Akira Kurosawa is now considered one of the founding fathers of cinema, but you wouldn't know it from "Something Like An Autobiography." In this book, Kurosawa is surprisingly humble and humorous when describing his life, and keeps it interesting rather than lapsing into the mechanics of filmmaking.
Born to an old samurai family, Kurosawa was a bit of an ugly duckling -- he wasn't very bright or athletic, but he had a definite drive to learn and a distinct artistic sense. He ran into a few dead ends (like his flirtation with socialism) and didn't get into the Japanese army during WW2 (something he was quite grateful for). But then Kurosawa fell headlong into scriptwriting and directing -- something that would make him famous around the world.
Usually when people talk about Kurosawa, they mention "Star Wars." And yes, Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress" was a shaping influence on George Lucas. But Kurosawa gave the world plenty of other movie flourishes: the "wipe" effect between scenes, slow motion, pointing a camera at the sun, and many other things.
Kurosawa really gives insight into his heart and his artistry in this. Masterfully told, it's about the various parts of his life -- boyhood, adolescence, maturity, and everything in between. It's not about the making of each film, but mainly the things that were most memorable. After reading this, you'll have newfound respect for screenwriters and directors, and everything they struggle with.
But Kurosawa keeps a sense of humor about himself too. He admits frankly when he did something stupid or ignorant. And he relates some very funny anecdotes, such as his odd marriage proposal: "It looks as if we are going to lose the war, and if it comes to the point of the Honorable Death of the Hundred Million, we all have to die anyway. It's probably not a bad idea to find out what married life is like before that happens." Amazingly, despite a proposal like that, he got married. And in retrospect, Kurosawa seems entirely aware of how odd it sounds.
Kurosawa not only elaborates on his filmmaking, but his formative years as well -- a "slow" boy with a love of kendo and painting. His childhood was full of those events that seem insignificant to an adult, but he remembers them clearly as being deeply momentous at the time. He also describes his family as well -- his rebellious brother, sweet-natured mother, and strict father. One rather disappointing thing is about his wife, Yôko Yaguchi. He was married to Yaguchi for forty years and had two children with her, yet doesn't talk much about her.
Akira Kurosawa wrote a lively and engaging memoir in "Something Like An Autobiography. Honest, intriguing and insightful, it's a good read for anyone, not just movie buffs.