The Directors
SKY ARTS, 9.00PM
An inspiration on everyone from Werner Herzog to Sergio Leone and whose Hidden Fortress was lifted wholesale by George Lucas for Star Wars (as Lucas has admitted), Akira Kurosawa remains one of cinema’s most revered directors, responsible for over half-a-dozen of the medium’s landmark achievements, from Ran to The Seven Samurai. This concise overview of the man and his mesmerising work confirms his sprawling brilliance, and continuing influence on film. GT