The Criterion Collection
Film Guides
Jan 6, 2014 — Critics commonly describe Throne of Blood (1957) as Akira Kurosawa’s adaptation of Macbeth. While this description is certainly not untrue, the film is much more than a direct cinematic translation of a literary text. Kurosawa’s movie is a brilliant synthesis...
On the Channel
Mar 26, 2020 — Check out what’s in store next month on our streaming service!
On the Channel
May 31, 2019 — Channel Calendars The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) It’s vacation season, and we have a month of exciting journeys for you on the Criterion Channel. Get ready to travel through Europe with Ingrid Bergman, get lost in the enigmatic...
Essays
Nov 21, 2005 — Akira Kurosawa’s late masterpiece is a tragedy fed by Shakespeare, Noh, and the samurai epic; it shows human brutality, warfare, and suffering as if from the eye of a dispassionate God.
On the Channel
Mar 22, 2019 — The Criterion Channel launches on April 8, and we’re excited to share our first month’s lineup! The April calendar of thematic programming highlights an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary films from Hollywood and around the world, many not streaming anywhere...
Jul 20, 2016 — In his staggeringly ambitious masterwork A Touch of Zen, Chinese filmmaker King Hu imbues dynamic scenes of combat with balletic grace and audacious stylistic experimentation.
On the Channel
May 13, 2024 — Among this month’s highlights are a bustling summer barbecue of amply peopled movies full of unforgettable performances, a collection of films with great synth soundtracks, and Adventures in Moviegoing with Paul Schrader.
In Theaters
Nov 30, 2017 — The great Kurosawa classic that inspired Star Wars screens at the Alamo Drafthouse in El Paso this Saturday.
Jul 20, 2018 — His work with Akira Kurosawa introduced Japanese cinema to the western world.