Check with some of the celebrated filmmakers of the world and ask them their fave directors. Pretty sure the great Akira Kurosawa will feature in most of their lists. Be it Hollywood or Bollywood, some of our classics owe a lot to the influences to the works of this Japanese director/producer. Having made about 30 films, most of the movies have turned out to be masterpieces, loved and adored by millions of cinephiles. Even though Kurosawa passed away in 1998, his works have the power to continue wow movie buffs for decades to come. Akira Kurosawa Birth Anniversary: Remembering The Man, Reminiscing The Genius.

Be it his filmmaking techniques, narrative styles, brilliant composition or use of some amazing frames, his films make for compelling studies in how to make a great film. On the occasion of Akira Kurosawa's birth anniversary, we go into his filmography on IMDB and look at the seven highest ranked films, as per user rating.

Seven Samurai (1954)

A Still from Seven Samurai (1954)

IMDB Rating: 8.6

Plot: "A poor village under attack by bandits recruits seven unemployed samurai to help them defend themselves."

The movie has gone on to inspire several westerns, including Hollywood's The Magnificent Seven and Bollywood's Sholay and China Gate. Before Run Lola Run, 10 Foreign Movies That Inspired Two or More Bollywood Remakes, Featuring Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Others.

Red Beard (1965)

A Still from Red Beard (1965)

IMDB Rating: 8.4

Plot: "In 19th-century Japan, a rough-tempered yet charitable town doctor trains a young intern."

Red Beard, whose themes were similar to another great film of Kurosawa's in this list, is the last black and white film made by the director.

High and Low (1963)

A Still from High and Low (1963)

IMDB Rating: 8.4

Plot: "An executive of a shoe company becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped and held for ransom."

A crime thriller, High and Low is loosely based on Ed McBain's 1959 novel King's Ransom.

Dersu Uzala (1975)

A Still from Dersu Uzala (1975)

IMDB Rating: 8.3

Plot: "The Russian army sends an explorer on an expedition to the snowy Siberian wilderness where he makes friends with a seasoned local hunter."

This adventure drama won the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 1976.

Ikiru (1952)

A Still from Ikiru (1952)

IMDB Rating: 8.3

Plot: "A bureaucrat tries to find a meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer."

Partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy's 1886 novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich, themes of Ikiru also went on to inspire Kurosawa's own Red Beard.

Ran (1985)

A Still from Ran (1985)

IMDB Rating: 8.2

Plot: "In Medieval Japan, an elderly warlord retires, handing over his empire to his three sons. However, he vastly underestimates how the new-found power will corrupt them and cause them to turn on each other...and him."

Inspired by Shakespeare's famous tragedy King Lear, Ran was nominated for multiple Oscars and winning one for Best Costume Design. It also features in BBC's list of 100 greatest foreign language films.

Yojimbo (1961)

A Still from Yojimbo (1961)

IMDB Rating: 8.2

Plot: "A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town."

Like with Seven Samurai, Hollywood loved Yojimbo so much that it has remade the film quite a few times, including Clint Eastwood's A Fistfull of Dollars and Bruce Willis' Last Man Standing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2021 09:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).