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A Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece High and Low will be remade by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington.
Apple Original Films and A24 will tackle the American version of High and Low, based on one of the most acclaimed films of all time. The original Japanese film is loosely based on the novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain, and follows a suspense story about the kidnapping of a driver’s son who is mistaken for the son of Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), the managing director of a shoe manufacturing company. The investigating police inspector is played by Tatsuya Nakadai, and the criminal is played by Tsutomu Yamazaki.
Director Lee and Washington have been interested in remaking High and Low since last spring, and it seems that the U.S. Writers Guild and U.S. Actors Guild strikes have interrupted the filming of Washington’s Gladiator sequel, giving them time to work out a concrete plan. Alan Fox and Lee co-wrote the script, and shooting is set to begin in March.
Kurosawa’s films have been inspired a surplus of remakes and direct homages in his name, one of the most notable one, Seven Samurai which inspired the American Western, The Magnificent Seven, also made an great impact on war epics and the modern structure of studio films, and in 2022, the British drama film, Living, is a remake of Kurosawa’s story of life and death, Ikiru. Even the Star Wars franchise owes its story of rebels breaching into enemy territory to The Hidden Fortress.
Retelling Kurosawa’s stories is common, but not always received with the warmest praise, as his rich filmography stands among the finest in cinematic history. Just in 2022, the British drama film, Living, is a remake of Kurosawa’s story of life and death, Ikiru. Even the Star Wars franchise owes its story of rebels breaching into enemy territory to The Hidden Fortress.
But this isn’t the first time for Spike Lee remaking a beloved international film from an Asian country, as Lee directed an American remake of the groundbreaking Park Chan-wook revenge thriller, Oldboy, unfortunately a film largely rejected by audiences and critics.
This will be the fifth time that Lee and Washington have teamed up, following Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, The Last Game, and Inside Man. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as Oldboy.