Maxim Gorky’s ‘The Lower depths’ attracted two of cinema’s greatest practitioners to its pages. Just as Jean Renoir’s ‘Les Bas Fonds’ was a very French adaptation, so Kurosawa’s film is quite specifically Japanese, with Gorky’s Moscow slums transposing easily (and faithfully) to Kurosawa’s stylised Tokyo hovel. The resulting ensemble piece displays the director’s technical virtuosity and his ability to draw outstanding performances from his cast. Stars Toshiro Mifune. From the play by Maxim Gorky. Japanese with English subtitles.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
304191
Language
Japanese
Subject categories
Feature films → Feature films - Japan
Literature → Russian literature - Film and video adaptations
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)