

1975

Dersu Uzala

By Kenneth Turan

1952

Ikiru (To Live)

1943

Sanshiro Sugata

1954

Seven Samurai

1944

The Most Beautiful

1955

I Live in Fear (Record of a Living Being)

1980

Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)

1945

Sanshiro Sugata Part II

1957

Throne of Blood (Spider Web Castle)

1985

Ran

The Lower Depths

1990

Dreams (Akira Kurosawa's Dreams)

The Hidden Fortress

1991

Rhapsody in August

1993

Madadayo (Not Yet)

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail 1946

No Regrets for Our Youth

1947

One Wonderful Sunday

1948

Drunken Angel

1958

Film Critic

Tatsuya Nakadai, right, portrays the aristocratic warrior Hidetora (Rialto Pictures)

Influenced to a degree by William Shakespeare’s King Lear, Akira Kurosawa’s Ran combines the elements of the well-known story of the British author’s king with a Japanese medieval epic to create a, first and foremost, beautiful, touching film of lasting value and invaluable depth. Even though Kurosawa experienced a lot of success and international and domestic recognition in

Enjoying the benefits of having the biggest budget in Japanese cinematography up to that point, Kurosawa created an epic depiction of an aging, ailing warlord determined to abdicate and divide his power onto his three sons. Many have noted the similarities evident between the protagonist and the filmmaker himself, choosing to believe Ran was just as much a story about Kurosawa

the earlier part of his career, after 1965 he found it difficult to secure financial support necessary for the production of his films. He wrestled with the notion of being too old-fashioned, he was hurt by box office struggles of his works, going through a tough period both professionally and emotionally. But then he found a welcome helping hand in the French producer Serge Silberman, a man willing to gamble on Kurosawa’s next project. And that’s how the world of film was enriched by Ran.

and his struggles as it was about the warlord. After all, despite the fact that they function in different areas of business and life, don’t both a national leader and a filmmaker offer their vision to the people that follow them, presenting it in a way that inevitably seeks the audience’ opinion, causes their reaction? Grappling with the themes of family, honor, pride and chaos, this nihilistic story enhanced by a delightfully unforgettable soundtrack by Toru Takemitsu, allegedly drawing inspiration from Gustav Mahler, is by all standards one of master Kurosawa’s best films in his resume.

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Filmography

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RASHOMON Is ‘Rashomon’ Kurosawa’s Best Film?

By Phillip Lopate The New York Times (Dec. 2, 2016)

In September 1951, the Venice Film Festival awarded its top prize, the Golden Lion, to “Rashomon,” by a little-known Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa. Immediately, the film and its maker became international sensations. It is easy to see why, given its dynamic, virtuoso cinematic technique, sensationalistic story involving a bandit raping a samurai’s wife, “Bolero”-like musical score and tantalizing if schematic structure of flashbacks contradicting one another. The title quickly entered the English language and became shorthand for the relativity of truth: “the Rashomon effect,” invoked to indicate how witnesses to the same event may see it differently.

Paul Anderer, who teaches Japanese literature and film at Columbia University, has written a well-researched study that is part biography of Kurosawa, part cultural history of modern Japan and part film monograph. He is previously the author of two scholarly works, but his prose in “Kurosawa’s Rashomon” is energetic, straightforward and free of academic jargon — if rhetorically overheated, at times, seeming to mirror his subject’s excitable style. He has chosen to focus on “Rashomon” as the fulcrum of Kurosawa’s career, emphasizing what he regards as the early influences in the filmmaker’s life that fed his thematic vision — specifically, its mixture of the appalling and the redemptive, the apocalyptic and the humanistic.

