Japan launches Kurosawa digital archive

Fans of Japan's best-known director Akira Kurosawa now have access to an online treasure trove of thousands of photos, sketches and other materials from the film-maker's life.

A digital archive of 20,000 items went live on the internet this week, ranging from private photos and newspaper clippings to notes and sketches of movie scenes, the website's operator said on Wednesday.

The archive includes scripts with his scribbles and drawings of scene ideas as well as photos taken on the sets of Kurosawa classics such as The Seven Samurai, Kagemusha and other award-winning films.

Also on display are photos showing Kurosawa as a child on a rocking horse, relaxing as an adult at his Tokyo home, and dining on a trip to France.

The director died in 1998 aged 88.

The Japanese-language archive was launched by Kurosawa Production and Ryukoku University.

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