4K UHD Review: Seven Samurai (Criterion Collection)
Released in 1954, Akira Kurosawa’s fifteenth film, Seven Samurai is often considered his best work That’s saying something, since he’s also responsible for such classics as Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress (George Lucas’s inspiration for Star Wars), Yojimbo, High and Low, and Ran among others, in a career spanning nearly sixty years. The late 16th century […]
James Clavell’s Shōgun (Blu-ray)
Now largely relegated to cable, the mini-series was once a mainstay of American television. Beginning in 1976 with the success of Rich Man, Poor Man, and continuing with such classics as Roots and Jesus of Nazareth, mini-series became extremely popular on the networks (then ABC, CBS and NBC). Usually given a sizable budget, mini-series were […]
The Hidden Fortress (Criterion Collection) (Blu-ray)
The influence of Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress can be seen in several films, but none has been more talked about than George Lucas’ Star Wars. Lucas has expressed his admiration for the film, openly admitting that the droids C3PO and R2D2 are based on the two would-be mercenaries that drive Kurosawa’s story. Set against […]
Throne of Blood (Blu-ray)
The first film version of William Shakespeare’s dark and bloody tale of Macbeth I remember seeing is Roman Polanski’s 1971 take on the story. Known for its dark brutality, this should come as little surprise, since it was the director’s first film after the brutal murder of his wife, actress Sharon Tate. Released in 1957, […]
Blu-ray Review: High and Low
Best known for his samurai films, director Akira Kurusawa also made some fine crime films. One of his best is 1963’s Tengoku to jigoku, in Japanese, or High and Low, in America. Kurosawa loved western cinema, often taking his cues from the Hollywood western and film noir. Elements of the American western are readily apparent […]
Blu-ray Review: Grand Prix
I’ve seen a lot of films about auto racing in my time; to this day, 1966’s Grand Prix is still at the top of the list. Part race car movie, part soap opera, Grand Prix manages to place the viewer inside the action on the track. In the typical glamorous fashion one might expect from […]