The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (
2013) | IMDb:
8
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthrals all who encounter her. But, ultimately, she must confront her fate.
Directed by:
Isao Takahata
After the Rain (
2000) | IMDb:
7.7
A group of travelers is stranded in a small country inn when the river floods during heavy rains. As the bad weather continues, tensions rise amongst the trapped travelers.
Starring:
Akira Terao
,
Yoshiko Miyazaki
,
Shirō Mifune
,
Hisashi Igawa
,
Hidetaka Yoshioka
,
Tatsuya Nakadai
Return from the River Kwai (
1989) | IMDb:
4.9
A group of war prisoners has spilt blood, sweat and tears to construct a bridge over the river Kwai in Thailand. Just when the bridge is ready, an American bomber arrives and destroys it. Camp commander Tanaka wants to set an example and orders that some of the prisoners must be executed. Just in time major Harada arrives with orders that the healthiest prisoners must be transported to Japan by train and boat. A treacherous journey since the allied forces keep a close eye on railroads and practically own the seas.
Directed by:
Andrew V. McLaglen
Produced by:
Ran (
1985) | IMDb:
8.2
Shakespeare's King Lear is reimagined as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan where an ageing warlord divides his kingdom between his three sons.
Starring:
Tatsuya Nakadai
,
Akira Terao
,
Jinpachi Nezu
,
Daisuke Ryū
,
Mieko Harada
,
Yoshiko Miyazaki
Kagemusha (
1980) | IMDb:
7.9
Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.
Starring:
Tatsuya Nakadai
,
Tsutomu Yamazaki
,
Kenichi Hagiwara
,
Jinpachi Nezu
,
Hideji Ōtaki
,
Daisuke Ryū
Directed by:
Akira Kurosawa
Seven Samurai (
1954) | IMDb:
8.6
A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.
Starring:
Toshirō Mifune
,
Takashi Shimura
,
Yoshio Inaba
,
Seiji Miyaguchi
,
Minoru Chiaki
,
Daisuke Katō