009 4 Why , oh why , is Kagemusha not available on DVD ? I have seen probably a dozen of Kurosawa's movies , and Kagemusha is my favorite of them all . For the wonderful cinematography and score alone , it is deserving of a better format than VHS .
031 4 for the DVD . Great movie but poor VHS quality . Very grainy . Hope the DVD cleans it up .
025 4 This movie is based on three people 1 . Takeda Shingen ( Born 1521 - Died 1573 ) , 2 . Oda Nobunaga ( Born 1531 - Died 1582 ) , and 3 . Tokugawa Ieyasu ( Born 1542 - Died 1616 ) . The movie is set in 16th century Japan ( Sengoku Era ) , Oda Nobunaga rules ' Kyoto ' ( Yamashiro Province ) the throne of Japan , ' Kyoto ' orders Takeda Shingen to march to Kyoto to liberate the throne from the tyrant Oda Nobunaga . Oda Nobunaga who with 3,000 men defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto's 40,000 men in the battle of Okehazama in 1560 is seen as invincible and ronin warriors start to flock to his banner . In 1573 , Oda Nobunaga's army grows from 3,000 to 50,000 men with Takeda Shingen's army at 30,000 men , Takeda Shingen's army beats off Oda Nobunaga's army effortlessly with ease on the road to Kyoto.Oda Nobunaga becomes panick stricken and tries to call a peace with the throne in Kyoto , while Oda Nobunaga helplessly watches his armies destroyed one after another . Tokugawa Ieyasu ( an allie of Oda Nobunaga ) entrenches himself at Hamamatsu Castle , and launches a calvery of 12,000 against Takeda Shingen's 30,000 men at ' Mikatagahara ' ( December 22,1573 ) . Tokugawa Ieyasu loses 3,000 men , Takeda Shingen loses 300 men that day . Tokugawa Ieyasu's army runs back like whipped dogs back to the safety of Hamamatsu , watching helplessly as Takeda Shingen's army passes on by to the road to Kyoto . By a quirk of fate Takeda Shingen is shot by a sniper and dies later of lead poison , the Takeda clan keeps his death a secret for three years , meanwhile , Oda Nobunaga wonders why Takeda Shingen has laggard his attack not knowing Takeda Shingen died three years ago .
058 4 Over a decade before Akira Kurosawa received funding to shoot Kagemusha he pondered the idea of multiple identities and how different personalities appear in different situations . This notion was in a mere stage of a fetus around the time when he finished Red Beard ( 1965 ) , but the film left Kurosawa marked as damaged goods due to his oppressive perfectionism . After this no one in Japan was willing to back him financially , but he did not give up as he attempted to create a production company with three other prominent directors from Japan . He made the brilliant Dodesukaden ( 1970 ) , but it was a commercial flop that ended his production company . This was the ultimate death for his professional career in Japan , but through Hollywood he began to work on Tora ! Tora ! Tora ! ( 1970 ) . However , he left the project due to artistic discord , which tarnished his reputation even more . His life came to the ultimate bottom in December 1971 when he tried to commit suicide .
As the Phoenix raised from the ashes , Kurosawa emerged from spiritual death when the Soviet Union invited him to make a film , Derzu Uzula ( 1975 ) , which went on to win the Oscars for the Best Foreign film in 1976 . After the Oscars in 1976 to the shooting of Kagemusha in 1979 , Kurosawa returned to his roots as a painter where he amassed a large number of paintings while being immersed into Shakespeare and Japanese history . Kurosawa's paintings became advance storyboards for scenes in the film , which is loosely adapted from Shakespeare's King Lear and historical events from 16th century Japan . This occurs as his story of multiple identities and personalities slowly brewed into perfection at his final stage as a film director .
Kagemusha opens with the line , Hmmm , he looks like me . , as the camera reveals three characters all having the same appearance . In this lengthy introduction , the stationary camera reveals through minimal movements of the characters and the ongoing conversation that two of them are brothers and high ranking officials while the third is an unrelated thief . The only thing giving away that the thief is a fake is his body language and his facial expression , but when he opens his mouth it is evident who are the leader and the thief . Nonetheless , the similarities between them are striking in both their appearance and their lifestyle , but what makes the difference between them is that one of them holds the power of the province in which both live and he intends to use the thief as a body double .
Shingen Takeda ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) and his brother Nobukado Takeda ( Tsutomu Yamazaki ) , who took the thief as a double , are amidst a war trying to conquer the whole Japan in order to bring peace and no more bloodshed to the nation . Shingen are currently besieging a castle , as they intend to strengthen their position to achieve complete peace . During one late evening when the Shingen listens to one of the men playing a flute , a sniper injures him severely . This causes the opponents of Shingen to wonder whether he is injured or dead , as he eventually dies . However , before he died he made sure that they would keep it a secret for three years before revealing his death . Throughout this time the thief , Kagemusha , becomes the stand-in ruler for the clan while they try to maintain their geographical position for three years .
Some reviews have complained about the slow pace and the length of Kagemusha . However , the length is necessary in order for the audience to completely immerse into the cinematic artistry that Kurosawa tries brings to the viewer through his ceaseless determination to create an experience . Sure , one could kill time , as Jean-Luc Godard puts it in Band of Outsiders ( 1964 ) where the characters try to run through the Louvre in less than 10 minutes . However , the purpose of visit to the Louvre is not to merely for being able to say that one has been there . Instead , it is highly recommended that one tries to take the time to understand what the artist attempts to say in each artistic work by pausing and reflecting over what they see . Kagemusha offers a wealth of artistic images drawn from paintings that go beyond colors and lines , which compels further introspective contemplating work on self and society . Thus , if the audience , expects to merely experience a sword fighting samurai film , Kagemusha will truly be a disappointment .
An intertesting hypothesis could provide the notion that Kurosawa displays several of his own characteristics through his paintings , which later appeared in scenes throughout Kagemusha . For example , there is the oppressive leader who demands perfection at all costs to the unwelcome thief . Another interesting notion could be drawn from Shakespeare's King Lear where the king steps down from his position as king to later realize that it was a bad decision , as he is betrayed by his own daughters . Then there is Gloucester who tries to help Lear , but is accused of treason and left to wander the countryside blind who also attempts suicide , but is saved . The story of King Lear eventually ends up in tragedy , as does Kagemusha . Maybe Kurosawa used King Lear , as analogy to his own life , not knowing the end . This occurs as Kurosawa ultimately brings together all aspects of himself - past , present , and future . Yet , as mentioned , he did not know his future , he went on to make and direct four more films including the masterpieces Ran ( 1985 ) and Dreams ( 1990 ) .
001 4 Wow , what a movie experience ! Kagemusha ( The Shadow Warrior ) is my favorite film from direct Akira Kurosawa , which is saying one heck of a lot when one considers Rashomon , Seven Samurai , and Ran . I sat riveted to the television screen during the entire presentation . It is a story of a petty thief who , because he looks very much like the great Warlord Shingen , is given the chance to redeem himself and play the great Warlord's double . The heart of the film is the inner change and new found strength that progresses through the thief as he learns to become the Warlord . Awesome in its imagery , Kagemusha will mesmerize you and move you . Between 1 and 10 , this powerful Kurosawa classic gets a 10 . With his passing , along with Stanley Kubrick , the world has lost two great treasures .
002 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
KAGEMUSHA is the great 1980 drama involving a clan of 16th-Century Japanese warlords who want to deceive their enemies by having a common thief impersonate their murdered leader . This is a thought-provoking film about reality and illusion , as well as a visually inviting work filled with many striking scenes and compositions that Kurosawa films are known for . A memorable 6 - minute opening shot of three identical-looking men , an elaborate dream sequence , and a harrowing montage of the aftermath of the final battle are among some of Kurosawa's finest moments in his long film career . Lead actor Tatsuya Nakadai was only in his 40s when he made KAGEMUSHA , playing a much older man and effectively conveying the guile and conflicted feelings of the imposter . Nakadai would also play the lead role in Kurosawa's next film , RAN , 5 years later , again unrecognizably playing a much older man .
Criterion has released the definitive video edition for KAGEMUSHA : a Region - 1 , 2 - disc DVD of the uncut , 180 - minute version of film . The anamorphic widescreen video quality is generally very good , except for some occasional graininess . The original Japanese audio is in Dolby Digital 4.0 surround ( 3 front , and 1 mono rear channels ) , although surround effects are infrequently used .
The best supplement on the disc is Stephen Prince's full-length audio commentary , which , due to the film's length , is able to elaborate on many topics in great details . Much of Prince's narration ( I would say half of it ) is more on the historical background of the film's period than the filmmaking and art of the film . He compares certain plot details against historical facts to show how Kurosawa uses his artistic license to convey his own ideas . Regarding the film itself , he emphasizes that this is an atypical Kurosawa film in that its hero tries to conform to the prevailing social order , unlike the nonconformist rebels and outcasts in past films such as SEVEN SAMURAI or YOJIMBO . On the film's artistry , he observantly points out that in a film about illusions , many of the key events in the plot are aptly NOT shown on screen . He also provides a great analysis on Kurosawa's most elaborate dream sequence .
Prince also does a good job of pointing out the differences between the shortened , 162 - min international version and this 180 - min uncut version . The longer version does not have 20 minutes of footage involving Kenshin Uesugi , as misreported at IMDB . The added scenes are , in fact , merely short , trimmed scenes and shots that are sprinkled all over the film . They add to the overall continuity , without altering anything in the main plot line . A majority of the added scenes are just too trivial to mention or to even notice . The few noteworthy ones include a much longer montage of the aftermath of the final battle , and a wholly added scene where the fake Shingen is being examined by the Jesuit priest physician - - this scene also has the great Takashi Shimura's only appearance in the film , seen for the first time on this DVD by viewers outside of Japan .
For Kurosawa fans , the second best feature on the disc is perhaps the collection of impressionistic paintings by Kurosawa that were later used by him as storyboards for the film . In a 41 - minute segment called Image : Kurosawa's Continuity , hundreds of such paintings are shown , accompanied by sound clips from the films . In a still gallery section called A Vision Realized , there are about 20 of the paintings placed side by side with still photos from the film . Many of these same paintings are also reprinted on the 45 - page booklet that comes with this DVD .
The booklet also include 3 wonderful essays . As is usually the case , Criterion took the effort of including different writings that don't duplicate one another . One essay deals with the film itself , its art and its history . Another one is a Sight-and-Sound interview with Kurosawa . The third one covers Kurosawa himself biographically .
The disc also comes with a well-made 41 - minute making-of documentary that is comprised of mostly interviews , stills , and clips from KAGEMUSHA . It's part of a 2003 series called Akira Kurosawa : It is Wonderful to Create ( other episodes of this series are available on Criterion DVDs of IKIRU , THE LOWER DEPTHS , and STRAY DOG ) . In Japanese with optional English subtitles , it has interview segments of the cast and crew , including Kurosawa , Nakadai , Kota Yui ( the child actor , who is now grown up ) , and others . They recount the challenges they faced , the artistic and technical choices they made , and a few amusing anecdotes .
Also included are trailers , a few whiskey commercials Kurosawa made on the set of KAGEMUSHA ( other than the monetary reasons for which they were made , there is nothing special about these commercials ) , and a 20 - minute interview segment with George Lucas and Francis Coppola , who praise Kurosawa's genius and lament that the film business often doesn't accommodate non-commercial films , even those by great directors .
