The Most Influential Crime Film — High and Low

High and Low — We look at one of Akira Kurosawa's less-seen masterpieces, a defining work in the procedural genre.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Akira Kurasawa's High and Low
00:32 - The History of High and Low
02:23 - The Screenplay
03:51 - Film Structure
04:55 - Cinematography
05:56 - Directing
07:25 - Film Blocking
08:43 - Takeaways

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HIGH AND LOW MOVIE

There's little disagreement that Akira Kurosawa is one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. When most people think of Kurosawa, they think of his groundbreaking action epics, like Seven Samurai or Ran. But one of Kurosawa's most enduring films is a modernist thriller, vastly different from the period films he is largely known for. Today, we take a look at High and Low, and see why it is quietly one of the most influential movies ever.

HIGH AND LOW FILM ANALYSIS

The screenplay for High and Low, co-written by Kurosawa along with Eijirō Hisaita, Ryūzō Kikushima, and Hideo Oguni, is structurally unique. It divides the narrative into two distinct halves: the first unfolds almost entirely within the confines of Gondo’s hilltop home, while the second becomes a procedural descent into the streets of the city below. This bifurcated structure reflects the film’s title: “high” and “low” not only geographically, but also socioeconomically.

HIGH AND LOW AKIRA KUROSAWA CINEMATOGRAPHY

Kurosawa’s cinematography in High and Low is essential to the film’s impact. The use of the widescreen Tohoscope format is masterful. Kurosawa often fills the frame with multiple characters, using deep focus to emphasize relationships and power dynamics. Light and shadow are carefully controlled: the brightness of the upper house contrasts with the dingy, high-contrast images of the slums below. Kurosawa’s visual storytelling anticipates modern procedural dramas and inspired filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Bong Joon Ho, especially in their depictions of class and crime.

BRILLIANT BLOCKING

Perhaps most remarkable is Kurosawa’s use of blocking (no surprise). The first half of High and Low is a masterclass in spatial choreography. Even the positioning of minor characters in the background contributes to the narrative. In the second half, the blocking becomes more fluid, reflecting the chaos and unpredictability of the manhunt. Kurosawa’s approach to blocking was hugely influential on just about every auteur who followed him, and High and Low is him at the height of his blocking capabilities.

High and Low remains one of cinema’s most meticulous and impactful movies. And it's not even Kurosawa's most famous films.

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♬ SONGS USED:

"Dojo Tradition (Instrumental)" - In This World
"Life's Journey Begins" - idokay
"High and Low" - Masaru Sato
"British News Team" - Lance Conrad
"Inquisitions" - Kevin Graham
"Glass" - Claudio Laucci
"Curiosity" - Kevin Graham
"Echo" - Twin Signals
"Riddles, Riddles Everywhere" - Michael Giacchino
"High and Low - Masaru Sato
"Anime" - Magiksolo

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