Kurosawa

Starring:Sam Shepard, Akira Kurosawa, Paul Scofield, Isuzu Yamada, Machiko KyÃ´, Clint Eastwood, Masahiko Kumada, Stephen Prince, James Coburn, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hiromichi Horikawa, Tadao Sato, Hisao Kurosawa, Shuichi Kato, Donald Richie, Kon Ichikawa, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kazuko Kurosawa, Teruyo Nogami
Director: Adam Low
Studio: Wellspring
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the greatest of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village are seeking protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal.

Kurosawa masterfully composed his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion. While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of character development, requiring all of its 2-hour, 37-minute running time to illuminate every essential detail of villagers and samurai alike, including an abundance of humor as Kambei's defense plan unfolds. In terms of its overall impact, Seven Samurai spawned dozens of copycat films (notably the American Western remake The Magnificent Seven) and cannot be adequately summarized by even the most comprehensive synopsis; it must be seen to be fully appreciated, and the Criterion Collection's 2006 DVD reissue is an essential addition to any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
According to the accompanying booklet, "the picture has been slightly window-boxed (in correct original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors." The two-disc format was necessary "to maintain optimal image quality throughout the compression process," with dual-layered DVD-9's encoded "at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included." The picture and sound quality are simply amazing compared to Criterion's one-disc release from 1998. The all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfer takes full advantage of HD's clarity and crispness, resulting in picture detail far surpassing the previous DVD. This also applies to the soundtrack, presented in optional Dolby surround in addition to the remastered original mono track. The new transfer "was mastered in 2k resolution from a duplicate negative created with wetgate processing from the original fine-grain master positive" (the film's original negative is no longer available), and "several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratch, and grain management."

The complete 207-minute film is accompanied by two full-length commentary tracks, including a new track combining the critical insights of film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Price (author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa), Tony Rayns, and the dean of Japanese film experts, Donald Richie (author of The Films of Akira Kurosawa). Each scholar is given approximately 40 minutes of film-time, and their commentaries represent a unique opportunity to appreciate Seven Samurai from distinct yet complementary critical perspectives. The commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck (from Criterion's original 1988 laserdisc release) remains useful as a thorough analysis of Seven Samurai, primarily in terms of visual composition.

The 50-minute "making of" documentary, from Japan's 2002 Toho Masterworks TV series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create emphasizes Kurosawa's collaboration with co-screenwriters Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, including production footage, crewmember interviews, and a reverent visit to the rural inn where Seven Samurai was written over a six-week period of intense seclusion. The two-hour "My Life in Cinema" interview with Kurosawa was recorded in 1993, with fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima serving as a gentle admirer, colleague, and well-informed historian of Kurosawa's career. "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences" is a richly informative documentary that places Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context, examining its place in the jidai-gecki (swordplay) genre, its accurate depiction of samurai codes and traditions, and its stature as the prototype for many films that followed. The lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet includes eight brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, each written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet). Also included is a reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a conversation recorded in 1993. Taken as a whole, the remastered three-disc Seven Samurai ranks as one of the finest DVD sets ever released. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A Classic Movie.......2007-07-05

This is a good classic movie. The battle action scene was all right. I expected more action but was satisfied by few scenes. I wish the movie could be all put on one disk so that I don't have to reload the second half. This is good for my classic library collection.

spectacular and incomparable............2007-06-30

I finally did it. I watched SEVEN SAMURAI, directed by Akira Kurosawa. The first thing that came to my mind after viewing the film was, "Why did I wait so long?" For me, I have no argument with any of the past critics (Pauline Kael, Siskel & Ebert, or the slew of consumers on Amazon). There is a reason that this magnificent film, by Kurosawa, has been given such high praise, dating all the way back to its release in 1954, when it rightfully received the Venice Film Festival Silver Lion, and was later voted One of the Top Ten Best Films of All Time in the 1992 Sight and Sound International Film Directors' Poll. Gene Siskel calls it "One of the greatest films ever made. The film that was transformed into the popular western The Magnificent Seven." [That's another film I have waited far too long to watch!]

SEVEN SAMURAI truly has something for everyone, and in its full 208 minutes of glory, the scenes fly by way too quickly. This remarkable story, based on Japanese history, depicts 16th century Japan, in the wake of a very turbulent chapter in the nation's past. Peasants and farmers are starving at the hand of ruthless bandits, who are raping and pillaging their rice fields (as well as their people). Who can save them, but a group of seven bold men [the title's samurai] leading a group of locals into battle, to take on these evil men. There are moments that are laugh out loud hilarious, followed by great dramatic and action-packed scenes (yes, this is a violent film--but, I am sure, judging from the title, that doesn't surprise you), and even some romance. The dazzling cast includes Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune (YOJIMBO), as well as Takashi Shimura (IKIRU).

What makes this film stand out so much (aside from the wonderful acting and engaging story) is the innovation in cinematography that was incredibly progressive for the time that it was made (the 1950s). This includes bold use of slow motion, a rapid moving camera and long-lens photography. When my mom was looking over my shoulder, ever so often, she remarked that she could have sworn that this film was shot in color. I can see why she thought that. The beautiful attention to light and shadow make you feel the color that the actors and crew must have seen, when they made this. I saw shades of gold, blue, and red (what with all the bloodshed) as I was watching this. You just have to watch the film to understand what I'm talking about. I really don't want to ruin the experience for you. I hope to see the DVD transfer of this, because I have heard it is far superior to the VHS version. That's hard to even imagine, for me, because this film sparkles on videotape! Please watch this and don't wait as long as I did to enjoy SEVEN SAMURAI for the exceptional film that it is. [As a note to all people weary of subtitles: You won't even notice them! This film will make you feel like you understand Japanese, almost. Visually, this is a film that has the power to transcend all cultural and language boundaries.]

A must see.......2007-06-27

Personally, I'm not a fan of b&w films, but this one is by far one of my favorites. Though it is long, it's well worth the time spent watching it, in my humble opinion.

The Seven Samurai.......2007-06-26

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Kurosawa's brutal, invigorating martial classic concerns the all-important code of honor among feudal Japan's warrior caste. Both Shimura and Kurosawa regular Mifune, playing a loudmouth rube posing as a member of the elite military class, give towering performances among a robust cast. As in John Ford's Westerns, Kurosawa carefully delineates each of his characters before unleashing the lurid battle sequences, the likes of which have yet to be equaled on-screen: the town raid, ferocious clashes on horseback, and barbaric hand-to-hand melees. Few films have even a fraction of the fluid visual power and visceral intensity of "Samurai," truly an essential work of cinema history.

Fantastic..........2007-05-29

I'm hooked on this director right now. I watched The Hidden Fortress first and decided to buy Seven Samurai after being blown away by the directing of the movie.