003 4 KAGEMUSHA is the great 1980 drama involving a clan of 16th-Century Japanese warlords who want to deceive their enemies by having a common thief impersonate their murdered leader . This is a thought-provoking film about reality and illusion , as well as a visually inviting work filled with many striking scenes and compositions that Kurosawa films are known for . A memorable 6 - minute opening shot of three identical-looking men , an elaborate dream sequence , and a harrowing montage of the aftermath of the final battle are among some of Kurosawa's finest moments in his long film career . Lead actor Tatsuya Nakadai was only in his 40s when he made KAGEMUSHA , playing a much older man and effectively conveying the guile and conflicted feelings of the imposter . Nakadai would also play the lead role in Kurosawa's next film , RAN , 5 years later , again unrecognizably playing a much older man .
Criterion has released the definitive video edition for KAGEMUSHA : a Region - 1 , 2 - disc DVD of the uncut , 180 - minute version of film . The anamorphic widescreen video quality is generally very good , except for some occasional graininess . The original Japanese audio is in Dolby Digital 4.0 surround ( 3 front , and 1 mono rear channels ) , although surround effects are infrequently used .
The best supplement on the disc is Stephen Prince's full-length audio commentary , which , due to the film's length , is able to elaborate on many topics in great details . Much of Prince's narration ( I would say half of it ) is more on the historical background of the film's period than the filmmaking and art of the film . He compares certain plot details against historical facts to show how Kurosawa uses his artistic license to convey his own ideas . Regarding the film itself , he emphasizes that this is an atypical Kurosawa film in that its hero tries to conform to the prevailing social order , unlike the nonconformist rebels and outcasts in past films such as SEVEN SAMURAI or YOJIMBO . On the film's artistry , he observantly points out that in a film about illusions , many of the key events in the plot are aptly NOT shown on screen . He also provides a great analysis on Kurosawa's most elaborate dream sequence .
Prince also does a good job of pointing out the differences between the shortened , 162 - min international version and this 180 - min uncut version . The longer version does not have 20 minutes of footage involving Kenshin Uesugi , as misreported at IMDB . The added scenes are , in fact , merely short , trimmed scenes and shots that are sprinkled all over the film . They add to the overall continuity , without altering anything in the main plot line . A majority of the added scenes are just too trivial to mention or to even notice . The few noteworthy ones include a much longer montage of the aftermath of the final battle , and a wholly added scene where the fake Shingen is being examined by the Jesuit priest physician - - this scene also has the great Takashi Shimura's only appearance in the film , seen for the first time on this DVD by viewers outside of Japan .
For Kurosawa fans , the second best feature on the disc is perhaps the collection of impressionistic paintings by Kurosawa that were later used by him as storyboards for the film . In a 41 - minute segment called Image : Kurosawa's Continuity , hundreds of such paintings are shown , accompanied by sound clips from the films . In a still gallery section called A Vision Realized , there are about 20 of the paintings placed side by side with still photos from the film . Many of these same paintings are also reprinted on the 45 - page booklet that comes with this DVD .
The booklet also include 3 wonderful essays . As is usually the case , Criterion took the effort of including different writings that don't duplicate one another . One essay deals with the film itself , its art and its history . Another one is a Sight-and-Sound interview with Kurosawa . The third one covers Kurosawa himself biographically .
The disc also comes with a well-made 41 - minute making-of documentary that is comprised of mostly interviews , stills , and clips from KAGEMUSHA . It's part of a 2003 series called Akira Kurosawa : It is Wonderful to Create ( other episodes of this series are available on Criterion DVDs of IKIRU , THE LOWER DEPTHS , and STRAY DOG ) . In Japanese with optional English subtitles , it has interview segments of the cast and crew , including Kurosawa , Nakadai , Kota Yui ( the child actor , who is now grown up ) , and others . They recount the challenges they faced , the artistic and technical choices they made , and a few amusing anecdotes .
Also included are trailers , a few whiskey commercials Kurosawa made on the set of KAGEMUSHA ( other than the monetary reasons for which they were made , there is nothing special about these commercials ) , and a 20 - minute interview segment with George Lucas and Francis Coppola , who praise Kurosawa's genius and lament that the film business often doesn't accommodate non-commercial films , even those by great directors .
004 4 William Goldman , and American screenwriter , admonished aspiring screenwriters to begin scenes as close to end as possible . This is the sort of pacing that audiences - - American audiences , at least - - are accustomed to . Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha is quite a different sort of movie than would ever be produced by the American or even the European mainstream movie industry . . Its scenes are long and talky , with periods of silence , and still cameras . The scenery , make-up , and mannerisms of the actors are exaggerated and often melodramatic , like you would find in formal Japanese cinema . Anyone seeing this movie expecting a medieval action flick along the lines of , say , Exalibur , is very likely to be disappointed .
Which would be a shame . This is a magnificent movie . The photography and set design alone are breathtaking . This is more a historical piece than a character study - - the characters remain , for the most part , two-dimensional . The focus remains tightly on the strategies and deceptions involved in keeping together the Shingen Takeda clan when their leader has died .
Scenes are often long and patiently filmed . In one quietly dramatic scene , we see two lines of cavalry come galloping over an incline from a great distance . The thunder of the racing horses builds , and the lines converge before us . In this single shot , not much else happens , but the composition and sound create a powerful effect . This movie is filled with subtle , magnificent moments like this .
The battle scenes - - well , no one can beat Kurosawa here . The final scene depicts devestation and defeat with surprisingly little gore , yet is no less powerful ( and , arguably , more ) than , say , the graphically violent scenes in Saving Private Ryan .
This is a must-see for any movie buff .
006 4 I am slowly wading through the huge backlog of Kurosawa Akira films that I have accumulated over the last few years . Last week I watched Rashomon for the second time and now I have finally watched the three hour long epic Kagemusha . I am glad I had to watch it for a class because three hours is quite a chunk of time . However , Kagemusha is quite a beautiful and entertaining film threaded with humor and sadness so its three hour time does not seem quite as long as it is .
Opening with one long static shot , the viewer is presented with three men who practically look identical sporting the same kimono , hair style , and beard . We soon learn that the center figure is the warlord Takeda Shingen , the man on the left is his brother Nobukado , and the man on the right is a thief who was saved by Nobukado from being crucified because of his uncanny resemblance to Shingen . Nobukado desires to make the thief into a kagemusha , e * 。。 , shadow warrior , like himself so he can act as a double for Shingen . Shingen is against the idea at first , but is soon impressed by a loud outburst from the thief so he allows the man to be trained as his double .
On the verge of achieving his dream of overtaking Kyoto and keeping his enemies Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu at bay , Shingen leaves the safety of his abode to listen to the flute played by an enemy with the confines of a blockaded castle . However , Shingen is shot and subsequently dies . Yet before he passes away he tells his men to keep his death for a secret for three years . With no other option available the ranking generals of Shingenfs army keep their lordfs death a secret and force the thief to play the role of Shingen . However , this is easier said that donec
Considered by critics and fans alike to be one of Kurosawafs most powerful , if more formulaic films , Kagemusha delves into the recesses of history and asks the questions what happened to Shingen ? Why did he fail when he was so close to victory ? However , this is only a small part of the films appeal . It , like many other Kurosawa films , shows how modernity , in this film rifles , impend on a culture . A great film that can be enjoyed at a number of levels , Kagemusha is a film to be watched not only by those who enjoy Kurosawa or samurai films , but by those who enjoy long epic films as well .
007 4 It is about time to get this film's definitive version .
I am Amazon user in Japan and already own the original LD release and huge , expensive DVD boxes ( cost me about $1,0000 . . . . . ) , and I can assure you that this Criterion version will be THE BEST one .
While Japanese version was created from same new Hi-Definition transfer , all features , three-hour movie and 45minits documentary , are bundled in dual-layered disc , which is too much to take in one , and the sound bit rate is 338kbps instead of 448kbps .
I expect , likewise Red Beard , Hidden fortress and Ikiru , one disc will be devoted to the feature presentation and the extra to the other disc on Criterion version so that the quality can be maximized , and can be better than original Japanese release .
Still , among the Japanese original box set , I can say that the quality of Sansiro Sugata and two-disc set of Seven Samurai are great . I can't wait to see what the folks at Criterion will do to the rest of Kurosawa film releases .
P.S
For the first time , in documantary , Mr.Nakadai talks about taking over the title role from great Shintaro Katsu ( Zatoich ) who was originaly cast for Shingen and Kagemusha . Simply amazing .
008 4 The mortally wounded Lord Shingen ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) , engaged in strife with two opposing warlords for control of feudal Japan , commands that his death be kept a secret for three years in order to prevent both disarray among his clan and conquest by his enemies . Upon his death , his kagemusha , or double ( Nakadai again ) - - a lowly thief with a startling resemblance to the lord - - takes over under the strict supervision of Shingen's closest associates .
This visually striking film explores the extent to which a person's identity is constructed by others . The double begins to impress those around him as he seems to grow into the role , even winning the devotion of Shingen's grandson . The man and his social position become blurred until it becomes unclear which is the real person . When the double is unceremoniously humiliated and ejected from the palace toward the end , I could almost imagine that the rage of those who pelted him with stones was also repressed anger against the real Lord Shingen . When the double witnesses the tragic fate of the Takeda clan at the end of the film , it is as if the ghost of Shingen himself has appeared to witness the end of all his dreams . A powerful , thought-provoking , and moving film .
010 4 Here's one example of a film whose power lies firmly in the visual and aesthetic departments . Kagemusha is beautiful beyond belief , filled with cinematic wonder , confident in the sheer force of imagery .
Much has been made of the melodramatic style of acting that Nakadai Tatsuyo indulges in , both here and in Ran ( 1985 ) . Kagemusha benefits from the fact that it doesn't give Nakadai as much incentive to overplay - - as opposed to the King Lear madness of Ran , which provided Nakadai with a stage to receive his overacting . Kagemusha , thankfully , dwells in the exquisite art designs ( Kurosawa Akira took years to draw out the storyboards , having been unable to get the film produced for a long time ) , perfect compositions , inexhaustible wealth of colours , and sublime lighting . Deservedly the highest-grossing Japanese film of its time and , I would argue , Kurosawa's masterpiece .
011 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Now this is CINEMA !
The Criterion Collection DVD is filled with extras , from original Japanese documentaries and interviews of the departed Kurosawa ( with English subtitles , if needed ) and a booklet containing scene sketches
by the Master himself , which help you to understand why his movies are so poetic and his photography so masterful .
The movie is presented uncut and in its full splendor . The sound is just a conventional Stereo , which is probably the original soundtrack .
Pity , because if there had been a Surround division of the channels , some very spectacular battle scenes would have been more involving .
But perhaps , Akira Kurosawa wanted precisely that , to avoid the viewer to be distracted by the fluff , and rather concentrate on the story he is trying to tell .
Also known in the Western hemisphere as The Shadow Warrior , this is truly an Epic picture with a very beautiful and touching storyline .
This picture is the true and natural tie to other Kurosawa movies like Seven Samurai , Yojimbo , Sanjuro and The Hidden Fortress .
Unlike Throne of Blood ( adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth ) and Ran ( adaptation of King Lear ) , both also masterpieces , Kagemusha is an original Japanese story and gives a thorough insight of Japan in the 17th Century .
I always tought that Criterion was just out to steal our hard-earned money just for its name , but after having now bought Akira Kurosawa's Ran , the present Kagemusha , as well as Luchino Visconti's The Leopard , I will stick to Criterion like CA Glue .
Although pricey , it is through and through , money totally well-spent , for the quality in DVD rendition ( very clean and sharp transfers ) , very acceptable sound , although some more work on this would be nicer , especially with more recent movies .
