Akira Kurosawa Marathon Part 2

Four years ago, we put together an Akira Kurosawa Marathon to honor some of this legendary Japanese director’s best films. However, Kurosawa’s filmography is too great to be contained in just one marathon, so we’re back at it! Here are the movies we’ll be examining this time around:

Ran

Throne of Blood

The Hidden Fortress

Sanjuro

Stray Dog

Which of these masterpieces will come out on top? Is there room for yet another Kurosawa film in Pantheon? Sharpen your samurai sword, tie your top knot … and let’s talk about movies!

BRAD’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: TIE HF & SD Hideout & Streets of Post-War Japan

2. Best Character: San Sanjuro

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: San Sanjuro Disembowels Hanbei

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: Ran Toru Takemitsu

5. Best Screenplay: HF Ryūzō Kikushima, Hideo Oguni, Shinobu Hashimoto & Akira Kurosawa

6. Best Special Achievement: HF Inspiring Star Wars: A New Hope

7. Best Scene: San Samurai Duel

8. Defining Moment/Attribute: TIE HF & San Toshiro Mifune

9. Best Director: Ran Akira Kurosawa

10. Wildcard: ToB The Kurosawa Deadite Award

11. WTF: HF The thought of C3PO & R2D2 raping Princess Leia is disturbing

12. Worst Picture: Stray Dog

13. Best Picture: The Hidden Fortress

Total after deductions:

• Ran: 2

• Sanjuro: 4

• The Hidden Fortress: 5

• Throne of Blood: 1

• Stray Dog: 0

KYLE’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: ToB Spider Web Castle

2. Best Character: San Sanjuro

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: SD Final kill with the gun

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: ToB Masaru Sato

5. Best Screenplay: SD Akira Kurosawa & Ryūzō Kikushima

6. Best Special Achievement: San Creating a high-quality sequel

7. Best Scene: San Prisoner found eating food

8. Defining Moment/Attribute: ToB Mifune’s Madness

9. Best Director: RUBBER CHICKEN

10. Wildcard: San The Prisoner Award

11. WTF: HF Weird Ass Song

12. Worst: Ran

13. Best Picture: Sanjuro

Total after deductions:

• Ran: Negative 1

• Sanjuro: 7

• The Hidden Fortress: 0

• Throne of Blood: 3

• Stray Dog: 2

NATHAN’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: Ran Hidetora’s Third Castle

2. Best Character: San Sanjuro

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: TIE San & Ran Sanjuro Disembowels Hanbei & Kurogane Decapitates Lady Kaede

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: HF Masaru Sato

5. Best Screenplay: Ran Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni & Masato Ide

6. Best Special Achievement: TIE ToB & Ran Costume Design

7. Best Scene: Ran Hidetora’s descent into madness during the assault on his third castle

8. Defining Moment/Attribute: San Samurai Duel

9. Best Director: Ran Akira Kurosawa

10. Wildcard: Ran The Best Villain Award

11. WTF: HF Tahei & Matasachi can’t find Rokurota & Yuki?

12. Worst Picture: Stray Dog

13. Best Picture: Sanjuro

Total after deductions:

• Ran: 7

• Sanjuro: 4

• The Hidden Fortress: 1

• Throne of Blood: 1

• Stray Dog: Negative 1

RACHAEL’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: San Camellia Garden

2. Best Character: San Sanjuro

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: San Sanjuro Disembowels Hanbei

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: RUBBER CHICKEN

5. Best Screenplay: Ran Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni & Masato Ide

6. Best Special Achievement: SD The heat

7. Best Scene: San Samurai Duel

8. Defining Moment/Attribute: San Sanjuro tricks the guards

9. Best Director: Ran Akira Kurosawa

10. Wildcard: SD The WTF is this scene lasting so long award?

11. WTF: HF Why did Rokurota allow the idiots to help him?

12. Worst Picture: TIE The Hidden Fortress & Stray Dog

13. Best Picture: Sanjuro

Total after deductions:

• Ran: 2

• Sanjuro: 6

• The Hidden Fortress: Negative 1

• Throne of Blood: 0

• Stray Dog: 0

GOLDEN IDOL WINNER: Sanjuro