Seven Samurai is all it is blown up to be. The detail of character development was right on. The story was simple and yet it kept you interested and excited for the full 3+hours that it lasted. The fight scenes weren't as violent as i expected it to be, but the skills were all there. fantastic cast. I'm going to get more of this directors movies now. Red Beard has caught my eye...

Average customer rating:

Cinematic bliss
beautiful epic......
Ran - a masterpiece by the master
Seriously pales in comparison with his earlier work.
A Masterwork By A Master Artist

Ran - Criterion Collection
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai , Akira Terao , Jinpachi Nezu , Daisuke Ryu , and Mieko Harada
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BB14YY
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Amazon.com essential video

As critic Roger Ebert observed in his original review of Ran, this epic tragedy might have been attempted by a younger director, but only the Japanese master Akira Kurosawa, who made the film at age 75, could bring the requisite experience and maturity to this stunning interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. It's a film for the ages--one of the few genuine screen masterpieces--and arguably serves as an artistic summation of the great director's career. In this version of the Shakespeare tragedy, the king is a 16th-century warlord (Tatsuya Nakadai as Lord Hidetora) who decides to retire and divide his kingdom evenly among his three sons. When one son defiantly objects out of loyalty to his father and warns of inevitable sibling rivalry, he is banished and the kingdom is awarded to his compliant siblings. The loyal son's fears are valid: a duplicitous power struggle ensues and the aging warlord witnesses a maelstrom of horrifying death and destruction. Although the film is slow to establish its story, it's clear that Kurosawa, who planned and painstakingly designed the production for 10 years before filming began, was charting a meticulous and tightly formalized dramatic strategy. As familial tensions rise and betrayal sends Lord Hidetora into the throes of escalating madness, Ran (the title is the Japanese character for "chaos" or "rebellion") reaches a fever pitch through epic battles and a fortress assault that is simply one of the most amazing sequences on film. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Cinematic bliss.......2007-07-02

This is the ultimate classic by Akira Kurosawa. Here the brilliant director closes out his illustrious career with the most grandest of achievements. He spent a decade in the production of this beautifully noble piece, and it definitely doesn't disappoint.
Ran (loosely translated as chaos or rebellion) is a harrowing account of the ruination of humanity, in many regards. Kurosawa paints a dazzling portrait of this occurring within a family of warlords. With a dark sort of elegance he quickly builds momentum, as the father tells his three sons he is handing over control of his vast armies to them.
This immediately causes concerns and quarrels amongst the siblings, which eventually erupts into a bloody war. And believe me, this spectacular fight scene has got to be one of the most incredible moments in movie history. I was blown away! I quickly compared it to Speilberg's grand war scene early in Saving Private Ryan. There are so many similarities, with all the bloodshed and chaos. There also is a moment where a warrior was holding his severed arm during battle, exactly like in that WWII film. So I'm pretty sure Mr. Speilberg was heavily influenced by this movie.
Another reason this entire scene sticks out in my mind is the musical score playing during the fighting. There are no other sounds, just the composition and the horrific images. It is so entrancing! Then the music is abruptly consumed by the sound of bullets, one of which connects and kills one of the brothers.
Man, I'm telling you, this is one of the most impressive moments I've ever seen in any movie. The plot then continues with heavy themes of family, loss, betrayal, greed, and compassion.
So, as you can tell, I'm in love with this movie. BIG TIME. I would strongly reccommend you indulge yourself in this masterpiece.

beautiful epic.............2007-07-02

RAN, directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1985 at the age of seventy-five, is truly an amazing and soaring film masterpiece. The gorgeous cinematography looked like it was lifted directly out of 16th century Japanese screens. What's more, the numerous instances of violence, interspersed with fabulously well-acted scenes, are so beautiful, sylistically, they look more like seamlessly choreographed [and very violent] dance interludes. The colors (reds, yellows, blues) all glow as if from another world.

RAN (English translation: WRETCHEDNESS) is a Japanese version of Shakespeare's KING LEAR, and Kurosawa brilliantly interweaves the original plot [of family inheritance and betrayal] with his own examination of family loyalty and deception. The Great Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), ascending into his declining years, decides to divide his kingdom into three parts, between his three sons, Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). While the two older heirs, Taro and Jiro, proceed to bestow false praise on him, only to deceive him later, his youngest, Saburo, warns him, early in the story, of the grim reality of human deception [particularly the deception that his brothers are luring his father with]. In anger, Hidetora throws Saburo out of the kingdom for being insolent and disrespectful. Unfortunately, the young man's observations ring true when his brothers attempt to completely drive their father out of the kingdom and assert total domination of his estate. This drives their elderly father into complete insanity.

Ultimately, this is a very tragic story, but it is beautifully told in such a way that you are left with a great appreciation of the majesty of the beautiful aesthetics, the great acting, and even moments of great, unbridled humor. Particularly, Hidetora's fool, Kyoami (Shiinnosuke "Peter" Ikehata") breaks the tensions of this tragic tale with little songs and dances [before the real violence erupts, of course, and then he is running for his life along wiht Hidetora and Saburo]. This film has been compared with SEVEN SAMURAI as one of Kurosawa's best works of all time. I would agree that it is one of the best ones. Both films are exemplary for different reasons. While RAN utilized color, light and dramatic intensity in depicting this violent portrait of the downfall of a royal family, SEVEN SAMURAI masterfully showcased cutting edge camera tricks, shadow and light [to give the ILLUSION that it was shot in color], as well as wonderful acting.

As a final note, this wonderful film which was the recipient of many film awards (including an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film) is rated R for a very good reason. As I said before, it is very violent and bloody (this includes a decapitation, scenes of combat with bows and arrows sticking out of people's backs, eyes, legs and other appendages, and gunfire) and there is a scene of suggested sex. Nevertheless, the scenes of numerous fatal battle scenes are filmed so beautifully that they truly are in a class by themselves. A gorgeous soundtrack envelops the sounds of excessive bloodshed, early on, and it is almost hypnotic to watch. Don't miss out on this amazing work of cinematic art.

Ran - a masterpiece by the master.......2007-06-18

The film has been around as an arthouse favourite for years but this new dvd version add so much - full interviews and background makes the film come to life. This legendary director deservedly carries the title as a Master in Japan and should have been declared a Living Treasure in his lifetime.
I am going to order the other movies by the master as well!

Seriously pales in comparison with his earlier work........2007-06-17

Kurosawa used theatricality as a crutch in his late works. Ran is best viewed as an exercise in No drama taken to Hollywood levels. As such, it is tedious but interesting.

A Masterwork By A Master Artist.......2007-06-09

Born in 1910 Japan, Akira Kurosawa first studied painting before moving into film in the late 1930s. A well-known director in Japan throughout the 1940s, his 1950 production of RASHOMON launched him to international acclaim--and throughout the remainder of his long career he was widely acknowledged as among the world's greatest film directors, the creator of such films as THE SEVEN SAMURAI, THRONE OF BLOOD, and YOJIMBO. Released in 1985, RAN would be among his final films and is generally felt to be among his finest.

