With all the The Duel.
Lucas has never been shy about his appreciation for the works of legendary Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa, which he enjoyed both in of a moviegoer seeing the film, and a director orchestrating it. There's a reason Star Wars is so filled with references to Kurosawa. In an interview for The Criterion Collection, Lucas states he found inspiration in Kurosawa's telling common stories in an unpretentious manner that was elevated by his "strong and unique" visual style. All of these techniques were used by Anime director Takanobu Mizuno in The Duel, and the effect is masterful.
Takanobu Mizuno's The Duel, which is the first episode of Disney's 2021 anthology series Star Wars: Visions, tells the story of Ronin, a mysterious figure wielding a red-bladed Sith lightsaber who stops for a rest in a feudal Japanese hamlet with his droid. Soon after his arrival, a commotion begins in the town center as Empire-like stormtroopers gather the townsfolk together to investigate who, among them, is leading the resistance to the mandate of the authorities. Suddenly, armed resistors launch an attack against the stormtroopers, which leads to the entrance of the Sith leader of the regiment. At this point, Ronin, who had been ignoring the prior situation with the stormtroopers, perks up and takes an interest. Before long, he's engaged in battle with the Sith to save himself and the village.
How The Duel Respects George Lucas' Vision For Star Wars
While The Duel's story doesn't break the great Kurosawa samurai films of old, all filmed in black-and-white, which forces directors to conjure visual effects other than color to satisfy the viewers.
Taken together, The Duel masterfully presents the an-age old story of good versus evil updated with an interesting science fiction plot that is presented in Kurosoawa's iconic visual style. Lucas would find it perfect, not only as a standalone example of good filmmaking but also as a story in the Star Wars universe.
Source: The Criterion Collection
