Akira Kurosawa Restorations

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The American Cinematheque is thrilled to present a retrospective of master Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, featuring L.A. premieres of new 2K and 4K restorations courtesy of Janus Films of his most acclaimed works. From contemporary masterpieces such as STRAY DOG, RED BEARD, HIGH AND LOW and IKIRU to period pieces reimagining genre like RASHOMON, SEVEN SAMURAI, YOJIMBO, SANJURO, THE HIDDEN FORTRESS and THRONE OF BLOOD, Kurosawa’s art is as timely as ever. Please join us in watching these newly restored films.

Widely considered one of the most influential filmmakers of the twentieth century, Kurosawa created transcendent works of art that challenged cinematic limitations, illuminating the universal truths of the human condition. There’s a direct lineage between Kurosawa’s art and the work of contemporary masters such as Bong Joon Ho and David Fincher, who have voiced their admiration for films like HIGH AND LOW that have had a profound impact on their own approach to storytelling. Similarly, it is no secret that THE HIDDEN FORTRESS has paved the way for adventure films such as STAR WARS, and the nameless ronin of YOJIMBO and SANJURO have incited the expansion of the STAR WARS universe as observable in the character of the lone gunfighter in THE MANDALORIAN. Kurosawa himself was inspired by the work of others as we see with his masterful adaptations, such as his take on “Macbeth” in THRONE OF BLOOD, set in Feudal Japan. While much of his acclaimed oeuvre exists within the context of jidaigeki stories, films such as STRAY DOG and IKIRU showcase his aptitude for contemporary narratives. The legendary actor Toshiro Mifune finds himself as the face of a myriad of Kurosawa’s filmography; this collaboration notably ending with his electric performance in RED BEARD.

This series will also include the 4K restorations of SEVEN SAMURAI and RASHOMON, both ranked in the top 100 of Sight & Sound’s 2022 “Greatest Films of All Time” poll.