In this non-spoiler episode we discuss both Spike Lee's latest joint Highest 2 Lowest which sees the famed director reteaming with Denzel Washington in a reinterpretation of the classic Akira Kurosawa film from 1963: High and Low. We discuss the first half of both films, their differences and similarities in focus and execution of the same premise (taken from the novel King's Ransom: An 87th Precinct Mystery is a novel by Evan Hunter).

Tomorrow (Friday, August 29) we will premiere the spoiler section of our show and announce the next film we will be watching.

Works Cited

• "Akira Kurosawa: Composing Movement" (Every Frame a Painting, 2015)
• At the Movies (Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert, 1986-2010)
• Collateral (Michael Mann, 2004)
• Collateral Letterboxd review (esther, 2015)
• Django (Sergio Corbucci, 1966)
• Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
• A Fistful of Dollars (Sergio Leone, 1964)
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar North, 2004)
• Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)
• High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963)
• "High and Low (1963) - Modern trailer" (TheBurningArchive, 2024)
• "Highest 2 Lowest" (Aiyana-Lee, 2025)
• Highest 2 Lowest (Spike Lee, 2025)
• "Ice Spice's Highest 2 Lowest Cameo, Explained" (Brandon Zachary, 2025)
• Ichi the Killer (Takashi Miike, 2001)
• Inside Man (Spike Lee, 2006)
• Kill Bill (Quentin Tarantino, 2003, 2004)
• "Meet Aiyana-Lee, the Breakout Singer From Highest 2 Lowest" (Barry Levitt, 2025)
• Miami Vice (Michael Mann, 2006)
• Oldboy (Park Chan-Wook, 2003)
• Oldboy (Spike Lee, 2013)
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Robert Rodriguez, 2003)
• Public Enemies (Michael Mann, 2009)
• "Prisencolinensinainciusol" (Adriano Celentano, 1973)
• "Prisencolin (Americano Joint)" (Aiyana-Lee, 2025)
• "The reasons behind Adriano Celentano's songs in Highest 2 Lowest" (OnePress TV, 2025)
• "Spike Lee Made an Ad for Cryptocurrency ATMs and It's Bizarre" (Edward Ongweso, Jr., 2021)
• Stray Dog (Akira Kurosawa, 1949)
• Sukiyaki Western Django (Takashi Miike, 2007)
• Thief (Michael Mann, 1981)
• Throne of Blood (Akira Kurosawa, 1957)
• "Trunks" (A$AP Rocky, 2025)
• Tokyo Story (Yasujirō Ozu, 1953)
• Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa, 1961)

Find us elsewhere!

Ben Verschoor

• https://cinema-purgatorio.ghost.io/
• https://letterboxd.com/jamn4sure/
• @benverschoor.bsky.social

Steven Santana

• https://breakingarrows.substack.com/
• https://letterboxd.com/number8axel/
• @number8axel.bsky.social‬

Opening music is Root Beer Rag by Billy Joel

Closing music is G-Spot Tornado by Frank Zappa

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