We’re living through what may be known in the future as the revival of cinema. Movies and theatrical releases only keep getting bigger and better. Production budgets today dwarf the entire earnings a blockbuster could earn in the past. That’s not to mention the incredible advancements in things like CGI, complex frame-by-frame editing software, and even sophisticated and high-performing filming equipment.
There is no denying that, as in any industry, the film industry has continued to evolve as time progressed. And the cumulative impact of all accumulated knowledge of film and technique are more apparent than ever. However, we are prone to making the mistake of thinking the progress and advancement of all things film come straight from Beverly Hills. Hollywood remains the biggest powerhouse in the global entertainment industry. But it is not the sole source of innovation in filming, by any measure.
Who is Akira Kurosawa?
Born on March 23, 1910, into a samurai family from the Akira Prefecture, Kurosawa rose to become arguably one of the finest screenwriters, producers, and film directors the industry has ever known. For anyone who has made a life of being a student of film and media, Kurosawa is a venerated name. The entire theses describe how his influence in film-making has lasted for well over a century.
Some of Kurosawa’s finest works like Seven Samurai (1954) and Ikiru (1952) have been acclaimed, remade, adapted, and studied for decades across the world. While becoming less prolific in later life, his last two offerings Kagemusha and Ran (1980, 1985 respectively), continued to receive critical acclaim, even outside of his native Japanese homeland.
“Man is a genius when he is dreaming.”― Akira Kurosawa
The Lasting Impact of Kurosawa’s Cinematic Genius
An entire blog could be dedicated to how different movies would look today, had Akiro Kurosawa not chosen to work in the fledgling film industry. There is no doubt that many filming techniques used commonly today, like forced perspective, would never have made their way into mainstream filming. However, the fact that he was born at a time when he could shape the future of cinema, and dedicated himself with a passion to his study of film as valuable educational material, is every modern moviegoer’s good fortune. So instead, this blog will focus on specific examples of how Kurosawa and his unbridled genius continue to films decades later.
For example, Westerns are by and large the domain of Hollywood. Stars like Clint Eastwood, James Dean, and John Wayne burst into stardom based on their outstanding work in these genres. They remain legends and icons to this day, deeply embedded in American culture. But what if you were told that some of the most iconic Westerns in the last century have roots that reach Far East? What if many other genres owe a lot to the Land of the Rising Sun? Believe it or not, some of Hollywood’s most iconic and easily recognizable films sourced inspiration from the sheer and untamed genius of one man: Akira Kurosawa.
1. A Bug’s Life (1998 Animated Film)
Pixar Studios broke onto the mainstream entertainment scene in 1998 with its hugely successful animated film A Bug’s Life. The adorable animated insect characters and their quest to find a way to fight back is an iconic piece of family cinema, as well as a marvel in early computer animation. The nasty grasshoppers extorting food from the ant colony, led by the villainous Hopper fill the role of the antagonists. The movie became an instant hit and is still a family favorite in 2021.
But the idea of a colony (or village) seeking outside help against oppressive grasshoppers (bandits) isn’t an original Pixar story. Neither is getting in touch with a mismatched assortment of city bugs (samurai) who agree to help defend the weak against the tyrants. A Bug’s Life may be an animated children’s movie, but the plot is almost identical to Kurosawa’s most recognizable work – Seven Samurai.
2. Django Unchained (2012 Spaghetti Western)
Spaghetti westerns are a guilty pleasure for some of us. For others, it can often be a great way to unwind. And with someone like Quentin Tarantino manning the director’s role, you know you’re in for an entertainment masterpiece. 2012’s Django Unchained is no exception. Laced with profanity, gore, casual but brutal violence, and gripping cinematography, addressing issues like slavery, inequality, and lawlessness, it was an instant Tarantino classic.
With Jamie Fox as the title character, Django Unchained is a different kind of spaghetti western. Going down the revisionist route cannot, however, hide the deep influence of Kurosawa reaching out across the decades. While the story itself is an original work, Tarantino has been vocal in his acknowledgment of Kurosawa being a huge source of inspiration for many decades. The wide-angle and close-up shots are unmistakable in their Far East origin.
3. The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002 High Fantasy Epic)
Caption: Haldir and his 500 Elvish warriors prepare to fight incoming Orcs. The battle itself and the added intensity of pouring rain, however, is reminiscent of a much earlier film.
This may come as a shock for many Tolkien fans, but it’s not a bad one by any means. J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic high-fantasy saga was already popular among all age groups. The film trilogy went on to break box office and academy award records with the experienced Peter Jackson at the helm. Don’t worry though. Tolkien was a master storyteller in his own right, and nothing can take away from his own depth of creative genius.
However, in the first sequel The Two Towers, there is one act that seems very similar to a very specific Kurosawa film. Tolkien wrote the Battle of Helps Deep. This is easily the climax of the movie, where Saruman’s evil Uruk-Hai lays siege to the Keep of Helms Deep as the people of Rohan defend themselves. The movie depiction stays mostly true to the source material. However, the execution is definitely on the same trajectory as the final battle in Seven Samurai. With torrential rain, overwhelming odds, and outnumbered defenders, the Battle of Helms Deep echoes how Kurosawa masterfully executed the battle scene in Seven Samurai.
4. Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (1977 Sci-Fi Icon)
Caption: An iconic still from Seven Samurai, one of Kurosawa’s best–known works that became the blueprint for movies many decades later.
Unless you’ve completely sheltered yourself from pop culture, it is impossible to not know the Star Wars franchise. George Lucas and his sci-fi epic saga captured audiences across the world in the 1970s. It went on to become a lodestone for all science fiction cinema to follow. And the franchise is still going strong several decades later in the 2020s. But did you know it borrows inspiration from a much older film: The Hidden Fortress?
Lucas’s epic film seems like an almost exact adaptation of Kurosawa’s. And in many ways, Lucas acknowledges this fact. Certain dialogues between robot characters C-3PO and R2D2 pay homage to the great master from the Far East. And the fact that the franchise just saw its third trilogy series can only show you how far-reaching Kurosawa’s influence remains.
