Kagemusha
1980
In this dazzling epic from Akira Kurosawa, a petty thief named Kagemusha (Tatsuya Nakadai) gets saved from a death sentence because he resembles the warlord Shingen Takeda (also Nakadai). The warlord has been fighting two other leaders for control of 16th-century Japan and impersonators often take his place during battles to .. Read more
| Starring | Tatsuya Nakadai, Kenichi Hagiwara, Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Ryu |
|---|---|
| Director | Akira Kurosawa |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
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Kagemusha
In this dazzling epic from Akira Kurosawa, a petty thief named Kagemusha (Tatsuya Nakadai) gets saved from a death sentence because he resembles the warlord Shingen Takeda (also Nakadai). The warlord has been fighting two other leaders for control of 16th-century Japan and impersonators often take his place during battles to put him out of harm's way. Because of Kagemusha's strong physical similarities to the warlord, he's a perfect choice for a "shadow warrior." However, the arrangement suddenly changes when Shingen gets fatally wounded while watching a battle. Adhering to Shingen's final wish, the warlord's men keep the death a secret, and Kagemusha struggles to transform himself from a criminal into a leader.
KAGEMUSHA marked a welcome return for the legendary director, who had not made a movie since 1974. Nakadai, a supporting player in earlier Kurosawa films, expertly portrays the leading role(s), almost always filled in the past by Toshiro Mifune. KAGEMUSHA also features the final screen appearance of longtime Kurosawa actor, Takashi Shimura. In order to help the film get an international release, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas served as executive producers.
| Starring | Tatsuya Nakadai, Kenichi Hagiwara, Takashi Shimura, Daisuke Ryu, Tsutomu Yamazaki |
|---|---|
| Director | Akira Kurosawa |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 33 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: Japanese |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 03 Jun 2002 Production year: 1980 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (4)
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Returning to direction after a five-year lay-off, the 70-year-old Akira Kurosawa proved that none of his powers had diminished with this sprawling, almost Shakespearean tale of court intrigue. Set during the civil wars of the 16th century, this is the most expensive picture ever made in Japan and won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Admittedly, it could stand some judicious cutting and one or two of the set pieces smack of scale for spectacle's sake. But Tatsuya Nakadai is outstanding as the thief who becomes a puppet ruler, while Kurosawa's use of colour and his camera control are faultless.
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Though acclaimed as a magnificent return to form, Kurosawa's first Japanese film since Dodes'ka-den is something of a... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
A real masterpiece
The explosion in CGI technology has meant it is now possible to show battle scenes with ..ooh..trillions of people. Trouble is, with one notable exception, they?ve looked just like sophisticated video games.
This film, made in 1980, was filmed in the old fashioned way and it far surpasses any of the CGI brigade in terms of realism and beauty. Kurosawa was only working with a few hundred extras yet he conjures up cinematic images - the retreating army silhouetted against a blood-red sky springs to mind - that remind you film can be an art-form. My biggest regret is that I wish I?d seen this on the big screen, The DVD copy is a fine wide-screen transfer but it can?t match the real cinematic experience.
The film is not without its faults; narrative structure was never the directors? strong-point. Some of the action is confusing, the acting is very theatrical in comparison with western styles, some of the characters behave inconsistently and there?s no sense of time in the thing ? the grandson doesn?t grow up at all in the three year time period; but, then again, this is not what the film is about.
Kurosawa doesn?t move his camera very much. In contrast with the edit and zoom ridden western way, the viewer is able to appreciate the glorious vistas he puts in front of them.
Some of you may find the film slow and theatrical, while others will love it to the level of pretentiousness (I know), but you can?t ignore its magnificence or, indeed, its relevance.
Just watch ?Lord of the Rings? ? the notable CGI exception I mentioned at the beginning. There are at least a couple of sequences in ?Kagemusha? that appear in almost identical fashion in Peter Jackson?s work. Methinks Mr Jackson owes Kurosawa a lot. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
A real masterpiece
The explosion in CGI technology has meant it is now possible to show battle scenes with ..ooh..trillions of people. Trouble is, with one notable exception, they?ve looked just like sophisticated video games.
This film, made in 1980, was filmed in the old fashioned way and it far surpasses any of the CGI brigade in terms of realism and beauty. Kurosawa was only working with a few hundred extras yet he conjures up cinematic images - the retreating army silhouetted against a blood-red sky springs to mind - that remind you film can be an art-form. My biggest regret is that I wish I?d seen this on the big screen, The DVD copy is a fine wide-screen transfer but it can?t match the real cinematic experience.
The film is not without its faults; narrative structure was never the directors? strong-point. Some of the action is confusing, the acting is very theatrical in comparison with western styles, some of the characters behave inconsistently and there?s no sense of time in the thing ? the grandson doesn?t grow up at all in the three year time period; but, then again, this is not what the film is about.
Kurosawa doesn?t move his camera very much. In contrast with the edit and zoom ridden western way, the viewer is able to appreciate the glorious vistas he puts in front of them.
Some of you may find the film slow and theatrical, while others will love it to the level of pretentiousness (I know), but you can?t ignore its magnificence or, indeed, its relevance.
Just watch ?Lord of the Rings? ? the notable CGI exception I mentioned at the beginning. There are at least a couple of sequences in ?Kagemusha? that appear in almost identical fashion in Peter Jackson?s work. Methinks Mr Jackson owes Kurosawa a lot. -
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