Criterion has really proven that quality has its own price and believe me , I have never seen Kagemusha and Ran the way I have watched them on my flatscreen LCD HD TV .
Going to the movies nowadays , with a technology like High Definition TVs , has totally become obsolete .
DVDs , when properly treated and produced can knock out any movie theater in the world .
Thank you Criterion for the work of love you put in remastering and transferring such classics on DVD , not to mention the tons of extras you include with them .
Highly recommended and well worth its price .
012 4 Now this is CINEMA !
The Criterion Collection DVD is filled with extras , from original Japanese documentaries and interviews of the departed Kurosawa ( with English subtitles , if needed ) and a booklet containing scene sketches
by the Master himself , which help you to understand why his movies are so poetic and his photography so masterful .
The movie is presented uncut and in its full splendor . The sound is just a conventional Stereo , which is probably the original soundtrack .
Pity , because if there had been a Surround division of the channels , some very spectacular battle scenes would have been more involving .
But perhaps , Akira Kurosawa wanted precisely that , to avoid the viewer to be distracted by the fluff , and rather concentrate on the story he is trying to tell .
Also known in the Western hemisphere as The Shadow Warrior , this is truly an Epic picture with a very beautiful and touching storyline .
This picture is the true and natural tie to other Kurosawa movies like Seven Samurai , Yojimbo , Sanjuro and The Hidden Fortress .
Unlike Throne of Blood ( adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth ) and Ran ( adaptation of King Lear ) , both also masterpieces , Kagemusha is an original Japanese story and gives a thorough insight of Japan in the 17th Century .
I always tought that Criterion was just out to steal our hard-earned money just for its name , but after having now bought Akira Kurosawa's Ran , the present Kagemusha , as well as Luchino Visconti's The Leopard , I will stick to Criterion like CA Glue .
Although pricey , it is through and through , money totally well-spent , for the quality in DVD rendition ( very clean and sharp transfers ) , very acceptable sound , although some more work on this would be nicer , especially with more recent movies .
Criterion has really proven that quality has its own price and believe me , I have never seen Kagemusha and Ran the way I have watched them on my flatscreen LCD HD TV .
Going to the movies nowadays , with a technology like High Definition TVs , has totally become obsolete .
DVDs , when properly treated and produced can knock out any movie theater in the world .
Thank you Criterion for the work of love you put in remastering and transferring such classics on DVD , not to mention the tons of extras you include with them .
Highly recommended and well worth its price .
014 4 Bringing writer and director Akira Kurosawa's 1980 , three hour epic to the big screen proved to be nearly impossible , for studios were not willing to back the creator of past classics such as YOJIMBO and THE SEVEN SAMURAI for a period piece set during the Warring States period in 16th century Japan . Kurosawa had not directed a film in over five years when he began trying to secure financing for KAGEMUSHA , so the director decided to take brush to paper , creating hundreds of watercolor storyboards of the film as he saw it in his mind . With the unimaginable , but very likely reality that his movie would never get made , George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola famously stepped in , lending their names to the project as Executive Producers so that the film would have backing for an international release , and working with 20th Century Fox , helped finance the rest of the budget in conjunction with Toho in Japan . Both Lucas and Coppola were part of a new generation of filmmakers who had found tremendous success in the 1970s and who were heavily influenced by Kurosawa's early body of work that the directors were each introduced to in film school . The project became a passion for the three filmmakers , and allowed Lucas and Coppola to learn first hand the techniques that made Kurosawa a master . The Criterion Collection has now released a completely remastered and restored high-definition edition of the classic film on Blu-ray that is bound to please both Kurosawa fans and cinema aficionados alike .
KAGEMUSHA follows the story of a thief who is saved from execution because he bares an uncanny resemblance to the local warlord , Shingen Takeda ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) . The thief is soon employed as Shingen's double , but when Shingen dies , his retainers try to pass the thief off as the actual warlord to keep Shingen's estate and holdings intact . What develops is a very intriguing study of how power affects an individual , and more importantly , the question of how honor differs between two individuals , who though they look exactly alike , hail from different birthrights .
KAGEMUSHA went on to win the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Art Direction / Set Decoration . With this new release , it is very easy to see why . The scope of KAGEMUSHA easily equals Kurosawa's classic films from the 1950s , with vast battle scenes of hundreds of armor clad extras fighting each other with swords and on horseback , but as Kurosawa regularly does , the enormity of these scenes are tightly woven together with much smaller and more intimate scenes that allow the complexities of the characters to fully be realized without ever imposing a heavy hand on the part of the director . This is most evident in the opening scene of the movie , a scene that lasts for just under seven minutes and features only three actors , one of whom is in actuality playing dual roles ( Tatsuya Nakadi as both Shingen and the Thief ) . What is so interesting to note about this scene aside from its length though is the fact that the camera never moves . Kurosawa keeps the framing completely fixed , never allowing a pan , a tilt or even a zoom . Even the actors , who are each seated in seiza position , barely move , but each is still able to convey the power and the intricacies of their characters . As the Thief does begin to shift his position though , turning to face Shingen , but still never rising , there is the effect that a still painting is beginning to come to life . This blending of the art of the static and the art of the moving is what Kurosawa then utilizes as the central theme throughout the rest of the film , both on an aesthetic level as well as an emotional one .
While Kurosawa may best be known for his beautifully photographed black and white films that each had such a rich depth of field with lush contrasts , KAGEMUSHA shows just how adept the late director was in a color medium as well . The film is visually stunning and does rely on the visual element , just as much as the spoken , to convey its message . The screen is approached as a canvas , and Kurosawa paints strokes of colors across it simply by having a character dressed in a particularly colored costume move a certain direction . Kurosawa masterfully uses color then to not only set a tone for a scene , but to tie together varying themes within the film , allowing him to find an interrelation among the different elements of his production and unifying them into both an accordance , and at times disjointedness , with one another . In a scene where the Thief becomes lost in his own nightmare , Kurosawa and art director Yoshirô Muraki create such a remarkable set that the melding of the contrasting colors become surreal in nature as it personifies the character's own internal conflicting emotions and becomes a key example of the depth Kurosawa incorporates into the film .
KAGEMUSHA is a superb movie and one that should not be missed . Wonderfully acted and brilliantly conceived visually , the film at no point feels like it is a three hour epic . While movies such as THE SEVEN SAMURAI and THRONE OF BLOOD may be regarded as quintessential Kurosawa works that belong in everyone's collection who has a deep love for cinema , KAGEMUSHA should equally be included as well , for the film shows the culmination of a brilliant director's career and the progression of his artistic vision .
For the Blu-ray release , The Criterion Collection has once again proved to be second to none when it comes to bonus materials . Included with the beautiful high-definition transfer of the film are : a nineteen minute featurette of modern day interviews with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola who discuss their involvement in the film , a forty-one minute Japanese documentary of the making of the film featuring interviews with cast and crew that is subtitled , a forty-four minute featurette shwoing Kurosawa's original watercolor storyboards that are edited together with the accompanying dialogue and music from the film , a gallery of Kurosawa's storyboards shown side by side with their filmed counterparts , theatrical trailers and a collection of five Suntory whiskey commercials that Kurosawa shot while making KAGEMUSHA . There is of course audio commentary , and to round things out , there is an amazing booklet in the Blu-ray case that has reproductions of Kurosawa's storyboards along with an essay on the film and an interview with Kurosawa from 1981 , The bonus materials are stellar and will keep film buffs entertained for hours . Buy this release now , you will be glad you did .
015 4 Akira Kurosawa is arguably Japan's most prolific film maker . His creative inspirations have resulted in such classics as The Seven Samurai , Red Beard , Yojimbo , Sanjuro , and Ikiru . His films have seen many remakes , including The Magnificent Seven , Last Man Standing , and A Fistful of Dollars . Star Wars characters R2D2 and C3PO are based off of Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress . In a time when film was being revolutionized by such directors as Bergman and Felinni , Kurosawa soon became the third treasure of film . While Bergman explored existential philosophical elements in such films as Wild Strawberries and The Seventh Seal ( Kurosawa would later explore existentialism in Ikiru ) , Kurosawa was making ready use of his own major sets , talented actors , and vast storylines that soon earned him worldwide recognition . In a career that included nearly thirty films , Kurosawa became a legend .
Life , however , was not always easy for the film director Francis Ford Coppola soon called The Master . Kagemusha , or the Shadow Warrior , is a testament to that .
Kagemusha literally translated is Shadow Warrior . Other than a really neat title , it also means Replacement . Which is exactly what this film is , a kind of twisted Prince and the Pauper fable set in the Warring States time period in Japan . I won't go into details about the general storyline - I recommend you IMDB that or look into Amazon's own description , but I am going to attempt to remain as objective as I can be , in hopes of convincing readers to at least see the film without imposing too much of my own personal bias into the topic .
As was previously stated , Kagemusha is more than simply a film . To Kurosawa , it meant the return from a five year hiatus of depression and lethargy . I believe he even tried to commit suicide , though don't quote me . At this point , the seventy-four year old director was without funds , and his attempt at a comeback was easily refuted by every movie studio he approached with the screenplay for Kagemusha . After the flood of samurai and martial arts epic films in the 1960 ' s and 70 ' s , movie companies were burnt out on the samurai concept . Kurosawa was told the film would gross little or no money , despite the seal the film would have on it from the director who made samurai films famous . Dejected , Kurosawa seemed without any resources , until two unlikely film makers came to his rescue . Colleagues Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas loaned Kurosawa the million and a half dollars he needed to launch his film . Signing on as assitant producers , these two brought Kurosawa back into the spotlight , and can be accredited for having laid a foundational hand in helping the director regain enough prestige to soon after create two of his most well-known films , Ran and Dreams .
Now , the film .
The response from many critics on Kagemusha focuses around one summarization : is the film good ? Beyond - it's wonderful . But is it one of Kurosawa's better ? No . While Kagemusha is in itself a brilliantly done film , it doesn't seem to live up to the standard of other Kurosawa samurai films , such as Rashomon ( Which was later remade as Hero ) and Throne of Blood . Francis Ford Coppola even commented on this himself , saying it is very difficult for a director to reinvent themselves in a genre that they are familiar with . As to whether or not Kurosawa had done this with Kagemusha , Coppola had no answer .
What makes Kagemusha a brilliant film ? To begin , the story is phenomenal . The description on the back of the DVD says it's a meditation on power , and in this respect I believe they were entirely correct . While Ran , which came after Kagemusha , deals with the ideas of power corrupting , and the results it may have on a family or kingdom , Kagemusha deals with obsession and the nature of power itself . It's entirely philosophical in approach , yet it follows the basic Kurosawa model : A good film must be interesting and enjoyable . Enjoyable it is , as Kurosawa's artistic eye comes out in beautiful display . When the screenplay for the film was originally rejected , Kurosawa painted watercolors of all of the scenes he envisioned . Many scenes within the film appear to be mirrored creations of those ideas , a still painting come to life . At one point in the film the protagonist suffers from a nightmare in which he is trapped in a lake of blood . The setting for this dream sequence is in a gigantic model canvas of a painting all in red . Another scene involves a messenger running through courtyards of soliders . Each new courtyard's soliders are arrayed in different colors of armor ( One courtyard's men are all in deep green , while another in dark purple , and yet another in fire red ) ; later in the film , as the troops march to war , the colors almost seem to mesh into one of Kurosawa's paintings . This technique was later used in Ran , but in a wholly original style for each of the two films .
