Films/DVD Asylum

Kurosawa's "Red Beard:" his best?

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To me, this film is his masterpiece and one of the greatest films of all time. Fittingly, it is the last collaboration between Toshiro Mifune and Akiro.
The story seems soap-opera/melodramatic: young, attractive, ambitious doctor rebels when assigned to a medical clinic serving the poor and run by a gruff, no nonsense medical director.
But the beauty of the film is in how Kurosawa weaves so many recogizable tales in his inimitably human way and leaves us greatly caring for--- almost loving--- the characters.
Few films can touch one so and, just possibly, change the course of a life.
Like the highest achievements in other art forms, such as Michaelangelo's St. Theresa or a late period Beethoven sonata, one can only marvel as one is swept away to a better world.

Follow Ups:

Re: Kurosawa's "Red Beard:" his best? - PhilJ 10:05:08 02/25/06 (0)
Kurosawa was a master on so many levels but one I really look back fondly on is 'Ikiru' which was made in the early 50s and there is a scene that looks like a punk bar in New York city. But that is only a small part of the movie, the ending of the movie is sublime and beautiful. Highly recommended.
Re: Kurosawa's Yojimbo is the most entertaining nt - geoffkait 16:52:24 02/23/06 (0)
nope
RAN - Eldragon 11:18:25 02/23/06 (0)
for me. Although, don't remember seeing Red Beard??
Pssstt, tin: "The ecstasy of St. Teresa" is Bernini�s... - orejones 03:49:15 02/23/06 (3)
...not Michelangelo�s.
Yes, "Red Beard" is truly excellent. His best? Hard to decide, I�d say...
Regards
BF
- Yikes, too much Pinot: I meant, of course, Mike's - tinear 04:36:42 02/23/06 (2)
  Pieta.
  The Bernini is ecstatic, too, no?
  - That sculpture (Bernini�s) was very close to being vetoed by the Catholic Church because... - orejones 04:54:02 02/23/06 (1)
    ...somebody noticed how it resembled an orgasm!
    Maybe Hesse had it in mind when he wrote "Narciss and Goldmund"...
    Regards
    BF
    - How would the Church know? :--O) nt - tinear 12:32:48 02/23/06 (0)
      efw
Re: Kurosawa's "Red Beard:" his best? - TAFKA Steve 19:15:32 02/22/06 (1)
The actor who played the young doctor is Yuzo Kayama, a Japanese singer/pop idol at the time (my mother had several of his records). His crossover into serious acting is similar to Frank Sinatra's career.
- He was fabulous. BTW, I disliked ol' Blue Eyes's persona - tinear 04:38:29 02/23/06 (0)
  so much I never could see past it to admire his acting much.

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