Akira Kurosawa, François Truffaut and Satyajit Ray

[1SO]

Akira Kurosawa is my 2nd favorite director of all time, but I still have plenty to catch up with. I'll be watching 11 of his for the first time, plus Red Beard and Dersu Uzala, two that I started but never finished.

I've only seen three from Truffaut. Two are in my Top 100 of All Time. The other, Jules and Jim, I was mixed on. I'll rewatch that along with 12 other features and the short Antoine and Colette.

I've never seen a single film by Satyajit Ray, but I hear they're very good. I'll be watching 12 of his most acclaimed works.

My plan is to watch them in rotation, one from each director, wedging in Antoine and Colette. The list is in the chronological order of the individual director.

KUROSAWA                                            TRUFFAUT                                       RAY
Sanshiro Sugata                                       Les Mistons (The Brats)                     Pather Panchali
The Men Who Tread on Tiger’s Tail            Shoot the Piano Player                       Aparajito
No Regrets For Our Youth                         Jules and Jim                                     The World of Apu
Sanshiro Sugata Part II                            Antoine and Colette                           The Goddess (Devi)      
Scandal                                                   Stolen Kisses                                      The Big City (Mahanagar)      
I Live in Fear                                           The Bride Wore Black                          The Lonely Wife (Charulata)      
The Lower Depths                                    Mississippi Mermaid                            Two
The Bad Sleep Well                                   Bed & Board                                       The Coward (Kapurush)         
Sanjuro                                                    The Wild Child                                    The Hero (Nayak)               
Red Beard                                                Two English Girls                                The Adversary (Pratidwandi)
Dodes’ka-den                                           The Story of Adele H                           Distant Thunder
Dersu Uzala                                             Small Change                                     Sonar Kella
Kagemusha                                             The Man Who Loved Women               The Middleman
                                                               Love on the Run                                 The Chess Players 
                                                               The Last Metro

[Sandy]

This seemingly disparate marathon is going to be great!

[1SO]

Originally it was all chronological, but that started with 5 by Kurosawa and the whole point was to rotate them out. I'm a little afraid of Ray - fear of the new - and I don't want his films to suffer simply because I become anxious to get back to the other two. While the rotation brings a cushioned balanced, I'm finding out Satyajit Ray films are not going to be easy to acquire.

[Antares]

Sanshiro Sugata    
The Men Who Tread on Tiger’s Tale - Haven't seen either.
   
No Regrets For Our Youth - Kind of plodding, a little on the dry side.

The Quiet Duel - OK      

Scandal -  The only Kurosawa film where I didn't care for Takashi Shimura, his character grovels too much.            
      
The Idiot - Haven't finished this one yet.         
   
I Live in Fear - Not bad, but would have been better had Shimura played the lead.         
   
The Lower Depths - Didn't care for it the first time I watched it, I need to give it a second chance.

The Bad Sleep Well
Red Beard - Both Excellent

Dodes’ka-den - Not as bad as most critics make it out to be, it has some brilliant moments, but still lesser Kurosawa.             

Dersu Uzala - Very Good
      
Kagemusha - I'm tired of hearing that this is lesser Kurosawa. This is a very good film that doesn't deserve to be looked upon as a warm up to Ran.

[MartinTeller]

I'm way excited for this, my #3, #9 and #2 directors, respectively.  My ranking of the entire marathon (including placement my last top 100):

1. The Big City (Mahanagar) (#2)
2. The Lonely Wife (Charulata) (#11)
3. Jules and Jim (#19)
4. Pather Panchali (#38)
5. Red Beard (#72)
6. The Goddess (Devi) (#81)
7. The Adversary (Pratidwandi) (#85)   
8. The Bride Wore Black (#90)
9. The World of Apu   
10. The Bad Sleep Well   
11. The Music Room (Jalsaghar)   
12. Aparajito      
13. Dodes’ka-den            
14. Bed & Board            
15. Shoot the Piano Player
16. Stolen Kisses      
17. Antoine and Colette      
18. Sonar Kella   
19. The Idiot               
20. The Wild Child            
21. Days and Nights in the Forest   
22. Distant Thunder (Ashani Sanket)   
23. Love on the Run   
24. Small Change   
25. The Last Metro   
26. No Regrets For Our Youth         
27. The Story of Adele H   
28. I Live in Fear               
29. Kagemusha
30. Mississippi Mermaid   
31. The Lower Depths      
32. The Men Who Tread on Tiger’s Tail
33. The Chess Players          
34. The Man Who Loved Women   
35. The Quiet Duel            
36. Sanshiro Sugata    
37. Scandal               
38. Two English Girls   
39. Dersu Uzala   

[1SO]

@Martin. You've seen them all. That's great. Plus, 8 of your Top 100. I like that none of my choices rate below orange.

I really don't know what I'm going to do if I find myself struggling to enjoy Ray. I've been wanting to see the Apu Trilogy for a long time.


@Antares. After Drunken Angel I began to doubt such a thing as "lesser Kurosawa" exists. My choice to put him into this marathon is the need to be disappointed by him. Even Leone, my favorite director, has the 2nd half of Duck You Sucker.

[Bondo]

I've been wanting to see The Bad Sleep Well so maybe I'll use this as an excuse to watch it and have something to say. Otherwise the only two from this marathon I've seen are Mahanagar and Red Beard. I might go for The Man Who Loved Women as well.

[Antares]

@Antares. After Drunken Angel I began to doubt such a thing as "lesser Kurosawa" exists. My choice to put him into this marathon is the need to be disappointed by him. Even Leone, my favorite director, has the 2nd half of Duck You Sucker.

He's my favorite director of all time, as pretty much everyone can deduce, but there are films by him that it's difficult to give glowing praise for.

And to be honest, Masaki Kobayashi is slowly creeping up on him.

[sdedalus]

I really don't know what I'm going to do if I find myself struggling to enjoy Ray. I've been wanting to see the Apu Trilogy for a long time.

I've only seen three Ray's but I really don't think it'll be that much of a struggle.  He's pretty easy to like.

[sdedalus]

Sanshiro Sugata    
The Men Who Tread on Tiger’s Tale - Haven't seen either.

These are both really good.  Tiger's Tail is my favorite underrated Kurosawa.