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Currently playing at the AK film club: Rhapsody in August

Guide to the Akira Kurosawa Digital Archive

This page is still very much a work in progress, but the general idea is to provide an English language guide to the new Akira Kurosawa Digital Archive (see also news post here), which is currently only available in Japanese.

The main task at the moment is to translate all the category titles so that those with no command of Japanese can also enjoy the Archives. As you can see, the work is still unfinished (I had to go to bed), but I will do my best to have the full listing here by the end of the week.

The numbers correspond to the category numbers in the Archive. The order presented here is the same that I see on the website — note that in a couple of places this order does not follow the numbering.

There are a few questions marks, which indicate that I am not sure about my translation. As usual, any suggestions, corrections, additions or modifications are welcomed with open arms.

I’ll try to deal with the visual presentation once I have got the data ready.

00. Other (他分類)

02. Related Works (関連作品)
  01. Wrestling-Ring Festival, Dohyosai 1944 (土俵祭)
  02. Snow Trail, Ginrei no hate 1947 (銀嶺のはて)
  03. Those Who Make Tomorrow, Asu o tsukuru hitobito 1946 (明日を創る人々)

03. Childhood (幼年時代)

04. Youth (青年時代)

05. Time as an Assistant Director (助監督時代)

06. The Kurosawa Family (黒澤家)

01. By Title (作品別)

  01. Sanshiro Sugata, Sugata Sanshiro 1943 (姿三四郎)
    01. Other (その他)
    02. Album (アルバム)
    04. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    05. Director (監督)

  02. The Most Beautiful, Ichiban utsukushiku 1944 (一番美しく)
    01. Other (その他)
    02. Album (アルバム)
    04. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    05. Director (監督)

  03. Sanshiro Sugata Part Two, Zoku Sugata Sanshiro 1945 (続姿三四郎)
    02. Director (監督)

  04. They Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail, Tora no o… 1945 (虎の尾を踏む男達)
    02. Other (その他)

  05. No Regrets for Our Youth, Waga seishun… 1946 (わが青春に悔なし)
    02. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    03. Director (監督)

  06. One Wonderful Sunday, Subarashiki nichiyoobi 1947 (素晴らしき日曜日)
    02. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    03. Director (監督)

  07. Drunken Angel, Yoidore tenshi 1948 (酔いどれ天使)
    02. Director (監督)

  08. The Quiet Duel, Shizukanaru ketto 1949 (静かなる決闘)
    02. Director (監督)

  09. Stray Dog, Nora inu 1949 (野良犬)
    02. Director (監督)

  10. Scandal, Shubun 1950 (醜聞)
    02. Director (監督)

  11. Rashomon, Rashomon 1950 (羅生門)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    04. Director (監督)

  12. The Idiot, Hakuchi 1951 (白痴)
    02. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    03. Director (監督)

  13. Ikiru, Ikiru 1952 (生きる)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Director (監督)

  14. Seven Samurai, Shichinin no samurai 1954 (七人の侍)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    04. Director (監督)

  15. Record of a Living Being (I Live in Fear), Ikimono… 1955 (生きものの記録)
    02. Director (監督)

  16. Throne of Blood, Kumonosu jo 1957 (蜘蛛巣城)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    04. Director (監督)

  17. The Lower Depths, Donzoko 1957 (どん底)
    01. Blank (余白)
    03. Director (監督)

  18. The Hidden Fortress, Kakushi-toride no san-akunin 1958 (隠し砦の三悪人)
    01. Blank (余白)
    03. Director (監督)

  19. The Bad Sleep Well, Warui yatsu hodo… 1960 (悪い奴ほどよく眠る)
    02. Director (監督)

  20. Yojimbo, Yojimbo 1961 (用心棒)
    02. Director (監督)

  21. Sanjuro, Tsubaki Sanjuro 1962 (椿三十郎)
    02. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    03. Director (監督)

