Critical Perspectives on Akira Kurosawa
Description
This volume offers a nuanced approach to Akira Kurosawa's evolving view of history through both his most famous and less-known films.
The volume is comprised of four roughly chronological sections, spanning from early career works to the first half of his career golden age, through the second half of his golden age until his twilight years. Readers will follow every stage of his career to see how he was deeply involved with a highly personal exploration and interpretation of Japanese history as well as Japanese culture and philosophy, and, as such, refocusing our attention on history (and culture) and its value to Kurosawa is vitally important. Touching on all thirty of the films he made over the course of his career, this volume is a holistic exploration.
Examining in detail the traces of Kurosawa's stylistic influence on-and from-the earliest film projects on which he worked, the contributors to this collection offer valuable insights into a filmmaker's storytelling techniques and his changing view of history.
Accessibility Information
Additional accessibility information
- PDF/UA-2, 1.4
- accessibility@bloomsbury.com
Hazards
The publication contains no hazards
Support for non-visual reading
Has alternative text descriptions for images
Navigation
- Page list to go to pages from the print source version
- Elements such as headings, tables, etc for structured navigation
- All or substantially all textual matter is arranged in a single logical reading order
Table of Contents
A Note on Japanese Names
Introduction: Why Kurosawa, and Why Now?
SECTION I: THE JOURNEYMAN: IN THE SHADOW OF THE WAR AND THE US OCCUPATION (1936-49)
1. The Debutant
2. The Transwar Activist
3. The Occupied
4. The Wanderer
SECTION II: THE MASTER (1950-56): HISTORY AS SERIOUS BUSINESS
5. The Trend-Setter
6. “Living” in the Wake of Fame
7. The Samurai
8. Unbound
SECTION III: THE AUTEUR (1957-65)
9. Wordless Power, Powerless Words
10. Escapism Versus Exposition
11. The Box Office King
12. The End of the Beginning (and the Beginning of the End)
SECTION IV: THE SAGE (1970 ONWARDS)
13. Form Without Beauty, Beauty Without Form
14. A Shadow of Greatness
15. Both Sinned Against and Sinner
16. Apathy and Autobiography
Coda: The Goldilocks Zone
Index
Product details
| Published | 07 Jan 2027 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 9798216269670 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 4 bw illus |
| Series | Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Directors |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Related Titles
