High and Low Budget

What is the budget of High and Low?

"High and Low," a drama released in 1963, was directed by Akira Kurosawa and stars Toshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai. The production budget was $250,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of the 1960s.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:

• Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
• Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
• Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
• Development: alt=A headshot of a young Evan Hunter| High and Lows screenplay was co-written by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, and Ryūzō Kikushima.

What were the major cost factors in High and Low?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "High and Low."

• Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
• Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
• Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.

How Does High and Low's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $250,000, High and Low sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

• The Kid (1921): Budget $250,000, Worldwide Gross $5,450,000
• Rashomon (1950): Budget $250,000, Worldwide Gross $117,668
• Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare (2025): Budget $250,000, Worldwide Gross $1,561,361
• Terrifier 2 (2022): Budget $250,000, Worldwide Gross $15,741,780
• Shiva Baby (2021): Budget $250,000, Worldwide Gross $359,247

The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

High and Low Box Office Performance

"High and Low" earned $46,808 domestically. Against a production budget of $250,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.

A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "High and Low," that break-even threshold was roughly $500,000. With worldwide earnings of $46,808, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.

• Production Budget: $250,000
• Worldwide Gross: $46,808
• Net Return: −$203,192
• ROI: approximately -81.3%

At -81.3%, "High and Low" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.

High and Low Production History

alt=A headshot of a young Evan Hunter| High and Lows screenplay was co-written by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, and Ryūzō Kikushima. The story is based on Evan Hunter's novel King's Ransom (1959). Toho purchased the rights to adapt the novel in 1961 for $5,000.

High and Low was scored by Masaru Satō,his eighth collaboration with Akira Kurosawa. The film includes music from The H-Man (1958), also by Satō, such as "The Magic Begins" sung by Yumi Shirakawa. The opening titles feature a slow mambo, which is used as a tone-setter and thereafter used sparingly throughout the rest of the film.

Awards and Recognition

3 wins & 3 nominations total