Kurosawa often borrowed plot lines from Western literature, and with RAN--the Japanese word translates loosely as chaos--he lifted the basic story from William Shakespeare's KING LEAR. In Kurosawa's retelling, the Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) divides his kingdom between three sons: Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). When youngest son Saburo upbraids his father for foolishness, Hidetora banishes him--only to find Taro and Jiro turning against him just as Saburo predicted. Kurosawa shapes the Shakespearean story to 16th Century Japan, so it would be easy to belabor comparison with the original; at the same time, however, it is worth pointing out that he actually captures the story more effectively than any western filmmaker has to date.

As in many Kurosawa films, RAN alternates moments of great stillness with rapacious action, enclosed spaces with wide vistas. In stillness, the film focuses upon its actors and their intrigues--perhaps most notably the perfidious Lady Kaede, a truly dark character frighteningly realized by actress Mieko Harada. Indeed, all the cast is remarkably fine. But the great centerpiece, and the great performance, of the film is Tatsuya Nakadai's Lord Hidetora, whose mixture of good intention and folly leads first to humiliation and then to madness. Perhaps the single most stunning moment of the film occurs when Hidetora, betrayed by his sons, walks down the tower steps of the third castle following a vicious battle. It is difficult to imagine many actors who could perform such a scene; it is equally difficult to imagine many directors who could stage it.

Few directors are able to convey the sense of chaos, destruction, and fear with which Kurosawa endows battle scenes, and RAN is no exception. There are several, and the battle of the third castle (in which Hidetora is bested by sons Taro and Jiro) is easily among the finest battle sequences of Kurosawa's career. Presented without any sound except a simple, eloquent music score, flash-cutting between different groups in the struggle, the result is a unique mixture of beauty and horror--and in my opinion unequaled by any other film I've seen.

It should be noted that RAN, unlike RASHOMON, THRONE OF BLOOD, YOJIMBO and many other Kurosawa films, is in color. I have long been used to the remarkable shading of Kurosawa's black and white films, and I missed it--but only for a moment. Kurosawa proves no less adept in color than in black and white, and RAN's use of color is remarkable. For this reason I particularly recommend the Criterion Collection edition of the film over any other; it is very fine. But regardless of the particular version, this is a film which must be seen by any one who appreciates Asian or world cinema, truly a masterwork by a great master.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Average customer rating:

Stunning Color and Inspiring Imagery
my introduction to Kurosawa.......
Foreign films can be different, but nice.
Visions of Harmony
yawn

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (Sub)
Starring: Akira Terao , Mitsuko Baisho , Toshie Negishi , Mieko Harada , and Mitsunori Isaki
Director: Akira Kurosawa , and Ishirô Honda
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Rashomon - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00007G1ZC
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

Produced with assistance from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Dreams is an omnibus of eight short stories and parables that spell enchantment at every turn. The opening story, "Sun Under the Rain," emerges from director Akira Kurosawa's personal memories, as a child (whose house is modeled after Kurosawa's childhood home in Koishikawa) witnesses a fox's wedding ceremony in a magical forest. The Garden of Eden motif continues in "The Peach Orchard," while Lucas's ILM special effects group shines in the glorious "Crows" segment, in which an art admirer finds himself living within the paintings of Van Gogh (played with concentrated energy by Kurosawa enthusiast Martin Scorsese). In the idyllic closing fable, "The Village of the Watermills," a centenarian claims that "people nowadays have forgotten that they are also part of nature." The equally wise Kurosawa reinforces the old man's claim through these vivid but ultimately life-affirming tableaux. --Kevin Mulhall

Description

One of the most visionary, deeply personal works in the 60-year career of the master behind Rashomon, The Seven Samurai and Ran. Featuring eight episodes rich in imagery and insight (and casting MARTIN SCORSESE as a feisty Vincent Van Gogh), it explores the costs of war, the perils of nuclear power and especially humankind's need to harmonize with nature. You will be enchanted ... and enthralled.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning Color and Inspiring Imagery.......2007-07-04

I wish I were eloquent enough to convey just how much I loved and apprecciated the feelings this movie evoked in me when I watched it the first time. Each dream or vignette is distinct and yet somehow connected. My favorite was the 'peach orchard' segment. It was so stunningly beautiful it brought me to tears. The colors were unparalleled and the message was clearly yet sensitively conveyed. It is not a movie with the traditional beginning, middle and end. It is separate 'dream' sequences that fit together in an unusual but highly effective way. I love all of Kurosawa's movies, but this is a special piece I will hold in my heart forever.

my introduction to Kurosawa..............2007-06-27

I first became familiar with the wonderful work of filmmaker Akira Kurosawa with his DREAMS. It was a required film in my non-western art course. For starters, many of these eight vignettes feel directly inspired and lifted out of Japanese screen art. They start off in a very engaging way and then end very abruptly (not unlike real-life dreams). They leave you wanting more and it is often pretty frustrating because you are just getting lost in the stories when they come to a close. They are inspired by Kurosawa's childhood, Japanese folklore and Van Gogh's cornfield painting (among other storylines). The short stories are brilliantly shot and the colors are breathtaking. It's a shame that I didn't see this on the big screen. If this is ever re-released in the movie theater, I would have to go see it! In the meantime, viewers, please don't miss out on this film. It's wonderful and poignant.

Foreign films can be different, but nice. .......2007-04-21

This is a very avant-guarde movie; very different from your typical modern film. It is actually a series of eight short movies depicting a dream. Given an even chance, and a little time to think outside the expectations of a typical modern movie; I think this movie can be quite entertaining and thought-provoking. It is fascinating to explore the mysterious world of dreams, as doctors Freud and Jung have so impressed upon modern society. The color and Japanese feel of this movie are a tribute to the artistic talents of the reknowned director.

Visions of Harmony.......2007-04-16

I was advised by a friend that "Akira Kurosawa's Dreams" were just a series of pretty pictures without much meaning. I was prepared to just enjoy the cinematography but I came away with an appreciation of a kaleidescope of vision that tells of harmony with nature and one another. I don't necessarily concur with the whole concept expressed in the movie but I'd rather watch this than "An Inconvenient Truth" any day.

There are eight seemingly independent vision (dreams) that subtly tie together to give the director's vision clarity and impact. The first story tells of the dangers of disobeying the laws of nature; even those we totally depend on cannot always help us when we break this taboo. The second tells of the danger of destroying natural things that not only benefit our lives but improve the quality of it as well. Once destroyed, natural treasures may only be found in dreams. The third story tells of how man is helpless against the powerful forces of nature. The fourth episode reminds us of humanity's self-destructive nature.

