Akira Kurosawa: A Viewer's Guide Eric San Juan 9781538110898

The career of acclaimed filmmaker Akira Kurosawa spanned more than five decades, during which he directed more than thirty movies, many of them indisputable classics: Rashomon, Ikiru, Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood, and Yojimbo, among others. During the height of his creative output, Kurosawa became one of the most influential and well-known directors in the world, inspiring filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and movies such as The Magnificent Seven; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; and Star Wars. In Akira Kurosawa: A Viewer's Guide, Eric San Juan provides a comprehensive yet accessible examination of the artist's entire cinematic endeavors. From early films of the 1940s such as Sanshiro Sugata and No Regrets for Our Youth to Oscar winner Dersu Uzala-the author helps readers understand what makes Kurosawa's work so powerful. Each discussion includes a brief synopsis of the film, an engaging analysis, and thoughtful insights into the film's significance. All of Kurosawa's works, from 1943 to 1993, are analyzed here, including the overlooked television documentary Song of the Horse, produced in 1970. In addition to more than twenty photos, Akira Kurosawa: A Viewer's Guide provides rich discussions that will appeal to students of cinema as well as anyone who wants to learn more about Japan's greatest director.

About the Author
Eric San Juan was the editor-in-chief for a family of weekly newspapers in New Jersey for more than a decade and was cohost of the Year of Hitchcock podcast. He is the author of Stuff Every Husband Should Know (2011) and the coauthor of A Year of Hitchcock: 52 Weeks with the Master of Suspense (Scarecrow, 2011) and Hitchcock's Villains: Murderers, Mothers, and Maniac Issues (Scarecrow, 2013).

Reviews
Akira Kurosawa's films are examined in detail in this enjoyable overview of the renowned director's career from San Juan (Hitchcock's Villains). Focusing on Kurosawa's themes rather than his techniques, San Juan readily succeeds in his goal of creating an accessible appreciation of Kurosawa's work. . . . Many of the tales from Kurosawa's life, particularly regarding his relationships with his actors-including his master-pupil relationship with star Toshiro Mifune and long marriage to actress Yoko Yaguchi-are so intriguing that readers will wish this were a full biography. . . . This guide to a master filmmaker's work has appeal for cinephiles and casual movie viewers alike. * Publishers Weekly *
The book is easy and pleasant to read, covers a lot of ground, and gives the reader an excellent foundation from which to better understand Kurosawa's works. You need neither a film studies degree nor an understanding of Japanese culture to understand what is being said. The book should work very well for its intended audience. . . . Akira Kurosawa: A Viewer's Guide is a very well written, welcome book that fills a space that has existed for a while in English language Kurosawa bibliography. Get the book if you are new to Kurosawa, or get it as a gift for someone who you think would be into Kurosawa if pushed a little into that direction. * Akirakurosawa.info *



Book Information
ISBN 9781538110898
Author Eric San Juan
Format Hardback
Page Count 260
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 526g
Dimensions(mm) 237mm * 159mm * 25mm