Akira Kurosawa 100 "Genius survives. All else is claimed by death." - Edmund Spenser

By any account, Akira Kurosawa is a giant in the world of modern cinema. When we highlight his birth-centenary, what, we do in effect, is celebrating a whole sensational era of film history. This was an age of cinema stalwarts. Sweden contributed the film genius Ingmar bergman - the outstanding cinematic fiction creator. Satyajit Ray came from India, with a lyrical vision of ordinary men and women, who attempted to cope with life, as best as they could. Our own Lester james Peries introduced his own form of cinematic story-telling, at a rhythm and pace that were our own.

Rising above all those, Japan's Akira Kurosawa, established a cinematic personality, that was eventually to "decree" a mode of film - making, which exerted a pervasive dominance over a whole swath of the film world. In this own country, his predominance was wildly recognized. That is how, Akira Kurosawa came to be known by the sobriquet "Tenno" - The Emperor. In his creative style he was imperious. He asserted his directorial prerogatives, with a telling emphasis. All this was exclusively in the interest of creative "perfectionism", for which he was looked on with awe.

Akira Kurosawa, emerged into global prominence, through a dual revolution. he went counter to the gentle tradition of the indigenous film - makers of his day. Their films were generally redolent of "rice and green tea". The effect, they generated was mild and subdued, reflecting the docile and restrained way of life of the men and women of Japan.

Akira Kurosawa's cinematic creations, sought a path outside this tradition of film making. In his early career, he was slow to be accepted by the people of japan. To them his works seemed non indigenous - or even "western." For the West too, Akira Kurosawa seemed alien in his cinematic statements. But, they found in his works a streak, that was novel and could be adapted to their own film making, to give it a fresh piquance.

Akira Kurosawa, emerged into high global profile in 1951. His "Rashomon" was one of the entries for the Venice film festival. The judges sat down to watch it-yawning-as an inescapable obligation. They had the notion, that they were in for some kind of japanese film full of rubber chrysanthemums.

But, when the initial scenes began to unfold, they sat up, awakened into a startlingly fresh cinematic experience. "Rashomon" (the gate of hell) orchestrated a theme, that was totally off the beaten track. As it opens the film focuses on a group of persons, taking shelter under the front porch of a cemetery. The heavy downpour whips those taking shelter, with sharp cold winds. One of those, a wood cutter, starts narrating a gruesome experience he encountered. From then on, the story progresses in a flash-back.

The film opens with a prolonged pan.

The wood cutter dashes through the forest in sprightly steps. The blade of his axe, flashes in the sun-light. With a sudden shock, that takes him aback, he discovers the body of a murdered aristocrat.

Four witnesses appear to recount their versions of the tragedy. A priest who had seen the aristocrat walking along, while his beautiful wife rode a horse, laments the impermanence of life. He says; "life is like a dew-drop on the edge of a blade of grass-utterly ephemeral." The four view-points, including that of masago, the bandit, bewilder the viewer, confused by the contradictions in those statements. What is the truth? The reality is elusive. Nearly sixty years after its first appearance, "Rashomon" still processes contemporary relevance.

His 1954 film, "Seven Samurai" (The seven Warriors) is upheld by critics as the model action film, in world cinema.

"Seven Samurai" represents, consummate story telling in the medium of cinema. In the preliminary segment of the film, the predominant episode in the recruiting of Seven Samurai, to be taken to a village, where the poor, undefended peasants are cruelly victimized by bandits. When the harvest has ripened, through the sweat and tears of the miserable farmers, the bandits invade, and take away the yield, intimidating the helpless peasants. The Seven Samurai offer to protect the peasants, accepting only their meals as their fee.

The sequences that follow are a classic, in cinematic portrayal of armed confrontation under highly restricting circumstances. The samurai rid the village of the plague of the bandits, suffering the loss of one of their own companies. As they depart a warrior observes; "the peasants always win'.

Hollywood, accepted this theme in "The Magnificent Seven". George Lucas who ushered in a new phase of cinema through his "Star Wars' series, has admitted the influence of Akira Kurosawa's film "The Hidden Fortress" on Lucas epoch-making film achievement. In his cinematic vision, Akira Kurosawa, was neither oriented nor western. He was immersed in cinema. The audio - visual detail in his films, is witness to his high cinematic contemplation.

Kurosawa at work	Scene from Rashomon

Actor Toshiro Mifune, was propelled into global prominence as a distinguished film star, largely through the meticulous direction he received under Akira Kurosawa. In one session to get his action right,director Kurusawa, made him view over and over again, the visuals of a prowling leopard.

Director Akira Kurosawa, received lavish encomiums from the world. he was presented an Oscar award, for life-achievement. In his film "Ikiru" (Life) he monuments a parable that should guide the path of the generality of people, as they spend their allowed span of days on earth. "Ikiru" focuses on a bureaucrat, whose monotonous routine, limits his existence only to certain gestures of life. Suddenly, he is diagnosed as suffering from cancer. It is then, that he is compelled to seek the meaning of life. He immerses himself totally in the building of city park for children. He achieves his aim and experiences the fulfilment of life. In Ikuru, Kurosawa administers a telling blow, on the cruel insensitive adamance of bureaucracy.

Akira Kurosawa linked the east and west through cinema. he used violence as a means of introducing a cathartic release for mankind, tortured by escalating frustrations. Akira Kursawa, had the special privilege of being adored by "Super Stars" in the world of film directors. Directors Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, promoted Akira Kurusawa, as a human asset. His cinematic idioms, are universally adapted even by those who are not at all aware, of their origin. In the world of cinema, he will always remain "Tenno" - The Temperor.

The group of young film enthusiasts in the Colombo Film Circle, deserves all the encomia they receive. Their CINEIST TEAM, celebrated The Akira Kurosawa birth-centenary, with a souvenir, seminars and the free screening of Akira Kurosawa's works.

Wherever cinema is taken seriously, the name of Akira Kurosawa, will never fail to stir ways of adoration and admiration.