In a break in the logical process, the fifth episode reminds us of humanity's ability to create and understand beauty and harmony. The path shown, in other words, can be altered within our own capabilities. The sixth episode returns to the potential self destruction of humanity and the seventh shows how that same self-destruction can not only destroy ourselves but all of nature as well. The final episode leads us back to a beginning point where, with a new attitude, the predicted doom and gloom need not happen.

All scenes are exceptionally well created on film. The color, the impressionism, the gloom, all underscore Kurosawa's message. Indeed, if you don't care for the message, don't skip this film. Watch it to appreciate the technical talents of Kurosawa and his cameramen, artists, set designers etc.. Whether one is an adherant to the theory of Global Warming or other theories of apocalypse, it is hard not to appreciate the beauty of one man's artistic effort to make his statement. It is coherent and profound unlike the politcal cacaphony of all sides of these issues.

yawn.......2007-04-09

guess my attention span isn't sufficient to appreciate this.
long waits for any action.
the visuals are stunning at intervals and are worth the price
of admission.

Average customer rating:

"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell"
Not a "whodunnit"
A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history
Required viewing at most film schools
The Worst Movie I've Ever Seen

Rashomon - Criterion Collection
Starring: Minoru Chiaki , Fumiko Homma , Daisuke Kato , Machiko Kyo , and Toshiro Mifune
Director: Akira Kurosawa
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Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
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ASIN: B00003CXC6
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com essential video

This 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa is more than a classic: it's a cinematic archetype that has served as a template for many a film since. (Its most direct influence was on a Western remake, The Outrage, starring Paul Newman and directed by Martin Ritt.) In essence, the facts surrounding a rape and murder are told from four different and contradictory points of view, suggesting the nature of truth is something less than absolute. The cast, headed by Kurosawa's favorite actor, Toshiro Mifune, is superb. --Tom Keogh

Description

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife. Toshiro Mifune gives another commanding performance in the eloquent masterwork that revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema to the world.

Customer Reviews:

"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell".......2007-06-05

I usually watch many kinds of different movies, but I wasn't a fan of old Asian movies, at least not until a friend lent me this beautiful classic, directed by Akira Kurosawa. Now I know what I was missing...

"Rashomon" (1950), shot in black and white, is nothing short of stunning. The first scenes show us a priest and a woodcutter taking refuge in an old temple, in order to escape from the heavy rain. A third man shows up, and they start talking about a recent crime that troubles them. Despite the fact that these men were at the trial in which those involved were judged, they don't have a clue regarding what happened, due to the fact that they hear very different versions of the events that took place that fateful day. Will the truth ever be found out? And is there such a thing as truth, or an objective point of view?

This is the first film by Kurosawa I have watched, but it won't be my last. Highly recommended ! And... thanks, Rubén :)

- Belen Alcat, June 2007 -

Not a "whodunnit".......2007-05-19

Kurosawa's use of multiple points of view allows him to highlight the interpretive agendas of the various "tellers" of the story. There is no one "true" version that the viewer is supposed to be able piece together from the narratives. Rather, the story is about the way in which no one interpretation will explain the events adequately. The meta-narrative of the story is what's at stake for each of the tellers that make them tell differently.

Tojomaru, the bandit. All at stake for him is his reputation as a bad guy. He knows he's doomed, and that he'll probably be executed, so his story embellishes his reputation. He says he fights, subdues and rapes the wife, then fights and kills the husband because the wife demands it. He fights fairly, and, in spite of the wife's role in urging him on, only because he wants to. In his version, he must kill the husband, but is then betrayed by the wife, so in some sense he has been wronged.

Masago, the wife. She has two interconnected motives: she needs revenge and appeasement of guilt. As a victim of a rape, she was shamed before both her husband and the bandit. She must try to exact revenge on the bandit, yet her husband spurns her as she tries to seek this revenge. In order to receive satisfaction, she must incite the fight (as she is reported doing in every version). It is important that in her version, the two men aren't actually seen fighting, because her agenda is to take the blame for the death of her husband away from herself. She deals with this by simply losing consciousness, then waking and finding her husband dead and the bandit gone.

Takehiro, the husband. This one is primarily driven by his culpability. He got himself tied up and then killed. He has to explain it somehow in honorable terms. It's very important that his story does not include a fight with the bandit. The husband was vain and proud, and losing the fight would be quite dishonorable. His version ends in suicide, as he owns up to his failures - but only after rejecting his wife (by not running after her), who "let herself get raped."

The woodcutter. Although his version is the most complex, having elements of all the others, his main motive is simple: to avoid being asked where the knife is (he denies having seen it at the inquest). Yet he is torn, repeatedly saying "That's a lie" to all the other stories. When he finally does tell his whole version, he describes the players as being full of pity, regret, fear and horror: all emotions that he must have gone through while watching the encounter. Further, his story must include a fight between the two men (which is disorganized and messy, concluding with "I don't want to die!"), because the husband must die by a sword wound and not a dagger. At the end, the wanderer gets the woodcutter to all but confess to having taken the dagger. Whether he took it from the husband's chest or picked it up from the ground is not known, but watch Takashi Shimura's face at the moment the medium speaks of having the dagger pulled out. The expression is one of horror, but is it horror over his own actions?

The woodcutter has both the most and the least to hide. His "crime" was being a witness, and then stealing evidence; he may be impeding justice by more or less corroborating the bandit's story - i.e., a "non-dagger death." Yet this impediment might not be that significant, considering Tajomaru's reputation and likely fate anyway. He must hide the fact that he's a thief, yet we can believe that he'd put the money gotten from the theft to good use. After all, he has six mouths to feed. I guess I distrust him the least, and believe that his lie hurts the fewest people. I suppose I'm highlighting what I value in the character (and in life) by making this interpretive decision. And that's why I also don't mind the ending (which some have felt is sentimental or out of step with the tenor of the film). In taking the abandoned child home, the woodcutter is compensating for his ill-gotten gains, and thus restoring balance to his karma.

But just maybe the woodcutter saw nothing (as in his first telling), and his second version was a fantasy of his own creation, made to appease the enormous guilt he feels at stealing the dagger. As the wanderer says, "We all want to forget something, so we create stories. It's easier that way."

A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history.......2007-04-11

Sometime during the 12th century in Japan, three men, a woodcutter, a commoner and a priest, find themselves under the ruin of the Rashomon as they seek shelter from the heavy rain. As they wait for a break in the weather, they discuss the trial of the bandit Tajomaru, accused of killing the samurai Takehiro after having raped his wife. But was it what truely happened? The more we listen to the witnesses, the further we seem to drift away from the truth....

As I read reviews here and there, I quickly realized that there were basically two sides: the enthusiasts (the majority), some of which almost implying that there just can't be anything to complain about since this movie is widely considered as one of the most important in cinema history. And then there are those who are quick to argue that this movie is overrated, even boring. So, are the former just name-droppers in select parties, hoping to pass for the artsy-witsy type? Or are the latter either ignorant or trying to be hipper than hip by going against the greater number's judgement?