That's another aspect of Kurosawa's films that make them so enjoyable - very few of the storylines have any similarities to one another . The characters are always well developed , the stories themselves original . From the crime thriller Stray Dog to the poignant scenes of Madadayo , Kurosawa always manages to keep a streak of originality in his works . Even the philosophical themes are different in each one - compare Kagemusha's reflection on power to Throne of Blood's . Both deal with the same topic ; however , their approaches are entirely different .
What , then , made Kagemusha less of an acheivement in the eyes of critics and viewers alike ? I honestly couldn't tell you . Perhaps they were expecting the epic battle sequences that Kurosawa was famous for ; there is entirely nothing wrong with that . Who wouldn't want to see a colored version of the fight with the bandits from Seven Samurai , or Toshiro Mifune as Macbeth watching a forest of spears come alive ? With respects to Kurosawa , however , there was purpose in everything he did . A director as meticulous as The Master , especially in his later years , viewed all of the elements - sebtextual and on the surface - of his story with a close eye . People looking for the superbly epic bloody battles he was famous for would do well to view Ran or Yojimbo , and probably want to save Kagemusha for when they are in a more reflective mood . To all who refute this , I am not saying Kurosawa does not deal with war in the film . The whole movie's basic storyline focuses around war ; however , it is the fighting that he lays off of . Consider why his battle sequences rarely take place in the daytime , or why they are so short ( usually less than a minute in length ) . However , look and see why he spends nearly ten minutes simply filming a march , or another long sequence detailing the after effects of war and battle . Kagemusha , unlike Ran , does not deal with the glory of battle ; rather , it reflects on the horrors of war . In many senses , Kagemusha seems to lay the foundation for Ran . Even the lead actor , who played the double in Kagemusha went on the play King Lear in Ran ( You will have to forgive me , I am terrible with remembering the exact names . Ran , by the way , is King Lear set in fuedal Japan , with the three daughters changed to three princes instead . The same is true with Throne of Blood being Macbeth . )
Is Kagemusha worth seeing ? Absolutely . By any standard it is a superb film . Is it worth buying ? I thought so , but remember I am a major Kurosawa fan . People who do not enjoy foriegn films so much , or have not had good introduction to Kurosawa would be recommended to either see some of his more mainstream films , or watch with the knowledge that better Kurosawa works are out there .
016 4 Kurosawa's beautiful film Kagemusha is a meditation on subjects that have haunted the director throughout his career in cinema : the doppelgager or double , ( which brings to question identity and how identity is formed , and where identity is located ; is it in appearance , world views , actions , attitudes or loves ? How does individual choice create a man ? What if one's choices were different ? ) transformation ( all Kurosawa heroes go through a transformation ) the tragedy of war ( note the elegaic images of horses struggling in death throes in the aftermath of the massacre at the film's conlcusion ) and despair ( Kuroswa has investigated despair as few other filmmakers have . . . from The Lower Depths and Stray Dog to Ran , many of his films meditate deeply on human hearts without hope ) .
I cannot help but think that Kagemusha's deep feeling comes from the autobiographical : a man ( the thief , played by Tatsuya Nakadai ) must assume the role of the Lord ( or , why not . . . they say it in the film . . . Tenno . . . or Emperor . . . used to describe Kurosaw himself ) .
Kuroaswa must have wondered , in his time of financial difficulty , after the dismissal of Dodes-Kaden , after his suicide attempt , after losing his status , during his struggles to find financing for Kagemusha . . . he must have thought about what it is to assume a role of great authority , and to be dismissed from the role that gave his life meaning .
Tatsuya Nakadai being ejected forcibly from the castle . . . retainers throwing clods of mud and stones after him , like a stray dog being pelted and driven from the gates of a house . . . maybe Kurosawa felt that this is how his life had been . He has said , I am afraid that me minus movies equals nothing . His identity , so involved in the creation of film , in making his meditations and dreams communicated through the medium of film , and the life that grew up around the creation . . . the friendships , the experiences , the world of making that makes a world . . . it must have been horrible for him to realize how fragile and easily shattered that world could be !
Federico Fellini once said in an interview that criticism felt somehow impertinent . . . that his work was a reflection of who he was as a human being , and to judge one's work seemed an insult . I remember this as I think about Kagemusha and the other films of Akira Kurosawa . It is with great humility that I approach my thinking about these films , and would refuse , even if forced , to rank them . That really would be impertinent , and an insult to a life dedicated to the highest good an artist can achieve : an honest look at human experience with the intent of understanding the mysteries of the human heart .
017 4 The colors in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha re-emerge bold and saturated on this DVD , with images bordering on hyper-realistic . The 1970s film stock retained a fair amount of grain , but it's rendered harmless by the raging colors . Wear is at a minimum , limited to some speckling and spotting . The film unspools letterboxed at an aspect ratio of 1.85 : 1 ( with enhancement for 16x9 monitors ) . The stereo sound is as good as it gets with a foreign film of this age . The taiko drums roll out just like thunder while the rush of hooves fills the listener's room .
Stephen Prince , commentator on the Wellspring DVD of Ran , the director's other color epic , gets the nod again on Kagemusha . The author of the Kurosawa book The Warrior's Camera repeats the feat of lecturing with authority and verve throughout the lengthy feature . Prince points out where most of the cuts were made for the shortened U.S . version of the film , accurately calling the complete presentation found on the Criterion DVD a richer and more organic presentation .
Kagemusha works on a surface level as a take on illusion and reality , but those wise enough to dig deeper will need Prince's help . The commentator provides the historical orientation that Kurosawa rushed past , baffling his foreign audiences .
Disc 2 ' s extras lead off with exec producers George Lucas and Francis Coppola looking back on Kurosawa and Kagemusha in 19 minutes of interviews filmed last year . Kurosawa captured violence in a poetic surprising way that schooled the young American directors of the 1970s , Coppola says . You could trace a line backwards from ` The Godfather ' to ` Bonnie and Clyde ' to Kurosawa , he says . The Japanese director always had a great story to tell , Lucas adds .
Some of Kurosawa's 200 - some storyboards for the film reappear on the DVD in a split-screen comparison with finished scenes . In a fun extra , Coppola clinks glasses with Kurosawa in an odd TV ad for Suntory whiskey , a pitch clearly . . . lost in translation . A 40 - minute episode of the Kurosawa documentary series It's Wonderful to Create runs down the story of the production , in which the director stunned local fans by firing his popular star , Shintaro Katsu of Zatoichi fame . ( Katsu dared to bring his own film crew to the set on day 1 . )
018 4 This was the first of Akira's movies that i have seen . . . iwas taken to see it by my mother who recognized my critical film watching nature as a youngster . I was thirteen when i saw this , and never stopped searching for more of Kurosawa's movies , and have seen many ( and include several as the best movies of all time ) but you know what they say about the first time . . . i can't really say too much about the film that already has been told , but i will say this . . . as a thirteen year old boy i felt kind of funny weaping openly at the fact that i was witnessing sheer genious . . . not at the scenes , the beauty of the film , or the plot ( although when the shadow warrior twirled his mustache , i did tear up along with the servents ! ) but at the fact that film making could transcend the mediocre nonsense that we hollywood mass consumers have come to accept as good or even great cimema . . . i only felt that grateful for a film-makers achievements for two other movies ; the seven samuri and the recent masterpeice life is beautiful . . . .
019 4 Kurosawa at his best . When i stumbled over this movie , many years ago , I wasn't aware , that Kurosawa was so deep and important . I loved Seven Samurai and Yojimbo and expected Kagemusha to be another cool Samurai flick with action and subtle humor . But this Masterpiece made me have a closer look upon Akira Kurosawa , and I found a whole line of exceptional Films . After experiencing Kagemusha , I wanted to see all the other great films made by Kurosawa , one of the best movie makers ever . Today , I watch the movie once a year and still find things i haven't noticed before , things that only a genius like Kurosawa could have placed into a movie .
The Titel Kagemusha means Shadow of the Warrior .
The story takes place in the later 16th century . The Clan Daymios are fighting each other to gain control over the Country . Among them , the legendary Takeda Shingen . One day , he is shot by an enemy sniper and about to die . To prevent the fall of his house , he commands his most loyal man to keep his dead a secret for three years . To make the plan work , a perfect looking Double , a commoner , a thief , is taking over the representative role in public .
From this day on , the thief lives as a shadow , a shadow without a body to follow . More and more , he learn about loyality and respect . He finds joy again in existence and becomes more and more the body , he should be the shadow of . But a shadow is nothing without a body . . .
All in all , this is not only a great story , a great visual joy , but also a momentum of japanese society and military , and a melancholic view of mans nature .
If you can stand three hours of good movie , this one is for you . I only wish it would be available on DVD . . .
When does a compilation-box of Kurosawa movies appear on dvd ? I just can't wait !
020 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I have collected the films of Kurosawa for maybe 20 years .
I've seen KAGEMUSHA a dozen times on videotape and
laser . I just vIewed this Criterion rendition and really saw it
for the first time . Actually I viewed it twice , each time
mesmerized . I look forward to seeing it again and again .
I saw graphics and character nuances in it I'd never seen
in it before . The redone audio snapped alive . The subtitles
were clarified , honed and perfected , too .
Sure , Criterion costs more .
But when you're buying Art like this , it's a tremendous value .
Value is defined as what you get for what you give , yes ?
I have about 90 Criterion releases ; in terms of A / V quality ,
this masterpiece is at the top . I really anticipate Criterion
going HD . Meantime , I have this beauty to revisit again
and again . Collectors just must collect this disk !
021 4 I have collected the films of Kurosawa for maybe 20 years .
I've seen KAGEMUSHA a dozen times on videotape and
laser . I just vIewed this Criterion rendition and really saw it
for the first time . Actually I viewed it twice , each time
mesmerized . I look forward to seeing it again and again .
I saw graphics and character nuances in it I'd never seen
in it before . The redone audio snapped alive . The subtitles
were clarified , honed and perfected , too .
Sure , Criterion costs more .
But when you're buying Art like this , it's a tremendous value .
Value is defined as what you get for what you give , yes ?
I have about 90 Criterion releases ; in terms of A / V quality ,
this masterpiece is at the top . I really anticipate Criterion
going HD . Meantime , I have this beauty to revisit again
and again . Collectors just must collect this disk !
022 4 Kurosawa's Kagemusha is a complicated film , and sometimes difficult to like . Kurosawa's preference for long shots and medium shots over closeups , very little cutting in dialogue scenes , and long pauses make for a slow , deliberate pace . It often feels like we're watching bits of story happening in real time ; this applies to the battles as well . But these are not deficiencies . The pace ( similar to the later Ran ) gives the film an almost meditative quality that you might not expect given the war setting . Seven Samurai it certainly is not , but it is well worth the effort .
This film contains what is , to me , one of the single most beautiful images I've seen in film . At sunset , two solders of the Takeda clan are discussing whether Shingen has been killed . The image is only in silhouette against a blazingly orange-red sky , with the air full of dust as a long procession of soldiers and cavalry slowly marches by . Beautiful .
The Criterion edition of this film is Kurosawa's original full-length version , not the shorter international version previously available on VHS and laserdisc in the USA . I'm eagerly waiting to see the longer version , which I'm told restores a small role played by Takashi Shimura ( one of my favorite of Kurosawa's regular actors ) previously excised from the international version .
023 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I actually prefer Kagemusha to Ran . My Japanese language University teacher used to gripe that Kurosawa represented a western style of cinema , as opposed to Ozu , for instance . Ran is basically King Lear set in medieval Japan , whereas Kagemusha is more original in many ways , and less anachronistic . The themes of the Kagemusha's futile fight aganst destiny and his doppelganger-like identification with Shingen are also magnificently played . Finally , the very Japanese emphasis on passive control ( Shingen's strategy is always to act as an umovable mountain on which to shatter his enemies ) resonates in interesting ways .
