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Kurosawa is perhaps Japan's best-known filmmaker. His films have greatly influenced a whole generation of filmmakers worldwide. His first film (Sanshiro Sugata) was released in 1943; his last in 1999 (posthumously). During his lifetime he saw Japan change from an undeveloped country with military ambitions to a peaceful economic power.Few filmmakers have had a career so long or so acclaimed.

Kurosawa was born March 23, 1910, in Omori, Tokyo the youngest of seven children.He trained as a painter and began work in the film industry as an assistant director in 1936. He made his directorial debut in 1943 with Sugata Sanshiro . He became internationally famous with his 1950 film: Rashomon which won the Grand Prix at the Venice Film Festival. Although he is most remembered for his films of the 1950s and 1960sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around, he continued to direct and write films until his death. .

Kurosawa's best-known films are set in Japan's feudalThis page relates to medieval Europe. Compare feudal Japan at the entry Tokugawa shogunate''. Feudalism comes from the Late Latin word feudum itself borrowed from a Germanic root fehu a commonly used term in the Middle Ages which means fief, or land held period (c. 13th century12th century 13th century 14th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. Events Fourth through eighth crusades of western European kingdoms against Islam Fall of- 17th century16th century 17th century 18th century more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601- 1700. During this period, the power of England and the United Provinces increased; while that of). Some of his plots are adaptations of William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 ( O. May 3, 1616 ( N. has a reputation as the greatest writer the English language has ever known. Indeed, the English Renaissance has often been called "the age of Shakespe's works: RanRan ("Chaos") is a film by Akira Kurosawa, based on William Shakespeare's King Lear but set in Sengoku-era Japan. In the film, the character of King Lear is replaced with Ichimonji Hidetora, the Great Lord, an aging warlord. Instead of daughters, he has s, based on King LearFool in the Storm" by William Dyce ( 1806- 1864) King Lear is generally regarded as one of William Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. It is believed to have been written in 1605 and is based on the legend of Llyr, a king of pre- Roman Britain. His story ha, and Throne of Blood, based on Macbeth.

The Hidden Fortress ( Japanese name Kakushi toride no san akunin), the tale of a princess, her general, and two buffoonish farmers, is credited by George Lucas as an influence on his Star Wars films. Other films include Rashomon, The Seven Samurai (later remade as the western The Magnificent Seven), and Yojimbo - the basis for the Clint Eastwood western A Fistful of Dollars. Yojimbo was followed by a sequel, Sanjuro.

Kurosawa also directed film adaptations of Russian novels, including The Idiot by Dostoevsky and The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorky. High and Low was based on a novel by American crime writer Ed McBain. Sixteen of his films, made between 1948 and 1964, feature many recurring actors - most notably Toshiro Mifune, whose relationship with Kurosawa began with 1948's Drunken Angel and ended with 1964's Red Beard.

After that film Kurosawa began working in colour and changed the style and scope of his films, which had formerly tended toward the epic. His subsequent film Dodesukaden, about a group of poor people living around a rubbish dump, was not a success. Kurosawa then began work on a Hollywood project, Tora! Tora! Tora!; but 20th Century Fox replaced him with Kinji Fukasaku before it was completed.

After this Kurosawa attempted suicide, but survived.He went on to make several more films: Dersu Uzala, made in the USSR and set in Siberia in the early 20th century, won an Oscar; Kagemusha, the story of a man who is the double of a medieval Japanese lord and takes over his identity; and the aforementioned Ran, which was a phenomenal international success and is considered to be the crowning artistic achievement of Kurosawa's career.

Kurosawa made three more films during the 1990's which were more personal than his earlier works. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is a series of vignettes based on his own dreams. Rhapsody in August is about memories of the Nagasaki atom bomb and his final film: Madadayo is about a retired teacher and his former students.Kurosawa died September 6, 1998, in Setagaya, Tokyo.