I think the main issue here is that those two sides just aren't talking about the same aspects of the movie. If there's one thing that's undeniable about Rashomon, the movie that truely revealed its director to the world, earning him a Golden Lion in 1951 at the Venice Film Festial and a honorary award at the Oscars, is that at the time of its release, this movie broke grounds both technically and in terms of story-telling. Maybe the most famous of those technical "innovations" is the pointing of the camera directly at the sun: to us now, it may comes as completely anticlimatic, but this was breaking one of the biggest taboos at the time

But maybe the one aspect of this movie that immediatly impressed the most was the storytelling, this presentation of several perceptions on what happened that fateful day, leading us only to accept in the end that the factual truth, because we couldn't experience the events first hand but only through the eyes of the various witnesses who all played a part in them, is forever lost to us. Such use of subjectivity to present a singular fact to the audience, therefore shaking their confidence in what they have actually seen, continues to this day to influence movies. Surely, if Rashomon hadn't been made, another director would have done just the same, but the first happens to be Kurosawa, and whatever one's appreciation of this movie is, the fact remains that, for those reasons alone, it deserves our utmost respect

But does it deserve our love? Now that's the hard one. It is certainly not an emotionally engaging movie: you're never really brought to care for the characters, which is probably the one reason why I couldn't give it 5 stars, no matter how much of a piece of history that movie is: I just need to emotionally connect with a movie at some level to be fully engrossed in it, and Rashomon just doesn't do that for me. However, it definitely is an intellectually engaging movie, and relatively short. The multiple layers in the visual, the acting, the philosophical statements all almost make up completely for it, and it ends before the lack of emotional ties leads you to lose interest in the story

Also, if you are after a Kurosawa movie which will entertain you from the word go, you would be far better off watching "Seven Samurai" or even "The Hidden Fortress". Rashomon lacks this fun factor - on the surface: dwelve on it some and the irony of the woodcutter's second tale, between Tajomaru's child-like glances and the swordfight's parody, which come in direct contrast with the others' tales, and in particular Tajomaru's own, can definitely qualify as funny, although it is much more likely to bring a soft chuckle rather than an outright loud laugh out of you

You may be put off by other details: the lack of dialogues for one. I would however argue that more dialogues wouldn't have been necessary, nor would they have shed anymore light on the case. What the director wants us to know without being put into words transpires through clever camera work, precise use of space and of the elements the environment provides (weather conditions, light, shadows of the foliage, etc). What may also grate on your nerves is what may pass as overacting (in particular in Mifune's and Machiko Kyo's cases): that being said, for one, acting standards in Japan are slightly different from those in the West. What I mean by that is that what they consider good acting may often be considered as unnatural and overacting by us. There's also another explanation: we aren't witnessing the facts as they actually happened. In a sense, the characters involved in this deadly affair are all, as they testify, performing, hoping to convincingly present the events in a way that will best serve their interests and, in the words of the others, they are but mere puppets who are made acting to suit their needs. No wonder therefore that a sense of surreality permeates these performances

Another point that may be annoying is the lack of resolution: sure, the image the woodcutter walking away with the baby under sun that is at last shining forth provides for a hopeful note. But the movie, through the camera angle during the testimony scenes at the court, puts you in the position of the judge, of the person who is there to seek out the truth. Yet you are forced to admit in the end that you'll never find it

But then the next question should be: do we need to know? Tajomaru, whatever the role he played, has, from what we are told, killed other women already: even if his role in this affair remains unclear, his fate, now that he is in the hands of justice, shouldn't. The samurai's wife, whether she has encouraged this violent act or not, will live a life of shame, a fate maybe worse than death. The samurai will cannot be brought back to life anyway. As for the woodcutter, even if he has taken the dagger to resale it, his generosity towards the child certainly more than redeems the theft

Interestingly enough, Kurosawa, it seems, never thought of Rashomon as of one of his best movies. And as for myself, I tend to agree with that statement, if only because it isn't too engaging on an emotional level. Still, Rashomon remains a movie that should be watched by any aspiring film-maker as well as any person more or less interested in the art of film-making in general. But I would also definitely recommend it to anyone not afraid of rather depressing yet tinted with hope, philosophical statements, and willing to spend the necessary time to reflect on it afterwards and possibly treat themselves to more than one viewing

A last word on the DVD itself: I've only watched the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, and I don't think I'll ever need another one. The restored transfer's quality is absolutely superb, even though I am tempted to say that the image faired better than the sound. The translation, from what little I can judge, is adequate; I have, however, only listened to the English dubbing for a hanful of scenes, so I can't say much, apart that it seemed terribly out of sync sometimes. The extras are all insightful, be it Robert Altman's introduction, the documentary extract on Kazuo Miyagawa, the cinematographer, or the audio commentary by Donald Richie. Also, the booklet that accompanies the single disc contains the two short stories on which the script was based, which is a most welcome addition

Required viewing at most film schools.......2007-04-10

In the Bible, Pilate asks, "What is truth?" and, as Roger Bacon puts it, "would not stay for an answer."

I felt a bit the same way after seeing this remarkable film by Japan's celebrated film maker, Akira Kurosawa. It is set in 12th century Japan, and while most viewers would say it examines the nature of truth and finds it slippery, I think it more properly examines the nature of the feudal Japanese society.

We have as representatives of that society, a priest (Minuru Chiaki) and a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) sitting out a rain storm in a place called Rashomon. It might pass for a ruined Greek temple except that its pillars and roof are made of wood. The priest and the woodcutter declare that they just can't understand it. They shake their heads and stare at the ground. Along comes a commoner (Kichijiro Uedo), a cynical man who asks what it is that they cannot understand.

They have witnessed an investigation into the death of a samurai, Takehiro (Masayuki Mori). He is in some ways the equivalent of a medieval knight. He has a horse and lady, Masako (Machiko Kyo). The accused is an infamous outlaw named Tajomaru (played brilliantly by Toshiro Mifune, who obviously had a lot of fun with the part). He tells his story. He admits to having his way with the lady, but lets the court know that she liked it so much that she began to embrace him while her husband was tied up watching. Afterwards he says that she insisted that they fight over her. Tajomaru obliges. He cuts the rope holding Takehiro and they sword fight. Tajomaru wins.

Next the wife tells her story. It is different of course. This causes the court to get a medium (Fumiko Honma) to tell the story from the point of view of the dead Takehiro. His story is different yet again. Finally the woodcutter reveals to the priest and the commoner that he saw the whole thing, and he then gives his version, again different of course.

The commoner has some terrifically cynical lines. Here are three:

"It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves."

(To the priest:) "Not another sermon! I don't mind a lie if it's interesting."