024 4 I actually prefer Kagemusha to Ran . My Japanese language University teacher used to gripe that Kurosawa represented a western style of cinema , as opposed to Ozu , for instance . Ran is basically King Lear set in medieval Japan , whereas Kagemusha is more original in many ways , and less anachronistic . The themes of the Kagemusha's futile fight aganst destiny and his doppelganger-like identification with Shingen are also magnificently played . Finally , the very Japanese emphasis on passive control ( Shingen's strategy is always to act as an umovable mountain on which to shatter his enemies ) resonates in interesting ways .
026 4 Comparing Kagemusha with Ran is a thread that runs through many of the reviews . Both are dramas centered around warlords during Japan's feudal era , and were directed by Kurosawa late in his career . Both films are visually stunning , but there are differences in how the stories are presented . Ran seems affected by its self-conscious adaptation of King Lear , and has a more theatrical ( and less cinematic ) feel about it . The acting is very stylized , as if in adapting Shakespeare's play Kurosawa also wanted to reaffirm the Japanese qualities through similarities to traditional ritualistic Noh dramas .
The story of Kagemusha seems more of a natural portrayal in comparison . The loyalty of the thief to the warlord is perhaps a quintessentially Japanese story , and is beautifully evoked in many small scenes throughout the film . It is the battle scenes which are highly stylized in this film , as they serve to illustrate the changing fortunes of the clans , and are not centerpieces . They are a part of the amazing beauty of the film's images . One of my favorite images of all the films I have seen is that of the warlord's unhappy son plotting in a traditional room , while in the background we can see the blue of a lake being whipped up by a storm .
Some people will prefer Ran , and others will like best Kurosawa's earlier and more earthy films , such as Yojimbo . They are all wonderful , but for myself Kagemusha is his crowning achievement .
027 4 Kagemusha is my eighth Kurosawa DVD and it holds #1 position in my collection . Kurosawa was a painter before he became a cinematographer , then writer and director , and his artistic background is evident in the use of color and perspective in this film . It is a treat for the eyes .
The film differs from Ran , the director's wonderful version of King Lear , in that it is a drama built around historical records and tradition.It is a compelling story that left me emotionally spent at the end .
The first time I watched the DVD , I played the Japanese audio track and read the English subtitles . This was not at all difficult , for the subtitles are clearly visible in all scenes . The second time through the DVD , I turned on the English commentary and watched the action on screen as everything was explained to me in marvelous detail . My third time through the DVD was with the Japaenese audio , and a greatly improved understanding of what was going on , especially the nuanced moments .
Color quality and cinematography are magninficent . I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys Samarai films and / or the work of Akira Kurosawa .
028 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
This is my favorite among Kurosawa's movies and is certainly one of the best movies of all times . Story , photography , actors , all exceed !
029 4 This is my favorite among Kurosawa's movies and is certainly one of the best movies of all times . Story , photography , actors , all exceed !
030 4 This movie is based loosely on Japanese history during the Sengoku ( Warring States ) Period ( mid 1500s to early 1600s ) when powerful feudal lords ( daimyos ) , each ruling their own domains in a fragmented Japan , fought each other for supremacy over the country . Such samurai warlords included men like Takeda Shingen , Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa leyasu ( the future shogun ) . This film features all three of these giant figures of the Sengoku Period and focuses on an attempt by the leaders of Lord Shingen's Takeda clan to hide his sudden death . Even though historians are not entirely sure on whether Shingen had died from a sniper shot or from illness , this film takes the former theory and moves on to telling another story in Kurosawa's distinctive style . This film looks expensive with the showing of numerous extras as soldiers and horsemen , but Kurosawa's battle scenes are about formation and momentum rather than actual close-combat fighting . Like in his other film RAN , this one focuses on the devastating effect of firearms on warfare and the self-destructive nature of war . Like in RAN , an entire clan destroys itself by rushing into an unnecessary attack . Any director with a huge budget can make a big battle scene , but Kurosawa has a unique gift for making violence look grand and gruesome and yet dramatic and poetic at the same time . Just love the scenes showing the great Oda Nobunaga and his warming to things western like red wine , Catholic missionaries , European armour and a feathered red hat .
034 4 If it were possible for someone to construct a list of Kurosawa's best films this one would be near the top . Helped by a unforgetable performance by Tatsuya Nakadai , a dazzling use of color , and Kurosawa's camera floating above all the deceit and mayhem like an angry God , Kagemusha is a film for the ages and a blueprint of what action films can be . The closing sequence with Kurosawa killing men and horses is slow motion while an agonized Nakadai looks on is absolutely glorious and inspiring . A Must See !
035 4 QUESTION for starters : where can one find the ORIGINAL version of Kagemusha ? ( if only for the edited scenes with Takeshi Shimura ! )
Kagemusha is simply breathtaking . The opening sequence challenges any doubts and skepticism about the subtle yet powerful capabilities for theatre conventions in filmmaking - it is a fascinating long take / meeting of minds and gigantic themes ( ! ) the movie later develops .
Much has been said about Nakadai's melodramatic performance in this film , but for me it was only fitting with Kagemusha's ornate and formal compositions . This is not a Kurosawa-epic in the tradition for realism in the likes of Seven Samurai . Artifice reigns supreme here . Kurosawa opted for this with the most awe-inspiring indulgence in form , contrasting it with a most chilling ( mauve ) theme about reality-vs-illusion .
At the end I can't help but miss the super-human yet human-like , life-affirming yet wickedly contradictory heroes portrayed by Mifune in earlier-Kurosawa , but it's a different kind of pleasure and learning experience with Kagemusha . A difference of evolving style that justifies why Kurosawa was truly a sensei of cinematic arts .
036 4 I had Kagemusha for several years on VHS , before going exclusively DVD . I remember Kagemusha as one of Akira Kurosawa's best movies , in my opinion , second only to Throne of Blood . I was awaiting the delivery of
the Criterion edition of this movie with great excitement . It was a letdown .
Be warned that this is the mutilated Francis Ford Coppola version , and not the original one !
Almost the whole magnificient battle at the end of the movie has been cut . As it is not violent by today's standards , one can wonder why ? And while the quality of the movie is OK , I had expected it to be much better .
One can only hope that one day Kagemusha will be issued in a complete version , so we can watch this movie in all it's splendour , and the way Kurosawa wanted it to be .
039 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
This is an extremely engaging film . Not fast paced , but you are really drawn into the characters and plot ( most reviews have given a plot discription , I will will skip that ) . I found myself literally cringing each time something would happen that threatened to reveal the Shadow , and more than anything Kurosawa succeeds in showing how even in deep tragedy , dignity and honor DO count . THATS what makes this film . This isn't a simple 2 - D battle movie , and I found the characters and story much more engaging and human than in Ran . The cinematography is also astounding , and acting supurb .
Now , the soundtrack - - - YUCK ! Western brass and annoying clarinets playing dippy transitions and nails on blackboard mariachi trumpets and fanfairs ( Like something at a cheesy Medieval Times dinner show ) . During the final battle scene I was praying for the trumpets to end - the music in that scene made by toes curl . The much of the soundtrack actually detracts from the film . A simple taiko / shakuhachi mix would have been so much better ( a lesson applied well in Ran ) .
My hope would be a remixing of a new soundtrack / score someday . The music brought the review from 5 to 4 stars .
040 4 This is an extremely engaging film . Not fast paced , but you are really drawn into the characters and plot ( most reviews have given a plot discription , I will will skip that ) . I found myself literally cringing each time something would happen that threatened to reveal the Shadow , and more than anything Kurosawa succeeds in showing how even in deep tragedy , dignity and honor DO count . THATS what makes this film . This isn't a simple 2 - D battle movie , and I found the characters and story much more engaging and human than in Ran . The cinematography is also astounding , and acting supurb .
Now , the soundtrack - - - YUCK ! Western brass and annoying clarinets playing dippy transitions and nails on blackboard mariachi trumpets and fanfairs ( Like something at a cheesy Medieval Times dinner show ) . During the final battle scene I was praying for the trumpets to end - the music in that scene made by toes curl . The much of the soundtrack actually detracts from the film . A simple taiko / shakuhachi mix would have been so much better ( a lesson applied well in Ran ) .
My hope would be a remixing of a new soundtrack / score someday . The music brought the review from 5 to 4 stars .
041 4 I have always liked the film Kagemusha ever since I watched it on the big screen . It is one of my favorite Kurosawa films . [ And there are plently of his films I admire and have in my collection ] . The films just an incredible watch , and I did not mind the length while viewing it in the theatre . Many have criticized that the film is too long , not so , it's terrific and every minute of the film is a treat to watch . The film is set in the 16th century , and centers on the Takeda clan , which was one of the three clans vying for control of Japan during the end of the feudal era .
Lord Shingen , wonderfully portrayed by ( Tatsuya Nakadi ) , whose credits include ' RAN ' , and ' SWORD OF DOOM ' to name just two films , does a wonderful portrayal as both Lord Shingen , and his double in the film . When Lord Shingen is wounded in battle , he orders all those in his court to keep quiet about his impending death , and that a ' Kagemusha ' [ Shadow Warrior ] take his place for three years in order to prevent the demise of his clan , and the other enemy forces seeking control over Japan from taking over . His double is of course played by ( Tatsuya Nakadi ) .
( Tatsuya Nakadai ) is a petty criminal who is identical to the Lord Shingen . He was about to be executed , however , he is given a stay of execution as long as he does what he is told , and gives a performance of Lord Shingen , which everyone will accept . However , not everything goes as planned . The film is terrific , and the cinematography and set designs are incredible . This is not a fast action paced film , which many americans are used to , but a methodical and slow paced character study of the characters in the film . The nuances of the film are great , and as I wrote earlier , this is one of my favorite Kurosawa films , along with Ikiru . I highly recommend this magnificent masterpiece of cinema , it is a truly great film and a must see . [ Stars : 5 + ]
042 4 I knew that Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha ( 1980 ) had some basis in history , but I didn't know how much until I listened to this DVD's audio commentary by film scholar Stephen Prince ( The Warrior's Camera : The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa ) . According to Prince , virtually the entirety of the film's story is based on historical events - - the major exception being the character of the thief who acts as the double of Shingen , the warlord . However , Shingen , a historical figure , had employed doubles in real life , so Kurosawa's fictionalizing of the title character isn't that much of an embellishment .
What makes Prince's commentary so outstanding is his in-depth knowledge of Japanese history . The historical events chronicled in the film are well-known to a Japanese audience , but they're unfamiliar to the average Western viewer . So , Kurosawa's often unconventional depiction of these events are frequently lost on non-Japanese audiences . For example , according to Prince , the wounding by gunfire of Shingen as he listens to an enemy's flute marks a monumental event in Japanese history . But Kurosawa portrays the event only in an oblique manner : by having the sniper who shot Shingen re-enact the shooting for Ieyasu Tokugawa ( another historical figure , and the eventual winner of the wars that Kurosawa depicts ) . Just imagine a film about Abraham Lincoln that dramatizes his assassination by having it re-created by Secret Service agents , and you'll get an idea of Kurosawa's inventiveness .
Prince discusses some off-screen historical events that were going on the same time as the incidents in the film , giving the listener a much broader understanding of both history and Kurosawa's accomplishment . Also , Prince talks in depth about some of the artistic license that Kurosawa has taken with non-fictional events . After listening to the commentary , I came away with a much deeper appreciation for Kagemusha .
