027 4 Set in the latter part of his career , Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is a film made for sake of cinema . Only pure image , just pure sound . Movements of caracthers within the frame , the pace between shots , scenes and sequences is in such a way as to provide means of artistic contemplation . A testemony to the collective cinematic memory , this film ranks in the higher ends of cinema as an art form . A look should be done to the sequence dealing with a dream about Vincent Van Gogh . I believe we see here a perfect marriage between Painting an Cinema , as the warm pallette of the Dutch is superbely drawn upon the big screen . The pace is slow , all is there to be seen . An extraordinary film
034 4 A brilliant film . The movie is composed of eight dreams , however it flows very nicely , so there is never a sense of hesitation between each of the transitions . It was beautifully filmed and directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa and probably one of his best works ever . I highly recommend this film !
099 4 This movie is amazing ! I love how the scenery changes with the mood , while most directors just change the lighting and background music . Akira Kurosawa takes the art of movie making and takes it up to a whole other level of brilliance .
104 4 I love this movie , Kurosawa is such a master , so able to bring life to the screen . His fantastic use of color and placement along with the mysteries of the ancient Japanese culture make for a delightful viewing experience . Very dreamlike in its progress , this movie follows the changes of Kurosawa's dreams from youth to old age .
126 4 Cinematography like no other . Beautiful stuff . Like a live action haiku . I fully recommend it . No words . . . Dark and melencholy at times , sweet and lighthearted at others . I love this movie , and I hope you can have a chance to see it once . A triumph of a great director who has influenced some of the most well-known directors of our times .
140 4 There was a kid who's momma wouldn't let him in the house and another one who talked to peaches . There was a soldier and a mountain climber and a demon . The chemicals killed everybody but the old man took his time and that is why he was so happy . It was a great movie but I couldn't understand what they were saying .
143 4 Good as far creative film , but hard to watch if you are looking for a plot . I have had a few friends think I am crazy for buying these movies off amazon , but you don't know if they will make some sort of impact in you life until you watch them . Buy them all because the more you see the better perspective you have on the film industry and on life . . .
030 4 I saw this movie , Yume , which is more like a collection of 8 shorter vignette type cinematic experiences based on the dreams of Kurosawa , some good some nightmarish , on the whim of a self-confessed ' intellectual ' friend from Tokyo . The first time I went through the whole DVD with a very open mind but failed miserably to see the exalted direction or deep meaning that a Kurosawa movie is supposed to convey . Although I did notice the stunning visuals .
However , I have seen this movie about 2 - 3 times since , and I truly believe this is one of the most beautiful films ever made . I guess Japanese art may be growing on me a bit because a lot of their writing and filmmaking would seem to a non-native as a little , er , pointless . This movie , too , is characterized by extraordinary photography , and long periods during which very little occurs . There is no plot as such - a series of eight situations ( dreams ) which are virtually tableaux . From time to time people do things like dance in a stylized Japanese manner for a very long time .
A fare of this genre is perhaps not for everyone , definitely not for the masses because the masterly cinematography carries a lot of the story and Hollywood has brainwashed most of us into needing a lot of dialog or action . If that's what you're after , you won't find it here . But I am sure it will make you think about life .
Among other things , it has commmentary on war , the environment and the fragility of the earth . Overall , a very effecting and in the end hopeful movie . My DVD was still in original Japanese ( I had expected it to be a dubbed version ) and what little dialog there is , is subtitled for the English speaking viewers . The imagery though is absolutely lyrical and transcends language or geopolitical borders ! Needless to say , I am smitten with Kurosawa and have since seen IKIRU , RASHOMON and DERSU UZALA - - grand films by a master film artist .
One parting word of advice - - this film needs to be seen in the letterbox format as it was intended .
023 4 This is the purest movie I think I've ever seen . AKIRA KUROSAWA'S DREAMS consists of eight short stories that do indeed seem like dreams , or at least were seeded somewhere in the deep subconscious . They also seem to follow a rough chronology - the first story is about a very young boy who goes out to play on a day he shouldn't . The last is about an adult who visits a utopian village of water wheels .
I think they're pure movies because the visual content is so strong that if they were translated to any other venue , even the stage , they would probably fall apart . These stories can be appreciated for their openness to interpretation ( each story can be understood on more than one level ) or simply as a continuous wash of wonderful images . As usual , I find myself humbled and a little speechless in the face of Kurosawa's genius . Strongest recommendation .
048 4 I remember seeing this movie some 6 years ago on PBS ( a cultural / educational channel stationed here in New York ) . Not knowing what I was really watching , and also catching the film in the middle , I thought it was kind of wierd , yet very intriuging . I wanted to find out more about this movie and the director behind it .
At the time I didn't have a computer , so research was kind of limited or took lots of work ( you know what I mean ) . So I left the issue alone and concentrated on other things . Then one year later , DREAMS came on PBS again , and I happily watched it from start to finish . I have to say , this one of the best films I have seen ever . ( and I have seen a lot ! )
For one thing , This film DREAMS has opened my heart to foriegn-Japanese films and Japanese / Asian art as well .
In this film , Akira Kurosawa showed stunning visual perception and artistic quality you don't see very often in U.S . films . It was one of those art films that allows you take a mental and emotional journey into the mind and life of Kurosawa .
These are 8 beautifully , carefully shot and written stories that will move you in ways you never thought possible ( only if you allow it to . )
If you are ONLY into high-budget commercial American films that are only there to dull your brain and steal your money , then you might want to stay away from this powerful gem . But , I sincerely recommend anyone to give it a chance .
You're getting deep stories with abundant amount of heart and soul . If you're an open-minded individual , you won't regret checking it out .
P.S . ( If you love this movie then check out RAISE THE RED LANTERN . It's not directed by Kurosawa , but it's also a powerful and thought-provoking Asian art film . )
051 4 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 .
122 4 In just eight dreams , Akira Kurosawa managed to capture my attention and , most importantly , my heart . These many stories , some on the personal level individually and some on the personal level culturally , continue to evoke thought and emotion the whole way .
Amazingly , I can see these dreams in sections themselves . The first two , Sunshine Through the Rain and The Peach Orchard both involve a young Kurosawa ( we can assume ) . While Sunshine may take a dark and very depressing turn , Orchard offers some hope in its symbolic ending of the lone orchard and the young boy going after the girl .
The third dream , The Blizzard , seemed at first to me like a story all its own , but the book The Films of Akira Kurosawa , by Donald Richie , explains it as the tale of an adolescent Kurosawa , although I would prefer to guess it as a fictional mountain man Kurosawa as the next tale offers a fictional officer Kurosawa . ( again , to quote Richie ) Lost in a snow storm , the adolescent Kurosawa sees a yuki-onna , or snow-woman , who warms him until the storm lifts and it reveals their camp . When I first saw this tale I thought it was the slowest thing I had ever seen , but the second time it was far more fascinating . The sound affects are well done , and the shots of the pure white blizzard and dark shapes of the four struggling men became beautiful in a haunting manner . And , of course , the yuki-onna was a nice touch .
The fourth dream is called The Tunnel and shows us an officer Kurosawa returning from the war . As he walks through a long tunnel he is revisited by his former comrades-in-arms . . . who had been lost in the war . This reflects the inner feelings of many Japanese soldiers returning from WWII , feeling as if they had failed their nation and their friends , and the agony of returning defeated with no gain in sight .
The next few films take a young adult Kurosawa in different dream-like circumstances , most often as observer . To me , these are the most fascinating ones , as the Kurosawa character in each is more of an observer , asking characters in his dream at what is happening and why . Starting with Crows , Kurosawa actually ENTERS an Impressionist painting , heading off to meet Van Gogh in person . He continues to travel through different paintings as if they were real environments , which Kurosawa once explained in person he would often imagine himself doing when he looked upon great pieces of art . I have to confess that this sequence is a double-plus for me . . . not only is it done by my favorite film maker Akira Kurosawa , but Van Gogh is played by Martin Scorcese , another film maker I adore .
The next two sequences , Mount Fuji in Red and The Weeping Demon portray nightmares about a Japan that might be . The first is a more possible story about a nuclear fallout of Japan's nuclear power plants - which causes Mount Fuji to erupt and howl like an awakened god . Some consider this as nothing more than another anti-nuclear sentiment from Japan , but I believe it to be instead a classic Japanese nightmare of a horrible event happening on their island and they have no where to run to - a similar type of story was done in a 1960 ' s about Japan sinking into the sea and no one offering any aide to the survivors . Demon tells the story of Japan after a nuclear war , combining apocalyptic storytelling with Japanese legend . The Kurosawa character comes across a deformed man with one horn , called an oni but in actuality a victim of radiation . Society has become nothing but demons who eat each other based on a class system , but every night howling in pain caused by their horns . The shot of the entire oni race howling and walking about as humanity's doomed future is perhaps one of the most frightening shots I've seen on film .
The final dream , Village of the Watermills , is actually fairly positive after the last two . Kurosawa comes across a village of primitive people and has a chat with an old man fixing a new watermill . Much of it is the old man's philosophy on life and how society is going , including the efforts of science and technology .
While this film may not have the narrative storyline or be fast-paced enough for some , I have found this film to be very meditative . Some images , including the blizzard as well as the dance of the dolls , can be very hypnotic , and by the end of the film I even found myself watching during the credits to observe the plants in the water . Obviously this was a very personal work , but it is also a very moving one at that . It was also meditative in sense of emotion , for I feel so many different things watching this : I feel sadness in Sunshine , I feel sentimental in Tunnel , I feel horrified in Demon , and hopeful in Village . In being personal with himself , Kurosawa has made this film personal for the viewer . I am not Japanese , and I don't pretend to be , but I am also human - and human sentiment is what this film is all about .
036 4 If you love this film , and own either an official VHS issue or an off-the-air taping , forget about it and order this DVD now , before the supply is gone . The stunning imagery that enthralled you before is seen in its true glory in the DVD transfer - - and it won't fade or blur as the tape does - - and will . I couldn't be happier with this disc !
016 4 A film to watch over and over . The haunting quality of many of the scenes have stayed with me for years . ( I have the VHS version ) .
130 4 I saw this movie in a theater when it came out years ago . I've since then longed to own a VHS copy , but it never was available for under $ . . . Glad it's coming to DVD . . .
040 4 If you don't know Kurosawa's work , this film is an excellent start . If you like western movies , check out Kurosawa's samurai films . Who do you think brought the American western movies back to life ? Ever seen the Magnificent Seven ? You can thank Kurosawa for that . Not the film itself , just the story line and brilliant message . Dreams is an enchanting visual experience besides a commentary on war and humanity . Do yourself a favor and find out why western film makers have been stealing Kurosawa's chops for decades . Go to the original master source .
073 4 If God made movies , this is what they would look like . Words cannot do it justice .
046 4 I'm writing because I recently watched Akira Kurosawa's Dreams for the first time last night . My father , about fifteen years ago , showed this film as part of a seminar series on film appreciation . I had not attended it , but knew of its reputation . It had just released when he showed it . Although I didn't view the movie , I do remember one of the people who , after the movie ended , called it propaganda . I write this review because I , now , have seen the film and , having spent a lifetime paying attention to the cinema as an art form , feel more equipped to discuss that comment with some wisdom .
I understand more now about where he was going . Personally , I think he's full of trash . I get so sick of these idiots who are always trying to utilize self-interest in their opinions to stop others from making artistic expressions , or to foul-mouth an artwork to circumvent its internal message because it doesn't fit with the trend of business relations . Just because Kurosawa's movie depicts a regiment of dead soldiers doesn't mean it's propaganda . For someone to proclaim Dreams as merely propaganda is no more than just a way for that person to insert his own comment to pay no attention to the artistic value of the film . It talks about what the writer ( or auteur ) feels about the confrontation with nuclear holocaust , about being unable to affect the social state through megalomania , but instead only through a personalized human angle . That means Kurosawa is not a propagandist just because he mentions the deadly effects of nuclear holocaust like radiation and other diseases with which all of humanity should concern themselves as knowledge because he treats the subject from the human perspective without partisanship . There is no partisanship in this movie . It is simply a human angle discussing the thoughts of being confronted with something that would turn society upside down ; in Kurosawa's case , it is nuclear holocaust and war . It doesn't side with any politics or even talk about any politics . It is simply a story with a human angle . If that is a way to pass a message to people about nuclear war , then it's the viewers who invent that connection as a healthy relationship to their community or society . In other words , it's a necessary story , like a fairy tale , and not merely propaganda .
The Nazis were good at labeling things , and so are the American neo-conservatives . Can't such stupidity cease ? Perhaps it doesn't matter , since the movie exists whether any fool dismisses it publicly as propaganda even when it is not . After watching this film , I believe most people won't be thinking propaganda when they leave the theater ( or entertainment center ) . They'll be thinking about Kurosawa , as a man , and about his thoughts . Kurosawa has a right and a reason to make Dreams . The film is very interesting .
First , he was about 80 years old when he released this film . If he talks about nuclear holocaust , or any other humanistic view , it's because he cares about teaching people about his personal mistakes and teaching people about his life lessons . Eighty is very old , and it is much nearer the end of his life than it is to the beginning . This was his last artistic film . He died at 89 . If he were going to make any statement to the rest of humanity in retrospect of his life , it would look exactly like Dreams . Let's not mince up his meaning .
Second , he was Japan's greatest film maker . Japan endured a nuclear holocaust which the United States brought upon it . If an American says something like propaganda , he clearly doesn't understand and can't see the forest through [ his ] trees . Japan was a country of war in the forties . Japan has had to live with its conscience ever since that war partly because the U.S . used nuclear war against it . Wasn't Kurosawa a pilot in WWII who shot down several American planes ? He is thinking about how his life was affected by so many deaths in war ! After Japan's surrender in that war , their country has mostly become a country of what some would call nuclear conscientious objectors , a kind of conscientious objector most governments don't define as conscientious objectors . The country is self-consciously against the use of nuclear war because they have had to learn a lesson about it the hard way . That nation's largest director making a movie expressing his regrets in life through the depiction of nuclear war , or just war , makes sense as the feelings of an 80 - year-old Kurosawa who expresses a retrospect on main landmarks of his own life .