"Man just wants to forget the bad stuff, and believe in the made-up good stuff. It's easier that way."

He speaks for the natural or animalistic man.

His counterpoint, the priest, opines, "If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell."

He speaks for moral man.

Near the end of the film a baby is discovered crying. The woodcutter, who has five or six children of his own, takes the baby home.

He represents civilized man.

Masako represents the samurai's view of the nature of women when she is heard to say, "A man has to make a woman his by his sword."

What impressed me most about this film is the way Kurosawa was able to create an emotional atmosphere in each of the sittings. "In the Grove" we feel the trees and the light that sparkles through the leaves, and the disturbed serenity. At Rashomon in the rain we feel the men isolated and waiting, and in the sterile court scene we feel the severity of the tragedy.

The Worst Movie I've Ever Seen.......2007-04-04

The Bandit is so obinoxious, it's not even funny, the movie hardly mean't be laughable anyway

Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

It's alright
Two prime examples of the mastery of Kurosawa in one great set!
The Incomparable Toshiro Mifune
!!!!Great Box set!!!!
Sterling Prints

Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection
Starring: Toshirô Mifune , Tatsuya Nakadai , Keiju Kobayashi , Yuzo Kayama , and Akihiko Hirata
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K0YM0Y
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Amazon.com

After Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo was released in 1961, the samurai film would never be the same. It's difficult for latter-day Western audiences to fully appreciate just how revolutionary Kurosawa's film was in its time; it had the same kind of popular impact that Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction had 33 years later, which is to say, it completely revolutionized its genre, and its influence continues to this day. With an emphasis on dark, delicious comedy, Kurosawa deliberately set out to overturn the conventions of chambara--or swordplay film--and he began by casting the great Toshiro Mifune in the role that would define his career. Unlike the samurai of previous films (including Kurosawa's own masterpiece, Seven Samurai), Sanjuro was an unkempt, down-and-out drifter, a masterless ronin and with time on his hands and nowhere to go. When he chances upon a corrupt, terror-stricken village where clashing merchants are engaged in a ruthless range war, Sanjuro amuses himself by playing both ends against the middle, offering his services as yojimbo (bodyguard) to both sides, then standing back to watch all hell break loose. It's a perfect game of wily deception, hugely popular with Japanese moviegoers as Mifune's performance gained iconic status. Yojimbo's international success was no less impressive; it eventually inspired two noteworthy remakes (Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western A Fistful of Dollars in 1964, and Walter Hill's mobster interpretation, Last Man Standing, in 1996), and remains one of Kurosawa's most popular classics.

A sequel was inevitable, and Kurosawa responded to public demand as only a true artist would, with the equally impressive Sanjuro, quite different from Yojimbo while allowing Mifune to reprise his signature role with a lighter comedic touch. This time, Sanjuro is recruited by a group of young, idealistic samurai to eliminate corruption in their clan, and in the process he completely subverts their overly reverent notions of "proper" samurai behavior. And while both Yojimbo and Sanjuro were milestones in movie violence (featuring the spurting geysers of arterial blood that would become a staple of chambara from this point forward), the calmer, more comically subdued Sanjuro actually boasts a higher body count, and both films rank among the finest examples of Kurosawa's peerless mastery of action.

The Criterion Collection's double-disc set is a must-have for any serious cinephile. Both films (also available separately) are presented with all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfers, representing (as in the case of Seven Samurai) a significant improvement over Criterion's previous DVD releases. Both films feature full-length commentaries by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince (with eloquent emphasis on camera movement and composition) in addition to retrospective documentaries culled from the priceless Japanese Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create, featuring illuminating interviews with many of Kurosawa's closest collaborators. Theatrical trailers and behind-the-scenes photo galleries are also included, along with new-and-improved subtitles, insightful booklet essays by critics Michael Sragow and Alexander Sesonske, and rarely seen production notes by Kurosawa and members of his casts & crew. With this two-disc reissue, Criterion's previous releases of Yojimbo and Sanjuro should now be considered officially obsolete. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

It's alright.......2007-05-02

After seeing Seven Samurai, this movie is OK, I was hoping more out of it, but it's OK.

Two prime examples of the mastery of Kurosawa in one great set!.......2007-03-12

The Clint Eastwood western A Fistful Of Dollars is the better known version of Akira Kurosawa's wonderful Yojimbo, but no matter how familiar you think you are with the plot of the Eastwood movie, Yojimbo has several surprises and cinematic treats (and special features) in store for you. Intrigue and conspiracy are two themes of Yojimbo and Sanjuro, the sequel which is also packaged in this wonderfully produced set, but in addition to the plot twists and skullduggery, there are thrilling and lightning-fast displays of samurai swordsmanship. Like all great movies, though, both Yojimbo and Sanjuro have elements of all kinds of storytelling, and this Criterion Collection edition puts these two excellent films on DVD in an excellent transfer. Worth the money, and an excellent addition to my movie collection!

The Incomparable Toshiro Mifune.......2007-03-09

Out of all of the incomparable Toshiro Mifune's films, Yojimbo and Sanjuro are possibly the most fun. Mifune certainly seems to be enjoying himself as he glowers his way through both films. If you are a fan of any kind of Chambara films you will almost certainly have seen these films previously. However, the presentation of these new Criterion editions is superb and the extra's are first rate. Yojimbo of course is the basis for Sergio Leone's Italian Westerns with Clint Eastwood, but I perfer the Japanese original. Kurasawa's direction if first rate as usual. The set is strongly recommended for anyone who has even a passing interest in the Chambara or "samurai" type film.

!!!!Great Box set!!!!.......2007-03-09

If you are a classic samurai film and Kurosawa fan owning this set is a must!

Sterling Prints.......2007-03-09

Two of Kurosawa's best have been re-released in pristine prints that convey the genius of the director and the richness of his cinematic vision.

Average customer rating:

Why not 7 stars?
PERFECT
Brilliant, Except for the Soundtrack
The Master does it again
One Of Kurosawa's Greatest Masterpieces: Just Outstanding!

