"...Kurosawa is one of the most accessible of the ‘classical’ or ‘great foreign’ directors. His films are cool and his star is charismatic. Jap-o-philes and anime fans make an easy transition to his films. Many times I have seen YOJIMBO next to TENCHI MUYO on the DVD shelf.Akira Kurosawa. I remember my first Kurosawa film was Kagemusha. Kurosawa was my first contact with Japanese films. Well, there were those old Watari and anime series. Who can forget Lone Wolf and Cub? But Kurosawa just opened up the whole jap-film-pop thing for me. Kagemusha... That brings up memories... Oh and don't get me started with The Seven Samurai.
And his films hold up very well. A lot of them are similar to Westerns and some are based on Shakespeare -- so they are not too alienating to American audiences. The samurai heroes of his films are like the heroes of westerns or the chivalrous knights of Europe. Some critics complained that Kurosawa’s films were too Western -- his greatest influence being director John Ford.
But his storytelling ability resonates today. Despite the slow pace of several of his films and their lengthy running times, they are easy to watch and I don’t find them as boring or dragging as some other older or foreign films. He always keeps you engaged....
Anyway, go check out the site's archives for Part 2 of the article...