Third , he titled his work Dreams . One must understand that this title is a designation to people who have not seen it . It is an appropriate title because it summarizes the content . If someone goes to watch this movie , it makes no sense to run out screaming a label like propaganda . If it had any effect upon its viewers , it's because of the human angle and it will be doing its job . It is a faithful representation to only no more than precisely what it claims . It is a good film , and therefore there is an audience for it .
I am so sick of certain irresponsible people who recklessly label a movie as propaganda any time there's a serious discussion mentioning war . In a ten or fifteen minute segment of this film , viewers can completely relate to Kurosawa's intention and understand what is happening on the screen , partly because of its visuals and partly because of its dialogue . However , this film is a little minimalistic , and this agrees with me . This movie would not be any good if it were just a suspense film that treated nuclear holocaust like a casino crap out . There's nothing to make fun in a statement like this and no reason for that , so why dramatize it ? I understand the feelings and expressions and correctly interpret them as Kurosawa's thoughts and concerns over major parts of his life , a.k.a . dreams . I appreciate it . It's just too bad more people can't stand to see when someone else can make such a keen and insightful work of art !
001 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
Akira Kurosawa's dreams are better than mine . If this is what he saw when he closed his eyes , then I can understand how from that mind sprang the Seven Samurai and the rest .
Dreams is maybe the most personal , most Japanese of Kurosawa's films , and along with that it is perhaps the most difficult one for Western audiences to appreciate . This is saying nothing against Western audiences , but many of the themes and myths on display may not be familiar , and the imagery and metaphors may be lost without the appropriate background . I definitely appreciated it more after living in Japan , and becoming familiar with the countries folklore and literary story-telling style . Hina Dolls , the Yuki Onna , the mountain villiges like islands of tradition amongst concrete modern Japan . . .
Dreams is beautiful , on a purely visual level . The cinematography is exquisite and the colors and light are displayed with the eye of a painter . It is appropriate that Van Gogh plays a role in one of the many dreams . Like Van Gogh , the stories in Dreams are expressionistic and vivid , yet with the subdued emotions that is the hallmark of Japanese literature . This is not the wild , raw statement of a younger Kurosawa .
Story-wise , the dreams play with the themes of death and loss , both human and of nature . The displacement of Japanese forests , the lack of safety standards at nuclear power plants , the loss of traditional Japan , the pointless loss of lives in war . . . melancholy themes at best . Yet at the end , hope is offered , in a small nook and cranny , like a flower blooming amongst concrete .
The DVD itself is a small disappointment , and I would rather have this belong to the Criterion Collection , but better to have it than not have it .
002 4 Akira Kurosawa's dreams are better than mine . If this is what he saw when he closed his eyes , then I can understand how from that mind sprang the Seven Samurai and the rest .
Dreams is maybe the most personal , most Japanese of Kurosawa's films , and along with that it is perhaps the most difficult one for Western audiences to appreciate . This is saying nothing against Western audiences , but many of the themes and myths on display may not be familiar , and the imagery and metaphors may be lost without the appropriate background . I definitely appreciated it more after living in Japan , and becoming familiar with the countries folklore and literary story-telling style . Hina Dolls , the Yuki Onna , the mountain villiges like islands of tradition amongst concrete modern Japan . . .
Dreams is beautiful , on a purely visual level . The cinematography is exquisite and the colors and light are displayed with the eye of a painter . It is appropriate that Van Gogh plays a role in one of the many dreams . Like Van Gogh , the stories in Dreams are expressionistic and vivid , yet with the subdued emotions that is the hallmark of Japanese literature . This is not the wild , raw statement of a younger Kurosawa .
Story-wise , the dreams play with the themes of death and loss , both human and of nature . The displacement of Japanese forests , the lack of safety standards at nuclear power plants , the loss of traditional Japan , the pointless loss of lives in war . . . melancholy themes at best . Yet at the end , hope is offered , in a small nook and cranny , like a flower blooming amongst concrete .
The DVD itself is a small disappointment , and I would rather have this belong to the Criterion Collection , but better to have it than not have it .
003 4 This film has in it some of the most beautiful cinematagrophy I have ever seen . If reviews where it is criticised as being slow or arrested worry you as to whether you should rent or buy it I would judge it like this : if the thought of walking through an art gallery and taking several minutes to sit or stand in front of some pictures to fully study and appreciate their beauty seems slow or arrested to you then you might not like it , if you can imagine yourself enjoying watching an expresionist / art noveau / surrealist set of pictures come to life on your tv screen then you might like it . I am dissapointed in those critics who can't imagine the medium of movies having value unless they are built around a fast paced linear plot line . These are the same people who probably think poetry is a bunch of rubbish and Finnegan's Wake is an unreadable waste of time . I hope and pray and fantasize that the studio that owns the rights to this movie will release it in greater numbers , drop the price , and ( glory of all glorys ) release it on dvd . It is one of the greatest movies of one of the greatest directors of all time and should be more accesible .
004 4 With an eight-stories sequence , Kurosawa expresses the magic of chilhood , the importance of perseverance and resistance , the beauty created by Van Gogh , war and atomic menace unleashed spreading their horror , and , last but maybe most important , hope an joy when the travel finishes . A film not to be seen once but many times , and getting amazed on each .
005 4 I love this Film ! It contains eight Dreams , Sunshine Through the Rain , The Peach Orchard , The Blizzard , The Tunnel , Crows , Mount Fuji in Red , The Weeping Demon and Village of the Watermills . Every Dream is unique , beautifull and Breathtaking .
The Dreams shows us how destructive humans are towards the nature and ourselves . Kurosawa criticizes the past , the presence and the future .
Kurosawa ( not the real kurosawa ) plays in every Dream , from when he was a child in Sunshine through the Rain to when he is old and visits the Village of the Watermills .
All in all This is the best film ever and my personal favorite Kurosawa film . Its Beauty is so splendid and I loved every single Dream . I encourage everyone in the world to watch this film . The Masters Masterpiece
006 4 One of Kurosawa's strengths as a sensei / master of cinema is his political use of the medium . Dreams , while nothing short of visual spectaculars , gives us a moral perspective of the artist through his luscious dreams . There are anti-war ( The Tunnel ) and anti-nuclear power vignettes ( Mount Fuji in Red , followed by The Weeping Demon ) and concerns about environtal conservation ( The Peach Orchard . ) There are other goodies as well : Japanese folklores meet the wild imaginations of young Akira ( Sunshine through Rainbow ; the brilliant Blizzard ) and the preachy ideals of an old man most reviews here comment on ( Village of the Watermills . )
What I treasure , as a Kurosawa fan for life , is the very personal glimpses the film allows into the older Kurosawa . It gives me terrible shudders to hear Van Gogh ( an okay performance by Scorsese ) say , I don't have much time left to paint . But it is comforting to reach the film's end and listen with Akira Terao at the centenarian's suggestion of happy funerals , if only to know that the sensei does not reject this life he so scrutinized with a critical eye in his art - - that he is at peace .
007 4 I am a huge Akira Kurosawa fan , I love all of his movies that I have seen . I am always impressed at his masterful story telling and cinematography . Dreams holds a special place in my heart because of it's breathtaking beauty . Beyond eye candy , however , this film speaks intelligently of many things , life , death , solitude , guilt , redemption . This is one of those rare movies that can be discussed and analyzed and questioned for hours after viewing .
The Amazon.com review stated that this movie was slow . How could one notice when one is busy looking at the amazing color , scenery , and imagery that is so masterfully created ? Preachy ? Perhaps , but they are good subjects to be preachy about - nuclear distruction , environmental distruction , not appreciating what one has . . . These complaints are the weak wingeing of shallow minds .
After every viewing of his films , I feel compelled to bow respectfully and say Domo Arigato - Thank you very much .
008 4 Ok , the box reports Anamorphic Widescreen . . . But the screen aspect - which hadn't been respected already on LaserDisc edition - has been even more trimmed down in the DVD edition . The DVD aspect ratio is only 1.8 : 1 , while when released on screen the aspect ratio was 2.35 : 1 !
I already checked out if they used the entire frame of the Super 35mm original and it was not the case , as the DVD has fewer image details and lateral image compared to the LaserDisc edition . Alas !
The sound is very good but comparable to the LaserDisc edition .
Finally , the DVD has no extras at all - something disappointing , as Kurosawa declared at the time of theatrical release that the special effects available at the time were used to their maximum extent . And that he wouldn't commit other three of his dreams to the screen because there were no sufficient SFX at the time to allow this .
A rather disappointing release . At least , the movie is beautiful , but I'll stick with the LaserDisc edition .
009 4 To better experience Kurosawa's best film , it helps to understand the context in which the script was written . To many Japanese people , either because of their Buddhist or Shintoist religion , or because of the many childhood stories they have heard , the world is alive with spirits . These spirits could be described as angels by the Christian ethic , but much better as jin by the Muslim ethic . Jin describes them better because jin are not necessarily good or bad . Similarly , kami are spirits which could be good or bad depending on the situation .
Virtually every one of the individual dreams in the movie has these spirits . Understanding that what you are seeing on the screen is not supposed to be a person - - it is supposed to represent a spirit helps empower the film . In some segments , it is obviously - - the storm woman from the dream on the mountain is clearly not human . But in the peach orchard , realizing that the girl never was intended to be human - - she represents the spirits of the peach trees - - both in an individual sense in that she could be one peach tree and in a universal sense in that she represents all peach trees everywhere or the idea of peach trees in the abstract .
Historic Guilt :
The extreme amount of guilt that Japan as a nation felt after WWII is expressed in the tunnel . This extreme guilt may be hard for some non-Japanese to believe because the Japanese government has not made as many public statements as other nations , such as Germany or even the Catholic church about the Christian Crusades . The Japanese sense of guilt is a powerfully internal event that can not be discussed openly . Seen in this light , the tunnel dream is overwhelmingly powerful .
There are no Mountains with Mercy :
In any given year between six and 18 mountaineers die in the extreme wilderness of the Japan Alps . Few people associate Japan with extreme mountaineering . The Alps are relatively short - - 3,000 meters mostly , but the construction of the mountains is rugged , sharp towering walls of granite - - formed by volcanic action and showered down upon by more than 100 inches of precipitation annually . Winter mountaineering is very dangerous and avalanches or whiteout snow storms are an ever-present threat . For Japanese , having grown up with the news reports of teams lost while climbing , the dream on the storm could well be a personally touching segment .
It's hard to export Dreams , because this movie is so heavily endowed with cultural references . It is nonetheless a remarkably beautiful dream .
010 4 This was Kurosawa's unfinished swan song . Spielberg took up the reins after Kurosawa passed away and made sure this was finished . Unlike other Spielberg collaborations , it's difficult to determine who did what in this anthology .
This is a series of mini-movies , all but one dealing with man's relationship with the environment . The exception is a love letter to Van Gogh's art with a fun guest appearance by Martin Scorcese .
Throughout each of these dreams , Kurosawa interweaves his vision with Japanese folklore and psychological insights into modern Japanese culture . Many of the themes in these movies are similar themes he's touched on in his earlier movies - - anxiety about the nuclear age , a need to respect history , a love for classic literature and fairy tales .
All of these stories are visually stunning , even though some are more emotionally moving than others .
A great way to finish his career , and a loving tribute by Spielberg to Kurosawa's favorite themes and style .
011 4 Akira Kurosawa's Dreams , a title I take literally , is the best way to remember the visual and narrative genius that was Kurosawa . Each of the eight vignettes manages a narrative coherency as well as a definite aesthetic . It's not hard to see Kurosawa's past as a painter here , through the vibrant and dramatic imagery . It is powerful , beautiful , and poignant on a theological and social level , without being esoteric and high minded . Everyone should take the time to see this , and rejoice that it's been re-released at last .
012 4 Being a great fan of the old 1991 Laserdisc version of this movie , I was excited to finally hear that a DVD copy was available . I purchashed it right away in hopes of showing off my progessive scan DVD player ( with component hookups ) and my snazzy new 16 : 9 widescreen 46 Sony HDTV . Sadly , this DVD version's quality wasn't anything like I remembered .
10 years ago , I owned this movie on the old Laserdisc format , and the quality was unbelievable . The colors in every segment seemed so perfect , so sharp - that the movie was almost surreal in it's presentation . It just jumped out at you with impossibly perfect reds and stunning blues . I remember loading this Laserdisc when friends came to visit and I really wanted to WOW them with the new digital laserdisc technology .
Sadly , it appears this DVD version is a transfer from an inferior , analog source . The widescreen complaints from other reviewers confirm this suspicion . Sure , the DVD looks good , and sounds good , but just doesn't have the impact - color / picture / etc - that the original did . Film grain and dust specks are clearly visible throughout the movie and most edges are fuzzy . My 4 year old DVD of West Side Story is sharper and more vivid than Dreams . I can't stress enough that this DVD seems to be more of a transfer than an actual remastered version of the original .
This DVD reminds me of the Goodfellas DVD transfer , which was also released years ago without any significant DVD bonus features or , more importantly , an enchanced digital transfer from an original copy .
Perhaps I'm being picky , but I remember Dreams as being both a wonderful movie * and * a fabulous technological showpiece for my home theater system . Now it's just another DVD in my collection , looking as technically good as Animal House or Heat . Hopefully Criterion will release an enhanced , completely remastered version of this fantastic film in the near future .
013 4 With the title , Kurosawa has blurred the distinction between dreams and nightmares in this ensemble . In fact , majority of what Kurosawa explores here are nightmares than dreams : the aftermath of nuclear explosions ( twice ) , aftermath of a war , deforestation , and the likes . Some dreams have explicit messages ( Nuclear Aftermaths , The Village of Watermills , ) some have implicit messages or just good as first rate narratives ( Sun under the rain , the Van Gogh dream - excellent use of CGI in the latter ) . Excellent cinematography .
