Red Beard

Some time in the 1800s, a young doctor (Noboru Kayama) is sent to a rural clinic against his wishes, but a senior physician (Toshiro Mifune) opens his eyes. The last…

Seven Samurai: Another Battle, Another Loss

Photo: Toho I saw this, the most famous of Akira Kurosawa’s movies, for the first time twenty years ago while studying journalism. More than three hours long, Seven Samurai is…

Rashomon: One Death, Four Stories

Toshiro Mifune and Machiko Kyo. Photo: Daiei The Rashomon effect is a term that entered the English language maybe as early as the 1960s, meant to describe an event that…

High and Low 

When his driver's little boy is kidnapped, wealthy businessman Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune) has to decide if he's willing to put his entire career and fortune at stake to save…