Akira Kurosawa: The Japanese filmmaker Spielberg calls 'pictorial Shakespeare of our time'

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker who Steven Spielberg has referred to as the "pictorial Shakespeare of our time."

Even if you've never seen a film by Japanese director Kurosawa, his influence is unavoidable.

Hits like Star Wars, The Magnificent Seven and A Fistful of Dollars would not exist without his inspiration.

From October through December, nine of Kurosawa's most beloved films are returning to cinemas across New Zealand, including a brand-new 4K restoration of Seven Samurai.

Kurosawa was born in 1910 and directed 30 movies before his death in 1998. He orchestrated every aspect of his productions, from storyboarding and screenwriting to shooting and editing.

Perhaps best known for his samurai epics, Kurosawa's stories encompassed and questioned all facets of the human experience.

He initially studied as a painter, training an artistic eye that would later frame some of the most breathtaking shots in the history of cinema.

In 1990, Kurosawa was recognised with an honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, presented to him by fellow filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

Spielberg called Kurosawa the "greatest living filmmaker" and "one of the few true visionaries ever to work in our medium".

To dissect his artistry and influence, RNZ producer and film critic Sam Hollis speaks to David Desser, emeritus professor of cinema studies at the University of Illinois, founding editor of the Journal of Japanese and Korean Cinema and author of The Samurai Films of Akira Kurosawa.