  22. High and Low, Tengoku to jigoku 1963 (天国と地獄)
    02. Director (監督)

  23. Red Beard, Akahige 1965 (赤ひげ)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    04. Director (監督)

  24. Dodesukaden, Dodesukaden 1970 (どですかでん)
    02. Director (監督)

  25. Dersu Uzala, Dersu Uzala 1975 (デルス・ウザーラ)
    01. Other (その他)
    04. Toshiro Mifune (三船敏郎)
    05. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    06. Special Preview of the Completed Film (完成特別披露試写会)
      01. Actors & Staff Welcomed (俳優スタッフ迎える)
      02. The Preview Screening (?) (完成特別披露式会)
      03. Press Conference (記者会見)
      04. First Public Screening (?) (上映初日、有楽座前)
      05. Returning Home After the Completetition of the Film (完成後の帰国)
      06. After Returning to the Moscow Film Festial (モスクワ映画祭後の帰国)
      07. Conference (会議)
    07. Director (監督)
    08. Taping the Music (音楽取り)
    09. Akira Kurosawa Stone Arrangement (?) (黒澤明達の石積み)

  26. Kagemusha, Kagemusha 1980 (影武者)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Director (監督)

  27. Ran, Ran 1985 (乱)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Time of Preparation (準備期間)
    04. Blank (余白)
    05. Director (監督)

  28. Dreams, Yume 1990 (夢)
    02. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    03. Director (監督)

  29. Rhapsody in August, Hachigatsu no rapusodi 1991 (八月の狂詩曲)
    01. Other (その他)
    03. Actors & Staff (俳優・スタッフ)
    04. Director (監督)

  30. Madadayo, Madadayo 1993 (まあだだよ)
    02. Director (監督)

08. Akira Kurosawa – Domestic (黒澤明・国内編)
  01. Photos until Now (?) (いままでの写真)
  02. Golf (ゴルフ)
  03. Dog (犬)
  04. Villa Gotenba (?) (御殿場別荘)
  05. Home in Seijo (成城自宅)
  06. Garcia Marquez (ガルシア・マルケス)

09. Akira Kurosawa – Abroad (黒澤明・国内編)
  01. Photos until Now (?) (いままでの写真)
  02. America (アメリカ編)
  03. India (インド編)
  04. Panama (パナマ編)
  05. Thailand (タイ編)
  06. Italy (イタリア編)
  07. Soviet Union (ソ連編)
  08. Rome – Olympics (ローマオリンピック)
  09. In connection with Ran (乱関係編)
    01. Amsterdam, the Netherlands (アムステルダム(オランダ))
    02. Paris (パリ)
    03. Munich, West Germany (ミュヘン(西ドイツ))
    04. London (ロンドン)
  10. France (フランス)

10. Work Connections (仕事関係)

11. Awards (授賞)
  01. Asahi Prize (朝日賞)
  02. Ramon Magsaysay Award (マグサイサイ賞)
  03. Person of Cultural Merit (文化功労賞)
  04. Special Honour of the Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Soviet Cinema (?) (ソ連映画事業60周年記念特別名誉賞)
  05. 2nd Kawakita Award Ceremony (第2回川喜多賞)
  06. Légion d’honneur ceremony (コマンドゥール勲章授賞)
  07. Order of Culture (文化勲章)
  08. 5th Kawakita Award Ceremony (第5回川喜多賞)
  10. 62nd Academy Awards (第62回アカデミー特別名誉賞)
  11. 1st Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes (第1回福岡アジア文化賞創設特別賞)
  12. 10th Kawakita Award Ceremony (第10回川喜多賞)
  13. 4th Praemium Imperiale (第4回高松宮殿下記念世界文化賞)
  14. 10th Kyoto Prize (第10回京都賞)
  15. People’s Honour Award (国民栄誉賞)
  16. Japan Foundation Award (国際交流基金賞)
  17. 48th Academy Awards (第48回アカデミー賞最優秀外国映画賞)

12. Film Festivals (映画祭)
  01. International Film Festival (国際映画祭)
  02. Moscow International Film Festival (モスクワ国際映画祭)
    01. Film Festival Area (映画祭会場)
    02. Film Festival (映画祭会場)
  03. 1st London Film Festival (第1回ロンドン映画祭)
  04. 33rd Cannes Film Festival (第33回カンヌ国際映画祭)
  05. 43rd Cannes Film Festival (第43回カンヌ国際映画祭)
  06. 44th Cannes Film Festival (第44回カンヌ国際映画祭)
  07. 46th Cannes Film Festival (第46回カンヌ国際映画祭)

