Easily Japan's best known filmmaker, Akira Kurosawa is widely regarded as a true master of period cinema and epic storytelling. His major films have all included elements of adventure, history, perspective and honor, and today a generation of filmmakers count him as their primary influence. Perhaps that's why the market for Kurosawa products, films and merchandise remains as strong today as it was during the director's heyday in the 1950s. Kurosawa had many trademarks, but probably the two he is best known for are his use of space and his innovative methods for building tension. Screen depth was an essential part of moviemaking, especially with the advent of color and the new freedom cameras enjoyed after the perfection of dolly shots and more kinetic directing. Kurosawa placed his own stamp on such developments with long-lens shots and a distinctly flat, graphical style. Major movies such as Seven Samurai and Rashomon became iconic of Kurosawa's sensibility, combining a fluidity of narrative with some of the most archetypal tales in the Western canon. Today the films continue to undergo scrutiny at studios and film schools across the country, with each new print and restoration creating a groundswell of interest. If you are looking for the finest Kurosawa products on the Web, it may help to know the different DVD versions before you buy. Some come with more bonus material than others, and the most popular even include retrospectives about the artist's life and work. | 
