A.K. on AllMovie

Director Chris Marker interviews and films Akira Kurosawa at work on one of his international blockbusters, Ran, in this interesting documentary that says as much about the process of filming as it does about the famed Japanese director himself. Clips from Ran are included, and comments from Kurosawa, on everything from handling horses in a film to the nature of fear, reveal his approach to his art and the people (and horses!) that are essential to an effective final cut. Soft-spoken and modestly dressed in jeans and tennis shoes, the 72-year-old director's style is as individual as his cinematic statements.