What is consistently noticeable in all the narrations here is how quickly Kurosawa sets up the background and gets to the main theme , and how natural those backdrops are to the story ! A violently barking dog , at the entrance of a dark tunnel and the General walking into it is the backdrop for the Tunnel . In about five / seven minutes , this impeccable set up done , and Kurosawa rolls on with the episode . It is left to your imagination whether the dog went and got the dead solider who does not seem to believe he is dead , or that the soldier appeared on his own . Then the entire battalion of dead soldiers the General had ordered to the battle , all needing to be convinced that they are dead , arrive at the scene ! When the General convinces them all that they are dead , and as the sound of their boots marching backwards fades into silence , you are left wondering whether the General actually saluted them or was he really apologizing to them for the stupidity of the war , the responsibility he bore for their death .
The dog appears barking at the General again - perhaps the soldiers , as it is their Tannysonean duty to not question the General , did not dispute the consequence of his order , but the dog has no such obligations and is judging the General without prejudice ! ?
This is yet another nightmare that Kurosawa calls a dream ! This is one of the best in the collection .
On the downside , at places - though very few such instances abound - Kurosawa seems to lose control of the narration . For example , in the Watermills dream , the vocal narration ( dialog ) tends to drag on and overshadow the effect of the visuals . Even showing the old man and the visitor from different angles to capture the Nature around them would have added additional value . The nearly still camera adds to the monotony of the situation as the old man goes into a long conversation . Village of the Watermills is probably the lowest ranking one among all the episodes in the ensemble .
Some dreams seem to end prematurely - Kurosawa seems to deliberately not make statements where he easily could have . But then they are supposed to be dreams and the endings of dreams are abrupt ! And with such strong story line backed up by such narration , he does not need separate statements - the narration is the statement !
014 4 Although lacking the tight narrative movement of some of Kuraswa's best films , this loosely knit series of vignettes have moments of transporting beauty and depth .
Kurasawa's dreams will work their way into your own .
There are moments of horror , brutality , fear , nostalgia , wonder , sadness and joy . The great thing about Kurasawa is his ability to create a cinematic world in which these feelings are experienced by the sympathetic viewer . I think of these short stories as fairy tales for adults , and the film produces a childlike suspension of disbelief , an acceptance of wonder , and a willingness to be led to truth by beauty .
Fairy tales are saturated with mythical achetypes that carry important cultural meaning , and many have a universal appeal to deeply-held belief systems and values . The universal appeal of Kurasawa's work is directly connected to his understanding and use of mythical archetypes . Even when translating a story from a Russian author and plopping the characters down in Edo-period Japan , or setting a Shakespearean drama down in Japan's feudal countryside , it is Kurasawa's depiction of the universal in the particular that makes him both a great Japanese director and a great world director .
Now , I don't love every vignette in this film equally , but I am truly haunted by some of the images and scenes in a disturbing way that makes my life richer and more interesting . That makes me think that you might like this film , too .
015 4 Although not the flawless masterpiece everyone claims it to be , Kurosawa's Dreams is a strong final statement from the brilliant Japanese director . Although he would continue to make films after Dreams , this is the closest Kurosawa came to creating a masterpiece that rivals his best work . Consisting of 8 segments , Dreams is almost like a series of interconnected short films using variations on a theme .
Although the writing and all the performances aren't quite up to Kurosawa's best , they don't diminish the poetic power of this wonderful film . In many respects , the ruminations on man's place in the world , our finite existence and our poor understanding of our surroundings make this Kurosawa's most personal film . Often overlooked by film fans , Dreams is finally getting its due now that it has become available in the superior DVD format . The videotape couldn't do justice to the fine compositions and beautiful use of color . Kurosawa's strength as a director was always his carefully cultivated use of the visual as narrative . What we see and how we organize it visually , makes up the narrative of our lives just as strongly as what we say and do .
The support of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg ( no matter how you feel about their films and careers ) is what allowed Kurosawa to remain vital and creative towards the end of his life . When many in the Japanese film industry had turned their back on this master film director , Lucas and Spielberg ( along with Scorsese ) allowed him to make a number of minor and major films at the end of his career .
Pick up Dreams - - you won't regret visiting Kurosawa's world .
017 4 Sun Under the Rain is the first short film in this movie . As rain cascades onto a slate gray house , a young boy is told he must stay home . Soon his curiosity compels him to wander in the forest . The sunlight filters through mist weaving its way through the giant trees in layers of enchanting vertical art . At times the rain appears like glitter against the wet rust bark . There is a sense of mystery as the young boy hides behind a tree and watches a fantastical wedding procession . Upon returning home he is told he must face his fear and ask forgiveness ( or die ) for watching the fox's wedding procession . We are then rewarded with fields of flowers and a rainbow .
This is the first in a series of eight short dreams that seem to be dealing with various elements of death . In the first movie , there is a choice between death or asking forgiveness . This introduces the idea of death and in the next short film about a peach orchard , the idea is taken one step further . The peach orchard is cut down and this introduces the idea of death in nature . Tree spirits discuss their tragic end with the child and dance in four magical rows where the trees were planted . As a child cries over the loss of the peach blossoms he says : Peaches can be bought . But where can you buy a whole orchard of blossoms ? The first two films contain magical elements to surprise and delight the inner child .
The Blizzard and Avalanche will try your patience at first , but as with many of the films , your patience is well rewarded . Just as we are losing hope , a snow goddess arrives and seems to be an angel of death lulling a climber into sleep , as if to calmly steal his soul while the wind whips her hair in an erotic dance of nature . As he lays covered in snow , she places layers of what appears to be a magical shawl over his shoulders . She keeps saying things like : The ice is hot . I kept thinking this was a study in hope and yet the elements of death were very present . Expect the unexpected in this section .
The Tunnel brings us to the concept of fearing the unknown or not accepting our death . The walking dead appear and there is a sense of having lived an unfulfilled life or dying for causes that were not worth more than life itself . This is when Akira Kurosawa starts to delve into political aspects and death's stark reality in war . Another film shows the dangers of nuclear power and Mt Fuji glows with a ruby shimmer and seems to be melting . The images of the demons in pain gave me nightmares the night after I watched this movie . The images of blood-red lakes and demons , in what seems like emotional and physical agony , was enough to make me dream about hell . In fact the night after I viewed these short films , I had many short film dreams of my own .
One of my favorite sections is Crows , where an artist steps into a Van Gogh painting . The film has many surprises , but very little plot . Mostly we are viewing two painters walking through their own art and discussing their view of the world . Crows is much more about visual delight and a surprising ending .
The Village of the Watermills , takes place in a picturesque village complete with a dreamy river and little bridges . Here death is celebrated and life is revered . The water rushes over long flowing underwater grass growing from the riverbed . We are faced with questions about our modern reality . Is it as comforting as living in a village ? Is our modern village somewhat lacking in community ? Do our funerals focus too much on our sorrow and less on the celebration of a life well lived ?
I watched this twice and noticed quite a few new elements on the second viewing .
I want to go sit by the river in the Watermill village and watch the long grass weave back and forth in the water and the child in me wants to be walking in the front of the funeral procession , tossing flower petals in front of the dancers .
~ The Rebecca Review
019 4 This film transported me to an altogether different place - mystical & yet so real . It's a vignettte on what I call eight awakenings , eight stories interwoven so beautifully . The first one ' Sunshine through rain ' is eclectic in it's imagnation & the last one ' Village of watermills ' would be my ideal destination , & while I watched it , I was quite motionless .
This Kurosawa film is one of my most treasured ones .
021 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
I don't know how many times I have watched this movie , I still watch it every chance I get . Now that it is ( finally ) out on DVD , I am ordering it so that I can watch it whenever I need to . I love all of the other Kurasawa movies ( I consider Seven Samurai to be the greatest movie ever made ) but this one is my personal favorite . It is beautiful and fulfilling , a rare work of art .
022 4 I don't know how many times I have watched this movie , I still watch it every chance I get . Now that it is ( finally ) out on DVD , I am ordering it so that I can watch it whenever I need to . I love all of the other Kurasawa movies ( I consider Seven Samurai to be the greatest movie ever made ) but this one is my personal favorite . It is beautiful and fulfilling , a rare work of art .
024 4 Late in his life and career , Akira Kurosawa , whose star might have faded altogether were it not for the intervention of George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola ( both ardent fans ) , gained a new audience and a new respect with a series of visually stunning colour films . From 1975 ' s saving grace Dersu Uzala to 1980 ' s stunning Kagemusha , 1985 ' s harrowing Ran , we arrived at this gem in 1990 . Though I've long been a Kurosawa fan - - starting with Kagemusha - - I somehow missed this one at the time , perhaps because the concept just didn't grab me .
17 years later and a recent rental through Netflix , I'm sorry I blew this one off before . Other reviewers here have complained of the slowness of Kurosawa's work , long waits for any action . Sorry it's not some bit of Jackie Chan or Jet Li chop-socky , guys ; this is true cinematic art , which requires patience and tenacity ( both of which are ultimately rewarded ) . You want action , watch the Die Hard movies . You want art , this is where you need to be .
These eight segments are some of the most colourfully vivid Kurosawa ever committed to celluloid - - one of my favourite moments is in the first segment , right at the end where the little boy stands in the field of flowers under the rainbow and the mountains . Nature's blooms in all their glory make up some of the most beautiful scenery anyone could photograph , and for Kurosawa's direction , that goes double . Correspondingly , the sequence with the dead soldiers ' souls addressing their still-living commander in the tunnel in the mountains is dark and grim , echoing the commander's state of mind at being confronted by old ghosts who are unable to accept that they are , in fact , dead and are trying to go home again . Crows brings Van Gogh's art to life brilliantly ( and significantly , includes one of only two examples in Kurosawa's body of work to feature dialogue not in Japanese - - Dersu Uzala was Russian , this sequence features spoken French and English - - and Van Gogh himself is played unfailingly by Martin Scorsese ) ; Mount Fuji in Red is genuinely frightening , the scenario of all Japan's nuclear reactors exploding at once the stuff of nightmares , as well as the following sequence with the mutant sunflowers and the horned demon-men whose punishment is to never die but suffer eternally . The final sequence , The Village of the Watermills , brings it all together with its lush greenery , the philosophical old man , and the joyous funeral procession - - its moral , to remember to respect nature , tradition , and live in peace with your fellow man .
A gorgeous masterpiece .
025 4 Eight dream-like stories that touches on everything from a childhood fantasy about a witnessing a fox wedding in the forest to post-apocalyptic nightmare of mutants and cannibals . Some very powerful stuff but a couple of episodes got too preachy when Mr . Kurosawa is exploring his nuclear-war anxieties .
Some of my favorite pieces :
The Tunnel : A weary Japanese officer is walking home from a POW camp at the end of WWII . On the road , he comes upon a dark gaping tunnel , from which the ghosts of his dead soldiers emerge and haunt his conscience . It is hard to forget the image and the sound of a platoon of dead soldiers marching with relentless military precision , gradually emerging from the inky depth of the tunnel like bad memories welling up unbidden .
Sun Under the Rain : A boy ignores his mother's admonitions to stay in doors on a day when rain is falling on clear sunny sky . He ventures to the woods and witness an odd procession of fox spirits . It may sounds like fairy-tale yet the story takes a disquieting turn . The last images of a rainbow striding across a lush valley are beautiful almost beyond belief , but all that beauty is tempered by the uncertain fate of the little boy .
Crows : An art lover step into Van Gogh's paintings . Your eyes will think they died and went to heaven .
026 4 I saw this film about three years ago and have never forgotten it . It is one of my favorite films not only because of the settings but because the stories are wonderful . The stages of the Peach Tree is my favorite simply because of the wonderful imagination it betrays . This truly is a breath-taking film !
028 4 There is a reason why this film has only four one-star ratings here ( and , as those posts reveal , those viewers were unprepared for the work ) . Now , I assume if you are looking at this page you either have an interest in Japanese-studies or a curiosity about international film : both are preferable , but either will do . Still , those studying / involved with environmental-science may appreciate this work more than either !
When I first considered purchasing the film , I was seeking a break-down of the eight vignettes , since I did not locate any while skimming here , I thought potential viewers might appreciate one ( even if it is just a more current version ) ( Warning : there is a breakdown at wiki , but it contains spoilers for each segment and does not thoroughly address cultural issues . . . best to read it after watching the film ) :
- - -
1 . ) Sunshine Through the Rain
- A young boy is cautioned against exploring the forest on a rainy day . Legend indicates that foxes have their weddings in such weather - and they must not be observed by humans . The warning goes unheeded . . .
- There is virtually no dialogue in this segment . Instead , the sounds of both nature ( rain and insects ) and traditional Japanese music tell the story . It is both rich in color and beautifully shot . This segment is based on Kurosawa's own childhood memories .
2 . ) The Peach Orchard
- The glistening raindrops of Shineshine through the Rain , we are brought to the floating peach-petals of this vignette . . .
- Background : On March 3rd of every year Hinamatsuri ( Dolls Festival ) takes place . Dolls donning traditional Heian-period court attire are arranged on a red-draped , multi-tiered display ( if you are interested , Google the name of the celebration to understanding the tiering system ) . On this day , one prays for the happiness of girls ( there is also a Boys Festival on March 5th ) . March 3rd is also dubbed Momo No Sekku ( or Peach Festival ) . . . and here is where the story begins .
- A young boy is serving his sister and her friends on Hinamatsuri . He brings the girls seven refreshments . . . but there are only six girls . He insists that his count was correct and leaves the room confused . The seventh girl appears and lures him into a barren area which was formerly a peach grove . There he encounters the Dolls incarnate ( note : the grove is divided into tiers like the display previously seen in the boy's home ) .
- The story stresses the destruction of the environment . . . but a colorful spark of hope concludes this segment . Again , dialogue is restricted to only what is needed and traditional music accents this touching piece .
3 . ) The Blizzard
- From the soft peach-petals of the last piece , we are brought to the cruel snowflakes of The Blizzard . . .
- A team of mountain explorers have lost base-camp . They are frost-bitten , mentally despondent , and very near death . All but one member of the team is resigned to death . The one tenacious climber is visited by Yuki-onna who tries to lull him into a wintery-grave .