Among these influences was a pair of catastrophes that left his city devastated: the earthquake of 1923 and the firebombings of Tokyo in 1945. “Kurosawa’s was an imagination of disaster, lined by fear and an often overwhelming darkness. His most daring work, though, moves beyond the shadows, perseveres to locate some sliver of light,” Anderer writes. Kurosawa

Anderer views the newspapers’ contradictory

The samurai’s wife: Machiko Kyo

accounts of that tragedy as a template for “Rashomon.” More important, he sees the older brother looming over Kurosawa throughout his career, imbuing him with a love of 1920s silent, experimental cinema and a passion for Russian literature, especially Dostoyevsky. So taken is the author with this brother motif

in Rashomon, 1950

was only 13 when the earthquake occurred, but his older brother, Heigo, insisted they walk through the ruins and view the corpses, ostensibly to overcome fear by staring reality in the face. That older brother exerted a major influence on Kurosawa: A movie buff, he took Akira along to silent film classics, mostly foreign, and even became a benshi: “The benshi were there to explain the plot but also to impersonate the characters. Such a narrator, standing at the podium to the left of the stage, made faintly visible by the lectern light, would declaim from the start to the finish of a feature film.” Heigo was a celebrated benshi, but when sound came in, his profession evaporated. Depressed, he com-

that he locates Kurosawa’s “core” narrative as “variations on a story about one brother’s rise and fall, and another brother’s efforts to recall their life together in its vitality, complexity and memory-shaping force.” This seems a bit farfetched, but Anderer presses on, squeezing the brother into the tail of sentence after sentence: “Kurosawa knew, of course, that a shadow character was more than just a filmic cliché, that such a character could be someone you knew intimately, someone you feared or relied on, as you would a brother.” He also hits the shadow/ light metaphor pretty hard.

mitted double suicide with a waitress. 28

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"The nature of man was naked in those (medieval) times. Society was changing and we can have a clear image of man in those times."

“Watch the thief carefully, because he undergoes

03 When the film was released in the U.S., Miller

a change, and it’s one of the most interesting things about the movie,” said Miller. “As you

took some of his friends to see it in Salt Lake City. However, during that screening he came

watch the film, consider the question ‘Who are we when we try to be somebody else, and what

to the conclusion that subtitled films in a foreign context deliver a different kind of viewing

are the consequences, and the costs?’” This film experience. He explained that studying a culhas personal meaning to Miller, who was teachture and language helps you understand a film, ing English in Japan the summer Shadow Warrior premiered. He went to see the movie in Tokyo and was the only foreigner in the packed theater. “When it was over, I was in tears. It just profoundly moved me. It was a very powerful reaction because I was experiencing an art form, in this case film, in its original context, in its intended setting and as one of its intended audience members,” said Miller.

but if you are dependent upon the subtitles you are limited by their quality. Being able to watch a film in a foreign language without subtitles, then, is both a good indicator of language proficiency as well as a reward for all the work that goes into learning it, he said.

“This film showed me how a foreign language

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opens your eyes to new values and new perspectives about life not limited by your own native tongue,” said Miller. According to Miller, Shadow Warrior is a great film from the Interna-

Introduction

tional Cinema library. There are many cultural and language elements that do not make sense

Location

to the average viewer, so the viewer is forced to become an active observer to make sense of the film. He further explained that this is one of Japan’s best films by an international filmmaker, so viewers get to observe “something of good report” in this film. Finally, it is a rich film that Miller said reveals something new each time he watches it. “I’m sure that you’ll see something new, and you’ll walk away with some fresh ideas,” Miller told students in attendance.

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“but ignorance is a kind of insanity in the human animal. People who delight in torturing defenseless children or tiny creatures are in reality insane. The terrible thing is that people who are madmen in private may wear a totally bland and innocent expression in public.”

REFERENCES

—Akira Kurosawa

Websites wikiwand.com/en/Throne_of_Blood

Type Rockwell

cinephiliabeyond.org/throne-blood-value-meaning-kurosawas-fog-drenched-masterpiece/

ITC Galliard Pro

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Kabuki_8

Titillium Web

cinephiliabeyond.org/akira-kurosawas-ran/

Mongoose

dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews10/kagemusha_.htm

Course GR.612 Integrated Communication (Fall 2019) Academy of Art University

cinephiliabeyond.org/paradise-around-rare-interview-akira-kurosawa-maani-petgar/ movie.mtime.com/14882/reviews/7957700.html humanities.byu.edu/the-cultural-importance-of-kurosawas-film-shadow-warrior/ www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-rashomon-1950 Photos shutterstock.com

Instructor Hunter Wimmer Designed by Steven Lyu

nipic.com

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DVD PACKAGE

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FEATURED FILMS FEATURED FILMS

