Rent Stray Dog for FREE

Start your 30 day FREE trial » Find out more

+70,000 other titles and counting

NO late fees or long term contracts - cancel anytime
FREE first class post for DVD, Blu-ray & Games rental
1000's of films to stream instantly to your PC, TV or PS3^TM at no extra cost

Stray Dog Reviews

1949

70
from 2307 members

Akira Kurosawa's "Stray Dog" is a masterful mix of film noir and police thriller set on the sweltering mean streets of Occupied Tokyo. When rookie detective Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his pistol stolen from his pocket while on a bus, his frantic attempts to track down the thief lead him to an illegal weapons market in the .. Read more

Starring	Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Awaji, Isao Kimura
Director	Akira Kurosawa
Genres	Drama, World Cinema

Sign up Stray Dog DVD

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Critic's review of Stray Dog
View all (1)
- An early encounter between Kurosawa and two of his favourite actors, Mifune and Shimura, both playing detectives in... read more on Time Out
- 44759
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:15
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Stray Dog
View all members' reviews (12)
- - 10
  - 0
  Oddly compelling.
  
  Oddly compelling because the subject seems so contrived, but the Japanese are good at making contrived stories work. This has a less assured feel to it than the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 57512
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Mark Wilson
  - Armagh
  - 05 Dec 2004 at 18:20
Most recent members' reviews of Stray Dog
View all members' reviews (12)
- - 0
  - 0
  Stray Dog
  
  Kurosawa provides his own version of a gritty film noir. His first collaboration with Mifune where the latter plays an inexperienced detective whose gun is ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 848145
- - speedycritic
  - 17 reviews
  - Cardiff
  - 12 Jan 2010 at 01:24
- - 0
  - 2
  Just OK, now.
  
  Perhaps the fuss is about the departure of it then.
  
  Report this review
- 831295
- - Boatthink
  - 76 reviews
  - Burton
  - 15 Nov 2009 at 14:42
- - 3
  - 0
  Pistol Pickpocket packs punch
  
  Although Kurosawa had made several films before 'Stray Dog' this was the one that started to get a response from an International audience.
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 527283
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Charles Brickley
  - Andover, Hampshir England
  - 16 Feb 2008 at 19:28
- - 0
  - 0
  An excellent tale
  
  Akira Kurosawa doesn't need an introduction. Many will know him from the legendary epics, the Samurai films but this film is set in contemporary (at the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 281182
- - King Babar
  - Celesteville
  - 31 Aug 2006 at 20:40
- - 0
  - 0
  Great 1940's film-noir
  
  Akira Kurosawa's classic film-noir of a young cop who lost his gun paired with an older policeman. Probably heavily influencial to later filmmakers but ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 248851
- - NadeemF
  - 84 reviews
  - Saffron Walden
  - 26 May 2006 at 23:51
- - 4
  - 0
  Genius but a bit slow this time.
  
  Okay if you've never seen Kurosawa do so, anything he did before around 1960 is absolute gold. He IS the grandfather of all action film directing. That said... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 136937
- - a customer
  - Chestefield
  - 05 Aug 2005 at 19:32
- - 2
  - 0
  Spot the Dog
  
  This is the second Kurasawa film I have seen and contains most of what I loved about Seven Samurai. A great insight into post-war Japan this film takes a while ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 128029
- - Sean Wallace
  - Molesey, Surrey
  - 27 Jul 2005 at 12:06
- - 2
  - 1
  Classic
  
  Great film by a great director, the young cop and the wise old detective formula has appeared in plenty of good films since. If you haven't seen this you ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 320040
- - gready
  - Surrey
  - 23 Jan 2005 at 23:12
- - 10
  - 0
  Oddly compelling.
  
  Oddly compelling because the subject seems so contrived, but the Japanese are good at making contrived stories work. This has a less assured feel to it than the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 57512
- - Mark Wilson
  - Armagh
  - 05 Dec 2004 at 18:20
- - 2
  - 0
  This is a very well-...
  
  This is a very well-told story set in post-war Japan - no samurais anywhere. Kurosawa together with Mifune makes you feel the heat on the streets of Tokyo.
  
  Report this review
- 39913
- - Thomas#10
  - GLASGOW
  - 30 Jun 2004 at 23:37
View all members' reviews (12)

- - 10
  - 0
  Oddly compelling.
  