- Sound is at an absolute minimum here . The metallic clunk of the climbers ' gear and the their labored breathing is all the viewer hears for several minutes . This creates a stark , foreboding atmosphere . A well-shot , uncanny segment .
4 . ) The Tunnel
- The first of three nightmares , this segment features a guilt-stricken commander who was captured as a prisoner of war and then released . His entire platoon was annihilated . He remains the sole survivor . The commander ventures through a dark tunnel . When he reaches the other side , he is confronted by his dead comrades ( confronted is a bit strong since they offer no threat ) .
5 . ) Crows
- An all-star effort ! Industrial Light and Magic helped bring this unusual vignette to life . Additionally , renowned director Martin Scorsese portrays Van Gogh ( I would have never recognized him had the credits not listed him ! ! )
- At a Van Gogh exhibit , a man enters the artist's work . He seeks Van Gogh in a French landscape . . . looking for answers to his most pressing questions . A visual masterpiece .
6 . ) Mount Fuji in Red
- A heaven of crows turns into a sky of radioactive clouds in Mount Fuji in Red . . .
- The second nightmare . Mayhem ensues as it appears Fuji will erupt . Immediately , it is revealed that Fiji is not active . . . but the nuclear power-plant behind Fuji has exploded . Purple , red , and yellow clouds of toxic death push Japan's residents to the shore . Where does one go when an entire island is doomed to a painful demise ?
7 . ) The Weeping Demon
- A plague of radioactive clouds turns into sweeping dust in The Weeping Demon . . .
- The final nightmare . After the nuclear fallout , little remains . A lone survivor searches for hope . But , the landscape is devoid of life . . . save giant dandelions and a horned demon .
- A most pointed exploration of humanity's follies .
8 . ) Village of the Watermills
- As I hoped , Kurosawa leaves the viewers with a portrait of untainted nature . A man spies a village unspoiled by technology . A clear creek , flanked by wildflowers and frolicking children catches the attention of this traveler . He enters the village an learns about living in harmony with nature and the beauty of the cycle of life .
- - -
While some find this work heavy-handed and improbable , it is crucial to understand this film as allegory . Moreover , I noticed a few complaints of recurring actors ( that it hindered suspension of disbelief or some such nonsense ) . . . this is purposeful . These vignettes are interconnected and allegedly based on Kurosawa's actual dreams . Therefore , repetition would be logical .
With just a little patience and a little intellectual curiosity , you will find this a film worthy of your time . . . and , hopefully , inspirational . Highly recommended .
029 4 Clearly his most personal film , this is a film that will be name checked , discussed , studied , and ultimatley be copied in the future . The dream sequence is pretty much in every single film made at this point , but no one dared to make an entire movie out of a dream sequence , or sequences as Kurosawa did . Cinema has always had its boundaries pushed forward , but more people need to think outside the box . If there are no rules of reality in making a film , then make the film acording to a reality that doesn't exist . That is what Kurosawa finally was able to do at 80 years of age , and more people will start using this movie as a reference tool to further go into their souls . As for the DVD itself , it is pretty bare-boned , but the low list-price makes it a very clear decision on what will become a classic masterpiece .
Best shot / sequence :
This was a tough one to pick out from the entire movie ,
but the very last shot in the movie , the entire credit sequence where all you see is the stream flowing with the Moscow Symphony playing the music in the background is astonishing . Stay for the credits .
031 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
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 .
032 4 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 .
033 4 In Dreams , some of Kurosawa's most fundamental beliefs are presented to us in eight artistic and visually stunning vignettes .
The first dream , Sunshine Through the Rain is about a young boy who is warned by his mother not to go into the woods and look upon the wedding of the foxes . The boy disobeys his mother and when the foxes discover that he has seen them they send a message to his mother that he must commit suicide for his transgression .
Kurosawa's pro-environmental stance is beautifully illustrated in the dream segment The Peach Orchard . After being laid waste by human hands nature allows an innocent boy to enjoy the beautiful sight of a peach orchard returning to full bloom once more , after which the orchard returns to its devastated state .
The Blizzard is a story of human endurance stretched to its limits as one by one climbers caught in a blizzard on a mountain succumb to the storm and die . Although it is a bleak story , the snow fairy , ( probably death ) , appears to the last survivor and helps to guide him into the land of the dead without his feeling overwhelmed by the futility and desperation of his final moments .
An officer , the sole survivor of his unit , journeys home grief stricken after the war in The Tunnel . As he approaches a tunnel a snarling centennial , ( dog ) , comes out of the tunnel towards him . Afraid , but driven to continue on his journey , the solider enters the darkness of the tunnel . As he exits he hears the sound of marching approaching him from inside the tunnel he has just left and is confronted by his dead comrades . They are not aware that they are dead and the conversations between the living and the dead are heart wrenching .
In Crows , a visitor to an art museum enters the Vincent Van Gogh , ( played by Martin Scorsese ) , painting Wheat Field with Crows . In an almost humorous scene , Van Gogh tells the visitor that , Yesterday I was trying to do a self-portrait , but the ear kept getting in the way . Soon Van Gogh is off traipsing through the landscape with the visitor trying to keep up with the elusive artist . The colors and landscape we encounter in this dream are breathtaking !
Mount Fuji in Red tells of the horror and devastation surrounding the people of Tokyo as nuclear plants explode releasing their deadly mother lode and there is no place to go to escape the situation , except into the sea . Horrified citizens are in a state of shock and disbelief that their government had lied to them , having reassured them that Nuclear plants were safe .
In The Weeping Demon man succumbs to the insanity of nuclear war . The earth , as we know it , has been destroyed . As a result of the high levels of radiation , the earth and its remaining inhabitants have mutated into what can only be described as a hellish nightmare .
And finally , in The Village of the Watermills a young man stumbles across a picturesque village and an old man sitting by watermills . Technology has skirted around the village and the young man is in awe of the clean air and clean water . The villagers ' balanced lifestyle and their living harmoniously within the bounds of nature affords them long and healthy lives . There is a funeral going on at the time of the young man's visit and the villagers are celebrating and joyful .
I loved this movie . It is beautiful to look at and eloquently espouses some of the beliefs of one of the truly gifted directors of all time . He was a man who deeply believed in tradition and honor , who took humankind's role as steward of the earth seriously ; who believed that technology for technology's sake is not necessarily a good thing , and who believed war to be an abomination .
035 4 This Film is one of Mr . Kurosawas best . Yeah , I know i watched almost all his films and liked some , wouldn't see others , but this one is like watching moving art . The sequences are supposed dreams of the master himself , and are brought to beautiful life by those guys at Industrial Light Magic . My favorite one has to be the Peach Orchard or the Wedding of the Foxes wich is also known as Sunlight Through Rain . Personally I would never see this movie dubbed . Finally , this movie is very inspirational to anyone who is artistic and reasonably a conscious human being .
037 4 This has to be one of the best foreign films that I have ever seen in my life . Kurosawa made a magical film that will stay with me forever . I will never forget Sunshine Through the Rain or Crows . I loved these two the most . Some of it is almost Lynchian in the way that dream logic is used , but of course , this IS a film about dreams so that is to be expected . Martin Scorsese even has a cameo where he plays Vincent Van Gogh , and he's not all that bad . All in all , I loved this film .
I will be adding it to my collection very soon .
HIGHLY recommended !
039 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
If you don't know Kurosawa's work , this film is an excellent start . If you like western movies , check out Kurosawa's samurai films . Who do you think brought the American western movies back to life ? Ever seen the Magnificent Seven ? You can thank Kurosawa for that . Not the film itself , just the story line and brilliant message . Dreams is an enchanting visual experience besides a commentary on war and humanity . Do yourself a favor and find out why western film makers have been stealing Kurosawa's chops for decades . Go to the original master source .
042 4 It begins with a sketch about a wedding that seems more like a funeral , and ends with a sketch about a funeral that seems more like a wedding .
I must have seen this movie over a dozen times over the last several years . It's the only movie I've ever repeatedly rented as often as I have . I keep looking and hoping that it will be less expensive or come out on DVD but I'm still disappointed that that is not the case . I guess I'll have to break down and cough up the bucks to buy it , because it is becoming harder to find at the video stores . I'd really rather buy DVD though .
043 4 This has to be without a doubt one of the most beautifully filmed movies I have ever seen . I think the visuals alone are a reason to own this movie . Admittedly I didn't understand the meaning behind all the stories , but that did not hinder my enjoyment of this film . Yes , it is a little slow moving , and if you don't like subtitles athen this is not a movie for you . However , give it a try , you may be greatly surprised . Also look for Martin Scorcese in the fifth story .
047 4 Kurosawa's Dreams consists of all his worries about the world and human beings . Since it's one of his last works , his mentality of filming the Dreams differed from films such as Seven Samurai in the zenith of his filming career . Instead of presenting the fierce fighting scenes , which he had excelled in , he put more effort into the internalized understandings of human beings , expressing naivete , confusions , struggle , losses , enthusiasm , despair , anger , fear and ultimately internal tranquility ¡ ªthe natural way of life . It is like a life circle .
If you look at Kurosawa's life , these dreams actually imply his own mentalities from childhood and youth to old . The young artist in the movie , who experienced the Crows , Mount Fuji in Red , the Weeping Ghost , and the Village of the Watermills , is himself . As a young man , Kurosawa majored in Western Art , and was greatly influenced and fascinated by Western artists such as Van go . His obsession with art at that time is obvious as he was running through the Van go's works . When I was watching the Crow , I was amazed by the setting of the scenes and his capability of shooting , making every aspect look exactly like Van go's work ! Kurosawa is a truly versatile director , surely among the rare ones that have such grounded foundation in fine arts . Comparably , he is not as versed in music as in art . I'm especially amazed by his nuanced choices of color in his colored films . ( I will talk about the use of color in Ran later , hopefully . ) During the precarious time in Japanese history with wars and political movements , as an aspiring educated young man , who witnessed so many human disasters and stupidities , he got somewhat frustrated yet more angry . The characters in many of his dreams condemned the inhumanity brought by H-bombs and nuclear missiles ¡ ªthe big disaster took place in Japan during WW II . It reminds me of his other movie I Live in Fear . If we look back on his earlier movies , we can see that the main string of Kurosawa's Dreams is a retrospect of ups and downs of his life as well as a summary of many topics in his other movies .
In the end , Kurosawa presents to us an ideal word , out of any form of industrialization , out of any artificial intentions and religions . The world he describes in the village of watermills , a village without a name , ( since names themselves are artificial ) , is the world that is believed in Zen ¡ ªa belief that was greatly influenced by Taoism ( the path ) originated in China believing that human beings should live in a harmony of nature and keep of mood of harmony . End the thinking ( unnatural intention ) , end the pain , is commonly cited in Zen . This revelation of living life as its original form is where Kurosawa found his internal tranquility ¡ ªin peace . This is also a sincere advice from an experienced old man . The last scene , as the water wheels goes round and round , life goes on and on as an endless circle .
049 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
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 .
053 4 This is , quite simply , the most visually stunning film I have seen since Days of Heaven . It surpasses even that earlier film in its intensity of visual content and technical mastery . Criticisms aimed at its literary content may be valid to a certain degree , but this is a film to buy just to LOOK at . Turn off the sound and the subtitles if you don't like them . This film doesn't need them . It is a complete joy to watch .
I'm adding this caveat post-posting because I read a new customer review that criticizes the apparent fact that the DVD does not respect the original screen aspect of the film . This will be a terrible blow to fans of this beautiful film . I haven't received my copy of the DVD yet , but I'm considering returning it if this is the case . You just don't do that to fine works of art .
058 4 One of Kurwosawa's best . This movie needs to be available on DVD to truly appreciate the artistry and color palette of this film .
If you have not seen this film . Buy it on VHS . Then write to the distributers and tell them their nuts not to release this film on DVD .
059 4 In this late film ( 1994 ) , the brilliance of Kurosawa's vision - - both what he sees and his translating those sights into film - - shows itself more simply and powerfully than ever before . His wonderfully subtle touch with the camera informs these beautiful and sometimes frightening vignettes . Most memorable of all are those moments , so rare in contemporary film , when Kurosawa allows the camera simply to capture the light of a beautiful image - - a peach orchard or a running brook . For all the wonderful and exciting cinematic thrills from Hollywood , this film reminds us that , in art , beauty is still the best and the most difficult of artistic achievements .
060 4 Akira Kurosawa's dream sequence of eight short vignettes ( most don't feel very dream-like ) , just about all of them concerned with man's destructive tendencies regarding nature and war : two of them have to do with nuclear accidents , one with the absurdity of war , another with the destruction of a peach orchard , another with a rural Shangri-La . It's a message movie that comes across as a tongue-lashing of our evil ways . The photography is stunning , but the stories themselves are lacking in narrative force . Like all sermons the movie is based on a text , but in this case the text is a bit mundane and cliche-ridden . A rare misfire by the great director .
061 4 Akira Kurosawa was well past his prime when he made this wonderful film and it makes the work of most young hotshot Hollywood guys look soulless . The movie Dreams depicts a series of dreams , each as I recall it totally separate , non-related to the next and its own little world . And each one I found myself fully immersed in . I could detail each one , but I would recommend you watch it with no preconceptions , no ideas . Go into it with an empty mind is best .
Master of digital baroque nerdism the one and only cgi-director George Lucas may have cursed audiences with a few cinematic abominations during the decades following the Star Wars trilogy but he at least appreciated Kurosawa along with his master of the blockbuster buddy Spielberg . So kudos to them for helping with their fortunes bring this project about . Come to think of it , this movie here might very well be the best movie George Lucas has been involved with since the original Star Wars movies .
