How one mistake by Akira Kurosawa changed action movies forever
The masterful films of Akira Kurosawa impacted the world of cinema in countless ways, inspiring multiple generations of directors to re-conceptualise the visual language of films. With multiple masterpieces under his belt, such as Seven Samurai and Rashomon, that continue to generate meaningful conversations, Kurosawa’s influence can never be successfully quantified because it’s simply too extensive and complex.
Ranging from Star Wars to modern thrillers, the Japanese auteur played a major part in shaping the future of the cinematic medium. One particularly fascinating element of his intense legacy is a minor technical mistake that changed action movies forever. It happened in the 1962 period drama Sanjuro, the sequel to Kurosawa’s acclaimed 1961 gem Yojimbo which featured the great Toshirō Mifune in one of the most memorable roles of his legendary career.
The intense psychological battle between Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai brilliantly culminates in a final showdown, marked by the iconic blood geyser that provides a perfectly symbolic representation of the violence. However, it was actually a technical mistake since the hose under Nakadai’s costume had a faulty coupling, which released all the blood at once with considerable force. Despite the mistake, Kurosawa immediately knew that the moment was special and kept the shot in.
Sanjuro’s aesthetic reconfiguration of action and blood gave action directors a new form of expression, but Kurosawa wasn’t too happy with the direction. In an interview, he once said: “Regarding American cinema, I could say that much better films were made in the past. Today’s American cinema provides the wrong service to the audience. Violence and car crashes are often seen. What pleasure is there in watching such scenes? Old American films expressed human problems quite well, but these days, the American cinema has problems.”
While talking about violence in contemporary cinema, he added: “Lately, there are less pleasing films being made. Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) films or similar violent American films have become strangely attractive, which is a dangerous trend, especially since it has a negative effect on children. I recently heard that an English youth committed a terrifying crime. Once violence becomes an ordinary act, it distorts the minds and intellects of children.”
From Quentin Tarantino to Asian crime dramas, the blood geyser has become an essential part of the vocabulary of modern action flicks. Although the philosophical foundation of the violence in Kurosawa’s films gave the iconic spray a more serious context, it has now become a mere stylistic tool that is also often incorporated by some directors as a form of comic relief.
Watch the iconic scene below.
