Kurosawa Movies - help rank these

[buffcoat]

Last week and again this week, TCM has shown some of the slightly lesser and quite lesser known Kurosawa movies.  As a result, I will have about 20 hours worth of Kurosawa on my DVR.  Help me rank them, and even possibly cut the list down, if you've seen them.  K. is my favorite director: I've seen most of his most well known films, with the exception of Ran, and a couple of others.

The Lower Depths
Hakuchi
The Hidden Fortress
Throne of Blood
Ikiru
The Bad Sleep Well
High and Low
I Live in Fear
Scandal


Thanks!

[Christina]

I love AK too - many of these I have not seen yet but I can vouch for the following:

Hidden Fortress (which you have to watch for the Star Wars thing- but it's funny and enjoyable and epic even w/o that connection)
High and Low (kidnapping thriller set in modern day if I remember right)
Throne of Blood (this is the Macbeth one-holy shit, the ending)

[Joe Rogaine]

If you get Turner Classic Movies channel they are doing a Kuraswa marathon every Tuesday. It started last Tuesday and on the last day i think its going to be an all day thing.

[wwwes]

I have seen only one of the movies on that list, but Ikiru is such a great movie I can't recommend it enough. It's like if Billy Wilder and Frank Capra directed a movie together.

[wood and iron]

The Bad Sleep Well was pretty good but there was about a twenty minute stretch when absolutely nothing happened other than everyone sitting around waiting for the story to wrap up.

[masterofsparks]

I got bored with The Bad Sleep Well and didn't finish it. Of the ones I've seen, AC pretty much nailed the ones I think are the best. Ikiru is supposed to be great, but I haven't seen it.

[Sarah]

Ask Petey, buff.

[masterofsparks]

LIFETIME BAN.

[Sarah]

For mentioning Petey?  Jeepers.

[masterofsparks]

For mentioning Petey?  Jeepers.

I am proposing no such thing.

[Sarah]

Phew.

So, what were you proposing?

[Chris L]

Throne of Blood
Throne of Blood
Throne of Blood
Ikiru
High and Low

The TCM schedule reminds me how many more by him I need to see. Red Beard is on this week, that' s a great one. Health care + fist fights!

[masterofsparks]

Phew.

So, what were you proposing?

I was not making a proposition. I was pointing out that, as far as memory recalls, Petey was given a lifetime ban, which means he may not be available for consultation on this issue.

[Petey]

1. Ikiru - greatest movie ever made, slow paced. I cry every time. Not for first time Kurosawa viewers.
2. The Bad Sleep Well - This is about as good as Ikiru, and is more watchable if your not used to modern setting Kurosawa movies.
3. Scandal - This was the infantile version of Bad Sleep Well. I like it more than the others on the list, but I prefer Kurosawa's movies set in the modern day, so you'd probably like Throne of Blood more.
4. Throne of Blood - Not as good as Seven Samurai or Yojimbo by any means but still better than Rashomon. Also, I didn't really like Ran at all. Throne of Blood was similar and much better.
5. Hidden Fortress/High and Low - Both really good movies but they didn't stick in my mind as much. You'd prefer Hidden Fortress if you like his period films more.

I didn't watch the other ones and Hachuki isnt a kurosawa movie as far as I know.

KUROSAWA FUN FACT OF THE DAY: Seven Samurai was produced using Yakuza mob money. (thanks to my friend mitsuki who can read the japanese text)

[crumbum]

Phew.

So, what were you proposing?

I was not making a proposition. I was pointing out that, as far as memory recalls, Petey was given a lifetime ban, which means he may not be available for consultation on this issue.

I'm sorry for going way off topic here, but when was the ban imposed? The last call I think I heard him make was the 'You come heah on the day of my dodda wedding' bit... which may or may not have been the same call where he claimed that the downward dog pose in yoga was 'based on a real doggie' (this still makes me laugh whenever I think of it).