Listing the Masters

To kick things off, I wanna start by thinking out loud a little bit and listing a few of the leading forces behind East Asian film today. The list of influential filmmakers is so long; this small group are just a few of my personal favorite, and whose works I'll end up focusing primarily on. 

AKIRA KUROSAWA

Works: Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Ikiru, Yojimbo, Ran, Throne of Blood, Dreams, ...

Country of origin: Japan

Born: 23 March 1910

Death: 6 September 1998

Occupation: Director, screenwriter, editor, producer

The godfather of Asian filmmakers, Kurosawa is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential directors in history. He established now text-book techniques, like the wipe, axial cut, and cutting on motion. Focused heavily on the lifestyle of the Japanese samurai, creating many of the first great epics. Received a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award and was named "Asian of the Century" by CNN. Needless to say, his vision paved the way for Asian and Western filmmakers alike.

YASUJIRO OZU

Works: Tokyo Story, Late Spring, Floating Weeds, An Autumn Afternoon, ...

Country of origin: Japan

Born: 12 December 1903

Death: 12 December 1963

Occupation: Director, screenwriter

Ozu, known mostly for his magnum opus Tokyo Story, was a master of depicting emotion through solely imagery, a skill in which he developed through an extensive career during the silent era. Focusing primarily of the relationships of people from different generations, Ozu's unique technical style was so subtle that it took years after his death for people to fully grasp and appreciate this man's accomplishments. 

TAKESHI KITANO

Works: Hana-bi, Sonatine, Kikujiro, Boiling Point, A Scene at the Sea, Dolls, Zatoichi, Kids Return, Outrage, ...

Country of Origin: Japan

Born: 18 January, 1947

Occupation: Director, actor, screenwriter, editor, producer

"Beat" Takeshi Kitano is one of the leading auteurs still active in the Asian film industry today. His works span a broad horizon, ranging from his trilogy of avant garde memoirs to his remake of the prolific samurai Zatoichi. Kitano is most renowned for his film's depicting the lifestyles of the yakuza. Using his established dead-pan and his keenness for black comedy, Kitano's style is like none other. His risque plot content and aptness for sudden brutal violence are not for the faint of heart, and have driven many Japanese away. But Kitano is an arthouse master, never failing to satisfy or surprise.

HAYAO MIYAZAKI

Works: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Porco Rosso, Laputa, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, ...

Country of origin: Japan

Born: 5 January 1941

Occupation: Director, screenwriter, character designer

Miyazaki is a legendary, prolific anime director behind films that have influenced people around the world for decades. Known for the immense details of his worlds and the characters within them, Miyazaki's style and his striving tone of simple beauty create the perfect escape. Considered his masterpiece among masterpieces, Spirited Away won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Miyazaki, besides Kurosawa, is the most internationally well known Asian filmmaker and continues to inspire people today. He often touches on themes involving the environment and its relationship with humans. Hayao has one of the largest followings in film today.

JOE HISAISHI

Works: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Hana-bi, Sonatine, Welcome to Dongmakgol, When the Last Sword is Drawn, A Scene by the Sea, Dolls

Country of origin: Japan

Born: 6 December 1950

Occupation: Composer, musical director, arranger, conductor

Joe Hisaishi (or Mamoru Fujisawa) is one of the most established and respected score composers in the history of cinema. Over four decades, Hisaishi has composed scores for over 100 films. Most famously, Hisaishi has collaborated regularly with Hayao Miyazaki and Takeshi Kitano (until their falling out during the production of Dolls). Hisaishi's style and tone of music is absolutely singular, employing musical elements of minimalist, electronic, and Japanese culture throughout many of his works. He is often accredited to the immense successes of his employer's work. Many firmly state that films such as Hana-bi and Spirited Away are only as powerful as they are because of Hisaishi's score. Typically consisting of strings and a piano base, Hisaishi's music is a powerful force throughout each film in his extensive filmography.

HUO HSIAO HSIEN

Works: A City of Sadness, The Puppetmaster, Cute Girls, Flowers of Shanghai, One Day in Taipei

Country of origin: Taiwan

Born: 8 April 1947

Occupation: Director

Huo Hsiao Hsien is an award-winning Taiwanese filmmaker and a leading figure in the Taiwan New Wave movement. Often using very nihilistic techniques with overly long shots and minimal camera movement, Huo's style is decidedly elliptical. He often focuses on events in Taiwan's past and people's reaction to China's influence.

EDWARD YANG

Works: Yi Yi, The Terrorizers, Taipei Story, Mahjong, A Confucian Confusion, A Brighter Summer Day

Country of origin: Taiwan

Born: 6 November 1947

Death: 29 June 2007

Occupation: Director, screenwriter

Yang was a leading member of the Taiwan New Wave cinema movement and focused primarily on the relationship between new and old traditions and the relationships between inner city families. Yang lived in Taipei his entire life and thus chronicled many of the city's largest issues through his films. His most famous work Yi Yi won him the Best Director award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

ZHANG YIMOU

Works: To Live, Raise the Red Lantern, Not One Less, The Story of Qiu Ju, Ju Dou, Hero, House of Flying Daggers

Country of origin: China

Born: 14 November 1951

Occupation: Director, producer, cinematographer

Yimou is one of the most decorated and renowned Chinese filmmakers. His films, many collaborating with actress Gong Li, have won and been nominated for numerous awards at the Cannes and Venice film festivals. He is specifically known for using wide arrays of bright colors in his cinematography in his concubine films like Raise the Red Lantern and his wuxia films Hero and House of Flying Daggers.

PARK CHAN-WOOK

Works: Oldboy, Joint Security Area, Thirst, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance

Country of origin: South Korea

Born: 23 August 1963

Occupation: Director, screenwriter, producer

Many people are already beginning to shout the word "auteur" as Korean director Park continues to churn out film after impressive film. His immensely dark tone and mature contexts have made him one of the most popular Korean directors in history. His cult classic Oldboy nabbed him the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. His films are immaculately framed and brutally stunning in their visuals.