Seven Samurai Throne of Blood Ran Shadow Warrior

FEATURED FILMS

Rashomon

The Films of Akira Kurosawa

DVD PACKAGE

SEVEN WARRIORS

THRONE OF BLOOD蛛蛛蛛

Release date: April 26, 1954

Release date: January 15, 1957

207 minutes / Japanese / Black & White

110 minutes / Japanese / Black & White Based on Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586 during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a village of farmers that hire seven rōnin (masterless samurai) to combat bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops. Since its release, Seven Samurai has consistently ranked highly in critics’ lists of the greatest films, such as the BFI’s Sight & Sound and Rotten Tomatoes polls. It was also voted the greatest foreign-language film in BBC’s 2018 international critics’ poll. It has remained highly influential, often seen as one Throne of Blood is a 1957 Japanese historical drama film co-written and

of the most “remade, reworked, referenced” films in cinema.

directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film transposes the plot of William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth from Medieval Scotland to feudal Japan, with stylistic elements drawn from Noh drama. The film stars Toshiro Mifune and Isuzu Yamada in the lead roles, modelled on the characters Macbeth and Lady

Starring

Edited by

Music by

Cinematography

Toshiro Mifune

Akira Kurosawa

Fumio Hayasaka

Asakazu Nakai

蜘蛛巣城

Macbeth. As with the play, the film tells the story of a warrior who assassinates his

Takashi Shimura

sovereign at the urging of his ambitious wife. Kurosawa was a fan of the play

Keiko Tsushima

and intended to make his own adaptation for several years, delaying it after

Isao Kimura

Starring

Edited by

Music by

Cinematography

Toshiro Mifune

Akira Kurosawa

Masaru Sato

Asakazu Nakai

Isuzu Yamada Takashi Shimura

learning of Orson Welles’ Macbeth (1948). Among his changes was the

七武士

ending, which required archers to fire arrows around Mifune. The film was shot around Mount Fuji and Izu Peninsula.

RASHOMON

RAN

Release date: August 25, 1950

Release date: May 31, 1985

88 minutes / Japanese / Black & White

162 minutes / Japanese / Colored

Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. It stars Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura. Although the film borrows the title from Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story “Rashōmon”, it is based on Akutagawa’s short story of 1922 “In a Grove”, which provides the characters and plot. The film is known for a plot device that involves various characters providing subjective, alternative, self-serving, and contradictory versions of the same incident. Rashomon marked the entrance of Japanese film onto the world

Seven Samurai

stage; it won several awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film

Throne of Blood

Awards in 1952, and is considered one of the greatest films ever made. The

Ran is a 1985 epic period drama film directed, edited and co-written by

close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. It stars Toshiro

Akira Kurosawa. The plot derives from William Shakespeare’s King Lear and

Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura. Although the

includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film

film borrows the title from Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story “Rashōmon”,

stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period war-

it is based on Akutagawa’s short story of 1922 “In a Grove”, which provides

lord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.

the characters and plot.

Festival in 1951, and an Academy Honorary Award at the 24th Academy Rashomon effect is named after the film.

Ran

Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa, working in

The film is a Japanese-French venture produced by Herald Ace, Nippon

The film is known for a plot device that involves various characters providing

Herald Films and Greenwich Film Productions. Production planning went

subjective, alternative, self-serving, and contradictory versions of the same

through a long period of preparation. Kurosawa conceived the idea of Ran in

incident. Rashomon marked the entrance of Japanese film onto the world

the mid-1970s, when he read about Motonari, who was famous for having

Shadow Warrior

stage; it won several awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film

three highly loyal sons. Kurosawa devised a plot in which the sons become

Rashomon

Festival in 1951, and an Academy Honorary Award at the 24th Academy

antagonists of their father. Although the film became heavily inspired by

Awards in 1952, and is considered one of the greatest films ever made. The

Shakespeare’s play King Lear, Kurosawa began using it only after he had

Rashomon effect is named after the film.

started pre-planning for Ran. Following this pre-planning, Kurosawa filmed Dersu Uzala in 1975 followed by Kagemusha in the early 1980s before

