Before shooting began, J.J. Abrams gathered his entire crew to watch High and Low. Not because it was Star Wars, but because it was Kurosawa — which is the same thing. Kurosawa's command of camera movement, of how a frame tells the audience exactly where to look and how to feel, became the operational manual. Abrams cited this film explicitly in a 2015 DGA interview, acknowledging that The Force Awakens was his education in visual storytelling happening in real time. High and Low remains available on Criterion Channel.
Films That Influenced Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
