The top ranked films from Japan, based on our survey of internet polls. This includes all multi-national efforts since there were only 5. A total of 47 films were mentioned, with 34 in the top 1000.
1. Seven Samurai, The [Kurosawa, Akira; 1954] #7 [photo top]
2. Rashomon [Kurosawa, Akira; 1950] #22
3. Tokyo Story [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1953] #57
4. Ugetsu [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1953] #58
5. Yojimbo [Kurosawa, Akira; 1961] #172
6. Ikiru [Kurosawa, Akira; 1952] #198
7. Sansho the Bailiff [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1954] #204
8. Yi yi [Yang, Edward; 2000] #223 - Taiwan-Japan
9. Throne of Blood [Kurosawa, Akira; 1957] #258
10. Spirited Away [Miyazaki, Hayao; 2001] #259
11. Hotaru no Hakaa (Grave of the Fireflies) [Takahata, Isao; 1988] #324
12. An Actor's Revenge [Ichikawa, Kon; 1963] #361
13. Late Spring [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1949] #436
14. Story of the Late Chrysanthemums, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1939] #460
15. In the Realm of the Senses [Oshima, Nagisa; 1976] #479 - France-Japan
16. Life of Oharu, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1952] #480
17. Floating Clouds [Naruse, Mikio; 1955] #482
18. High and Low [Kurosawa, Akira; 1963] #516
19. My Neighbour Totoro [Miyazaki, Hayao; 1988] #591
20. Autumn Afternoon, An [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1962] #592
21. I Was Born, But… [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1932] #625
22. Dersu Uzala [Kurosawa, Akira; 1975] #644 - Japan-Russia
23. La Chienne [Renoir, Jean; 1931] #677 - Japan-China
24. Kagemusha [Kurosawa, Akira; 1980] #755
25. Nobody Knows [Koreeda, Hirokazu; 2004] #791
26. Anatahan [von Sternberg, Josef; 1953] #807
27. Hana-Bi [Kitano, Takeshi; 1997] #819
28. Princess Yang Kwei Fei (Yokihi) [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1955] #828 - Japan-Hong Kong
29. Woman in the Dunes [Teshigahara, Hiroshi; 1964] #858
30. Hidden Fortress, The [Kurosawa, Akira; 1958] #862
31. 47 Ronin, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1962] #868
32. Red Beard [Kurosawa, Akira; 1965] #919
33. Branded to Kill [Suzuki, Seijun; 1967] #931
34. Early Summer (Bakushû) [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1951] #975
35. Floating Weeds [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1959] #1008
36. Burmese Harp [Ichikawa, Kon; 1956] #1040
37. Early Autumn [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1961] #1049
38. Sonatine [Kitano, Takeshi; 1993] #1065
39. Utamaro and His Five Women [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1946] #1111
40. Ballad of Narayama [Imamura, Shohei; 1983] #1112
41. Harakiri [Kobayashi, Masaki; 1962] #1137
42. Ceremony, The [Oshima, Nagisa; 1971] #1150
43. Kwaidan [Kobayashi, Masaki; 1964] #1153
44. Shin heike monogatari (Taira Clan) [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1955] #1168
45. Late Autumn [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1960] #1180
46. Chikamatsu monogatari [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1954] #1242
47. My Love Has Been Burning [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1949] #1277
These are an acquired taste but nearly everyone agrees that The Seven Samurai is one of the all-time classics of both black and white cinematography, and action-adventure captured dramatically on film, making viewers feel part of the action. The original title in Japan: The Magnificent Seven! When the U.S. western based on this came out, Kurosawa's film title was changed in the west to avoid confusion.
1. Seven Samurai, The [Kurosawa, Akira; 1954] #7 [photo top]
2. Rashomon [Kurosawa, Akira; 1950] #22
3. Tokyo Story [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1953] #57
4. Ugetsu [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1953] #58
5. Yojimbo [Kurosawa, Akira; 1961] #172
6. Ikiru [Kurosawa, Akira; 1952] #198
7. Sansho the Bailiff [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1954] #204
8. Yi yi [Yang, Edward; 2000] #223 - Taiwan-Japan
9. Throne of Blood [Kurosawa, Akira; 1957] #258
10. Spirited Away [Miyazaki, Hayao; 2001] #259
11. Hotaru no Hakaa (Grave of the Fireflies) [Takahata, Isao; 1988] #324
12. An Actor's Revenge [Ichikawa, Kon; 1963] #361
13. Late Spring [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1949] #436
14. Story of the Late Chrysanthemums, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1939] #460
15. In the Realm of the Senses [Oshima, Nagisa; 1976] #479 - France-Japan
16. Life of Oharu, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1952] #480
17. Floating Clouds [Naruse, Mikio; 1955] #482
18. High and Low [Kurosawa, Akira; 1963] #516
19. My Neighbour Totoro [Miyazaki, Hayao; 1988] #591
20. Autumn Afternoon, An [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1962] #592
21. I Was Born, But… [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1932] #625
22. Dersu Uzala [Kurosawa, Akira; 1975] #644 - Japan-Russia
23. La Chienne [Renoir, Jean; 1931] #677 - Japan-China
24. Kagemusha [Kurosawa, Akira; 1980] #755
25. Nobody Knows [Koreeda, Hirokazu; 2004] #791
26. Anatahan [von Sternberg, Josef; 1953] #807
27. Hana-Bi [Kitano, Takeshi; 1997] #819
28. Princess Yang Kwei Fei (Yokihi) [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1955] #828 - Japan-Hong Kong
29. Woman in the Dunes [Teshigahara, Hiroshi; 1964] #858
30. Hidden Fortress, The [Kurosawa, Akira; 1958] #862
31. 47 Ronin, The [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1962] #868
32. Red Beard [Kurosawa, Akira; 1965] #919
33. Branded to Kill [Suzuki, Seijun; 1967] #931
34. Early Summer (Bakushû) [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1951] #975
35. Floating Weeds [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1959] #1008
36. Burmese Harp [Ichikawa, Kon; 1956] #1040
37. Early Autumn [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1961] #1049
38. Sonatine [Kitano, Takeshi; 1993] #1065
39. Utamaro and His Five Women [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1946] #1111
40. Ballad of Narayama [Imamura, Shohei; 1983] #1112
41. Harakiri [Kobayashi, Masaki; 1962] #1137
42. Ceremony, The [Oshima, Nagisa; 1971] #1150
43. Kwaidan [Kobayashi, Masaki; 1964] #1153
44. Shin heike monogatari (Taira Clan) [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1955] #1168
45. Late Autumn [Ozu, Yasujiro; 1960] #1180
46. Chikamatsu monogatari [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1954] #1242
47. My Love Has Been Burning [Mizoguchi, Kenji; 1949] #1277
These are an acquired taste but nearly everyone agrees that The Seven Samurai is one of the all-time classics of both black and white cinematography, and action-adventure captured dramatically on film, making viewers feel part of the action. The original title in Japan: The Magnificent Seven! When the U.S. western based on this came out, Kurosawa's film title was changed in the west to avoid confusion.
Ugetsu is one of the more haunting stories put on film, suffice to say that there are surprising plot twists that no one can see coming.
© 2009, William L. Sinclair
