The Directing Genius of Akira Kurosawa Explained

I really can't overstate how AMAZING Kurosawa's autobiography is, I encourage anyone into his cinema to read it. Warning, it gets tough during some bits, but it is absolutely worth it!

the last actor still alive: Tatsuya Nakadai san died in November 2025 i had the chance to know him when lived in Setagaya (Tokyo) the fun fact was that I was used to go to eat in a traditional izakaya; one day a person with full beard and hair totally white started to speak to me and without realizing who he was at this time, we came to speak about Chambara (general discussion) everytime he gave me "short stories" about when he was on stage with Mifune, etc... I thought that it was to laugh at me (jokes) I didn't ask questions about that, until he left and the owner (I knew well) told me: do you know who is he? I said no, and then I discovered who he was weird situation as I am a true fan of Kurosawa movies, and actors of course, but between the young Nakadai san and his appealing of old age, the difference in an izakaya (pretty dark) was not to obvious to me.... i met him later at same place (and didn't make the same mistake) after that he invited me to visit his theater school, he was pretty active in theatrical events in Setagaya during my stay (from 2017 to 2021) then I had to leave for Kyoto and I knew that he passed away by a friend who live there. I still do not understand how a incredible actor of this aura can be so friendly and natural...

i've seen 20 films out of 32 films of his so far and the man is truly a grandmaster. a real legend in cinema.

My favorite filmmaker. Nobody else exhibits such heart. The beauty and love for humanity is what made his films so great.

I have a theory that the Japanese approaches to movies (including not only Akira Kurosawa but also Hayao Miyazaki) are deeply tied to the structure of the Japanese language itself. Unlike English where the subject is mandatory as the focal point to precede the predicate and the other non-predicate parts as complements (Subject-Predicate-Complements), Japanese has the predicate come at the end of whatever whole of non-predicate components positioned flexibly such that the subject is not necessarily more special than whatever its counterparts (Components-Predicate). The way Japanese allows the subject to be demoted or omitted in favor of implicit reference by the context, is analogous to how Kurosawa uses non-focal "negative" elements (such as space and silence) to structurally create meanings. While Hollywood would typically have the protagonist (subject) drive the screen (predicate) for the other characters (complements), Kurosawa would have the screen (predicate) as a medium so embracing that even silence can wrap around all the characters as equals (components) in service of story-telling.

Please make one video on the great ingmar bergman's directing style

I just watched Seven Samurai again last night, a fantastic film. Never a dull moment

Because Kurosawa is the man. I knew it when I saw Rashomon for the first time. Then dozens of his black and white films. Then I saw what the man did with color cinematography in Ran and Kagemusha. Beauty beyond words. He simply operated on a different level. And for that his influence lives on. Just think about the dramatic, stylized turn anime (and media in general) takes when Kurosawa decides to keep the botched take of the over pressurized blood at the end of Sanjuro. Thats only a taste of the impact his work has had globally..

In my opinion the absolute greatest there has ever been. Nobody even comes close to Kurosawa, true master of the craft.

What I love the most in studio binder that order channels don’t understand is that the write the names of the frames used. if it’s a movie, award show, advert, I love the fact that the always put down where the frame is from 💯

YES!! Akira Kurosawa is THE master of a filmmaker and an influence on the whole film industry and the whole world. Thank you StudioBinder for finally tackling Akira Kurosawa

Genuinely a timeless director, and a master at the craft.

I've never watched any of his movies but always hear of him in videos like this or from DOPs interviews. And my oh my, the shots I see here😮, he is now instantly my favourite DOP/Director. Literally every frame is a painting.

The way he was able to pivot from Black and white to the most beautiful color has aways amazed me

High and Low is a great film. One of the best depicting police procedure.

Except for 1 film that is considered to be lost, I have seen all his films. My all time absolute favourite goat, every single genre has been dabbled in, and every single genre he touched has given perfection.

I mean this video had to drop the very day I watched my first kurosawa movie.

Kurosawa was the first time the term "moving picture" felt appropriate. Every single frame of his films are pictures i wish i had in my repertoire. Its unreal how well he frames everything

I watched his remaster film in 4K Criterion Collection and am still in AWE.

Whenever I click on a video stating the methods used by masters of cinema, I always come out of it having already known almost everything listed in the video. That's what tells me that I'm ready to become a master myself. Thank you, Studiobinder!