An Artist of Universal Humanity - Akira Kurosawa

Machiko Kyo and Toshiro Mifune in Rashomon

It's not enough Turner Classic Movies is doing a Akira Kurosawa 100th birthday retrospective during the month of March, The Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, California is also paying tribute to this master of cinema for the next six weeks. Lucky lucky LUCKY Bay Area residents get a chance to see some really magnificent films on the big screen. I'm a huge fan of Kurosawa's work and am figuratively and literally jumping for joy at this happy turn of events.

I received my schedule in the mail today and have already missed seeing Seven Samurai, Scandal and Rashomon (dammit).

The Stanford always tries to show the best prints available and has a good relationship with UCLA, Eastman House and the Library of Congress. Exciting to note that Kurosawa's 1985 film Ran will be a brand new print struck from the camera negative. This is one film not to be missed.

If you live in the Bay Area, do try to make it to Palo Alto for this important retrospective. When I'm not in Palo Alto, I will be planted in front of the tube with some sushi or a bento box and a nice Sapporo admiring and wallowing in the work of a real master.

Arigatou gozaimasu!!