Stray Dog 8.5/10
I didn't immediately get sucked into the procedural aspect, guess I just wasn't in the mood for the long montage of Mifune looking for his gun. I actually rewatched that portion of the film the next day and it worked much better. It was weird seeing Mifune so young and restrained (intense, but not manic) but anytime he's paired up with Shimura, it's guaranteed to be something special. The scenes of just the two of them talking about the job were my favorite parts of the film. The film effectively creates the suffocating feel of the dead summer, especially with bodies crammed on the bus or in a club. Everyone is always glistening with sweat, constantly fanning themselves or wiping their brow.
High and Low is still my preferred Kurosawa procedural but this is another strong one.
Throne Of Blood 9/10
This is easily one of my favorite Shakespeare film adaptations (
Macbeth in case you don't know). I love everything about this film. The staging of it all is sparse, but in the most beautiful, theatrical way. Mifune is perfect and it was a great contrast to his restrained performance in
Stray Dog. Isuzu Yamada rarely displays any facial expression and it’s pretty much the creepiest thing ever and a very effective use of Noh tradition. The closing sequence when Mifune meets his end is perfect in every way. Yet another Kurosawa likely to make my revised top 100.