HIGH AND LOW | TENGOKU TO JIGOKU

JAPAN | 1963 | B&W | DCP | 143’ | JAPANESE

A voice on the phone informs a wealthy factory owner that his son is kidnapped and an outrageously high price is required for his release. A few minutes later, it is revealed that the kidnapper accidentally got hold of the chauffeur's son, but still demands the same ransom for his release. The industrialist is asked to decide whether or not he is willing to pay in order to save a child's life. In one of the resounding masterpieces of all time, superbly structured and directed, Kurosawa gives a crime novel by Ed McBain the dimensions of a magnum opus, turning it into an agonizing thriller, as well as an outstanding comment on the vast class divide in post-war Japanese society. Unsurpassed!

photo credit ©1963 TOHO CO., LTD.

DIRECTOR: Akira Kurosawa
SCREENWRITERS: Ryūzō Kikushima, Hideo Oguni, Eijiro Hisaita, Akira Kurosawa
DoP: Asakazu Nakai, Takao Saito
MUSIC: Masaru Sato
EDITOR: Akira Kurosawa
PRINCIPAL CAST: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyōko Kagawa, Tatsuya Mihashi, Yutaka Sada

AKIRA KUROSAWA
Japanese filmmaker, legend of world cinema. He was recognized more than any of his Asian counterparts and had an overall and profound influence on Western film culture. 30 films, a multi-award winning body of work (Oscar, Golden Lion, Golden Palm, among others), a legendary 16-film collaboration with Toshiro Mifune, a life and work that marked globally the artistry of the 20th century.

FILMOGRAPHY (SELECTED)
1990 Dreams
1985 Ran 
1970 Dodes’ka-den 
1965 Red Beard 
1963 High and Low 
1961 Yojimbo 
1960 The Bad Sleep Well 
1958 The Hidden Fortress 
1957 Throne of Blood 
1954 Seven Samurai 
1952 Ikiru 
1951 The Idiot 
1950 Rashomon