Sanshiro Sugata is Akira Kurosawa’s first film and it already displays the imprints of the artistic master he would become. He has already begun to employ the wipes that establish new scenes. He also shows a competence for framing shots and using a variety of camera angles. For example, there is a an impressive sequence in which he uses a shot of a discarded geta sandal show the passage of time as the environment changes, a cat toys with the strap, people pass by, and it is finally swept away by the spring floods. In one of the judo fight scenes he uses an aerial shot effectively to frame the shot of Sugata’s complete victory. There’s another interesting shot where the camera films a crowd at a match in deep focus behind a brass band. The story is the simple story of a judo wrestler that has to learn self-sacrifice and discipline to become a champion.
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