羅生門

Starring

Edited by

Music by

Cinematography

Toshiro Mifune

Akira Kurosawa

Fumio Hayasaka

Kazuo Miyagawa

亂

Starring

Edited by

Music by

Tatsuya Nakadai

Akira Kurosawa

Toru Takemitsu

Akira Terao

Hideo Oguni

Masayuki Mori

Jinpachi Nezu

Masato Ide

Takashi Shimura

Daisuke Ryu

Minoru Chiaki

Mieko Harada

SHADOW WARRIOR Release date: April 26, 1980 179 minutes / Japanese / Colored

“For me, filmmaking combines everything. That’s the reason I’ve made cinema my life’s work. In films, painting and literature, theatre and music come together. But a film is still a film.”

meets with his brother Nobukado, and an unnamed thief whom the latter met by chance and spared from crucifixion due to the thief ’s uncanny resemblance to Shingen. The brothers then agree that he would prove useful as a double, and they decide to use the thief as a kagemusha, a political decoy. Later, Shingen’s army has besieged a castle of Tokugawa Ieyasu. One evening when Shingen visits the battlefield he is shot by a sniper who has mapped

—Akira Kurosawa

Shingen’s previous movements in the camp. Mortally wounded, he orders a withdrawal and commands his generals to keep his death a secret for three years. Shingen soon dies with only a small group of witnesses. Meanwhile, Shingen’s rivals Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Uesugi Kenshin each contemplate the consequences of Shingen’s withdrawal of his army still not knowing of his death. Starring

Edited by

Music by

Cinematography

Tatsuya Nakadai

Akira Kurosawa

Shin’ichirō Ikebe

Akira Kurosawa Masato Ide

影武者

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Akira Kurosawa

Machiko Kyō

Hisashi Igawa

In Japan’s Sengoku period, Takeda Shingen, daimyō of the Takeda clan,

Cinematography

securing financial backing to film Ran.

SCHEDULE

羅生門

七武士

March 23-29, 2020

蜘蛛巣城

影武者

亂

March 23

March 24

March 25

March 26

March 27

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

羅生門

七武士

蜘蛛巣城

影武者

亂

ROSHOMON

SEVEN WARRIORS

THRONE OF BLOOD

SHADOW WARRIOR

RAN

Release date: August 25, 1950

Release date: April 26, 1954

Release date: January 15, 1957

Release date: April 26, 1980

Release date: May 31, 1985

88 minutes / Japanese / Black & White

207 minutes / Japanese / Black & White

110 minutes / Japanese / Black & White

179 minutes / Japanese / Colored

162 minutes / Japanese / Colored

Movie Info

Rashomon is a 1950 Jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa, working

Seven Samurai is a 1954 Japanese epic samurai drama film co-written,

Throne of Blood is a 1957 Japanese historical drama film co-written and

In Japan’s Sengoku period, Takeda Shingen, daimyō of the Takeda clan,

Ran is a 1985 epic period drama film directed, edited and co-written by

in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. It stars

edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story takes place in 1586

directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film transposes the plot of William

meets with his brother Nobukado, and an unnamed thief whom the latter

Akira Kurosawa. The plot derives from William Shakespeare’s King Lear and

Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori, and Takashi Shimura.

during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. It follows the story of a

Shakespeare’s play Macbeth from Medieval Scotland to feudal Japan, with

Although the film borrows the title from Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short

village of farmers that hire seven rōnin (masterless samurai) to combat

stylistic elements drawn from Noh drama. The film stars Toshiro Mifune

story “Rashōmon”, it is based on Akutagawa’s short story of 1922 “In a

bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops.

Grove”, which provides the characters and plot.

AMC Kabuki 8 1881 Post St, San Francisco

Theatre

Theatre Auditorium 7

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 pM

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 pM

Auditorium 7

met by chance and spared from crucifixion due to the thief ’s uncanny

includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film

resemblance to Shingen. The brothers then agree that he would prove

stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period war-

and Isuzu Yamada in the lead roles, modelled on the characters Macbeth

useful as a double, and they decide to use the thief as a kagemusha, a

lord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.

and Lady Macbeth.

political decoy.

Theatre

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 AM

Auditorium 7

Theatre

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 pM

Auditorium 7

Theatre

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 AM

Theatre Auditorium 14

Auditorium 7

10:00 AM

2:00 pM

4:00 pM

Closing Ceremony Auditorium 8

Guests 21+ can grab a beer, wine, or cocktail for the show.

