“Kurosawa Lander”

Here's a time-lapse video of my latest Sunday sketch, which I've called Kurosawa Lander. The title's a total cheat, since the subject isn't Kurosawa-ish at all. Nevertheless, just like last week's sketch, it's inspired by the images still sloshing around inside my head since my recent viewing of the master Japanese director's 1980 movie Kagemusha. This is first time I've tried a … Continue reading “Kurosawa Lander”

“Kurosawa Watchtower”

Last night, I found myself alone in the house. An unusual situation which, on the rare occasions it occurs, usually sees me frittering away the hours by completely failing to decide what to do with the unexpected me-time. Should I read? Write? Watch a movie? Lie in a semi-comatose state and relish the peace and quiet? For once, tonight's decision came easy. After … Continue reading “Kurosawa Watchtower”

Writing in Technicolor

I write in Technicolor. Perhaps I should explain. Like most writers of my generation, my writing style and sense of narrative have been greatly influenced by cinema. If you asked me to list the stories that have had the greatest influence on me, I'd be as likely to cite George Lucas's Star Wars as John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, … Continue reading Writing in Technicolor

“Ran” — A Samurai Fantasy

I just watched the DVD of Ran, Akira Kurosawa's epic reimagining of Shakespeare's King Lear. It occured to me (between marvelling at Kurosawa's crystal-clear storytelling, epic staging, beautifully defined characters and jaw-dropping art direction and cinematography) that for the average western audience, the Orient is pretty close to being an fantasy environment. No coincidence, then, … Continue reading “Ran” — A Samurai Fantasy