Hideo Kojima names his five favourite films
Our focus is nearly always on revolutionary filmmakers and innovative actors, however, sometimes, the landscape of creativity can blend together, with video game designer Hideo Kojima having changed the face of gaming ever since his iconic 1987 release Metal Gear. Ever since then, his Metal Gear series, which sees a former spy and mercenary Solid Snake face fantastical enemies in the field of battle, has become one of the most celebrated series of all time.
Cinematic in their presentation, the games of Hideo Kojima truly blend the lines between video games and cinema, especially of late when the video game designer released Death Stranding, enlisting the help of actors Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Lindsay Wagner. In addition, Kojima honoured some of his favourite filmmakers by making characters resembling Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn.
Indeed, it’s no secret that Kojima is a fan of cinema, speaking to Rotten Tomatoes in 2019, where he discussed his five favourite films of all time.
First on Kojima’s list is the Stanley Kubrick sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film that has gone on to shape the world of cinema as we know it today. Speaking about the significant impact of the movie, the video game designer states, “It’s like a monolith to me, that movie…when I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey, I felt like I really went to outer space. It’s a life-changing movie because it made me feel like I accomplished a dream”.
From one innovative sci-fi to another, Kojima’s second choice is the Ridley Scott otherworldly drama Blade Runner, based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Recently handed a sequel, Blade Runner 2049, seen as one of Ryan Gosling’s very best roles, Ridley Scott’s world is expanding. “When it was first released, I was in university. I went to see it alone,” Kojima recalls, adding, “When Blade Runner was shown for the first time in movie theaters, it was totally different from other movies. The rhythm of how it begins and all, that’s why it catches my eyes. It’s something that’s really indigestible in the beginning and stays in me”.
Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low takes the third place on his list, a classic of the director’s filmography that often goes overlooked thanks to his glamorous Samurai epics. “The movie had made a positive impact in society,” Kojima tells the publication, adding: “That’s my kind of wish when I create a game. I think entertainment has that power to change society. You don’t have to be a politician or run for a cause to create change. High and Low was, in that sense, really impactful”.
The George Miller movie Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior takes the penultimate place on Miller’s list, with the insane apocalyptic flick eventually informing the shape of Mad Max: Fury Road, one of the best action movies of all time, 34 years later. Speaking about both movies, the video game designer states, “Mad Max. George Miller is my ultimate mentor. I went to see Fury Road 17 times in the cinemas…I can’t really express in one word of how good Mad Max 2 is. There’s hardly any dialogue in that movie, right? But the character stands out so much, visually, how he moves”.
Hideo Kojima’s five favourite films:
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
- Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
- High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963)
- Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (George Miller, 1981)
- Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
Taking the final spot on his list is Martin Scorsese’s iconic drama Taxi Driver, starring the great Robert De Niro. Winning the Palme d’Or back in 1976, the film is celebrated in all circles, with Kojima stating, “After watching Taxi Driver and seeing Travis [Bickle], I felt this immense similarity between the character and myself. He lives in New York, surrounded by so many people, but he still felt lonely. This surprised me, and I thought ‘Here is this guy, living in America, who is like me.’ Seeing his character, I felt relaxed and realized there are others like me. I felt I was okay”.