Kagemusha - Criterion Collection
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai , Tsutomu Yamazaki , Kenichi Hagiwara , Jinpachi Nezu , and Hideji Otaki
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B00005JLEJ
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Amazon.com essential video

The 1970s were difficult years for the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Following the box-office failure of his 1970 film Dodes'ka-den and an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Kurosawa was unable to find financial backing in Japan, and he made his acclaimed 1975 film Dersu Uzala in Siberia with Russian financing. With only partial Japanese backing for his epic project Kagemusha, the 70-year-old master then found American support from George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, who served as coexecutive producers (through 20th Century Fox) for this magnificent 1980 production--to that date the most expensive film in Japanese history. Set in the late 16th century, Kagemusha centers on the Takeda clan, one of three warlord clans battling for control of Japan at the end of the feudal period. When Lord Shingen (Tatsuya Nakadai), head of the Takeda clan, is mortally wounded in battle and near death, he orders that his death be kept secret and that his "kagemusha"--or "shadow warrior"--take his place for a period of three years to prevent clan disruption and enemy takeover. The identical double is a petty thief (also played by Nakadai) spared from execution due to his uncanny resemblance to Lord Shingen--but his true identity cannot prevent the tides of fate from rising over the Takeda clan in a climactic scene of battlefield devastation. Through stunning visuals and meticulous attention to every physical and stylistic detail, Kurosawa made a film that restored his status as Japan's greatest filmmaker, and the success of Kagemusha enabled the director to make his 1985 masterpiece, Ran. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In his late color masterpiece Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) director Akira Kurosawa returned to the samurai film and to a primary theme of his celebrated career—the play between illusion and reality. Sumptuously reconstructing the splendor of feudal Japan and pageantry of war, Kurosawa creates a soaring historical epic that is also a somber meditation on the nature of power. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Kagemusha for the first time in its full-length version.

Customer Reviews:

Why not 7 stars?.......2007-03-09

Now this is CINEMA!

The Criterion Collection DVD is filled with extras, from original Japanese documentaries and interviews of the departed Kurosawa (with English subtitles, if needed) and a booklet containing scene sketches
by the Master himself, which help you to understand why his movies are so poetic and his photography so masterful.

The movie is presented uncut and in its full splendor. The sound is just a conventional Stereo, which is probably the original soundtrack.
Pity, because if there had been a Surround division of the channels, some very spectacular battle scenes would have been more involving.

But perhaps, Akira Kurosawa wanted precisely that, to avoid the viewer to be distracted by the fluff, and rather concentrate on the story he is trying to tell.

Also known in the Western hemisphere as "The Shadow Warrior", this is truly an Epic picture with a very beautiful and touching storyline.

This picture is the true and natural tie to other Kurosawa movies like "Seven Samurai", "Yojimbo", "Sanjuro" and "The Hidden Fortress".

Unlike "Throne of Blood" (adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth) and "Ran" (adaptation of King Lear), both also masterpieces, "Kagemusha" is an original Japanese story and gives a thorough insight of Japan in the 17th Century.

I always tought that Criterion was just out to steal our hard-earned money just for its name, but after having now bought Akira Kurosawa's "Ran", the present "Kagemusha", as well as Luchino Visconti's "The Leopard", I will stick to Criterion like CA Glue.

Although pricey, it is through and through, money totally well-spent, for the quality in DVD rendition (very clean and sharp transfers), very acceptable sound, although some more work on this would be nicer, especially with more recent movies.

Criterion has really proven that quality has its own price and believe me, I have never seen "Kagemusha" and "Ran" the way I have watched them on my flatscreen LCD HD TV.

Going to the movies nowadays, with a technology like High Definition TVs, has totally become obsolete.

DVDs, when properly treated and produced can knock out any movie theater in the world.

Thank you Criterion for the work of love you put in remastering and transferring such classics on DVD, not to mention the tons of extras you include with them.

Highly recommended and well worth its price.

PERFECT.......2007-02-10

I INITIALLY BEGAN WATCHING THIS MOVIE AT 11:30 PM. I WAS VERY TIRED AND INTENDED TO WATCH ONLY THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OR SO. WOW, WHAT A SURPRISE. I DIDEN'T GO TO BED UNTIL 2:30 AM. IT'S IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES. THIS REALLY SETS THE MOOD. THE COSTUMES, THE ACTING, THE SUSPENSE, THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE ACTORS, THE DRY HUMOR, THE ENTIRE MOVIE IS PERFECT. I FELT LIKE I STEPPED INTO A TIME MACHINE AND SPENT THREE HOURS IN OLD JAPAN.

Brilliant, Except for the Soundtrack.......2007-01-30

This is an extremely engaging film. Not fast paced, but you are really drawn into the characters and plot (most reviews have given a plot discription, I will will skip that). I found myself literally cringing each time something would happen that threatened to reveal the Shadow, and more than anything Kurosawa succeeds in showing how even in deep tragedy, dignity and honor DO count. THATS what makes this film. This isn't a simple 2-D battle movie, and I found the characters and story much more engaging and "human" than in Ran. The cinematography is also astounding, and acting supurb.

Now, the soundtrack --- YUCK! Western brass and annoying clarinets playing dippy transitions and "nails on blackboard" mariachi trumpets and fanfairs (Like something at a cheesy "Medieval Times" dinner show). During the final battle scene I was praying for the trumpets to end - the music in that scene made by toes curl. The much of the soundtrack actually detracts from the film. A simple taiko / shakuhachi mix would have been so much better (a lesson applied well in Ran).

My hope would be a remixing of a new soundtrack/score someday. The music brought the review from 5 to 4 stars.

The Master does it again.......2007-01-01

Akira Kurosawa is arguably Japan's most prolific film maker. His creative inspirations have resulted in such classics as The Seven Samurai, Red Beard, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, and Ikiru. His films have seen many remakes, including The Magnificent Seven, Last Man Standing, and A Fistful of Dollars. Star Wars characters R2D2 and C3PO are based off of Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. In a time when film was being revolutionized by such directors as Bergman and Felinni, Kurosawa soon became the third treasure of film. While Bergman explored existential philosophical elements in such films as Wild Strawberries and The Seventh Seal (Kurosawa would later explore existentialism in Ikiru), Kurosawa was making ready use of his own major sets, talented actors, and vast storylines that soon earned him worldwide recognition. In a career that included nearly thirty films, Kurosawa became a legend.

Life, however, was not always easy for the film director Francis Ford Coppola soon called The Master. Kagemusha, or the Shadow Warrior, is a testament to that.

Kagemusha literally translated is Shadow Warrior. Other than a really neat title, it also means Replacement. Which is exactly what this film is, a kind of twisted Prince and the Pauper fable set in the Warring States time period in Japan. I won't go into details about the general storyline- I recommend you IMDB that or look into Amazon's own description, but I am going to attempt to remain as objective as I can be, in hopes of convincing readers to at least see the film without imposing too much of my own personal bias into the topic.

As was previously stated, Kagemusha is more than simply a film. To Kurosawa, it meant the return from a five year hiatus of depression and lethargy. I believe he even tried to commit suicide, though don't quote me. At this point, the seventy-four year old director was without funds, and his attempt at a comeback was easily refuted by every movie studio he approached with the screenplay for Kagemusha. After the flood of samurai and martial arts epic films in the 1960's and 70's, movie companies were burnt out on the samurai concept. Kurosawa was told the film would gross little or no money, despite the seal the film would have on it from the director who made samurai films famous. Dejected, Kurosawa seemed without any resources, until two unlikely film makers came to his rescue. Colleagues Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas loaned Kurosawa the million and a half dollars he needed to launch his film. Signing on as assitant producers, these two brought Kurosawa back into the spotlight, and can be accredited for having laid a foundational hand in helping the director regain enough prestige to soon after create two of his most well-known films, Ran and Dreams.