062 4 Some dreams make better films than others . Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's are no exception . Dreams ( 1990 ) is a decidedly mixed bag from the master , whose breathtaking visual style has not deserted him in these eight vignettes . The highlight is Kurosawa's astonishing journey through the paintings and landscape of Vincent Van Gogh ( well-played by director Martin Scorsese ) - a tour de force punctuated by its inventive use of color . However , the remaining segments pale in comparison to this mini-masterpiece . Kurosawa's railings against nuclear war in two heavy-handed segments are not even worthy of The Twilight Zone . Potentially intriguing episodes ( such as a group of climbers trapped in a suffocating blizzard , followed by a night of the living war dead tale ) emerge as sleep-inducing disappointments unworthy of the director's talent . Not all is lost . The first , second and last dreams are beautifully rendered ruminations on Kurosawa's childhood , nature and , inevitably , the graceful coda of death . If the director had pared down the self-indulgent segments , the overall film would have been far more effective .
063 4 Dreams is a profoundly personal film by a hugely significant filmmaker in the twilight of his career and life . Akira Kurosawa was a wonderful producer , director , and screenwriter who created great films for fifty years ; including such classics as
Ikiru
and
Rashomon
. In fact , I would assert that there are arguably at least five films on Kurosawa's staggering resume that would be called masterpieces if created by even the most acclaimed filmmakers of today . Dreams was made in 1990 and was one of his last movies ( his final film being
Madadayo
in 1993 ) . It is important to note that I did not know who directed Dreams when I first saw it , but was just as impressed .
The film is apparently based on various dreams that Kurosawa had throughout his life . The first is Sunshine through the Rain and follows a young boy who witnesses a kitsune wedding . The second is called The Peach Orchard and takes place during Hina Matsuri or the Doll Festival . A boy's family cuts down their peach blossoms before the festival and dolls from his sister's collection become animated . The Blizzard follows snowbound survivors on a mountain whose will to live is tested by a mysterious female spirit . The Tunnel tells the story of a dead soldier returning from war . The Crows includes an appearance by Martin Scorsese as Vincent Van Gogh . This stunning vignette follows a Kurosawa-like character that travels in and out of Van Gogh's paintings . The nightmarish sequences include the apocalyptic Mount Fuji in Red and The Weeping Demon , which both no doubt touch on crucial cultural anxieties regarding nuclear technology . Finally , Village of the Watermills ends the film with death , but also with jubilant celebration of life in general . I'm tempted to assume this is just Kurosawa's subconscious literally translated to the screen .
The images in Dreams are carefully symbolic and although they don't form one message at large , it does provide broad lessons and general wisdom . It also provides some absolutely gorgeous cinematography . I found it refreshing , even for Kurosawa , that the film's primary mode of communication was its visuals . These images are beyond words but so few masters execute this medium flawlessly enough to actually pull that off . This is not for everyone but I highly recommend it to anyone anyway .
064 4 As usual with most things I love , this film is not for everyone . It is very much an art film and you have to like that sort of thing , but there are a couple of extra elements here that will separate the wheat from the chaff in whether someone else will like this . . . Specifically , it's in Japanese ( w / English subtitles ) , most of it is in real time , and it helps to understand Japanese concepts of Nature ( where living things such as trees have spirits inside them . )
Aparently director Akira Kurosawa kept a dream journal , and this film presents 8 such dreams that particularly affected him . Mission accomplished : this film effectively sucked me in and put me in the place of Kurosawa during each vignette . I presume that each segment's ending was when he woke up .
There is some powerful stuff here , everything from nightmares to simply surreal episodes straight from his subconscious . Kurosawa bares his soul to the viewer , and the effect is truly moving . One of them ( where he's stuck in the mother of all blizzards and the situation is demonstrably hopeless ) absolutely crushed me . I freely admit that other segments reduced me to tears . If a film can communicate its effects that accurately and vividly to the viewer , it must be doing something right .
Of the 8 dreams , 2 are so so though that's me as a Westerner , and at least I can see why they would have more import to the director . The rest of the film more than makes up for them with their power .
In all likelihood , you have never seen anything like this film , so that alone makes it worth checking out . It is certainly worth watching once , and I'd recommend watching it twice so you don't have the anxiety of knowing whether everything works out all right ( or not ! ) hanging over your head .
065 4 The cinematography and imagery of these dreams are so perfect for the message ( s ) , that the viewer is immediately drawn into the film . That the film is Japanese is not a barrier . Rather , the film successfully presents the imagery in a manner that allows an outside ( Westerner ) to understand the images and inuitively grasp the mythology and culture behind the film .
Two dreams Mount Fuji in Red and The Weeping Demon do not make the historical leap , however . They are interesting period pieces . Mount Fuji in Red , an anti-nuclear piece , is mired strident views of its time - not rising to the more universal threat . Note , however , that The Tunnel , an anti-war piece does continues to powerfully express its views .
Crows which is based on Vincent Van Gogh's work , shows Kurosawa adapting Western imagery to his Japanese work . This is a wonderful piece that illustrates how cultural divisions can be bridged by film , film relying primarily on visual ( rather than verbal ) material .
Fear , loneliness , death , joy , environmental concerns , peace and warfare , otherness . . . many of the major themes of life are explored beautifully in this film . Highly recommended .
066 4 To the average movieviewer , Dreams would seem like it was created by a completely insane person . Who knows , maybe Kurosawa was going crazy during the end of his career . Even so , he still had something to say from this movie , despite many of the disturbing scenes and confusing moments . This film is an over-exageration regarding the many problems , and positive aspects , of the human race . With contrasting settings and open expression , I believe that no other work by Kurosawa has been this personal . Moreover , it has to be his best film later in his career , right next to Red Beard . Despite other unsuccessful films , ( Ex . Do Des Ka Den ) Dreams is Kurosawa's last stand at making such an emotional and valuable film . My hat is off to this master who is no longer with us .
067 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
This is an extraordinarily beautiful movie that is at parts mysetic , fanciful , and downright depresing . The viewer experience everything from a fox wedding , a gorgeous scene with traditional wedding dress , Doll festival dolls coming to life , the dolls have gorgeous Heian era atire , a severe blizard , with the appearance of the yukionna , a moving scene of a former commander of a japanese unit who meets his ghostly shoulders . This is probably my favorite scene in the movie because the officer shows his pure sadness for the meaningless deaths of his soldiers , and the cruel fate that awaited him aftr the war . In the fifth scene we meet vincent van gogh withing a painting and he discusses the creative process , Mount Fuji in Red is a strange scene in which Kuroawa displays his fears of nuclear technology , the next scene shows mutations caused by the nuclear power plant explosion . The last scene is set in a quiet village away from the modern world , and even though the main part of the scene is a funeral it is quite a moving piece about the celebration of life not the tragedy of death . Great movie at a great price .
068 4 This is an extraordinarily beautiful movie that is at parts mysetic , fanciful , and downright depresing . The viewer experience everything from a fox wedding , a gorgeous scene with traditional wedding dress , Doll festival dolls coming to life , the dolls have gorgeous Heian era atire , a severe blizard , with the appearance of the yukionna , a moving scene of a former commander of a japanese unit who meets his ghostly shoulders . This is probably my favorite scene in the movie because the officer shows his pure sadness for the meaningless deaths of his soldiers , and the cruel fate that awaited him aftr the war . In the fifth scene we meet vincent van gogh withing a painting and he discusses the creative process , Mount Fuji in Red is a strange scene in which Kuroawa displays his fears of nuclear technology , the next scene shows mutations caused by the nuclear power plant explosion . The last scene is set in a quiet village away from the modern world , and even though the main part of the scene is a funeral it is quite a moving piece about the celebration of life not the tragedy of death . Great movie at a great price .
070 4 This can be easily THE most beautiful movie I've ever seen ( and I've seen a lot ) , and it's just driving me crazy not having it on DVD , it's insane . Few movies get to touch me so deeply , particularly after all the s * * t that comes out of hollywood . . . thanfully , this is really different . This is the most poetic movie I've ever seen and I can't help to recommend it to everyone , I know not all will like it ( because it is unlike anything you've seen ) but for those who do , they'll be marked . It is so beautiful , so touching , so deep , so poetic . Unbelievable . Kurosawa is THE genius . Never had I fallen in such deep a trance as in this movie . It absorbs you into a floating state of thought , it embraces you into becoming part of it . I felt the happiness , I felt the cold , I felt the silence . I felt it all . And never had I felt in such a delicate way with a movie . If you can't buy it , rent it , if you can't do that , get it ANYway you can . Believe me , it won't be an opportunity lost .
071 4 With the Seven Samurai in second , and many other outstanding efforts ( including Hidden Fortress , Rashomon , Ran , Kagemusha ) , I'm giving this flic the top spot . A wonderful montage of feeling and mood , Kurosawa gives us a cinematic panoramic .
A movie for a contemplative mood , this is Kurasawa's entreaty to humanity , and gift to the world . Thanks Akira , you've had a wonderful life !
072 4 The Leonard Maltin review is pretty much on-the-money : Dreams is beautiful , but it really drags . We're used to films that speed us along to an exciting , satisfying climax ( or at least that's what they aspire to ) . Dreams is a different kind of film altogether . It is art , and it is absolutely , breathtakingly beautiful . Kurosawa often captures the feeling of a dream - that strange fluidity and pensiveness is there . Turn off your expectations and let this film wash over you . The images will stay with you forever , as will the stories . Nevertheless : I , for one , am waiting for the price to come down a lot before I buy my own copy .
074 4 This is one of my all-time favorite movies . The cinematography is breathtaking . Kurosawa's exploration of the human condition is beautiful to watch . Every time I see this film , I come away with something new . Kurosawa was truly a master . This film should be seen by everyone .
075 4 I first experienced this movie in 1990 , at the tender age of five . My mother , browsing through the TV channels , happened to stumble upon it during the second short . I was not a particularly TV-centric kid , but somehow the movie caught my interest . In some way I communicated my intense desire to watch the program to my mother , and we proceded to sit through the whole thing , not once , but twice . ( I think it was repeated some weeks later ) For years , we joked about my favorite show but I never thought I would see it again until yesterday . I recieved it , along with a dessicated bass viol , as a present for graduating from eighth grade . Mom and I watched , as rapt as the first time , while exclaming about random things we had remembered from the first viewing eight years ago ( the dog ! remember the dog ! ) while my father snored raucously away on the couch . ( He , obviously , is not a fan of fine cinema . )
078 4 Dreams , by Akira Kurosawa is a beautiful and breathtaking tapestry of cinematic expression . These are Kurosawa's dreams , and what he believed were the problems facing man and his environment . I was lucky enough to watch this remarkable film at a theater many years ago in Los Angeles , shortly after its release . I was so impressed with the visuals in the film that they stayed with me for days . Weeks even ! If you have not seen this great work of art , I would highly recommend you do . I have always found this film to be one of the most beautiful films in cinema . There are many visually stunning films around , but this film is in a league of its own . The colors are so impressive , one could easily call it a ' painting on screen . ' I also hope that some day CRITERION will take this film and give their touch . Not that I am complaining with the present DVD . However , the film does deserve better , and would benefit from that magnificent CRITERION touch that it so rightfully deserves .
There are 8 episodes [ vignettes ] in this Kurosawa cinematic delight . Each are great in its own way . Moreover , they are ALL visually stunning and beautiful . Each have a story , yet all overlap with each other to some degree , and deal with mans disharmony with nature . Something that Kurosawa was deeply concerned about in his life . The film boasts some of the most wonderful and delightful colors on film that are sure to captivate you . Not to mention the stories themselves . The film is a visual painting on the screen . Everyone will have that one episode that they will like the most . And for me , that episode is the last one titled Village of the Watermills . I wish I could find such a place ! Maybe in my dreams ? And of course , the perfect choice by Kurosawa for the role of the old man is played by the late actor Chishu Ryu , who starred in so many great films , and was a favorite regular in many of the films by the late great Japanese director , Yasujiro Ozu .
It was a delight for me to see Chishu Ryu in Village of the Watermills , my favorite episode , as Ryu was in the classic Yasujiro Ozu film , Tokyo Story , which has always been one of my favorite films . Village of the Watermills , is a great episode that I have watched numerous times . It is an episode that celebrates life . Death is a natural part of the life cycle , and I especially liked the way that Kurosawa shows us this in the films last episode . And more importantly , how this community , which is in harmony with nature around them , are celebrating the death of a woman who has lived a long and joyous life . There is no sadness , but joy in having known her . The villages occupants treat her death with celebration - - as she has lived a long life . Plus , I am always amazed by the interaction with the traveler to this village and the old man ( Chishu Ryu ) . When the old man is being questioned by the traveler , he seems so wise .
For example , when the traveler asks the old man Why don't you have electricity ? The old man responds , Because night is supposed to be dark . Or , If the night were bright you could not see the stars . And when the traveler asks why there are no tractors for the farms , the old man replies , Because they have horses and cows to tend the farms . Ah , such simplicity . If it were only so . Kurosawa was truly concerned about mans disconnection with his environment , and this episode of this quiet and tranquil village really hit home with me . Peaceful serenity , with man and nature as they were intended to be - - in harmony with each other , not at odds . This is a great episode and a magical film . ALL of the episodes are great , some disturbing and others magical . This film is highly , highly recommended .
079 4 Interestingly , my 3 year old daught and 4 year old son are totally mesmerized by Kurosawa's Dreams . They like to watch it repeatedly , and it has opened up some truly neat discussions on mysticism , war & peace , beauty & art .
We are a multi-cultural family ( Mom is LA Woman originating in El Salvador , Dad is nurse-anthropologist from an IA farm , traveling to our home in Northern California via China ) .
I love watching this and puzzling through the layers of meaning and symbolism . Thanks .
080 4 I saw this film several years ago and even today I recount it's imagery as perhaps among the most beautiful I've even seen . It's certainly not for everyone , but if you are a person who's mind is more sighted toward symbolism rather then realism at times , then this film is unforgettable . The aesthetics are lush and poetic , and the vignette's are touching if you allow yourself to be receptive to what Kurasawa's putting before you . The Van Gogh vignette is particularly beautiful . I've seen several Kurasawa films , enjoyed them all , but Dreams really captured my imagination in a very endearing way .
