Red Beard Blu-ray

'Red Beard' Director: Akira Kurosawa (1965) BFI Blu-ray | 2K restoration | Japanese w/ English subtitles

An intimate, episodic epic that follows a socially ambitious young doctor as he arrives at a rural clinic in 19th-century Japan to study alongside its commanding yet compassionate director, who teaches the embittered intern to appreciate the lives of his destitute patients.

Kurosawa's last black-and-white film is a poignant tale of humanity and the meaning of responsibility featuring a powerhouse performance by Toshirō Mifune in his sixteenth and final collaboration with the director, marking the end of one of the most remarkable relationships in cinema.

Special features include:
- Audio commentary by Japanese-Australian filmmaker Kenta McGrath
- Akira Kurosawa: It is Wonderful to Create – Red Beard (2002, 22 mins): created as part of the Toho Masterworks series and featuring interviews with Kurosawa, actors Yoshio Tsuchiya and Kyōko Kagawa, art director Yoshirō Muraki and others
- Introduction by Alex Cox
- Toshirō Mifune in Conversation (1986, 61 mins, audio only): the legendary Japanese actor discusses his life and career in this interview with critic and writer David Shipman
- Treasures from the BFI National Archive (1947-1952): a selection of public information films exploring advances in healthcare in rural districts – Mother (1947, 16 mins), Doctor's Dilemma (1948, 1 min), and District Nurse (1952, 27 mins)
- **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Hayley Scanlon, on the music and the film’s composer by Charlie Brigden, an essay on actor Yūzō Kayama by James-Masaki Ryan and writing on the short films by Yuriko Hamaguchi