Skip to content
MovieCove

Takao Saitô

Cinematographer · Died December 6, 2014, aged 85 · Kyoto, Japan

Takao Saito (斎藤 孝雄 Saitō Takao, March 5, 1929 – December 6, 2014) was a Japanese cinematographer who frequently collaborated with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work in the film Ran (1985).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 5, 1929
Died
December 6, 2014 (aged 85)
From
Kyoto, Japan
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
14 on MovieCove · 32 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 7% in 30 days

What are Takao Saitô's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 99th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
27%
Survival
23%
Self
15%
Power
12%
Bonds
10%
Society
8%
Ideas
4%
Justice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 4

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 7

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
7
Contemplative
6
Dread
3
Warm
2
Tense
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Thought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Takao Saitô's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Takao Saitô's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

32 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • After the Rain(1999)

    Additional Director of Photography

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Rainbow Bridge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Madadayo(1993)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Rhapsody in August(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Dreams(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Oración (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • Secret Agreement: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secret Leak Incident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Cinematographer

  • Ran(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Maboroshi no mizuumi(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Shag (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • Falcons of Edo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 38 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Morning for Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Cinematographer

  • Epic Chushingura (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 52 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Dodes'ka-den(1970)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Red Lion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • Bullet Wound (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Cinematographer

  • My Brother, My Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Cinematographer

  • Kojiro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Cinematographer

  • The Killing Bottle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Cinematographer

  • The Mad Atlantic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Cinematographer

  • Raccoon Dog Leader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Cinematographer

  • Japan's No. 1 Sesame Paste Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Camera Technician

  • Red Beard(1965)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Samurai Pirate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Cinematographer

  • Legacy of the 500,000 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Cinematographer

  • High and Low(1963)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Irresponsible Age of Japan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Cinematographer

  • Sanjuro(1962)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Yojimbo(1961)

    First Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Bad Sleep Well(1960)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Seven Samurai(1954)

    First Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 32 titles from 1954 to 2000.

Biggest box office

Ran (1985)

$4.4M worldwide

Highest rated

High and Low (1963)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography28 of 32: 28 only cinematography, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score97thOther crew4 of 32: 4 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · crew1960s16 · crew1970s5 · crew1980s5 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Takao Saitô's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 98th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 97th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

95thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 14 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser3

Most divisive · cinematographer

Maboroshi no mizuumi (1982)

80th percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

High and Low (1963)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 87/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 90, detractors 70. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Takao Saitô's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and alcohol & drugs run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles22–75 · median 54 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles1–28 · median 6 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles2–27 · median 13 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles5–47 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles38–66 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Takao Saitô work with?

People who share at least 2 of Takao Saitô's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Akira Kurosawa shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers