Drunken Angel (1948). In some ways, Drunken Angel was the first Kurosawa film where everything fell into place. His humanism in this one is a little on the sentimental side, which could be charming or a little wearisome, depending on your tolerance level. It’s like the rough draft of Ikiru.
Record of a Living Being (1955). The English title of this is I Live in Fear, which works, but Kurosawa’s title is better. The ending is haunting, and if anything, more potent now than it was in 1955.
The Lower Depths (1957). Criterion released this coupled with Renoir’s (inferior) version of the same play by Maxim Gorky. Renoir’s version is too romanticized and feels oddly flat, whereas Kurosawa’s version is grimier and acerbic.
Sanjuro (1962). Yojimbo gets most of the attention, but the sequel is every bit as good, if less cinematically revelatory. It’s a lighthearted (but not light) entry in Kurosawa’s canon.
Dreams (1990). Basically, Dreams is eight thematically linked short films, some of which are great. “Crows” is particularly breathtaking, and that’s Chisu Ryu as the old man in “Village of the Watermills.” Think of it as a commentary on Kurosawa’s life and career.
