While travelling I got the following text from the 14yo:
"When you're back we'll watch LOTS of Kurosawa"
Well hell yeah! Turns out his Christmas gift (Ghost of Tsushima on the PlayStation) piqued his interest. He has often had to endure mini-lectures by me on the Japanese filmmaker's influence so he recognised the reference.
SEVEN SAMURAI then YOJIMBO to prep him for the most sublime of all: RASHOMON, probably my favourite of all films.
@dhinojosa Even better: check out #theHiddenFortress by #kurosawa - it was the original that heavily influenced Lucas when he made #starWars. It’s a fun watch - I think it holds up well.
I have a kind of theory ... The best creatives are not ones who are consistently good, but are ones who create so much that they can't fail to at least create some good stuff.
#Writers like (probably) #StephenKing (although I've only read a few of his books but I'm sure there are plenty of stinkers). And other prolific writers.
More filmmakers today should study Kurosawa (and other past masters). So many of today's films are so bland, so unimaginative in terms of the cinematic use of movement. Even the ones with lots of movement, that movement is all too often unimaginative and doesn't serve the narrative or the characters.
Watched Ran. I did fall asleep right at the end, but it was such a pretty film. I felt like it really leaned into the disappointment more than it needed to, but it’s hard to critique something that has such acclaim. The lead was so freaking talented.
I feel like it was a collection of really beautiful scenes with artistic connections, but was less cohesive than I would have hoped.
I was pretty sad about all of the women being either useless or just flat though. #MovieReview#Kurosawa