Emory Cinematheque: High and Low

Emory Cinematheque: High and Low Directed by Akira Kurosawa, 1963 | 143 min. Akira Kurosawa is best known for his innovative samurai films, but he took special pride in his contemporary dramas like Ikiru / Living (1952) and this masterful kidnapping detective thriller, recently reconfigured by Spike Lee as Higher 2 Lowest (2025). Immediately after shoe company executive Kingo Gondo (frequent collaborator Toshiro Mifune) mortgages everything to buy a controlling interest in his company, he faces a moral dilemma as to whether to pay an outrageous ransom for the kidnapping of his chauffeur’s son. Kurosawa, at this point fearless in his storytelling prowess, uses every cinematic technique at his disposal to produce a gripping, unpredictable, exhilarating film that is both intimate and epic in its scope. Free event and open to public