Since so much has already been said about the film itself , I will only add this : It's unfortunate that Shintarô Katsu , who was originally cast in the title role and is best-known for starring in the Zatoichi film series , was fired by Kurosawa before filming began in earnest . Tatsuya Nakadai , who replaced Katsu , is a superb actor , but his screen presence doesn't have the comic warmth that Katsu could have brought to the role - - and that I think would have enhanced the film . ( And at the risk of infuriating Nakadai fans everywhere , I would also prefer to have seen his lead role in Kurosawa's Ran played by Toshirô Mifune . ) I can't watch Kagemusha without wondering how the film might have looked if Kurosawa and Katsu hadn't quarreled . Otherwise , Kagemusha is among Kurosawa's best period films .
Even if you already own Kagemusha on tape , this Criterion DVD might be worth renting for Prince's commentary alone .
( Disclaimer : I do not know Stephen Prince personally , nor do I have any vested interest in his work . )
043 4 While I would not quite rate Kagemusha itself a 5 - star movie , the DVD itself ( in terms of presentation , transfer and content ) clearly rates it .
An excellent transfer and crisp , spare sound draw you into the melancholy world of Kagemusha . Make no mistake , this is not one of Kurosawa's happy films . But his use of color , sound and character are heart-breaking and wonderful .
The background material puts you right into the darkened mind of Kurosawa when he created the film . Documentary includes interviews with Coppola and Lucas , who were influenced by Kurosawa . The extra content also helps you understand and appreciate what can be a difficult film at times . It's like a key to unlock a great wooden door .
I own several of the other Criterion Kurosawa editions and this is as good or better than anything to date .
044 4 I first saw this film on VHS and was delighted when it came out on DVD , especially in a Criterion edition .
All right , it is slow in parts as the basis of the switch is spelled out , but then a rapid decision would be not in keeping with the period of the movie . You become immersed in the time period of the 16th Century .
I feel the quality of the print is first rate , and if one compares the visual look of the preview trailer to the presented film , the difference is clear . Ironically , the Japanese trailers and teasers are visually crisp .
My greatest memory from having seen the VHS version was the final battle scene and the futility of it all . Swords and spears against muskets is not a good match-up . This is not a battle scene in the spirit of The Wild Bunch , so one gets the horror of the battle through visual looks of the spectators rather than the carnage on the field , although the aftermath of the battle is clear as to the terror of the battle . I am glad Kurosawa chose not to make it a ' splatter ' scene . It was if the Generals could not believe what was happening and could not adapt . The empty stools after the battle are more telling than any battle scene could be .
This is a movie in the manner of great epics . They surely don't make this type of movie anymore , except on computers . The visuals are sweeping , and all of it with real people and horses . To think that the warriors were sent into battle with large flags attached to poles on their backs is amazing , and a visual feast .
045 4 Kagemusha is Kurosawa's 1980 samurai war epic starring Tatsuya Nakadai is set during the late 1500s in Japan , the time period in which the country was torn apart by war . The film begins with a long shot of 3 men seated in a room . One is Shingen Takeda , warlord of the Takeda clan , the other is his brother , Nobukado , and the third is a strange man who looks almost identical to Shingen . Nobukado tells his brother : I have imperonated you for a long time , but this is incredible . This is the primary focus of the film . The story revolves around the Takeda clan , and the leader , Shingen . But one day when he dies , he has to be replaced , and the double found at the beginning of the film is used . We learn step by step his painful stages in suppressing himself to become another . In the process , Kurosawa intercuts with the other 2 warlords trying to kill Shingen , Oda ( Daisuke Ryu ) and Ieyasu ( Masayuki Yui ; both actors would act in Ran ) . In creating a war epic , an epic that sometimes feels like a history lesson , Kurosawa has also created a study of identity while intertwining religious and philosophical Buddhist overtones .
I have seen this film many times and I have had different interpretations every time I saw it . I think that this might be the most solid of them all . For starters , some knowledge of the time period is necessary if one wants a truly compelling and fulfilling experience . Without that , there are lose ends and confusion between characters .
This is a good film ; in fact , a very good film , but certainly not at the level of his next film , Ran . It's not really fair to judge this film on the same level as that , but it is almost inevitable as I have seen Ran many times . There are strong visual similarities on both . I do not think this is at the very top of the master's list of films . I would put it on the 10 best films bu Kurosawa , but not top 5 . It is not edited to maximum impact . There are scenes that go on for too long showing soldiers march up and down hills . At times there are far too many silent moments between characters , and certain characters suffer from depth and development . Katsuyori , Shingen's son , is rather flat and one dimensional . The Kagemusha's changing into the lord is compelling to watch , as Nobukado notices the phases the double goes through as he becomes another . Kurosawa raises the interesting and profound question of identity and delves into the issue . At times , I wish there was more time devoted to the character of the double rather than time spent in the historical area . The battle scenes are powerful , but Kurosawa would later outdo them in Ran .
Many have said that one of the problems in the film is the lead actor . It is true that the great Mifune is sorely missed , but Nakadai does a fine job carrying both roles in the film . They say he is too subdued and quiet in his role . But then again , that is the character . The side performances are good as well , but some did't have much to go with , as the script in ceratin areas was not strong .
The visuals are among the highlights of the film . Kurosawa stages a lot of his scenes as paintings ( the beautifuly frightening dream the double has comes to mind ) . Technically the film is well done . Kurosawa has changed his camera techniques from his earlier films and rarely does close-ups and or quick cuts between scenes . His camera is mostly steady and focuses on many long and atmospheric shots , creating a sense of calm and serene beauty even during battles . The music is fine , but at times is too distracting and melodramatic . Once again , Kurosawa would fix this in Ran when Takemitsu would do the score .
It's pretty unfair how I keep bringing up Ran but as I said before , it is inevitable . I would originally give this film 3 stars until the last half hour which contains some of the most powerful footage I have ever scene . * * * SPOILER ALERT * * * From the moment in which everyone finds out that the double is who he is , the film becomes so sad , so powerful . The scene in which the double is forced out in the rain is truly heartbreaking to watch . And the final battle scene is simply breathtaking , horrific , and yet beautiful at the same time . Quick cuts are used as the rifles fire at the Takeda clan , and we can tell , through different perspectives that the Takeda clan is no more . Kurosawa manages to paint a world of hell yet do it artistically without glamorizing war . The images of the dead horses and soldiers dipped in blood echoes Kurosawa's own past when his brother showed him a city in Japan after an earthquake hit . His brother would not let him look away , and Kurosawa manages to convey that personal and intimate feeling to us . And the final image of the dead kagemusha floating past the banner in the lake is just hypnotic . Kurosawa ends the film just at the right moment .
Kagemusha has fine performances , an involving story , decent music ( at times a little too western-sounding ) , great photography , interesting characters ( Though the script does fall short in certain areas ) , profound meanings ( as all Kurosawa films do ) , and one hell of a finale . The last half hour boosts this from a good to a great film .
046 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
At last , the full version of this film ! I'm confident the DVD will have the usual high quality one associates with the Criterion Collection . I missed the limited run of the full-length version in theaters , two years ago , and am looking forward to this * a lot * . Yes , Coppola and Lucas produced the film and they should be thanked for it . Unfortunately , they also asked Kurosawa to shorten the film , for purely business reasons , thus mutilating the vision of a man they claim to admire .
Which tends to mitigate the sincerity of their praise .
047 4 At last , the full version of this film ! I'm confident the DVD will have the usual high quality one associates with the Criterion Collection . I missed the limited run of the full-length version in theaters , two years ago , and am looking forward to this * a lot * . Yes , Coppola and Lucas produced the film and they should be thanked for it . Unfortunately , they also asked Kurosawa to shorten the film , for purely business reasons , thus mutilating the vision of a man they claim to admire .
Which tends to mitigate the sincerity of their praise .
048 4 When Kurosawa made this film he was 70 years old and it stands without question as one of his best films . What makes it so powerful is the portrayal of the perfect fusion of the warrior's emotional intensity with intellectual acuity . Both emotion and intellect are focused solely , in this film , on enemy warlords outwitting each other and that focus is so strong that it more than carries the film through its 2 1 / 2 hour length .
In fact , so strong is the focus that the hapless title character ( the shadow warrior ) - - a common thief who is a perfect lookalike for a mighty warlord , who recruits the thief and is then used by the warlord's retainers as a stand-in after the warlord's death - - himself ultimately takes on the psychology of a warrior . And this is true even after he is dismissed from service , after the ordained three years of his deception as the warlord have passed .
Nowhere else in film has the psychology of the warrior been portrayed so sharply , with so much focus , with so much depth - - not even in other Kurosawa films , although Seven Samurai is the sine qua non of samurai films . Yet here , in Kagemusha , we see the workings of the minds on both sides , whereas Seven Samurai's power comes from its depiction of how samurais use their intelligence to fight and outwit a completely insubstantial enemy - - that is , the bandits , who are never shown up close or presented as anything other than marauding forces .
Kagemusha will never be equalled in its portrayal of the intensity of the warrior spirit . Add to that the astounding vision of a filmmaker who knows more than any other how , where , and why a battle scene's power is derived . As well , there is perfect production design , costuming , and set pieces . There is the obvious attention to detail in capturing the entire world of feudal Japan . All of these together make for a film so riveting , so well done , it is impossible to say anything bad about the film . It just can't be done .
This is a must see for all serious students of film , and for all those who love a great adventure , and for all those who just flat out love movies .
It's perfect .
049 4 Kagemusha is a great movie , and for my money it is more entertaining than Ran . Kurosawa was trying to be too artsy in the latter film , which always puts me off just a little . Kagemusha tells the story in a more straightforward fashion , the acting is less exaggerated , and I think it's just more fun . However , what prompted me to review it was the visual quality , which I found a bit below what I'd expect from Criterion .
I saw the original shortened version in the theater when it was first released in USA . That was so long ago , memory won't allow me to compare with this Criterion DVD . However , the film , as noted by other reviewers , is a bit grainy . Nothing wrong with that . I like film grain , myself , as opposed to digitally smoothed visuals , which look less organic to me . The problem is that if you want to preserve accurately the whole visual character of the film , including the grain in the film , you need a lot of digital bits to do so . Kagemusha is three hours long . As a result , the average bitrate of the video on this DVD had to be shaved down somewhat . This leads to some artifacts of digital compression .
It is a small point , perhaps . But the lower bitrate does make the movie look slightly more grainy than it already is , due to digital compression . Perhaps you won't care , or even notice unless you watch on a high definition monitor , however the movie is not quite as sharp and clean as it could be .
My own preference would be for Criterion to have divided the movie in 2 parts on 2 DVDs , allowing the highest quality image possible . I don't think they quite achieved that goal with Kagemusha . Alternatively , Criterion could have applied more digital filtering to reduce the grain , and still put a three hour film on one disc .
050 4 Staggering in its scope and power , Kagemusha features soulful acting , breathtaking visual sequences , and at its heart , a mortal tragedy worthy of Shakespeare . Kurosawa not only tells a whopping good yarn rooted in historic reality , he uses the vulgar , but wrenchingly sympathetic figure of Nakadai's thief to explore questions of identity and the theatrical nature of political power . In addition , Kurosawa's painterly use of color ( especially during several large-scale battle set pieces , for which he used five cinematographers ) and his haunting , slow-motion dream sequences are simply unparalleled . Made with the help of George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola , Kagemusha is a somber late masterpiece by one of the world's greatest filmmakers .
051 4 A film of great beauty and rhythm . The turmoil of that era of Japanese history comes through with force and mastery . Trickery of warfare only began with the Trojan Horse , has its own version in Kagemusha , and continues to our time .
