For the Love of Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa. Almost three years ago to this day that I watched a Akira Kurosawa film for the first time. The film was Rashômon. What an way to be introduced to his work, considering the film itself is a masterpiece as is now firmly planted in my favourite films of all time. He is a director that created so many brilliant film from Ikiru to Seven Samurai / Shichinin no samurai. Even if you haven't seen his work, you will have seen his influence on other filmmakers, sometimes as homage but also in outright thievery. But, originals are where the heart is and Kurosawa had a lot of heart. From samurais to school teachers to public servants he brought us unique and emotional tales that know no bounds. A visionary and master storyteller, he is a director that I know is a touch stone for many of us and I always know I am amongst friends if we can wax poetically about the man they called The Emperor.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of his birth, which is next Tuesday March 23, 2010, there is a lot of Kurosawa love out there. Univarn is celebrating with 23 Days of Kurosawa over at his site Life in Equinox, we also have lots Kurosawa coverage over at the Toronto J-Film Pow Wow and the Criterion Current has a Kurosawa Birthday Month going on there.

If you are looking to see his films, TCM is showcasing many titles over the next little while. This is a wonderful opportunity to seen and enjoy his work.

Check out the TCM website for more information including their regular schedule and Canadian schedule. Here's a run down of the films still to be shown on the Canadian schedule:

Tuesday March 16, 2010

8:00 PM - The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Kyoko Kagawa

10:45 PM - High And Low (1963)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Tatsuya Nakadai

Wednesday March 17, 2010

1:15 AM - Red Beard (1965)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Yoshio Tsuchiya

4:30 AM - I Live In Fear (1955)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kamatari Fujiwara, Kazuo Kato, Toshiro Mifune

6:15 AM - Scandal (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoko Katsuragi, Toshiro Mifune, Noriko Sengoku

Tuesday March 23, 2010

6:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Ryunosuke Tsukigata, Akitake Kono, Shoji Kiyokawa

7:30 AM - The Most Beautiful (1944)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Shoji Kiyokawa, Ichiro Sugai

9:00 AM - The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Kenjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Kenichi Enomoto.

10:00 AM - Sanshiro Sugata Part 2 (1945)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Denjiro Okochi, Susumu Fujita, Ryunosuke Tsukigata

11:30 AM - No Regrets For Our Youth (1946)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Danjiro Oicochi, Eiko Miyoshi, Setsuko Hara

1:30 PM - One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Midori Ariyama, Chieko Nakakita, Isao Numasaiki

3:30 PM - Drunken Angel (1948)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Reizaburo Yamamoto

5:30 PM - Stray Dog (1949)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi, Shimamura, Keiko Awaji

8:00 PM - Rashomon (1950)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori

9:30 PM - Seven Samurai (1954)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Kuninori Kodo

Wednesday March 24, 2010

1:00 AM - Yojimbo (1961)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono, Seizaburo Kawazu.

3:00 AM - Sanjuro (1962)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Hakadai, Yuzo Kayama.

4:45 AM- Dodes 'Ka-Den (1970)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Yoshitaka Zushi, Kin Sugai, Kaou Kato.