YOSHIRO MURAKI

(PRODUCTION DESIGNER, 19 FILMS)

THE PEOPLE WORKED WITH AKIRA KUROSAWA

ICHIRO MINAWA

(SOUND EFFECTS ENGINEER, 22 FILMS)

TAKASHI SHIMURA (ACTOR, 21 FILMS)

TERUYO NOGAMI (ASSISTANT, 19 FILMS)

Although not as much of a household name as Kurosawa’s leading actors,

Ichirō Minawa (born 1918) may well not a have name that sounds famil-

If Minawa’s face is unfamiliar for even many of the more passionate Kurosawa

Teruyo Nogami (born 1927) is the only woman on this list and a name that

Yoshirō Muraki (1924-2009) was in no way a less important part of what

iar to you, but the sounds that he created should be very much the

fans, that of Takashi Shimura (1905-1982) is very much the opposite.

is probably familiar to anyone who who has anything more than a passing

made Kurosawa’s films what they are. In fact, apart from Kurosawa himself,

opposite. As Kurosawa’s primary sound engineer, Minawa was responsible

Shimura made his first appearance for Kurosawa in the director’s debut film

interest in Kurosawa. She started out as Kurosawa’s continuity and script

he is the person most responsible for what the worlds that Kurosawa created

for the sound effects on the majority of Kurosawa’s films. Exactly how

Sanshiro Sugata (1943), and went on to appear in all but three of Kurosawa’s

assistant on Rashomon (1950), and from Ikiru (1952) onwards worked on

looked like.

many? The answer depends on which source you consult, but if you put

works up until Red Beard (1965), making him the actor whom Kurosawa

every single Kurosawa film, even accompanying Kurosawa to Russia for the

Muraki’s first film with Kurosawa was the 1948 Drunken Angel, on which he is credited as an assistant art director. He had the same role also in the productions of Stray Dog (1949), Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954).

together the available information, you end up with the number 22,

most often worked with. The three films that Shimura was not part of during

one-and-a-half year production of Dersu Uzala (1975). Her responsibilities

which would make Minawa the person that Kurosawa most often worked

this twenty year period are Sanshiro Sugata Part II (1945), One Wondeful

on the set went beyond strict script supervision and continuity, and her offi-

with.

Sunday (1947) and The Lower Depths (1957). Shimura was later also writ-

cial credits on Kurosawa films also include those of production manager,

Starting with Record of a Living Being (1955), Muraki became responsible

The collaboration between the two men started with Kurosawa’s fourth

for the overall look of Kurosawa’s films, and as Kurosawa’s production

film The Men Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail (1945) and lasted until Kuro-

designer worked closely with the director to design and implement the visual

sawa’s last one, Madadayo (1993). They would in fact have almost

ten a small part for Kagemusha (1980), which was sadly cut out of the film’s

assistant to producer, and even assistant director (Dersu Uzala). In short, she

shorter, international version.

was something of a principal assistant to Kurosawa.

Coming from a theatre background, Shimura offered Kurosawa a fairly wide

Nogami is also the woman behind some of the most important posthumous

look and feel of each of Kurosawa’s films until the director’s death, with the

certainly worked together even more often were it not for studio restric-

spectrum of performances, ranging from the weak but well meaning (e.g.

documents describing Kurosawa and his working methods. Her book Waiting

sole exception of Dersu Uzala (1975), which Kurosawa filmed in the Soviet

tions, as the five Kurosawa films on which Minawa did not work on

Attorney Hiruta in Scandal, the woodcutter in Rashomon) to the wise and

on the Weather recollects her experiences working with Kurosawa, and she

Union with a largely Russian crew.

during this 50 year period are ones that Kurosawa did not shoot for

magnificent (e.g. Detective Sato in Stray Dog and Kambei Shimada in Seven

also functioned as the producer and interviewer on the massive Toho Master-

Toho, the studio where Minawa worked. These films are The Quiet Duel

Samurai). Shimura’s arguably finest performance was his lead role in Ikiru

works documentary series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create, which

(1949), Scandal (1950), Rashomon (1950), The Idiot (1951) and Dersu

(1952) as the determined but dying bureaucrat Kanji Watanabe. Following

explores how Kurosawa’s films were made, and episodes of which are included

the 1955 Record of a Living Being and the actor turning 50, Shimura’s roles

also on many foreign releases of Kurosawa’s films.