13. Parties & Events (パーティー・イベント)
  01. Kurosawa’s 69th birthday (by Kagemusha crew (?)) (黒澤明69歳誕生日を祝う会(「影武者」関係者による))
  02. ‘Kurosawa Akira no zenbon’ Book Launch (「黒澤明の全貌」オープニングセレモニー)
  04. Order of Culture Medal Celebration (文化勲章をお祝いする会)
  06. Celebrating Kurosawa’s birthday and the completion of Rhapsody in August (黒澤明監督誕生日と「八月の狂詩曲」の完成を祝う会)
  08. Japanese Film Professional Association Awards (?) (全日本映画職能団体表彰)
  09. Celebrating the Completion of Dersu Uzala (「デルス・ウザーラ」の完成を祝う会)
  10. 65th birthday (Dersu Uzala) (「デルス・ウザーラ」65歳の誕生会)

14. Commercials (cm)

15. With the World’s Film Directors (世界の映画監督達と)

21. Uncategorised (未分類)
  01. Akira Kurosawa Memorial Foundation (?) (黒澤明記念財団)
  03. Screenplays (handwritten) (シナリオと映画(直筆))
  04. One sheet of AK’s handwritten director’s message (?) (映画監督と云うのはAK直筆1枚)
  05. What should be done, six handwritten sheets (何をなすべきかAK直筆6枚)
  06. Why refuse this film festival, five handwritten sheets (何故この映画祭を拒否するかAK直筆5枚)
  07. Discussion of selected works with the National Agency of Film Writers (’Japanese Film’ journal) (?) (情報局国民映画脚本入選作品座談会(雑誌「日本映画」))
  08. ‘Free Speech’ (?) by Akira Kurosawa, 45 sheets (放談 黒澤明45枚)
  09. Other (その他) [hanko-stamps!]

22. By title (作品別)

  01. Sanshiro Sugata, Sugata Sanshiro 1943 (姿三四郎)
    01. Screenplay (シナリオ)
    02. Concerning Sanshiro Sugata (姿三四郎について)
    03. Story (小説)
    04. Articles (記事)

  02. The Most Beautiful, Ichiban utsukushiku 1944 (一番美しく)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Story (小説)
    03. Articles (記事)

  03. Sanshiro Sugata Part Two, Zoku Sugata Sanshiro 1945 (続姿三四郎)
    01. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))

  04. They Who Step on the Tiger’s Tail, Tora no o… 1945 (虎の尾を踏む男達)
    01. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))
      01. [screenplay]
      02. Original script (原本シナリオ)
      03. Revised transcript (採録修正)

    02. Articles (記事)

  05. No Regrets for Our Youth, Waga seishun… 1946 (わが青春に悔なし)
    01. Screenplay (台本)

  06. One Wonderful Sunday, Subarashiki nichiyoobi 1947 (素晴らしき日曜日)
    01. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))

  07. Drunken Angel, Yoidore tenshi 1948 (酔いどれ天使)
    01. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))

  08. The Quiet Duel, Shizukanaru ketto 1949 (静かなる決闘)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Second version (第二稿)
    02. Storyboards (絵コンテ)

  09. Stray Dog, Nora inu 1949 (野良犬)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Production notes (創作ノート)
    03. Memos (メモ)

  10. Scandal, Shubun 1950 (醜聞)
    01. Screenplay (台本)

  11. Rashomon, Rashomon 1950 (羅生門)
    01. Draft manuscript (生原稿)
      01. [manuscript]
      02. [manuscript]
    02. Screenplay (台本)
    03. Production notes (創作ノート)
    04. Brochure (パンフレット)
    05. Articles (記事)

  12. The Idiot, Hakuchi 1951 (白痴)
    01. Production notes (創作ノート)

  13. Ikiru, Ikiru 1952 (生きる)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Articles (記事)
      01. Newspaper articles (新聞記事)
      02. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  14. Seven Samurai, Shichinin no samurai 1954 (七人の侍)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Notes (ノート)
      01. Production notes (創作ノート)
        01. Notes 1 (ノート1)
        02. Memos & notes 2 (メモノート2)
        03. Seven Characters (七人の性格)
        04. Villagers (村の人々)
      02. Storyboard notes (絵コンテノート)
        01. [no title]
        02. [no title]
    03. Song lyrics (歌詞)
    04. Articles (記事)
      01. Newspaper articles (新聞記事)
      02. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  15. Record of a Living Being (I Live in Fear), Ikimono… 1955 (生きものの記録)
    01. Draft script (準備稿)
    02. Final script (決定稿)

  16. Throne of Blood, Kumonosu jo 1957 (蜘蛛巣城)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
      01. [no title]
      02. Draft script (準備稿)
    02. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  17. The Lower Depths, Donzoko 1957 (どん底)
    01. Screenplay (台本)
    02. Other (その他)

