Akira Kurosawa’s Birthday Bash!

For most Americans - Kurosawa is a Japanese film director they heard about in a Bare Naked Ladies song. But in the world of film directors - Kurosawa is considered the master of the craft - honored by Steven Speilberg, George Lucas - well pretty much everybody. Why? Because the quality of his cinematography - his uncanny ability to fill the screen with beautiful pictures and tell a compelling heroic story at the same time. Gifted… genius, it was all there.

And here’s some video to learn more about this great man, Akira Kurosawa - born today, March 23, 1910. By all means - if you have not seen Seven Samurai (a.k.a. Shichinin no samurai) - what are you waiting for? The film is listed as #6 right now at IMDB’s top 250. At the British Film Institute - top 10 movies of all time, voted by directors, Akira Kurosawa has 2 movies in the top 10. Seven Samurai and Rashomon, another must see Kurosawa film. Yes… there’s more too - Yojimbo, Throne of Blood, and Drunken Angel.

Make sure you check yesterday’s entry - made some really cool updates to the Johnny Carson Tonight Show video clips. Check out Drew Barrymore, as a kid from 1982, Ed Ames throwing the hatchett… must see it to believe it! … Tiny Tim sings Tip Toe thru the Tulips - and marries Miss Vicky! Hold on… I am just starting… watch a montage with Raquel Welch, Madeline Kahn, and a vintage Roseanne Barr stand-up routine. Bob Hope sings Thanks for the Memories, Dolly Parton, Albert Brooks - lots more too! Free for all our guests.