Uzala (1975).

under Kurosawa gradually became smaller and less prominent.

SOUND TRACK

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HISTORY OF JAPANTOWN

Staying in a hot quiet, low-key a more hectic pa or Fishermanâ€™s

HISTORY OF JAPANTOWN Japanese began moving to the Japantown area in the Western Addition neighborhood after their homes were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. Most had been living in areas near Chinatown or south of Market Street. Western Addition was west of Van Ness Avenue, which was the fire break, so the fire that destroyed a large part of San Francisco never reached the Japantown neighborhood.

HOTEL KABUK LOCATION

The Japanese population was one of the largest outside of Japan by the time World War 2 began. In 1942, the Japanese were interned and the neighborhood was filled in with African-Americans working in the wartime industry.

The Kabuki creates a its guests, with its k Japanese decor with

Soak in a deep Japan use the hotel pass t

Located next to the Street. To read the r and booking, see Ho

HOTELS

HISTORY OF JAPANTOWN

HISTORY

Staying in a hotel in Japantown is a quiet, low-key alternative to the more hectic pace of Union Square or Fishermanâ€™s Wharf.

HISTORY OF JAPANTOWN

HISTORY OF J

Japanese began moving to the Japantown area in the Western Addition neighborhood after their homes were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. Most had been living in areas near Chinatown or south of Market Street.

Japanese began mo in the Western Add their homes were d earthquake. Most h Chinatown or south

Western Addition was west of Van Ness Avenue, which was the fire break, so the fire that destroyed a large part of San Francisco never reached the Japantown neighborhood. The Japanese population was one of the largest outside of Japan by the time World War 2 began. In 1942, the Japanese were interned and the neighborhood was filled in with African-Americans working in the wartime industry.

Western Addition w nue, which was the destroyed a large p reached the Japanto

HOTEL KABUKI LOCATION

WEBSITE

The Japanese popul est outside of Japan began. In 1942, the and the neighborho can-Americans wor industry.

The Kabuki creates a serene environment for its guests, with its koi pond, zen garden, and Japanese decor with sliding shoji screens. Soak in a deep Japanese tub in your room, or use the hotel pass to the Japanese spa nearby. Located next to the East Mall at 1625 Post Street. To read the reviews, and for more info and booking, see Hotel Kabuki.

WEBSITE

黑澤明

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AKIRA KUROSAWA

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“For me, filmmaking combines everything. That’s the reason I’ve made cinema my life’s work. In films, painting and literature, theatre and music come together. But a film is still a film.” Early Life Kurosawa’s father, who had once been an army officer, was a teacher who contributed to the development of athletics instruction in Japan. After leaving secondary school, Kurosawa attended an art school and began painting in the Western style. Although he was awarded important art prizes, he gave up his ambition to become a painter and in 1936 became an assistant director in the PCL cinema studio. Until he worked there mainly as an assistant to Yamamoto Kajirō, one of Japan’s major directors of World War II films.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The theater was the first multiplex in San Francisco. As part of the original Japan Center mission to showcase Japanese culture, it was the first authentic Kabuki theater in America, designed in a traditional 17th century style with a proscenium, stage entrance/exit ramp, revolving stage, and trap doors. The theater was designed with dining tables so audiences could eat while watching Kabuki performances. The restaurant, named the Kabuki Theater Restaurant, was limited to serving Chinese and American food so it would not draw business away from the Japan Center Japanese restaurants.

During this period Kurosawa became known as an excellent scenarist. Some of his best scenarios were never filmed but only published in journals; yet they were noticed by specialists for their freshness of representation and were awarded prizes. First Films In 1943 Kurosawa was promoted to director and made his first feature film, Sanshiro Sugata, from his own scenario; this story of Japanese judo masters of the 1880s scored a great popular success. In 1944 he made his second film, Ichiban utsukushiku (The Most Beautiful), a story about girls at work in an arsenal. Immediately thereafter, he married the actress who had played the leading part in the picture, Yaguchi Yoko; they thelawofnature.com/festival had two children, a son and a daughter. In August 1945, when Japan offered to surDIRECTOR FESTIVAL FILMS TICKETS render in World War II, he was shooting his picture Tora no o fumu otokotachi

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(They Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail), a parody of a well-known Kabuki drama. The Allied occupation forces,8however, prohibited the release of most films dealing with AMC KABUKI Japan’s feudal past, and this outstanding comedy was not distributed until 1952.

