Yojimbo (1961)

A masterless samurai, drifting from place to place, arrives at a small town. He realizes that the town is controlled by two groups of yakuza. The protagonist comes up with the idea of making profit by playing the rival groups off one another. Kurosawa's desire to make a truly entertaining movie is embodied in this film.

Sanjuro (1962)

Based on a story about young samurai who must confront corruption committed in the castle while their lord is absent on his way to Edo. Sanjuro Tsubaki, who accidentally overhears the heated discussion among the rash young samurai, becomes concerned and comes to their aid. 375 frames (15 seconds) are used to show the deadly seriousness of Sanjuro's blood-chilling sword duel with rival Tatsuya Nakadai.

High and Low (1963)

An executive of a shoemaking company disputes management policies with other company executives. As he tries to mortgage his entire wealth to buy out his company's shares, his son's close friend, the son of his driver, is mistakenly kidnapped and an outrageous sum of ransom is demanded. The filming of the ransom transfer, taken on the Kodama bullet train dashing at speeds of 100 kph, was a scene which allowed no retakes. The filming was taken nonstop with a total of eight cameras. Kurosawa's distinctive multiple camera techniques are fully exhibited throughout this film.

Red Beard (1965)

Set in the waning days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a young medical student, having finished his studies at a Dutch school in Nagasaki, pays a courtesy visit to the Koishikawa clinic which is dedicated to serving the poor. The clinic is headed by doctor with the alias "Red Beard." After being informed he is to intern at the clinic, his initial resistance disappears as he comes to respect Red Beard's character. Kurosawa made this fim hoping to grip the attention of audiences. The two long years taken to film this movie is considered to be the longest in Japanese film history.

Dodesukaden (1970)

"Dodesukaden" is a phrase spoken by the young mentally challenged boy of the film, Roku-chan. He roams around his slum dwellings as the driver of an imaginary train. Kurosawa portrays the suffocating lives of slum dwellers in an illuminating mood. This, Kurosawa's 24th film, marks the debut of color in his films.

Dersu Uzala (1975)

Kurosawa, invited by the Soviet Union, dirceted this film which was based on the book by an Imperial Russion Army officer and explorer, Vladimir K. Arseniev. The film presents the relationship between human beings and the natural world surrounding them. The fim is set in Siberia and more than half of the four-year long filming was carried out in the harsh Siberian environment, which presented many difficulties.

Kagemusha (1980)

It is said that during the attempt to unify the country during the Warring States period in Japan, the great warrior Shingen Takeda, used a shadow warrior to deceive his enemies. The tale begins with a thief, in the line for execution, who is identical to the great warrior. The international version of this film was completed in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, both of whom regard Kurosawa as a mentor.

Ran (1985)

Inspired by the Shakespearean play King Lear, this film depicts the tale based on the warring states picture scroll about Motonari Mouri and his three sons. The production adapted Noh styles and the display of gorgeous costumes represent the meticulous attention that Kurosawa, 73, displayed in the making of this film.

Dreams (1990)

An omnibus which sweeps you to the world of dreams. The eight dream segments present a multitude of stories and characters: a secret wedding procession of masked foxes, a fairy in a peach tree with Japanese Hina dolls, a mythical snow enchantress, ghosts of departed soldiers, a young art student who slips into a Van Gogh painting, a radiation poisoned metropolis and a red Mt. Fuji, the dialog between a man and ogre living in a post-nuclear world, and an old man and the inhabitants of a village with watermills surrounded by nature's beauty. Each dream portrays a fantasy created by Kurosawa. Steven Spielberg collaborated in the making of this film along with George Lucas' ILM handling the special effects.

Rhapsody in August (1991)

Based on an idea from the book Nabe No Naka by Kiyoko Murata, the story tells of a grandmother who cannot tell the difference between reality and illusions. Her grandchildren, living in the city, spend summer vacation at her house in Nagasaki. Through this experience, the children come to undestand the war. The film's message is about the tragedy of nuclear weapons and was made possible with the collaboration of Richard Gere when he met Kurosawa during a publicity tour in Tokyo.

Madadayo (1993)

Kurosawa's last film was made when he was 83. It focuses on the heartwarming relationship between Hyakken Uchida and his students. The lyrics of a children's hide and seek game are interwoven in many of the film's scenes. The lyric "Mo ii kai," literally "Are you ready (to move on to the other world)," has Uchida answering, "Madadayo" (No, not yet). The lyricism interwoven in the film scenes convey a final heartwarming message from Kurosawa.