081 4 Probably the most continually awe-inspiring film I have ever seen . I first saw it in the theatres when I was a child , and every time I rewatch it I am amazed yet again . Do yourself a favor and try to find the laserdisc version of this movie ( and a laserdisc player ! ) , it will change your life . There are simply no other movies this could be compared too , or any other work of art for that matter . Even after all the other Kurosawa films I've enjoyed , this remains his masterpiece in every way .
082 4 This is definitely one title I would love to see in HD as it's beautifully shot and composed ( featuring classic bookend framings ) . The use of color is masterful and the stories themselves are captivating . I quite liked Scorsese as Van Gogh with attitude . Watch this one on as large a screen you can - you'll see why .
084 4 Although he went on to make 2 more films before his death in 1998 , this is Kurosawa's last great film . The color was digitally enhanced thanks to the assistance of George Lucas ' ILM . And this film is one of the first to feature digital video shots ( HDTV , thanks to Sony ) . With Episode 2 , George Lucas hopes to be the first filmmaker to produce a 100% digital movie , without the use of any film stock .
As for the movie itself , all 8 dreams are wonderful . I especially like The Tunnel for its balance and photography . And the digital effects in Crows ( the protagonist walking through van Gogh's paintings ) are nothing short of revolutionary . Even the last story , while a bit preachy , features a rousing , Felini-like procession at the end . This is an exquisite motion piture from the late master of Japanese cinema .
085 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
The film Dreams , last full length feature of Akiro Kurosawa touches on enormous themes , and is visually exciting . . .
Broken down into several short films it captures the lives of different men , women , and children . Each scetch has its own unique setting , and is completely unlike the other ones in terms of the visual effects used . Kurosawa masterfully interplays the normal and the grotesque . Simplicity and fairy-tale . Despite - there s always a very very reach useage of colors , a palitte astounding to ones eye . Overall , it is a rather sad movie . Sad in in its thoughtfulness , presenting a stage of a director who has already passed a cusp of his prime and is thinking about his going as well as the more universal meaning of his life . That said , Kurosawa doesn't want his viewer to be sad . On the contrary he wants us to lit up and see the deeper magic of life . .
086 4 The film Dreams , last full length feature of Akiro Kurosawa touches on enormous themes , and is visually exciting . . .
Broken down into several short films it captures the lives of different men , women , and children . Each scetch has its own unique setting , and is completely unlike the other ones in terms of the visual effects used . Kurosawa masterfully interplays the normal and the grotesque . Simplicity and fairy-tale . Despite - there s always a very very reach useage of colors , a palitte astounding to ones eye . Overall , it is a rather sad movie . Sad in in its thoughtfulness , presenting a stage of a director who has already passed a cusp of his prime and is thinking about his going as well as the more universal meaning of his life . That said , Kurosawa doesn't want his viewer to be sad . On the contrary he wants us to lit up and see the deeper magic of life . .
087 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
It's slow but very beautiful and inspirational . If you're not into artistic movies , it may be boring for you . This is an accumulation of Kurosawas thoughts and dreams and he shot it beautifully on film . I recommend it highly .
089 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
Video is actually collection of several separate vignettes , which are as varied as they are wonderful . Not for everyone , but a nice watch if you're a Kurosawa fan .
090 4 Video is actually collection of several separate vignettes , which are as varied as they are wonderful . Not for everyone , but a nice watch if you're a Kurosawa fan .
091 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
This is a collection of scenes set to a different clock than that of just any story or movie . It is time that is passing not just in minutes and hours , but time in breaths taken and beats of the heart . The things that are inside of you are what you will watch here in these dreams .
092 4 This is a collection of scenes set to a different clock than that of just any story or movie . It is time that is passing not just in minutes and hours , but time in breaths taken and beats of the heart . The things that are inside of you are what you will watch here in these dreams .
093 4 There are eight dream sequences in the DVD . They are totally independent and do not have anything to do with each other , so each one is like a ' short story ' yet they stand on their own as complete films and each one is told with the pertinent imagery , language and pace that is typical of dreaming . This is so well done that we feel at times we are either dreaming the movie or seeing a projection of someone's dreams as they happen . I do not know of any better rendition of the dream state in film , this is an extraordinary accomplishment and one of Kurosawa's greatest achievements.Yet we should also be aware that the subject of dreams is much more relevant and important within the Japanese cultural context than in ours . From an earlier date , one of their greatest literary novels is titled As I crossed a Bridge of Dreams ( 11th Century ) and through the centuries to modern times it is a recurrent theme , that in the 20th century was best expressed by Yukio Mishima's main character in the tetralogy Sea of Fertility , Kiyoaki Matsugae , who keeps a dream diary , which actually predicts the developments of events in the novel .
Here is the List of Dreams in the film :
1 - A Peach Orchard 2 - Mount Fuji in Red 3 - The Tunnel 4 - The Weeping Demon 5 - The Blizzard 6 - Crows 7 - Sunshine through the Rain 8 - The Village in the Watermills
I Have not listed them in order , The first is Sunshine through the Rain , a beautiful fairy tale seeing through the eyes of a child , which is the same theme of the second , with another tale , yet both are totally different . Each one of these tales is a separate dream , and like all dreams they have their own rules that only make sense there . The cinematography is masterful even by Kurosawa standards , for all the dreams , but particularly spectacular in these first two in showing simultaneously the nature of Japan , and the traditional deities of Shinto , Japan's ancient pagan religion that preceded Buddhism and Zen , and is still part of the country's cultural core . . Crows is about a gallery visitor that actually climbs inside a Van Gogh painting and pursues Van Gogh through the fields . Martin Scorcesse plays Van Gogh beautifully , this was like a fantasy trip . The Blizzard is about a snowstorm in the mountains involving a climbing team , and is more like a short hallucination that one of the mountain climbers has for a moment , before he wakes and continues climbing .
Mount Fuji in Red is the horrifying nightmare of several atomic plants that explode around the volcano , with fearsome yet beautiful impact . It is Kurasawa's commentary on atomic energy , which along with the ' genius ' of Einstein has aged very badly in Contemporary culture . It is worth noting that he belongs , along with Marx and Freud , to a group of scientist philosophers from the 19th Century that really believed in progress , and the three have largely failed in ' changing the world ' and have become instead clearly passé . In the age of ozone layer pollution , irreversible atomic waste , Capitalist Russia / China and Prozac , all these once grand hopes and dreams of progress have faded or evaporated altogether . The Weeping Demon is another dream that dwells in the post atomic , post modern world which has become a nightmare , and here Kurosawa goes back to the very beginning of film history to scenery reminiscent of Giuseppe De Liguoro's L'Inferno , a 1910 film setting for Dante's Inferno that was extremely influential in establishing the iconography , and landscapes of the hellish universe , which looks very much like the world of the Weeping Demon . The tunnel is a war story that will be particularly touching to the military minded . It is Kurosawa's commentary on war in which a captain remembers his lost platoon , and they come back from the dead , first one man , then all of them in formation to be dismissed by him one last time . The Village in the Watermills is the closing dream . It is also a tale of nature and traditional values in contrast to the modern world , deeply philosophical and beautiful .
097 4 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 .
101 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
This is one of if not the best movie ever . It's incredibly sweet , well done , and in many ways dream like . Kursasawa has a knack for making quality movies and this is no exception . It's not some clashing action thriller , nor is it a Baron Munchaussen , but it still is oddly enough very catchy .
102 4 This is one of if not the best movie ever . It's incredibly sweet , well done , and in many ways dream like . Kursasawa has a knack for making quality movies and this is no exception . It's not some clashing action thriller , nor is it a Baron Munchaussen , but it still is oddly enough very catchy .
103 4 This is perhaps a tough film to review because it is highly personal in nature , being composed of the dreams of its author ; however , being highly personal does not mean it lacks universality , in fact quite the contrary . Akira Kurosawa is widely recognised as one of the greatest film makers of the twentieth century , i.e . in film-making history . He himself described this film - and I paraphrase from memory - as the film he had always wanted to make , his ultimate and best film . I do not believe that this is because the particular story-lines in the film were so important but because using the medium of dreams , Kurosawa was able to delve into a level of storytelling far deeper than much of his previous work and explore further subtleties of texture , nuance , psychology , colour , mood and so on . That said , the themes and stories on the surface are of interest because they evoke quintessentially Japanese pre and post war issues , also the perceptions of childhood , of adulthood , of facing death , of nostalgia . However , using the medium of a dream , Kurosawa can penetrate deep into the heart of each vignette to give us unsurpassably lovely and profound entries into the heart of particular moods , for ultimately this is what each story is : a very profound , almost sub-consciously - inhabited mood piece . Both in esoteric buddhism and Shinto , with both of which Kurosawa was culturally familiar to say the least , moods can be regarded as the gateway into the central channel of enlightenment ; in other words , rather than avoid feelings and passions in order to engender peace or purity , instead you dive into their turbulent waves to thereby enter the deeper , silent ocean of awareness beneath . This he does beautifully with each piece , and in fact once you connect with this dynamic , many of the stories lay open to fuller enjoyment , like a main course served up at a banquet . In nearly every piece there is an encounter with a world beyond the immediately perceived one , and yet linked in feeling , in mood , in terms of season , colour , surrounding , context and so on . And then the ' deity ' of that particular landscape or situation emerges , either as the gods and goddesses of the peach tree orchard , the foxes in the forest , van Gogh , the ice storm deities or whatever , the deity being the quintessential expression of the mood freed from any burdens of being bound to everyday normalcy , function or timeframe - a pure expression . In essence , this film is a study - or teaching - in the union of awareness and emotion ; as such it is incredibly precise , playful , artistic and profound . I urge anyone who has not seen it to do so . It is unquestionably one of the greatest masterpieces of cinematic art in history and will remain so for centuries , I suspect , long after many others have faded from memory .
108 4 . . . because this movie waltzes into your mind like the most vivid , profound , and meaningful dream .
Each story is like a new dream that you dive into subconsciously . And like all dreams , they're meant to teach you something .
This movie is beautiful in its awesome execution . It is a quiet but bold statement on the state of the world and human nature .
Simply gorgeous .
109 4 It's why I love film .
That is , the cinema is where I can go to touch my emotions , all kinds of emotions , sometimes finding those I never even knew I held undiscovered . ' Dreams ' is that wonderful kind of film which allows me the freedom to drift from one feeling into another , in a way I'm not capable of in reality .
After a lifetime of mastering the art of visual storytelling , it is Kurasawa I'm forced - - not forced , for it's a pleasure , how about immutably drawn ? - - to respect , to honor and to listen . It's difficult to explain this sensual piece with those I love , considering its limited availability , but I take some guilty pleasure in knowing its beauty and that it's shared with so few .
It is art .
110 4 This movie is a transferral directly from the realm of dreams to the realm of screens . The challenges of how to faithfully render a dream world on film would seem to me to be quite hard to overcome , yet Kurosawa creates magic on the screen . The film can be slow as some dreams are less intriguing than others , however that only accentuated its veracity , as some dreams run away with you , and some dreams get stuck in a rut or a circle , and most dreams are frought more with anxiety than with plot .
Even the dreams I didn't enjoy so much seemed familiar to me as I was able throughout to see and hear the images and symbols and characters as if I were dreaming them up in my head and not just seeing them on a screen . The execution does not at all seem effortless , but nevertheless perfect and brilliant .
Dreams have a way of symbolizing something surreal within you . That is what this film invites you to do , delve into your own subconscious - to find the meaning of the dreams , to find a subconscious connection between yourself and Kurosawa , and with all of humanity . The cinematography is beautiful . The imagery is chilling . The music is perfectly selected to contribute to the film . The stylized movement enchantingly expert . If you enjoy movies such as Jacob's Ladder , Ran , or other movies that use film imagery as an art , if you have a tolerance or even enjoyment of symbolic material , you must watch this film .
Be forewarned , some of the scenes toward the end get a little preachy , which is a clumsy addition to an otherwise wonderful and magnificent film .
Now I will indulge and say The Peach Orchard was enchanting and delivering and The Tunnel was grippingly powerful .
116 4 ' Dreams ' is a strange film consisted of a number of short stories . At first , one might thought that Kurosawa was going to incorporate Japanese myths and legends as the theme of the composition ( with the eerie ' Sunshine through the rain ' or even the rather modern ' Blizzard ' episode of the film ) , but as Kurosawa moved his composition further into the film , the theme of LIFE emerged . Though he touched a rather bizarre combination of questions in the different stories ( some of them does sometimes seem out of place , though this may be the case if the study of life was what he was analyzing ) , Kurosawa was interested in the idea of life being ' short ' : not eternal . From dead peach trees that lead to the discovery of a new one , proposed suicide of a child , ideas of death and its appropriateness with age , all the way to notion of death being inevitable , thus should be celebrated ( the last narrative of the film ) , this is a very complex study for understanding the futile attempts of humans trying to improve life through inhuman technologies , and a lesson in viewing the ambiguity of life and its end . By the way , Scorcese's appearance in the film proved to be quite interesting .
117 4 Kurosawa uses the same sense for color he demonstrated in Ran , but the addition of carefully-rendered digital effects show this master connecting the sweep of his career with the newest innovations in filmmaking technology . His fear of some technology , his questioning of the sense of war , and his late-blooming love of life are on full display here . The conversation between mother and child in the first story and the man's futile attempt to protect a woman and her child from an approaching poisonous cloud in story six are not to be missed .
118 4 The winter of Kurosawa's life created this movie of eight dreams . These dreams transport us through many emotions by portraying tragedy , love , aloneness and beauty and end with a dream that appears to portray Kurosawa's vision of heaven . It is an extremely beautiful and well crafted film that invites revisiting from time to time because the themes it contains are universal and timeless to the viewer ; a sure keeper in my video collection . It is a true work of art .
124 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
It always amazes me that folks always wax poetic about Akira Kurosawa and never seem to get past the director to get to the story .
Now I have to admit that I'm really into Japanese cinema , but this is a very artsy movie . If you are looking for Yojimbo , bypass this . This is not that kind of movie . This is the kind of movie that someone with a liberal arts degree who enjoys visiting art museums might enjoy . It is a bunch of increasing dark vignettes with a happy one at the end .