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RAN

Freshly restored in a new print, Akira Kurosawa’s epic reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear has

THRONE OF BLOOD

not dimmed one bit in the three decades since its first release SEVEN WARRIORS SHADOW WARRIOR

Release date: January 15, 1957 110 minutes / Japanese / B&W

Release date: April 26, 1980 179 minutes / Japanese / Colored

RAN

Release date: May 31, 1985 162 minutes / Japanese / Colored

Release date: April 26, 1954 207 minutes / Japanese / B&W

Film Title: Ran

Ran is a 1985 epic period drama film directed, edited and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The plot

Director: Akira Kurosawa

derives from William Shakespeare’s King Lear and includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period war-

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao,

lord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.

Jinpachi Nezu, Mieko Harada, Daisuke Ryu,

The film is a Japanese-French venture produced by Herald Ace, Nippon Herald Films and Greenwich

Masayuki Yui, Yoshiko Miyazaki

Film Productions. Production planning went through a long period of preparation. Kurosawa conceived the idea of Ran in the mid-1970s, when he read about Motonari, who was famous for having

Genre: Drama

three highly loyal sons. Kurosawa devised a plot in which the sons become antagonists of their father. Although the film became heavily inspired by Shakespeare’s play King Lear, Kurosawa began using it

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only after he had started pre-planning for Ran. Following this pre-planning, Kurosawa filmed Dersu

DIRECTOR

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Uzala in 1975 followed by Kagemusha in the FESTIVAL early 1980s before securing financial backing to film Ran. DIRECTOR FILMS TICKETS

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day 1 March 23: ROSHOMON day 2 March 24: SEVEN WARRIORS RAN

Freshly restored in a new print, Akira Kurosawa’s epic reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear has not dimmed one bit in the three decades since its first release

day 3 March 25: THRONE OF BLOOD

SEVEN WARRIORS

+Movie Info

Release date: April 26, 1980

Theatre

179 minutes / Japanese / Colored

Auditorium 7

SELECT TIME

day 4 March 26: SHADOW WARRIOR Film Title: Ran

Ran is a 1985 epic period drama film directed, edited and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The plot

Director: Akira Kurosawa

derives from William Shakespeare’s King Lear and includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-period war-

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao,

lord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons.

Jinpachi Nezu, Mieko Harada, Daisuke Ryu,

The film is a Japanese-French venture produced by Herald Ace, Nippon Herald Films and Greenwich

Masayuki Yui, Yoshiko Miyazaki

Film Productions. Production planning went through a long period of preparation. Kurosawa con-

day 5 March 27: RAN

10:00 AM

2:00 PM

5:00 PM

8:00 PM

TICKET AMOUNT

Adult

Child

Purchase

ceived the idea of Ran in the mid-1970s, when he read about Motonari, who was famous for having

Genre: Drama

thelawofnature.com/tickets

only after he had started pre-planning for Ran. Following this pre-planning, Kurosawa filmed Dersu Uzala in 1975 followed by Kagemusha in the FESTIVAL early 1980s before securing financial backing to film Ran. DIRECTOR FILMS TICKETS

day 1 March 23: ROSHOMON day 2 March 24: SEVEN WARRIORS day 3 March 25: THRONE OF BLOOD

49 SEVEN WARRIORS

+Movie Info

Release date: April 26, 1980

Theatre

179 minutes / Japanese / Colored

Auditorium 7

The Law of Nature

CONTAINER

Type Rockwell ITC Galliard Pro Titillium Web Mongoose Course GR.612 Integrated Communication (Fall 2019) Academy of Art University Instructor Hunter Wimmer Designed by Steven Lyu

The Law of Nature

“Although human beings are incapable of talking about themselves with total honesty, it is much harder to avoid the truth while pretending to be other people. They often reveal much about themselves in a very straightforward way. I am certain that I did. There is nothing that says more about its creator than the work itself.” —Akira Kurosawa

The Law of Nature