Takashi Shimura on Blu-ray

[ShellOilJunior]

Chances are if you've seen a few Japanese films on blu-ray (especially from Criterion) you've seen a Takashi Shimura performance. Either in a main role (Seven Samurai) or in the background (High and Low). Shimura seems to always bring integrity to his roles.

Let's hope this list continues to grow as more films like Ikiru and Stray Dog are finally announced. (Let me know if I'm missing any films)

Gojira https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Godzilla-Blu-ray/31499/
The Hidden Fortress https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-H...Blu-ray/49048/
High and Low https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/High-...Blu-ray/23144/
Kagemusha https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Kagemusha-Blu-ray/5596/
The Life of Oharu https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-L...Blu-ray/70519/
Rashomon https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Rashomon-Blu-ray/53148/
Samurai Trilogy (Duel at Ganryu Island) https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-S...Blu-ray/40561/
Seven Samurai https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Seven...-Blu-ray/7737/
Throne of Blood https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Thron...Blu-ray/88110/
Yojimbo/Sanjuro https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Yojim...-Blu-ray/8847/
Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsmen (Zatoichi and the Fugitive, Zatoichi's Conspiracy) https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Zatoi...Blu-ray/81690/

[Yojimbo]

Originally Posted by ShellOilJunior

Ikiru and Stray Dog

These are a couple of my most-wanted blus. Anxiously waiting...

[The Great Owl]

Takashi Shimura was amazing.

Stray Dog is my second favorite Akira Kurosawa movie after Seven Samurai, and it is my most eagerly awaited Blu-ray upgrade. I hope that it happens soon.

[MifuneFan]

He's my 2nd fav. Japanese actor other than you know who

He's simply great in everything he does

[Yojimbo]

There's not many actors that can pull on your heartstrings like Takashi Shimura in Ikiru. Gets me every time.

[Illy Scorsese]

Phenomenal Actor...

I've been waiting years for "Ikiru".

[ShellOilJunior]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

He's my 2nd fav. Japanese actor other than you know who

He's simply great in everything he does

Playing an old man in Ikiru (1952) then playing lead samurai Kambei in 1954's Seven Samurai - this is an incredible range!

[cakefactory]

Ikiru is the Kurosawa movie I haven't seen that I most want to, but I've been holding out on the assumption that it will be announced on bluray at any moment, upon which I'll just buy it! Knowing my luck it will be years.

[fred25_Ca]

I always though his greatest role was in Drunken Angel.

He was a great actor but he got type casted way too fast. He was incredible in Ikuru, Stray dog and Seven Samurai, obviously. But I always though that outside of those, he was often stuck just playing the wise old man (Gojira, Zatoichi, etc). Boring characters, unfortunately. And he deserved so much more, as proven by his past work. He could do anything. Like someone said above, his Ikiru character is so different from his Stray Dog or Seven Samurai or Drunken Angel ones. Such a versatile actor. But like most great actors, he was type casted which was a real shame.

His best role, the cynical drunken doctor in Drunken Angel, was remade how often since? Brad Douriff pretty much played the same role in Deadwood (in a career defining role, IMO).

I'd be surprised if someone can find any other roles (and very interested) he did outside of the early Kurosawa ones that were interesting. By that I mean characters you enjoy so much you'd like to follow a whole movie about them. I know I would with his Kambei. Or his Drunken Doctor. Or his Sherlock Holmes detective from Stray Dog. But his scientist role from Gojira? Or his wise old man from everything else? They can barely hold the viewer's interest as mere side characters. They definitely do not steal the thunder from the leads in their movies (Gojira himself, or Zatoichi).

[Partyslammer]

Off the top of my head, Takashi Shimura has small parts in the following Godzilla and other monster/sci-fi movies from Toho, almost always playing a benign senior scientist of some sort:

Godzilla Raids Again (reprises his role as Dr Yamane from Gojira in one scene)

The Mysterians (Scientist)

Mothra (Newspaper Editor)

Gorath (Dr Sonado)

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (Psychiatrist who almost administers electro shock therapy to the "alien princess")

Frankenstein Conquers the World (Surgeon/scientist in Hiroshima prologue)

[jayxrico]

Glad to hear that Takashi is getting more of his films on blu. Very big fan of his!