Whilst America turned to mutant bug movies to deal with its atomic paranoia, Kurosawa’s Cold War response reflects the national mood in a more thoughtful manner. During a Tokyo heatwave, a despotic 70-year-old industrialist (Mifune) resolves to take action to save his family – whether they like it or not.

Duration:
103 minutes

Country of origin:
Japan

Year of production:
1955