Akira Kurosawa's

A great filmmaker who is often dubbed "The Greatest Japanese Filmmaker" by people who have never heard of Yasujiro Ozu. Directed approxamitely 32 films during his career that lasted from the early 1940s to his last film in 1993. His masterpieces include "Seven Samurai", "Rashomon", and "Ikiru", among many more. Highly influential to such American directors as George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg. His influence on international cinema is often taken for granted by modern viewers who have not the attention span to sit through a 3-hour movie without "realistic" violence and/or constant use of profanity.