High and Low Review

Yet again I watch another Akira Kurosawa film and yet again I fell compelled to review it. I would like to begin with saying that this is an underrated Kurosawa film. When people think Kurosawa they think Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo or Ran (to name a few). I wish this movie would be brought up more not only among Kurosawa films but noir and police procedural ones too.

Based off the 1959 novel 'King's Ransom' by Ed McBain the story begins with Kingo Gongo (played by, yep you guessed it, Toshrio Mifune) with fellow shareholders of the company in which he has made his way through the ranks. They want to over throw the current boss with Kingo Gongo's help. He refuses on the grounds that if they take charge they will produce terrible shoes. After he refuses to take their side, they leave but not long after that he receives a call saying that his son is kidnapped but it is actually his chauffeur's son. The police are called in after that.

For almost the first hour of the movie the entirety of it takes place in Gondo's living room. For most directors this wouldn't work, they would change the location to make the movie 'move' more, but here Kurosawa carefully uses the framing of the camera and the blocking and staging of actors to add a dramatic tension the way only he could.

The use of only one normally gives you a claustrophobic feel and when you escape it feels like you're free. But here Kurosawa does the opposite, we feel safe in the living room and when we finally go out we as an audience we feel scared as to what is out there.

For most Kurosawa films you don't think of the music but here it pops up in certain scenes to add to the scene and it sounds very different to any other film of Kurosawa's.

Kurosawa also plays with some other kinds of shots in the movie. He uses some 'frame within the frame' shots and exaggerated lighting for a grim atmosphere. Some scenes that work amazing are the police precinct ones where there is a room full of officers working on the case at hand. While the movement of the extras may be over-the-top or unrealistic it's very pleasing to look at.

The only colour movie of Kurosawa's I have seen is Ran and he makes an exceptional use of the colours there. While a black & white film there is an instance of colour and it perfectly works for the greater narrative.

The only complaint about the film is that of one when there is some explanatory dialogue which out lays the police's plan to catch the kid napper. The parts of the movie would've played out better if they hadn't had this scene but the scenes are still some amazing scenes.

Kurosawa directs this movie with great attention to detail, especially with the actors and the camera. Even with the one minor flow this is easily my favorite Kurosawa film and like most of his films a must see.

Overall Score: 9.7/10

What did you think of this movie? Did it make you kid nap a kid (I hope it didn't)?

High and Low is available on DVD from Mad Man Entertainment.

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Written By: Eijirō Hisaita, Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa and Hideo Oguni

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai and Kyōko Kagawa

Cinematography: Asakazu Nakai and Takao Saitô

Editor: Akira Kurosawa

Music/Score: Masaru Sato

#AkiraKurosawa #ToshiroMifune