052 4 Just before Ran , Kurosawa got American funding for this movie about a shadow warrior who was assigned to impersonate Takeda Shingen should he die . This was to keep the Takeda clan's border secure and prevent enemies ( of which Takeda had many ) from invading . It is a wonderful film , and has two very strong points : the visuals , and the characters .
The strong visuals should be obvious - an Akira Kurosawa film with no strong visuals is like a Monet painting with poor use of color . The battle scenes are stunning and seem to come out of a nightmare , with rifleman shooting down on soldiers with a bright light flashing behind them . The colored armor of Takeda's men were also nicely picked and , as Kurosawa would later do with Ran , give their presense a hauntingly beautiful yet horrifying tone . The final scene at the Battle of Nagashino ( which was wrongfully nitpicked in Stephen Turnbull's Osprey book of the battle ) chooses to show us only the aftermath of the battle , with shots of cavalry charging to the gunners and then cutting to the horrified expressions of those who watch the unfolding massacre of Japan's greatest army . The shot of the fields of dead is some thing that could only have come out of the nightmare of war .
I think the strongest part of the film , though , were the characters . The film has a slew of fascinating characters , from Takeda's generals ( each with their own personality ) right down to the rifleman who shot Takeda . Even the spies from Oda and Tokugawa interact and talk like real people , and I can't think of any one in this film I easily forget . I especially liked Oda Nobunaga , and I think this film has the best portrayal I've ever seen of him . He can be seen walking out with his army and stopping briefly to listen to a Christian priest give a prayer . There is another part where he rides around on an Arab horse , followed by a scene where he offers Tokugawa Ieyasu a glass of Western wine ( poor Tokugawa chokes on it ! ) .
The best character is , of course , the shadow warrior himself . The actor did a wonderful job of playing Takeda and the imposter , and even though being a common thief that nearly quits his job in the beginning , you find yourself growing to like him . The scene where he confesses to the concubines he is an imposter , knowing they'll take it as a joke , and then winks at a general was hilarious ! Also , notice in the scene where a retainer describes to Takeda's nephew what the meaning of the clan flag is . . . the imposter is listening just as intently as the boy is ! He also comes out strong in the second-to-last battle sequence , where he watches as men fight and die for a man they strongly admire . The final Kurosawa metaphor at the end ( which I won't describe because its a serious spoiler ) also gives the whole point of the story . The man tried to undertake a role that was perhaps too big for him , a role only one man could really play .
Overall , I was very impressed with this movie , and I would definately recommend it as viewing for those fans of the master of film himself . I hope soon a DVD will be released of it and I will be able to add it to my growing Akira Kurosawa DVD set . In the meantime , I happily own a video copy for viewing .
053 4 Set during the cvil wars in Japan in the 1570s , it's about a man ( played by Tatsuya Nakadai ) who will be pardoned from execution if he will assume the double ( shadow = Kagemusha ) of a slain clan lord in order to maintain order within the clan and fear in the eyes of the enemy . The shadow , reluctant at first in his new role , becomes the soul of the lord he's replaced , but he's eventually discovered and banished , and the clan is soon defeated .
Directed by Kurosawa , the movie is an interesting exploration of expectations and leadership . The color photography is exquisite , and the battle scenes - a Kurosawa specialty - are awesome : they are so huge in scope ( the cast is enormous ) and thrilling in execution that they almost wear us out just watching them . Long at 3 hours , the movie never drags .
054 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I have both the zone 3 and the Criterion versions . I am not going to comment on the story . This version of the movie definitely has superior picture and sound quality . The color is excellent . It also has 20 minutes of additional scenes . However , the introductory text describing the political state which comes right after the film title was cut . Although it does not take away the enjoyment of the movie but I am a little bit puzzled ; the LD version , which I also own retained the text . The introductory text explained why these warlords are fighting each other . The Criterion version of the movie , I suspect , contains the same scenes as the zone 2 DVD version available for quite some time . No sure if the zone 2 version has introductory text .
056 4 Regardless of its length and broad assumption that viewers will have some understanding of sixteenth century Japanese feudal systems , this remains Kurosawa's best film - better , even , than ' Ran ' . This is a director whose entire catalogue often pivots on imagery and metaphor , but what sets this film apart is the sheer mastery of its cinematography and incomparable attention to detail ; some might say lavish attention . The scenes with warriors passing across an orange sun as light filters through to the foreground , the scenes of warrior horsemen riding along a beach as dark clouds loom thunderously in the distance combine to evoke as few other films have done some real sense of the elegance and savagery that was the hallmark of feudal Japan .
In the case of ' Kagemusha ' it will probably help if you are something of a film buff , but even those who aren't will probably be impressed with it on some level .
057 4 This is truly a masterpiece . Combining colorful imagery , history , great battles , and present-day emotions , this ranks as one of Kurosawa's best . The story is about a dying warlord who is replaced by a Kagemusha ( double ) to pose as him . The film examines human cruelty in a different way , just as all Kurosawa films do about how hard and painful it is to become a different man and pose as him , etc . . . This is a stunning work of art but not as good as Kurosawa's following epic , Ran , which is one of the greatest films of all time .
059 4 Set during the 16th century when Warlords ruled Japan , Kagemusha focuses on the ruler Lord Shingen ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) leader of the Takeda clan who has held chaos and his enemies at bay for decades . His land is prosperous and doing well . When he's killed by a sniper , Shingen's brother proposes putting a double who has an uncanny resemblence to Shingen in the hopes of keeping the rival clans from invading and ousting the ruling Takeda clan out . He uses Shingen's last wish as his excuse to bring in this double a petty thief ( Nakadai as well ) ; Shingen insisted that no one be told of his death . Unfortunately , his enemeis do hear rumours of his death and they send spies in to confirm whether or not he is dead . Suddenly , the shadow warrior is thrust into the limelight and must lead the clan against their enemies .
A staggering and stunnning epic Kurosawa's film benefits from the fact that he painted and sketched out many of the major scenes for the film over a four year period while he waited for financing for this major project . A warning to those expecting a Die Hard style action film ; the action set pieces are stunning and brilliantly realized as only Kurosawa could do but like many of his films Kurosawa let's the story unwind at a leisurely pace . The first hour sets up the final hour and forty minutes .
Painstakingly remastered using a restored high definition digital transfer , Kagemusha hasn't looked this good since it was originally released and I doubt that many prints were as free of dirt and debris as this version which was run through a digital filter to clean it up . There's a fine audio commentary by Stephen Prince author of The Warrior's Camera : The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa . Prince has some very interesting insights into Kurosawa's world and that of Japanese cinema . The subtitles are much improved and easier to read as well . There's also a 48 page book featuring paintings , sketches and an interview with Kurosawa around the time of this film's release from SIGHT & SOUND magazine . There's also an excerpt from a book by Japanese film historian Donald Richie and a new eassay by film scholar Peter Grilli discussing the film and the difficulty Kurosawa had in getting the film made .
The second disc features a number of great extras . There's a brand new interview with Goerge Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola discussing how they got involved in financing Kurosawa's epic film . They basically got Fox involved as distributor and co-financer with Toho studios so that Kurosawa could get it made . Ironically , both met Kurosawa but found out that the director needed financing from a third party as the director didn't feel he knew them well enough to ask for their help . There's also a 40 minute documentary on the making of the film entitled Akira Kurosawa : It Is Wonderful to Create . There's also a wonderful supplement that runs about 45 minutes using Kurosawa's original paintings , sketches and drawings reconstructing much of the film showing how closely the final film matched his original paintings . Finally we get the original teasers and trailer for the film ( there are on the first disc ) along with a comparison between storyboard and finished film sequences .
Overall a first rate presentation from Criterion and well worth the investment . I'm looking forward to their eventual release of Ran Kurosawa's last epic masterpiece on DVD . Nobody could interpret Shakesphere as well as Kurosawa .
060 4 After seeing some of Kurosawa's early film classics I had high expectations for this later color film . To my surprise , the film turns out to be one of his best ! The gorgeous cinematography and its striking approach to detail and composition place it in my list of greatest films . Criterion has done a great job - well worth the price of admission . The film also sparked some interest in me in the history of Japan and the life of Shignen .
061 4 Criterion has done it again ! This Kurosawa release is breath taking in its sharpness , sound quality , and ease of reading subtitles which at times can be wrong and to light or dark . These are perfect for those of us that do not understand Japanese . I thought years ago that the Criterion Laser Disc of this film masterpiece was terrific , but wait till you see this GREAT film done as only Criterion can do it on DVD . Order it now , and enjoy it soon .
062 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha : The Criterion Collection [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
If you're a fan of classic Japanese film , this is a must for your collection . The Blu-ray rendention is gorgeous , even projected on my 8 - foot HT screen . If you've never seen this film before , you'll love it's classic Japanese themes , beautiful costumes , epic scenes with thousands of extras , and of course , the fantastic Japanese cinematography that you'd expect . As the saying goes , if this is the sort'a thing you like , you'll REALLY like this .
064 4 Akira Kurosawa is one of the few directors whose films I can enjoy re-watching at intervals of , say , a few months . Having never taken courses in film appreciation or history , my encounters with Kurosawa's films came in a haphazard manner , depending on what was available ( usually not much ) in the foreign film section at the rental store . Throne of Blood , Stray Dog , Seven Samurai , High and Low , and The Idiot were some of my first exposure to both Kurosawa and international films . The very favorable impressions of these films fostered a continuing interest in both . I was surprised and exhilarated at what seemed to me to be a magnitude of superiority over my favorite American films . I couldn't imagine anyone in America at that time having the audacity to make a movie out of Doestoyevsky's The Idiot . These films became icons of cinema to me forever enshrined in their artistic black-and-white artistry . They seemed to me to be penetrating explorations of both idiosyncratic and universal psychological aspects of humanity , shown through individual character studies . That was what colored my expectations when I came to view the later color epics , Kagemusha and Ran . It almost makes me feel like a curmudgeon to say I was somewhat disappointed in these films in comparison to the earlier ones , because they are both great films . Kurosawa's use of color was superb . It greatly enhanced the dramatic appeal of the action scenes , such as battles , at which he excelled ; and the vivid scenery added another dimension of expression to the dramatic action . But in these films , especially Kagemusha , it seemed to me that his brilliant probing of the individual psyche , which is displayed beautifully in the black-and-white medium , had given way to spectacle and political history . That is not to claim that Kagemusha is a shallow film by any means ; there is certainly an important central theme of the folly of vanity and ambition , represented allegorically by the warring factions depicted in the film . The film is masterful , and I can't recall a scene that I thought was inferior or out of place . However , it seems almost too controlled , and the performance of the lead actor , the double , struck me as being somewhat remote much of the time . The problem may be , at least in my case , that Kurosawa is a victim of his own success , and the indelible impression of those earlier films with Toshiro Mifune as leading man , may never be overcome by any director , including Kurosawa himself .
065 4 If you are into Kurosawa's battle war films , you will enjoy the epic drama of Kagemusha ( Kawgaymoosha ) . It is about illusion , deception , identity and tribal battle clans . I believe there have been lengthier versions of the original film . But it most certainly deserves a second viewing , as it can become confusing with doubles and flashback . The scenes are lengthy and long shots are used , making it difficult to closely identify the characters . The impressive costumes lend to the reality of the period .
Known as an epic drama , the film takes place in Japan during the 1500 ' s . The drama leads with the knowledge of a clan warlord killed and with the intent of surviving battle with the other clans , the death is covered up by a petty thief who bears a striking resemblance . The thief becomes comfortable as the leader of the clan and then , onto defend his clan . With that , you will see lengthy battle scenes . Although , it remains confusing to me , battle scenes and Japan warlords are not really my type of film . One needs time to absorb the depth of the film , especially with another viewing , and don't attempt to watch while sleepy .
