1910-1998
Born in Tokyo as the youngest of 8 children. Kurosawa's father frequently took his family to the local cinema which wasn't a common activity at the time, but led to Akira developing a wide range of experience with cinema from all over the world.
Kurosawa studied to be an artist, but gaving it up stating he had "No personal vision". He then turned his hand to movies.
In 1936 he joined PCL Film Studios as an assistant to director Yamamoto Kajiro. With encouragement from Yamamoto, Kurosawa began directing his own feature films.
Kurosawa's directoral debut came in 1943 with Sugata Sanshiro (Judo Saga) a story about the birth of Judo.
The first Kurosawa movie to feature Mifune Toshiro was Drunken Angel in 1948. A lot of Kurosawa's best known films feature Mifune. Including Rashomon and Yojimbo.
A bust-up with Mifune on the set of Akahige (Red Beard), their last film together led to a suicide attempt in 1965. However he came back with a Jaanese/Soviet co-production called Dersu Uzala in 1975.
Kurosawa died in 1998 in Setagaya, Tokyo from a stroke. However his legacy lives on in his movies and he is considered by many to be the figurehead of Japanese cinema.
1993 - Madadayo aka Not Yet
1991 - Hachigatsu no Rapsodii aka Rhapsody in August
1990 - Yume(aka Dreams
1985 - Ran
1980 - Kagemusha aka Shadow Warrior
1974 - Dersu Uzala
1970 - Dodes'kaaden
1965 - Akahige aka Red Beard
1963 - Tengoku to Jigoku aka Heaven and Hell
1962 - Tsubaki Sanjuurou aka Sanjuro
11961 - Yojimbo aka The Bodyguard
1960 - Warui Yatsu Hodo Yoku Nemuru aka The Worse You Are, The Better You Sleep
1958 - Kakushi Toride no San Akunin aka Hidden Fortress
1957 - Donzoko aka The Lower Depths
1957 - Kumonosu Jo aka Throne of Blood
1955 - Ikimono no Kiroku aka I Live in Fear
1954 - Shichinin no Samurai aka The Seven Samurai
1952 - Ikiru
1951 - Hakuchi aka Idiot
1950 - Rashomon aka In the Woods
1950 - Shubun aka The Scandal
1949 - Nora Inu aka Stray Dog
1949 - Shizukanaru Ketto aka Silent Duel
1948 - Yoidore Tenshi aka Drunen Angel
1947 - Subarashiki Nichiyoubi aka One Wonderful Sunday
1946 - Waga Seishun ni Kuinashi aka No Regrets For My Youth
1946 - Asu o Tsukuru Hitobito aka Those Who Make Tomorrow
1945 - Tora no o Fumu Otokotachi aka Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
1945 - Zoku Sugata Sanshiro aka Judo Saga 2
1944 - Ichiban Utsukushiku aka Most Beautiful
1943 - Sugata Sanshiro aka Judo Saga