some kurosawa films i'm not familiar w/ (red beard, stray dog)

[enid]

hi,
i really dig kurosawa films, and i'm tempted to pick up red beard and stray dogs. i've seen most of his samurai efforts, ikiru and madadayo. i know red beard and stray dog aren't samurai films, but are they similar to ikiru or madadayo? i thought ikiru was brilliant, and madadyo was good(albeit a bit slow)... so do you think i'd enjoy red beard and stray dog?

thanks

[lostwire]

I'm not sure if I've seen Stray Dogs but Red Beard I own & it's a fantastic film. It's one of his slower paced films (lots of talking) but it is told beautifully & Mifune is brilliant. If you think you can stomach the slow-ish pace it gets very engaging as the story moves along & you'll fall in love with it by the end (hopefully).

[tvboy]

Red Beard is an excellent film, and well worth the time watching it. A very satisfying film that says so much in subtle ways. Terrific if you're a Kurosawa fan!

[ctoelle]

Stray Dog is an excellent film. It's one the few Noir films of Kurosawa, featuring a very young Toshiro Mifune as a police detective who looses his gun and must find it before the criminal who has it kills again. Recommended.

[hemmel]

You won't go wrong with either of them.

hemmel

[manicsounds]

so far I've been disappointed with 2 AK films,
maybe since he set a standard too high to top himself....

Record Of A Living Being (AKA I Live in Fear) 1955
the only thing really outstanding in the film is Toshiro Mifune playing a 75 year old man,
and he pulled it off extremely well. you would never know if i didnt point it out.

Dodes Kaden (1970)
His first color film was indeed a good movie, albeit excellent, but very flawed.
The original run time was about 4 and a 1/2 hours i believe,
and Toho made him cut it down by 2 destroying much development
of characters and back stories I think.
(No one really has seen the original version actually....)
the original might have been better, but we'll never know really.