  18. The Hidden Fortress, Kakushi-toride no san-akunin 1958 (隠し砦の三悪人)
    01. Script from a magazine (雑誌からの転用(シナリオ))
    02. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  19. The Bad Sleep Well, Warui yatsu hodo… 1960 (悪い奴ほどよく眠る)
    01. Draft manuscripts (生原稿)
      01. [manuscript]
      02. [manuscript]
    02. Third draft (第三稿)
    03. Memos (メモ)
    04. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  20. Yojimbo, Yojimbo 1961 (用心棒)
    01. Draft manuscripts (生原稿)
      01. [manuscript]
      02. [manuscript]
    02. First draft (第一稿)
    03. Continuity (preview) (コンテ(予告編))
    04. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  21. Sanjuro, Tsubaki Sanjuro 1962 (椿三十郎)
    01. Draft manuscripts (生原稿)
      01. [manuscript]
      02. [manuscript]
    02. Final script (決定稿)
      01. [script]
      02. [script]
    03. Production notes (創作ノート)
    04. Continuity (コンテ)
    05. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

  22. High and Low, Tengoku to jigoku 1963 (天国と地獄)
    01. Draft manuscript (生原稿)
    02. ? Script (??) (差込台本)
    03. Final script (決定稿)

  23. Red Beard, Akahige 1965 (赤ひげ)
    01. Draft manuscripts (生原稿)
      01. [manuscript]
      02. [manuscript]
    02. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))

    03. Articles (記事)
      01. Newspaper articles (新聞記事)

  24. Dodesukaden, Dodesukaden 1970 (どですかでん)
    01. Draft manuscripts (生原稿)
      01. ?? (途中から代筆)
      02. [manuscript]
    02. Screenplay (台本(書込みあり))
    03. Final script (決定稿(書込みあり))
    04. Memos (メモ)
    05. Posters (ポスター)
    06. Magazine articles (雑誌記事)

To be continued…

23 Comments »


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Discussion: 23 Comments »

#1


Blah



This is much appreciated.


 

#2


Ryan



Thanks for this. How long have you been learning Japanese for?

(I went straight to the Stray Dog category and was disappointed to only find one photo – one of which, I had already seen before). :sad:


 

#3


Vili Maunula



Ryan, each film makes at least two appearances in the Archive structure, and the real meat is further on than I have yet had time to translate. Try category 22.09. You can see a script, notes and a memo there. No production pictures there, though. There may be other places to look in as well, but since I cannot get the search to work, it’s difficult to say before I have systematically gone through the whole lot. I’m at work now, so this will have to wait until the evening (actually, I’m more precisely on my living room sofa, but I work from home, so “at work”).

As for my Japanese “skills”, I lived in Japan for a year, about ten years ago. I went in with no knowledge of the language and haven’t really done anything with my language skills (the little I had) since I left, apart from watching films and reading comics and Kurosawa books (very slowly).

I could speak fairly well by the time I left, and managed to read news papers with some difficulty, but years of neglect have deteriorated even those little skills to the point where a kanji dictionary is my best friend.

However, the basic knowledge is still there, and I guess my university degree (theoretical linguistics) also helps.


 

#4


Ryan



That’s interesting and thanks for the help (damn shame there’s no production photos or behind the scenes photos though as that’s what I was most interested in for Stray Dog!). I’m enjoying the Rashomon photos though and can’t wait to tuck into those of Seven Samurai, amongst others.

However, I keep getting bombarded with the following message every ten minutes (or even less):

Service Temporarily Unavailable

Anyone else getting this?


 

#5


Vili Maunula



Ryan: Service Temporarily Unavailable

Anyone else getting this?

Yeah, I do. That’s actually why I had to stop translating last night. It also started to throw login screens at me at one point, but fortunately those went away. I think that they are still tinkering with the system. You can actually see that also from the way the site has changed slightly since yesterday — almost all English is now gone and everything is in Japanese. They also added a FAQ to the front page.

Also, I guess the servers are really strained — the news is spreading around the world, and it has by now been covered in everything including Variety. With those image sizes and everything, I expect that they are burning up a lot of bandwidth at the moment. But they are still up and running (most of the time), so kudos for them!


 

#6


Fabien



Thanks a lot for the index translation, Vili, this is incredibly interesting.