  Oddly compelling because the subject seems so contrived, but the Japanese are good at making contrived stories work. This has a less assured feel to it than the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 57512
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Mark Wilson
  - Armagh
  - 05 Dec 2004 at 18:20
- - 5
  - 2
  Excellent thriller
  
  Extremely well made with all the usual tensions of a thriller and the addition of Japanese culture for extra interest
  
  Report this review
- 5207
- - a customer
  - England
  - 29 Apr 2004 at 11:09
- - 4
  - 0
  Genius but a bit slow this time.
  
  Okay if you've never seen Kurosawa do so, anything he did before around 1960 is absolute gold. He IS the grandfather of all action film directing. That said... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 136937
- - a customer
  - Chestefield
  - 05 Aug 2005 at 19:32
- - 4
  - 0
  Unusual, neglected Kurosawa
  
  Set in post-war Japan, Kurosawa's first important film is a tight crime drama. Mifune plays a rookie homicide cop stricken by guilt after a gun he foolishly... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 302362
- - Grassmarket
  - Lothian
  - 07 Apr 2004 at 00:15
- - 3
  - 0
  Pistol Pickpocket packs punch
  
  Although Kurosawa had made several films before 'Stray Dog' this was the one that started to get a response from an International audience.
  
  ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 527283
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Charles Brickley
  - Andover, Hampshir England
  - 16 Feb 2008 at 19:28
- - 2
  - 0
  This is a very well-...
  
  This is a very well-told story set in post-war Japan - no samurais anywhere. Kurosawa together with Mifune makes you feel the heat on the streets of Tokyo.
  
  Report this review
- 39913
- - Thomas#10
  - GLASGOW
  - 30 Jun 2004 at 23:37
- - 2
  - 0
  Spot the Dog
  
  This is the second Kurasawa film I have seen and contains most of what I loved about Seven Samurai. A great insight into post-war Japan this film takes a while ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 128029
- - Sean Wallace
  - Molesey, Surrey
  - 27 Jul 2005 at 12:06
- - 2
  - 1
  Classic
  
  Great film by a great director, the young cop and the wise old detective formula has appeared in plenty of good films since. If you haven't seen this you ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 320040
- - gready
  - Surrey
  - 23 Jan 2005 at 23:12
- - 0
  - 0
  Great 1940's film-noir
  
  Akira Kurosawa's classic film-noir of a young cop who lost his gun paired with an older policeman. Probably heavily influencial to later filmmakers but ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 248851
- - NadeemF
  - 84 reviews
  - Saffron Walden
  - 26 May 2006 at 23:51
- - 0
  - 0
  An excellent tale
  
  Akira Kurosawa doesn't need an introduction. Many will know him from the legendary epics, the Samurai films but this film is set in contemporary (at the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 281182
- - King Babar
  - Celesteville
  - 31 Aug 2006 at 20:40

< Prev
1
2
Next >

Agree or disagree? Write your own review

Review title: Give it a rating:

Write your review:

Tips for writing helpful reviews

Only review titles you've actually seen!
Talk about what you liked and disliked
Compare this title with other similar titles
Provide plenty of detail - at least 20 words
Space things out - use blank lines between paragraphs.
Be appropriate - no adult content, libellous statements or naughty words
Don't SPAM! No promoting of other websites or services
Don't plaguerise! Your submission must be your own original work
Don't talk about LOVEFiLM by name

Give it a title:

Tips for an eye catching title

Don't just repeat the name of the title you're reviewing
Don't summarise your entire review in one word - a minimum of 2 words please.
Give people a reason to read your full review - create a sense of intrigue or curiosity!

Keep me anonymous Keep me anonymous Contains spoiler? This review contains spoilers (or might spoil it for someone who hasn't seen it yet)

New users register here

Email address:
Password:
Preferred user name:
I agree to LOVEFiLMs Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
I'd like to receive film news and reviews as well as info about all the other good stuff LOVEFiLM offers

Already a member? Sign in here

Email address:
Password:Forgotten password?

By clicking Preview review you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Stray Dog
  
  Akira Kurosawa's "Stray Dog" is a masterful mix of film noir and police thriller set on the sweltering mean streets of Occupied Tokyo. When rookie detective Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his pistol stolen from his pocket while on a bus, his frantic attempts to track down the thief lead him to an ...