The first involves a 10 year old boy who sees a marriage procession who then is kicked out by mother and given a tanto ( knife ) and told that he has to kill himself . Beautiful scenery as he heads into the field to beg for his life . We don't ( thankfully ) see the outcome . This was one of the happier vignettes .
We move on to a vignette that has a sick little boy talking to the personification of some peach trees that were callously cut down by his family . While truly sad , this was a happy bed of roses compared to most of the rest .
The one about Mt . Fuji was just about as dark as dark gets , except maybe the one about the human watching the demons in hell , Yea , this one involves 6 exploding Nuclear Power plants , Mt Fuji blowing up , and everyone in Japan jumping off a cliff or being overcome by colorful radioactive gas . All the while the guy who caused it all lovingly describing just how bad , bad will get . The Demons in Hell one seems to be a follow on with mutated flowers , devils whose rank is determined by the number of horns on their heads . Good idea on the horns . I have no idea how many chili dogs it took to have these nightmares .
Their was a fairly happy one with a Japanese painter entering a Van Gogh painting , and the last one hearkens back to the Willoby episode from Outer Limits . The Waterwheel village was truly the only really happy story in the bunch . But then , if you like happy stories you probably are not watching Japanese movies .
Let's get real . Most people will not like this not because of the filming which is excellent , or the tales which are dark but good , but because it might be considered a bit highbrow . If you like artsy - go for it .
125 4 It always amazes me that folks always wax poetic about Akira Kurosawa and never seem to get past the director to get to the story .
Now I have to admit that I'm really into Japanese cinema , but this is a very artsy movie . If you are looking for Yojimbo , bypass this . This is not that kind of movie . This is the kind of movie that someone with a liberal arts degree who enjoys visiting art museums might enjoy . It is a bunch of increasing dark vignettes with a happy one at the end .
The first involves a 10 year old boy who sees a marriage procession who then is kicked out by mother and given a tanto ( knife ) and told that he has to kill himself . Beautiful scenery as he heads into the field to beg for his life . We don't ( thankfully ) see the outcome . This was one of the happier vignettes .
We move on to a vignette that has a sick little boy talking to the personification of some peach trees that were callously cut down by his family . While truly sad , this was a happy bed of roses compared to most of the rest .
The one about Mt . Fuji was just about as dark as dark gets , except maybe the one about the human watching the demons in hell , Yea , this one involves 6 exploding Nuclear Power plants , Mt Fuji blowing up , and everyone in Japan jumping off a cliff or being overcome by colorful radioactive gas . All the while the guy who caused it all lovingly describing just how bad , bad will get . The Demons in Hell one seems to be a follow on with mutated flowers , devils whose rank is determined by the number of horns on their heads . Good idea on the horns . I have no idea how many chili dogs it took to have these nightmares .
Their was a fairly happy one with a Japanese painter entering a Van Gogh painting , and the last one hearkens back to the Willoby episode from Outer Limits . The Waterwheel village was truly the only really happy story in the bunch . But then , if you like happy stories you probably are not watching Japanese movies .
Let's get real . Most people will not like this not because of the filming which is excellent , or the tales which are dark but good , but because it might be considered a bit highbrow . If you like artsy - go for it .
129 4 This film is fantastic - - at least to me . It's painful and beautiful . Having lived in Japan when young , I was struck at a very basic level by Kurosowa's imagery .
Unfortunately , the listed price for this classic is insanely high . ( Thank the gods I taped it from my satellite dish ! ) Nonetheless , I can't recommend it highly enough .
I'm sure it isn't everyone's cup of tea , but I loved it .
131 4 Within each story there is another unfolding at a deeper level and the measured pace of each tale enables the director to load every pause with meaning . The film is presented to the viewer in such a way that you actually feel part of the story - in a similar way to the tale he presents of the man stepping into the Van Gogh painting . This is one of my favourite videos that I watch again and again . It must be absolutely breathtaking on a big screen .
133 4 Kurosawa's Dreams is a collection of short films that work as part of a whole , but like all collections some films are far inferior then others . The film is Kurosawa's most personal and several segments are a bit heavy handed and indulgant . The segments that worked for me were among the best of Kurosawa . The Peach Orchard with its mysterious mood and breathtaking color is a highlight . The Tunnel with a powerful performance by the actor playing the officer is a strong and simple reflection on war . Crows is a stunning segment that recreates and uses effects to lead its character through the paintings of Van Gogh . The weakest segment is Mount Fuji in Red which uses poor special effects to tell an awkward cautionary tale . The other segments are intermitantly interesting , but really aren't that striking . If it was anyone else the film would be a masterpiece , but for someone of the caliber of Kurosawa it is simply good .
Video : If you enjoy the film or are a Kurosawa collector you are in for a treat with this stunning transfer of the film . It is very sharp and clean with good detail in the shadows . What knocked my socks off was the color which is rendered beautifully . It is absolutely gorgeous . A great transfer .
Sound : Very good with nice separation and kick on the music and sound effects .
Extras : Nothing not even a trailer , although there is a nice Kurosawa filmography with a cool menu . I would have liked to see a documentary on the making of the Crows segment . The package is poor , only a half plastic case with cardboard cover . The side clip leaves an idention and mark on the cover picture . This didn't get the Warner two disc packaging with slip case . The two disc Warner packages don't have a clip so the cover isn't damaged , too bad they don't package single discs like this .
135 4 I just examined a 35mm print , and can confirm that fellow reviewer P.A.G . Fessel and the IMDB have wrong information about the aspect ratio . This film was composed for the 1.85 : 1 ratio , and that is the way it was shown theatrically . I have submitted a correction to the IMDB .
Not one of Kurosawa's best in my opinion , anyway . Still often quite fascinating .
138 4 What a disappointment . I am being very honest . Based on reviews herein , I thought this was going to be a visual masterpiece filled with stunning imagery and a poetic journey for the mind . Sadly that is not what this film is . There are far more , dare I say greater Japanese films that will fill your heart and mind . I agree with an earlier reviewer ( scroll down ) , I think that many people have latched onto the idea and popular notion that this is great film making because an academy may have chosen to honor an aging film maker some 15 years ago . This typically happens with foreign films being reviewed by Westerners for whom appeal lies in that which they think represents the culture or community or creative prowess of the foreigner .
I am writing this review from Japan where I live and I can assure you there are several astounding works out there that superbly capture the essence of Japan whilst both visually and emotionally challenging the viewer . The moral lessons contained within the vignettes of Dreams ( honor your elders , respect nature , value tradition , be a good person ) are so trite and transparent , and forced upon the viewer in each of the short segments that to me it felt more like an assembly line of Japanese Aesop's Fables . In short , I am not convinced that this film has withstood the test of time ( okay well 15 years at least ) to captivate and intrigue and challenge the viewer . If you are truly looking for something palatable from Japan which will make you think about life , values and human relations , I recommend Kikujiro or Spirited Away for that matter . Those are both places to start if you are new to Japanese film and would like to be inspired by truly excellent contemporary story telling the Japanese way .
By the way , the fact that Spielberg and Lucas helped produce and that Scorcese appears in this film is pretty much a red flag that it is probably not great Japanese film making at its best .
141 4 This is Kurosawa's best Color Movie . The photography is incredible . Eight tremendous shorts that seam to roll into one another , the concept of the crows where they walk into the Van Gogh paintings is stunning ! My favorite is the last story the waterfall , the wisdom the old Man is inspirational .
Red Beard and Dreams , favorite two movies ever made .
142 4 I finally got online after a while and went poking around and stumbled across this DVD just in an off chance . I was almost completely shocked and amazed to have found it listed . Finally some of Kurosawa's best movies are coming out of Limbo . I have read some recent reviews of this new DVD , and hope it isn't quite as bad as they say it is as far as the widescreen and picture quality go . But of course I am not going to get my hopes up . I have had this for many many years on VHS , and managed to track down a copy on Laserdisc , just before DVD's for anything ever hit the market .
To just make it brief on the review of this movie in general , this is a brilliantly artistic series of short stories , by a super brilliant movie maker . Years ago I had fallen in love with many japanese movies , and Kurosawa has always been a favorite , and almost never disappointed ( even my discriminating and picky taste ) . If you have never watched much foreign movies , try to remember to keep an open mind and follow along as best you can . And watch it again and again to try and catch more things . Some sequences you may not like a whole heck of a lot , but others will surely touch your heart . I only wish Kurosawa could have been encouraged to have made many more of these . The world has truly lost a great visionary of great japanese culture .
To tell you a little of what has been going on with some Kurosawa movies , at least in what I have observed . As near as I can tell , their must have been some problems with Kurosawa's properties when he passed away a number of years ago . Soon after his passing this particular movie Dreams ( among some others ) , disappeared from the market anywhere on VHS or Laserdisc . And for years after that nothing was heard or much known what was going on . Because of this instance , the VHS was off the market for quite a while , then sort of reappeared . But mostly as a Rental copy . . .
Hopefully now that this has hit the market , it means more of his properties have been released for the general market , and if this DVD copy isn't the best thing around , we can maybe get together and encourage some places ( such as Criterion ) to look into getting a super great version put out some time in the near future .
Oh , and one other thing . I would have easily given the rating a perfect 5 ( which is what the movie itself deserves ) , but from the reviews of possibly being a bad copied DVD version , I felt I should knock it down to 4 . Hopefully it isn't as bad , but like I said , if it is , hope springs eternal that someone else will get the rights to it and make a super great copy like this so deserves .
TANOSHIMU !
144 4 A silly inept movie made by Kurosawa in his dotage . The only people who go gaga over this one are people who haven't seen Kurosawa's best work . Or maybe people who don't know what real movies are . Go see 7 Samurai or Ran before you see this one .
145 4 Nuggets of beauty .
Polished marbles of untainted wide-eyed wonder .
Frank , innocent , child-like eye for beauty .
pieces of dream that can be stored away and held onto forever . Like wondrous capsules each containing a vivid memory . . .
poetic imagery . etheral substance-ing
of a moment
poetic memory .
146 4 This is definitely not one of Akira Kurosawa's masterpieces .
As its title suggests , the movie is a loose series of dream-like vignettes that echo some of the themes in AK's previous films , with stylized bits of autobiography tossed in . These dreams are arranged in rough chrono-biological order , from childhood to manhood to old age ; in between we get scenes of war and environmental catastrophe . Sprites , ghosts , and demons abound . The supernatural elements are reminiscent of Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan , from which Kurosawa probably lifted his Snow Maiden episode .
Sure , there are some striking images painted in gorgeous hues , but the whole affair is curiously uninvolving . It's also painfully didactic . Two of the dreams , Red Fuji and Weeping Demon , are dated , simplistic , Cold War-era anti-nuke polemics that reminded me of nothing so much as those cheesy Godzilla flicks , minus the campy fun . ( Perhaps the cheesy effects are Kurosawa's little tribute to his former AD , Inoshiro Honda , who directed the original Godzilla . ) The last dream , Watermill Village , starring the usually subtle and superb Chishu Ryu , is a kitschy luddite fantasy about the perfect little ecotopian village . Okay , I'll admit that this quaint little village is the epitome of bucolic loveliness ( in real life - - as opposed to reel life - - it's a popular tourist trap , part of the large Daio wasabi farm in Nagano prefecture ) . But Ryu's wise-old-man schtick is just too damn corny and preachy in this scene . The upshot of all these dreams is : science and technology are bad ( mmmkay ? ) , modern man is arrogant and stupid , we should return to medieval village life and learn to live in harmony with Mother Nature . Kindergarten Taoism , in other words .
The sophomoric , heavy-handed Dreams is such a comedown from Kurosawa's wonderfully subtle , multi-faceted masterpieces of the ' 50s and ' 60s . Frankly , this simple-minded bagatelle is a little embarrassing coming from the towering cinematic genius who gave us Ikiru , Seven Samurai , and Red Beard . Someone should have told Kurosawa that only Freudian shrinks want to hear about other people's dreams .
147 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
After reading all the glowing reviews here I was really expecting something much , much better . I found this film mind-numbingly boring . Like another reviewer said , it's like watching a screen saver for a couple of hours . But this is just my opinion . Obviously , many people found this film enjoyable , but it's not for everyone . I'll give it two stars .
149 4 This review is from :
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams ( DVD )
The first segment is the best one , they get weirder and weirder with each one . Ugh . Cumbersome to watch .
151 4 After reading the video cover I wondered how one man can sum up our dreams , but Akira Kurosawa sums up our worried dreams ( if not all dreams are worries ) .
There is a visionary visual glimpse into what might happen with our nuclear situation , with demons feeding off each other and realistical portrail of horrific chemicals . Childish innocence is shown in the opening ' dream ' , man's strife and wars are visual treats along with Martin Scorsese as Vincent Van Gogh . But Kurosawa does not leave the train of thought unfinished . He shows us an idelic simple living that makes surprising sense but it is something moderns will have difficulty swallowing .
As in early Kurosawa films the stories are there leaving us to wonder but his last works are visual contemplations of this hellish world . The lack of conversations may leave some fidgeting but look beyond smallness and understand .
152 4 I made the mistake of making this the first Kurosawa movie that I saw . For those who have yet to experience his films , I urge that you hold off viewing this until you see most of his older films . I really don't think that this film works very well . The three best stories are Red Fuji , where a nuclear power plant meltdown leaves some terrified survivors ; the one where a traveler stumbles across a nuclear-mutated demon ( one assumes this is a direct sequel to Fuji ) ; and the last one , in my opinion , the most beautifully filmed , Village of the Watermills . In it , an old man preaches to a young traveler about life and death . Like the ones I mentioned , the other stories have excellent cinematography ( maybe the best Kurosawa has ever done - - what with the vibrant colors and sweeping landscapes ) , but the problem is , the overall experience is too disorienting . Kurosawa had difficult getting this one made and had to call for help from George Lucas ( who's Industrial Light Magic did the special effects ) and Steven Spielberg . It's clear why , because studios had difficulty understanding the unity of it . Many of Kurosawa's hard-core fans enjoy this film , but I personally didn't find it to be all that exciting .