Is there a particular copyright policy on this archive?
In other words, what are we allowed to do with all this material?


 

#7


Vili Maunula



Is there a particular copyright policy on this archive?
In other words, what are we allowed to do with all this material?

Earlier today, there was an FAQ on the front page which had an answer to this question. It has apparently been removed now, as the whole site has undergone a slight change, as if it had been taken back to the version that was live yesterday.

Anyway, as far as I can remember, the FAQ stated that the material is there for research purposes. It specifically prohibited copying.


 

#8


cocoskyavitch



Wow, Vili, it really is changing! I just got login screens…but worked around it to backdoor to some amazing pics, including one of your older brother..http://www.ss.i.ryukoku.ac.jp/pearl/pages/pearl/index.html#xid=23LqtE7

(just kidding about the older brother). I find this site amazing beyond belief! I bet all Kurosawa scholars wished this had existed when writing!


 

#9


Vili Maunula



Haha! Yeah, maybe a long-lost older brother there. :lol:


 

#10


cocoskyavitch



Vili, you seriously rock, making this English guide. What good work! And how much joy I have had looking through the images!
Thanks!


 

#11


Vili Maunula



Thanks, Coco!

I promised to complete it by the end of last week, but due to some continuing computer problems and other issues, that didn’t happen. I am now hoping to get it done by the end of this week.


 

#12


Vili Maunula



Due to an illness, this guide project will most probably not be finished by the end of the week.

I did find something interesting, though: 21.09 has some of Kurosawa’s hanko stamps (seals used in Japan instead of signatures).


 

#13


Ryan



You know I was most shocked to see pictures of Mifune with Kurosawa on the set of Dersu Uzala and later because I always thought that after Red Beard they parted their ways / fell out and only settled their differences at the funeral of someone close to them (weren’t they hugging each other and crying?). In fact, even after the funeral I thought they hadn’t fully put aside their differences.


 

#14


Jeremy Quintanilla



To sum up quickly: Kurosawa and Mifune didnt really have a falling out. Mifune got tied up with his production company and Kurosawa with Tora,Tora,Tora. From there they simply naturally drifted apart with their own stuff. There were attempts to rejoin, but timing and circumstance didn’t allow.
I would say at worst Kurosawa got a bit tried of Mifune, but simply in an artistic manner, versus anything personal.

This all according to Teruyo Nogami, to whom I would consider the only authority on anything personal to Kurosawa.
Her book “Waiting on the Weather” is a great read, and explores the Mifune/Kurosawa relationship fully.


 

#15


Ryan



Thanks for the clarification; all the stuff I’d previously read must have been blown out of proportion then. Having said that, I did read from several sources of information.

Out of curiosity, why do you consider Teruyo Nogami the only authority on anything personal to Kurosawa, and not say, Donald Richie?


 

#16


Vili Maunula



Ryan: Out of curiosity, why do you consider Teruyo Nogami the only authority on anything personal to Kurosawa, and not say, Donald Richie?

I think the reason for this is that Nogami was probably Kurosawa’s closest aide, and she spent over 40 years working and living with Kurosawa, while Richie’s views and anecdotes are based on a handful of meetings that he had with the director over the years. Richie’s memory has also at times been shown to lack some sharpness, so it’s often difficult to trust everything that he writes.

Having said that, I do have an enormous amount of respect for Richie.


 

#17


deconstruct



Thank you for translating the menu. There is so much to explore!

CM stands for commercials, so 14. cm (?) (cm) is photos from his commercials.


 

#18


Vili Maunula



deconstruct: CM stands for commercials, so 14. cm (?) (cm) is photos from his commercials.

Thanks, deconstruct! I didn’t know that.


 

#19


Sephi



I was just wondering. Maybe I am blind but I just can’t find where to purchase/download the picture I put in my shopping cart in the archives. Can anyone help me out?


 

#20


Vili Maunula



Sephi, I don’t think that you can purchase items from the website. The basket function is probably there only so that you can save your favourites.


 

#21


Sergio



Is it possible to contact with the owner of the page? I`d like to use some of these materials…


 

#22


Vili Maunula



Sergio, the Kurosawa Digital Archive is copyrighted by Ryukoku University Digital Archives Research Center. Their website is here with an English page here.


 

#23


NoelCT



Man, just seeing that there’s multiple script drafts for some of the films has me kicking myself for not keeping up with Japanese.


 

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