The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail

This early effort from Kurosawa is often times very pleasant to look at, but its extremely short running time and it's ambiguous ending leaves us on a dull note. However Denjirô Ôkôchi' and Kenichi Enomoto turn in great performances, and the contrast between these two characters make this film even more entertaining.

There's a lot that doesn't work here... the sets are very cheap (perhaps crippled by a wartime budget), the comic character played by Kenichi Enomoto is very broad, and the last quarter of the brief film is devoted to an odd anti-climax. Still, it manages to be pretty entertaining, particularly during the confrontation with the border guards which makes up the core of the film. Slight but fun, with some nice touches, including the unusual use of song.

Many point to The Hidden Fortress as George Lucas' chief inspiration (at least from Kurosawa), and yet I can't stop picturing a misfounded appreciation for the comic relief supplied by the porter character as Lucas looked onto his dreaded prequels and began thinking of Jar Jar Binks. There's not much else here to redeem such a blunder.

Feels rather rushed & direct adaptation straight from Japanese theatre with meager presentation (unsurprising for 1945) and stagey structure complete with musical narration. Decent performances & some interesting editing touches. Not too boring despite the very simple & stretched scenario with only one point of tension. Weird last quarter in which everyone just decides to get hammered. Passably entertaining & interesting for fans of Kurosawa. I'm still hearing that damn porter's cackle though.

Slow and not that eventful. The confrontation certainly had its moments, but there's not much else that makes this film. Also, is it customary to get hammered if you are offered booze? Or was it all a ploy to get that wicked porter out of the party.

It's either an embellished short film or a complete second act. But the lead performances elevate this above much everything else from this post-war reconstruction film period. It's also fun to watch Kurosawa's playful practice with crosscutting.

Entertaining but very slight. The bulk of the film, concerned with the efforts of the men to escape detection by the barrier guards, is tense enough; however, several elements bely its stage origins, particularly the obnoxious comic relief and the awkward songs. And it ends on a very, very anti-climactic and absurd note. Worth a look, but a weaker effort from Kurosawa.

An interesting stage-to-screen experiment, the film baring overtly theatrical style like spare sets, narrative music, and expressive physicality. Kurosawa would go on to perfect this concept in Throne of Blood. It's also an early example of the sharp editing that would eventually become a hallmark of Kurosawa's influence on action movies. But that's about all it is; an interesting footnote. Unfortunate that much of the short runtime is devoted to utterly ineffective comedic relief.

an opportunity to see what kurosawa could do without even time as a resource. Shot rather plainly, there are still subtle moments where his style aches to be freed, such as a quick cut from a crane shot of the samurai surrounded by soldiers to a shot from next to the hip of a soldier with his spear at the ready. I wouldn't recommend it except for a study of Kurosawa. For something that serves as study and an entertaining film experience, Sanshira Sagata is definitely the way to go.

An interesting if not always quite successful early film from Kurosawa. The fabulous mise-en-scene is already in evidence, as is the ability to bring out the suspense of a scene in an effective, yet subtle manner. The comic porter, while used to relate to the audience and as a means to enhance the pacing of the film, is not always effective, though his final dance works quite well. The ambiguity of the conclusion adds an oddly puzzling layer to what is otherwise a straightforward film.

62.500

I was loving the camaraderie of the group, even the porter. But the plot was predictable, incredibly short and ultimately where it did go wasn't very far from where it started. Below Average/7

Very enjoyable for what it is, budgetary constraints and all.

Good but very short.

68.250

Written in one night & filmed on one set due to WW2 conditions, this is presented much like a stage play. It totally works though. We see many of Kurosawa's influences & signature themes shining through. There's Samurai, Greek tragedy, Shakespearean comedy, & Japanese folklore all represented. The acting is good, if theatrical. It goes by quickly and mostly hints at greatness to come, but historically it's impressive. Also, nice to see Kurosawa making a film of his choice after doing propaganda.

A humorous and economic adventure from early on in Akira Kurosawa's career. Not the type of film which had me totally convinced, but there were these little moments that had me sincerely amused.

Kenichi Enomoto is painfully obnoxious in the fool role, but The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail shows great early promise from Kurosawa in terms of cinematography and editing.