Now, the film.

The response from many critics on Kagemusha focuses around one summarization: is the film good? Beyond- it's wonderful. But is it one of Kurosawa's better? No. While Kagemusha is in itself a brilliantly done film, it doesn't seem to live up to the standard of other Kurosawa samurai films, such as Rashomon(Which was later remade as Hero) and Throne of Blood. Francis Ford Coppola even commented on this himself, saying it is very difficult for a director to reinvent themselves in a genre that they are familiar with. As to whether or not Kurosawa had done this with Kagemusha, Coppola had no answer.

What makes Kagemusha a brilliant film? To begin, the story is phenomenal. The description on the back of the DVD says it's a meditation on power, and in this respect I believe they were entirely correct. While Ran, which came after Kagemusha, deals with the ideas of power corrupting, and the results it may have on a family or kingdom, Kagemusha deals with obsession and the nature of power itself. It's entirely philosophical in approach, yet it follows the basic Kurosawa model: "A good film must be interesting and enjoyable." Enjoyable it is, as Kurosawa's artistic eye comes out in beautiful display. When the screenplay for the film was originally rejected, Kurosawa painted watercolors of all of the scenes he envisioned. Many scenes within the film appear to be mirrored creations of those ideas, a still painting come to life. At one point in the film the protagonist suffers from a nightmare in which he is trapped in a lake of blood. The setting for this dream sequence is in a gigantic model canvas of a painting all in red. Another scene involves a messenger running through courtyards of soliders. Each new courtyard's soliders are arrayed in different colors of armor (One courtyard's men are all in deep green, while another in dark purple, and yet another in fire red); later in the film, as the troops march to war, the colors almost seem to mesh into one of Kurosawa's paintings. This technique was later used in Ran, but in a wholly original style for each of the two films.

That's another aspect of Kurosawa's films that make them so enjoyable- very few of the storylines have any similarities to one another. The characters are always well developed, the stories themselves original. From the crime thriller Stray Dog to the poignant scenes of Madadayo, Kurosawa always manages to keep a streak of originality in his works. Even the philosophical themes are different in each one- compare Kagemusha's reflection on power to Throne of Blood's. Both deal with the same topic; however, their approaches are entirely different.

What, then, made Kagemusha less of an acheivement in the eyes of critics and viewers alike? I honestly couldn't tell you. Perhaps they were expecting the epic battle sequences that Kurosawa was famous for; there is entirely nothing wrong with that. Who wouldn't want to see a colored version of the fight with the bandits from Seven Samurai, or Toshiro Mifune as Macbeth watching a forest of spears come alive? With respects to Kurosawa, however, there was purpose in everything he did. A director as meticulous as The Master, especially in his later years, viewed all of the elements- sebtextual and on the surface- of his story with a close eye. People looking for the superbly epic bloody battles he was famous for would do well to view Ran or Yojimbo, and probably want to save Kagemusha for when they are in a more reflective mood. To all who refute this, I am not saying Kurosawa does not deal with war in the film. The whole movie's basic storyline focuses around war; however, it is the fighting that he lays off of. Consider why his battle sequences rarely take place in the daytime, or why they are so short (usually less than a minute in length). However, look and see why he spends nearly ten minutes simply filming a march, or another long sequence detailing the after effects of war and battle. Kagemusha, unlike Ran, does not deal with the glory of battle; rather, it reflects on the horrors of war. In many senses, Kagemusha seems to lay the foundation for Ran. Even the lead actor, who played the double in Kagemusha went on the play King Lear in Ran(You will have to forgive me, I am terrible with remembering the exact names. Ran, by the way, is King Lear set in fuedal Japan, with the three daughters changed to three princes instead. The same is true with Throne of Blood being Macbeth.)

Is Kagemusha worth seeing? Absolutely. By any standard it is a superb film. Is it worth buying? I thought so, but remember I am a major Kurosawa fan. People who do not enjoy foriegn films so much, or have not had good introduction to Kurosawa would be recommended to either see some of his more mainstream films, or watch with the knowledge that better Kurosawa works are out there.

One Of Kurosawa's Greatest Masterpieces: Just Outstanding!.......2006-12-06

I have always liked the film "Kagemusha" ever since I watched it on the big screen. It is one of my favorite Kurosawa films. [And there are plently of his films I admire and have in my collection]. The films just an incredible watch, and I did not mind the length while viewing it in the theatre. Many have criticized that the film is too long, not so, it's terrific and every minute of the film is a treat to watch. The film is set in the 16th century, and centers on the Takeda clan, which was one of the three clans vying for control of Japan during the end of the feudal era.

Lord Shingen, wonderfully portrayed by (Tatsuya Nakadi), whose credits include 'RAN', and 'SWORD OF DOOM' to name just two films, does a wonderful portrayal as both Lord Shingen, and his double in the film. When Lord Shingen is wounded in battle, he orders all those in his court to keep quiet about his impending death, and that a 'Kagemusha' [Shadow Warrior] take his place for three years in order to prevent the demise of his clan, and the other enemy forces seeking control over Japan from taking over. His double is of course played by (Tatsuya Nakadi).

(Tatsuya Nakadai) is a petty criminal who is identical to the Lord Shingen. He was about to be executed, however, he is given a stay of execution as long as he does what he is told, and gives a performance of Lord Shingen, which everyone will accept. However, not everything goes as planned. The film is terrific, and the cinematography and set designs are incredible. This is not a fast action paced film, which many americans are used to, but a methodical and slow paced character study of the characters in the film. The nuances of the film are great, and as I wrote earlier, this is one of my favorite Kurosawa films, along with "Ikiru." I highly recommend this magnificent masterpiece of cinema, it is a truly great film and a must see. [Stars: 5+]

The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection

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The Hidden Fortress
Lucasfilms started here!!
It's all about the journey, not the destination
A Gentle Masterpiece
Early Kurosawa, epic adventure

The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection
Starring: Toshirô Mifune , Misa Uehara , Minoru Chiaki , Kamatari Fujiwara , and Takashi Shimura
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection
Yojimbo - Criterion Collection
Sanjuro - Criterion Collection
Rashomon - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00005B1ZL
Release Date: 2001-05-22

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In one of the many classic collaborations between director Akira Kurosawa and his leading man Toshirô Mifune, this 1958 film tells the story of a warrior and a princess trying against all odds to return to their homeland with their fortune. Along the way, they are simultaneously assisted and thwarted by two itinerant and not too bright farmers with their own designs on the treasure, giving the story a subtle comic bent. The Hidden Fortress combines an epic tale of struggle and honor with modern comic sensibilities, creating a masterful addition to world cinema. --Robert Lane

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