153 4 This DVD is a series of vignettes .
Most often , the vignettes have the protaganist coming into contact with some natural or supernatural force or person .
There are a number of visually striking scenes , but often they are sandwiched between bombastic lectures on the dangers of technology and nuclear power . The scene of the 6 nuclear power plants all exploding at once was particularly funny . Frightened people running around in front of a flaming Mount Fuji backdrop that is so two dimensional and fake that it looked like something from a High-School film project . I expected to see a guy in a Mothra or Godzilla suit jump out of the flaming crater .
The blizzard sequence was similarly distracting in that the snow and terrain are so fake looking that it was hard to feel very worried about the poor mountaineers .
Many of the sets and effects were very reminiscent of the old Star Treck sets .
The dialogue and story lines have no subtlety at all . You simply get the impression that the director is taking advantage of the captive audience to introduce you to his world view . I'm all for movies with a deep message ( and I share most of the views espoused in this movie ) , but there is no subtlety at all in this movie's presentation of it's agenda .
If you want to see a truly beautiful and engaging Japanese movie with a similar theme , watch Princess Mononoke . Dreams is simply a waste of time . It's a lecture on Kurosawa's pet philosophies , masquerading as a movie .
154 4 The first short story was really cool . The others were Ok . Not really much to say . This was my first Kurosawa film . Wasn't too impressed . Was impressed with Hidden Fortress and Really impressed with 7 Samurai .
Rent-Maybe
Buy-No
155 4 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 .
156 4 This review crits the lack of a DVD version of this movie .
DVD and digital projectors blow away both TV and HDTV . After using a digital projector w / DVD player , and seeing super high-res picture on a 4x8 ' screen in my living room , there's no way I can go back to VHS and TV .
So where's the DVD for one of my favorite movies ? They can transfer everything of Kurosawa's except this masterpiece ? Let's get with the program .
- - JJ
158 4 When I read the very positive reviews , I was planning to buy it straight away , well fortunately I rented it first .
I thought this movie was really slow it seemed to drag on and on .
For example , lots of times somebody is walking to a place , or just standing still for minutes long , and you could get the point
after 30 seconds or something .
The visuals of the movie were ok and sometimes very original , the effects I remember the best were the of the man walking in Van Gogh paintings .
The stories are filled with various lessons and philosophies about live , but somehow a lot of this felt cliched .
I think I understood the deeper meaning of most of the stories , but it failed very much to impress . It was as if I had heard or read these lessons about the destructivity of the human species
for example , lots of times . That's my main reason , I seemed to already know that , and now somebody is repeating it for me in some dreams .
159 4 My first recommendation is to rent it first - undoubtedly it will not be what you expect , good or bad . This movie obviously has high production values , but the ultimate message of one with nature is really rather cheesily portrayed . The same characters are seen in all the different episodes , which lessens the effect , and the acting is on a low-budget level . Most of the time is spent watching people walk around and look around . The cinematography can be impressive , but so much time is spent on each scene , that after so many number of camera angles it isn't as effective . Some portions are so silly that I would be embarrassed to watch this with a group . For example , the Fox wedding has a bunch of people dressed up with fox moustaches and the like . Ultimately , the shortcomings make it too hard to enjoy and the whole effort is tiresome to sit through .
054 4 This movie features some of the most beautiful images I have ever viewed , in a movie or otherwise . Kurasawa is a genius , not only as a storyteller but as an illustrator . The movie is like a book of your favorite short stories collected together for the first time , and you can't take your eyes from the screen . Elusive and emotional , this movie is a masterpiece in every aspect .
055 4 This is possibly my favorite film , and without a doubt has the most amazing cinematography in history . DO NOT make this the first Kurosawa film you see ! You won't understand !
088 4 It's slow but very beautiful and inspirational . If you're not into artistic movies , it may be boring for you . This is an accumulation of Kurosawas thoughts and dreams and he shot it beautifully on film . I recommend it highly .
095 4 I think Kurosawa's best , especially the Van Gough sequence , with the Cherry Blossoms a close second .
121 4 One of the most compelling , beautiful movies I've ever seen . I'm a Kurasowa fan for life .
057 4 I read heard so much about Akira's last masterpiece . I watched his earlier offering in the form of Ran many of my friends told me that Dreams was heaps better as it's a more personal heart-felt works of the Director . Compounded by the fact that this is also Akira's last work , I told myself that this is a must-have collector's item . When I watched this movie , I could understand why Steven Spielberg Martin Scorcese liked Akira's work so much for its subtle abstracted messages that screamed out quietly Humanity . All the short stories were beautifully taken at times , I would gaze at them with bewilderment . At times , the scenes seemed to drag on forever but perhaps , that's Akira's intention to captivate our attention through the protracted silence with anticipation . I found the experience exhilarating puzzling at the same time . The only downside of this movie would be that the final four short stories all talked about the same topic , about our callous nature that eventually destroyed nature civilisation . Furthermore , I questioned Akira's idea of using the same actor for different short stories . It's quite interesting to see Martin playing the part of Van Gogh instead of directing a movie . All I can say is that watch this movie with an open-mind . For visual treat , don't miss this but if you expect a fast pace direct movie , you would be disappointed . A definite must-see for Akira's fan !
038 4 The ageing creator of classics like Roshomon , Ran , The Seven Samaurai , and Throne of blood , treats us to a tour de force of directorial virtuosity . This visually stunning masterpiece consists of eight dreams with an environmental sub plot . The last of these , The Village of Watermills is one of the most moving pieces of art I have ever encountered . Everything about this film is perfect The costumes the colour balance , the forms and the music . Akira Kurasawa demonstrates why he is one of the greatest artists of all time
041 4 8 visionary interpretations of life through the dreams of a master filmmaker . All are visually stunning with a philosophical message tied to it . Not one episode is a waste of time , but rather an enrichment of the mind , with a pure visual focus of beauty . This ranks as one of the master's greatest films , and one of the most unique , beautiful films ever committed to celluloid . Dreams is a collage of powerful messages and images weaved together into a voloptuous storybook of a film .
045 4 Dreams is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen . This series of non-linear vignettes contains a flurry of lessons , each building upon one another to the point of dismanteling itself in a very Taoist fashion . Each episode is self contained , but still relative to every other one . Each time you watch it a new lesson is learned and new imagery revealed .
052 4 You have to appreciate having a unique perspective to enjoy this movie . I always remembered the title as being A.K . Strange Dreams , because they are just that . Some leave you smiling and others leave you oddly displaced by their turn of events . You are left to interpret your own moral of the story and regardless of the unusual role play , the vividness of imagery and imagination he creates is worth watching . I recognized the pattern of each dream growing from childhood to old age , and likened it to the progression of life itself , in spite of the strange circumstances that come our way .
105 4 A kaleidoscope of eight dreams where each dream leaves the audience with an open ending triggers thoughts and reflections shadowed by the audience's knowledge , values , and believes . The beauty of each dream offers several different meanings for each individual viewer , which provides personal impact on the audience . The dreams also present many similar notions , yet , each notion has its unique symbolism formed by the viewers own collective knowledge , beliefs , and values , which in the end offers an absolutely exceptional cinematic experience .
119 4 Akira Kurosawa's Dreams is a visually enchanting masterpiece from a director whose list of masterpieces far exceeds most director's entire catalogs . I have never seen such a rich and satisfying film that actually captures the feeling of dreaming . It is the short vignette style that most emulates the open-ended and mysterious quality of real dreams . The colours and the pagentry of the costumes and set designs are magnificent and the brief morality tales embedded in the narrative are well-founded if a little simplistic . Simply put , anyone who has enjoyed past Kurosawa accomplishments will most likely recognize the same genius in this work .
132 4 Dreams is beautiful visually . It brings Japanese stories and rituals to life . For those entranced by Japanese traditions and rituals and intrigued by cultural differences , each segment of this film will touch you and challenge your perceptions .
127 4 if you have an imagination you will like this movie .
there are some beautiful fantastic settings here that really would fuel a dream . As you've probably read its a set of short stories , each one has a flare of fantasy and mystery , yes a dreamlike quality . GORGEOUS visuals and of course , beautiful stories .
I cant recommend this enough .
096 4 i love this movie . it is a visual and artistic masterpiece filled with the magic and mystery of japan . it illustrates a dream world like no other , and is worth watching again and again
134 4 This anthology of short films by the great director Akira Kurosawa based on his dreams reveals a deep concern for the relationship between man and nature . As one would expect , there are many extraordinary visuals on display here . The first vignette , in which a young boy enters the forest on a rainy day in the hope of witnessing a wedding of foxes , begins the film beautifully . It is startling , mysterious , and fearsome ; the boy can be seen as a representative of all mankind , intruding thoughtlessly on the natural world without care for the consequences . . . and unprepared for those consequences when they come . Unfortunately , while the quality of the visuals remains high , the stories become increasingly preachy and obvious as the film wears on . Only one , concerning a group of mountain explorers that has lost the base camp , approaches the quality of that stunning first episode .
069 4 This is a long overdue DVD , one I have been waiting for , for a very long time . This was the first foreign film I ever watched and every felt a true passion for . I watched this for the first time when I was 18 , and it helped open me to a world beyond brain-dead action and mindless horror films . It is very stylistic and visually stunning , especially ' The Peach Orchard ' . Kurosawa is a true genius , and without a doubt , the greatest film director of all time , and I can not wait to watch this film in fine DVD style !
076 4 As far as I'm concerned , Leonard Maltin does not get to second-guess Akira Kurosawa .
100 4 Poetic , beautiful and hypnotic . Series of short vignettes lushly evoke some of Kurosawa's dreams / visions . A must for anyone interested in the history of classic films , and / or visual art . I use portions for an Art Appreciation class , in context of artists creating work out of inner experiences or the subconscious . It is well received .
120 4 Dreams , a great film , showing the inner thoughs , fears a expectations of happines from someone or anyone . Akira Kurosawa shows whitout doubt one of the strangest and most complicated puzzles of the human mind , dreams .
157 4 I have nothing but respect for director Akira Kurasawa . The only Japanese director I know by name . Like every other movie of his that I have seen , this is Japanese with English subtitles . Eight interrelated stories for a total of two hours . I watched two stories . 30 minutes , or 1 / 4 of this film . Still bored , I gave up . His use of the colors of nature was positively breathtaking , but I just got bored . Every color of the rainbow , I suppose , since the cover plus what little dialogue I read leads me to believe that's a unifying theme . I also read on the jacket what this film is about , and I'm with him . But , well , I didn't watch it . I may have just been in the wrong mood .
139 4 Don't kid yourself , when you've got a kid frolicking in the Skittle hills with the primal scream puppet people and feudal Oompaloompas dancing around hidden by snowflakes , you realize once and for all that Godot is never in fact going to show up and all this waiting around you've been doing was just an excuse to overpopulate the planet with your diseased lies and ever-bloated reflection . And the dogs of war barking from a tunnel and scenes from nuclear winter looking suspiciously like a Macy's Thanksgiving Parade gone awry might cause a lesser man to doubt his sensibilities , but not Kurosawa , by god . For he knows that dying leaf is watching you as it falls and that anguish is measurable only in sines and cosines by this alien race now spying via foliage .
107 4 Once you'll see it , you won't be able to stop yourself from seeing it at least three more times just to grasp the whole imense esense of the film . A breathtaking , beautifully directed film with views you won't have the opportunity to see anywhere else , involving the fear of the 20th century , harmony , the circle of life , and fantasy .
148 4 After reading all the glowing reviews here I was really expecting something much , much better . I found this film mind-numbingly boring . Like another reviewer said , it's like watching a screen saver for a couple of hours . But this is just my opinion . Obviously , many people found this film enjoyable , but it's not for everyone . I'll give it two stars .
018 4 I first saw this on TV and taped it . I was blown away by the visual beauty and terror of it all . The last story about the windmills ? That is how I want my funeral . Music and joy , not tears and sadness . We all die , but it is how we live that really matters .
044 4 One of the most beautiful pieces of film I have ever seen . The images and colors linger in the mind long after the movie is over .
150 4 The first segment is the best one , they get weirder and weirder with each one . Ugh . Cumbersome to watch .
A SPACE ODYSSEY ) that are real must-haves for a DVD collection . I have seen Dreams several times on video tape ( unfortunately , I've never seen it in the theater ) and hope that the DVD doesn't disappoint .
Let the beautiful and poetic stories wash over you . Don't look too hard for literal meaning , rather enjoy the vignettes as sort of visual poems or music . This is one of my all time favorite movies and I can't wait to see it on DVD !
056 4 The best movie I have ever seen . As art , as philosophy , as literature , as photography , as poetry , as narrative , as short story , as beauty . As yesterday , as today , and tomorrow .
094 4 It's the most amazing Japanese film I've ever seen . And the quality of tape was really good - even I can say perfect .
112 4 I had not even hit puberty yet when I first saw this movie , but I was hooked from the first moment ! ! The movie has to be one of the best I've ever seen ! ! The one that stood out the most for me is the one about the snow fairy .
114 4 I first saw dreams 9 years ago and to this day after the third time I've seen it Im still amazed with its beauty .
Dreams is the most amzing foreign film you will ever see , very enjoyable so go out and buy it or rent it .
128 4 I've been waiting for Dreams to come out on DVD ever since I got my DVD player . It's movies like this ( grand and visually stunning , like 2001 : A SPACE ODYSSEY ) that are real must-haves for a DVD collection . I have seen Dreams several times on video tape ( unfortunately , I've never seen it in the theater ) and hope that the DVD doesn't disappoint .
Let the beautiful and poetic stories wash over you . Don't look too hard for literal meaning , rather enjoy the vignettes as sort of visual poems or music . This is one of my all time favorite movies and I can't wait to see it on DVD !
160 4 Dreams was very well filmed , but the message was horribly heavy-handed and not feasable .
Being at one with nature is nice , but ignoring the realities of modern life and its luxuries is foolish .
I was bored during the first half and offended during the second .