Kurosawa's paintings !
During the Extras on the DVD , you will learn that in his frustration to get the movie financed , over a great time span to do so , while waiting , Kurosawa visioned how he wanted scenes to appear and he painted hundreds of storyboards . The DVD comes with a booklet that details intricate information about the plot and it contains many sheets of the paintings !
You will also how Kurosawa relied on the aid George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola in bringing this masterpiece to the screen . The interview with the pair is very insightful . Also another excellent interview provides extensive details about the Master and making of the film . To fully understand the warlords , clans , battles , nuances , etc , listen the film with the remarkable commentary . . . . Rizzo
066 4 Believe it or not , even though the film is 180 minutes , I was hoping it would just keep going . Kagemusha is such a depressing movie , but it's also so good ! The only problem ( which the commentators note ) is the music as it's too Hollywood for the setting of the movie . But that's a minor point . I've enjoyed everything by Kurosawa and Kagemusha is one of the better films . Of his later colour samurai films , if you had to choose between Ran and Kagemusha , Ran is by far the superior film - and from what I've read Kurosawa would agree .
Still , the extras make this package extra nice . And just so you know , the essay by Donald Richie is not the same as the one in Mr . Richie's book on Kurosawa ( also available on Amazon ) . So once again , Criterion delivers an exceptional package !
067 4 For regular viewers of Kurosawa's work , Kagemusha at times seems rather slow-paced in its plot-work . However , the epic feel of the movie will keep you riveted and the plot eventually speeds up to its darkly satisfying conclusion . One of Kurosawa's last works , and one of his first in color , Kagemusha will leave you breathless in its imagery and devices - if you appreciate the samurai era then this historically-based epic is for you !
068 4 OK , I love Japanese film and Kurosawa is my favorite Japanese director , but even a newbie to film will be hooked . I loved every aspect of this film . . . . script , cinematography , acting , score , choreography , sound , and of course - direction ! This is the complete Japanese version , includes film not seen in the original US release .
Criterion has put together a great package , the quality of this DVD makes it worth the price . Crystal clear picture and sound , great packaging and graphics , awesome booklet . Included in the special features is a terrific commentary track , one of the best I've heard covering every aspect of the film , Kurosawa , Japanese history and Japanese film history .
Great story about a double filling in the shoes of Samurai Warlord Takeda Shingen . Shingen was a brilliant warrior and politican who still is very popular in Japan today . If not for his tragic early demise , he may have been the one to unify Japan as Shogun . Instead his death led to Nobunaga's rise and subsequently the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate which rule for 300 years . Japan may indeed be a very different place if it was a Takeda dynasty . It is still a mystery today way Shingen died . Back to the film , it has pageantry , epic battles , action and drama galore , even if you hate a history lesson , the movie will hold you captive .
The only negative I could consider is its somewhat stagy , slow opening act . . . I loved this scene , especial since most of it was new to me ( not in original U.S . release ) but someone new to Japanese film might find it dull going and give up on the film before the momentum builds . You don't have to wait long , it starts building in the next scene !
A great movie , in complete form , presented in near pristine condition by a film master in top form . This is a 5 star release at any price ! For those of you complaining about the price . . . rent it !
069 4 the spectacle of war and clan politics are the centerpiece of this feudal tale . really sympathized with the double all the way , i suppose this was kurosawa's intent . the historicity and ancient setting detaches , but shingen's shadow warrior re-connects us to the message ; the shadow warrior is a petty thief , cynical of authority , we see a part ( if not all ) of us in him .
the last scene and final shot are breathtaking .
070 4 Like several others who have reviewed this movie for Amazon , I too prefer Kagemusha to Ran . The story is more intriguing and unusual , and the movie asks several of the big questions of life : What does it mean to be a leader ? Can anyone truly KNOW another person , even if you are very close to them ? Does personality or individuality matter , or is form what matters ? Is there any value in war when everything is laid to waste in the end ? This is one of my favorite films of all time , it is somewhat long by American standards , but it is very absorbing and beautiful . I consider it a much greater and more subtle achievement than Ran .
071 4 I orginally saw this movie on video in the late 80 ' s . I have not been able to find it since . Considered a prequel to Ran , Kagemusha is more of a historical piece while Ran is an adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear .
Beautifully shot in color , Kagemusha tells the story of the Takeda clan during the civil war period of Japan's feudal era . The head of the clan , Takeda Shingen , was considered the greatest general of his time . His presence alone kept the other great warlords at bay , namely Oda Nobunaga , the man eventually credited with uniting Japan . Mortally wounded in battle , Shingen commanded that his death be kept a secret , and his clan not move from its ' mountain stronghold for three years . His double , or Kagemusha , was a common thief . His character arc , as it moves from common criminal to eventual warlord and tragic fall is magnificent .
To simply label Kagemusha as a practice movie for Ran is an injustice ( though accurate ) . If you have any interest in samurai films of feudal Japanese pieces , you wont be disappointed .
072 4 If Akira Kurosawa had not made Ran , Kagemusha would probably have been considered his last great film . However , not only is Ran so incredibly good - one of Kurosawa's best , if not one of the best films of all time - it also deals with the same time period and uses some of the same techniques and actors as Kagemusha , but all in a better and more sophisticated way .
But I digress . Kagemusha is based upon a real story in 16th century Japan about a clan whose leader had a double or shadow warrior ( ' Kagemusha ' ) and which was wiped out in a battle with another clan . Kurosawa focuses on the double and his attempts at acting as Lord Shingen for three years : both the original Lord and the double are played by Tatsuya Nakadai ( ' Yojimbo , ' ' Ran ' ) in a masterful performance .
Indeed , the double's experience as the Lord is really the heart of the film , not the battles or clan rivalries per se . As in many Kurosawa films , class plays a subtle yet important role : the double was a thief who now must impersonate a Lord , and ironies abound thoughout the film ( but especially at the end ) about the way the double is in many ways more noble than the original Lord . Besides class there is another subtext to the film , namely the construction of identity itself : in perhaps the best scene of the film , the double has a very scary dream near the end where he is confronted with the original Lord - perfectly embodying the double's doubts about his own identity .
As for the basics of the film , the viewer can hardly be dissapointed . The cinematography was spectacular - the battle scenes of course , but also many beautifully constructed scenes near or on the sea as well . Kurosawa's use of traditional Japanese instruments , especially the drum in the final battle scene is awesome , and the costumes and art direction were outstanding .
The only serious fault with Kagemusha is its length : it could have been cut by a good 20 minutes and not lost anything . Yet that is really the only criticism I have here - all the rest is great . See it .
073 4 At this point in Kurosawa's career , he's completed the vast majority of his work , excluding Ran and Dreams , and one might think he'd tire . However , he chooses not too and puts this epic film on with the early vigor of his earlier films .
Kagemusha is set in 16th century Japan , where control can be easily won or lost , but is rarely held on to for long . Yet , one emperor Shingen has managed to do so until his later years , only to be taken away by a sniper . Yet Shingen was revered , and asked that his death be hidden to keep his people's morale up , and his enemies safely away . This is a decent plan , but when the double starts feeling the conflictions of his new self and former the chances diminish . Plus , enemies are ever threatening and questioning the truth , even family connections .
Sounds exciting , and for three hours it does have many fine moments , which I purport to be well worth the film . Sure , the film is slow as many Kurosawa's can be , but this is part of Japanese culture anyways , and thus adds to the overall , although one might need to remind themselves of that fact .
For those not use to Kurosawa there's always the battle scenes , but the deeper conflicts is imbedded in the double ( played by Tatsuya who also plays the emperor . ) This double once was a thief , and in a near prince and the pauper fashion rose up , or acted as if he was great .
Overall , I understand that many for good or bad reasons no longer feel the prevalence of Kurosawa's films , as I have trouble to do with some . Still though , this one as recent and enduring as it is may still reach those yet , as the film is meant to .
074 4 The backdrop of the story is Sengoku Japan where the daimyos of great clans vie with one other for supremacy . The ultimate goal is to become shogun to replace the now powerless Ashikaga of Kyoto . At the center of the tale is Shingen , lord of the Takeda clan , a warlord of surpassing skill , who strikes fear in the hearts of his enemies and inspires bravery and undying loyalty in his own men . Shingen is at the apex of his power , his armies threaten to crush Tokugawa Ieyasu the chief ally of his implacable foe , Oda Nubunaga . However , in an irony of fate , Shingen is mortally wounded . Shingen , along with his chief retainers are well aware that his death not only signals an end to his aspirations to crush the Tokugawa and Oda clans and to declare a Takeda shogunate , but also that it might , in fact , lead to the destruction of the Takeda clan under the leadership of his intemperate son , Katsuyori . So , a plan is devised to use a kagemusha ( shadow warrior ) to keep the enemies of the Takeda in check for three years ( the significance of the period in question is never explained ) . The film is a visual masterpiece , Kurosawa has an equally good eye for epic as well as ordinary moments . Human bonds ( and , perhaps , bondage ) are at the heart of the story . A petty thief is torn and hollowed by having to assume the outward persona of a larger than life figure . In time his misery is comforted by the love of a child and , for a moment , he forgets . . . The destruction of the Takeda army at Nagashino is the predictable result of the revelation of Shingen's death . The kagemusha now half man , half ghost , watches in horror as warriors and horses are cut down ; he watches their death throes and his remaining hold on a sense of self is finally lost in that danse macabre .
Kurosawa's choice of putting real historical figures in a stylized and mythical tale is somewhat problematical . It creates a number of creative constraints , while , nevertheless , taking liberties with the historical record . Regardless , it is a great movie , one that , in a number of ways , anticipates Kurosawa's final triumph , the sublime Ran .
075 4 Not as mind-blowing as a few other of Akira Kurosawa's films , ' Kagemusha ' is still awesome in its vision and scope . Very few directors have or had the creativity of this man . Although all of his movies are about the same subject matter , he finds a way to be different each time . The opening sequence is actually the best part of the movie . Watch carefully , it is all done in one shot ! ! The final scene is pretty dramatic too when Kagemusha is left all alone and has to face another army all by himself .
076 4 Kagemusha tells the story of a criminal who impersonates Takeda Shingen after Shingen's death so that rival warlords Nobunaga , Tokugawa , and Toyotomi won't know the Takeda clan has lost its head . The criminal does a fine job as the shadow warrior and eventually wins the hearts of Shingen's family , but hubris leads him astray , he is found out , and cast back into the world of peasantry . In the end , the Takeda clan is defeated by Nobunaga .
Kagemusha is a film beautiful in parts but unsuccessful as a whole . The sets and filmography are stunning and rich . And the very long film can be watched easily because each scene is enchanting on its own merits . However , as a single story , the film does not quite work . One theme that characters reflect on several times is the challenge of continuously impersonating another person . However , the film never explores this problem through the protagonist's experiences . There is also the problem of the Battle of Nagashino , which takes up the last part of the film , but doesn't seem to have any relevance to the film per se , rather just the historical background . Unlike RAN , which focuses on war and conflict , prolonged sequences here showing dead and dying soldiers in the aftermath of battle seem out of place .
My impression of Kagemusha is that Kurosawa had several pieces of visual imagery that he wanted to put on film ( the dream sequence , the battlefield . . . ) , and he also wanted to tell the story of the shadow warrior as some sort of autobiography . These got mashed up into one story with the consequent lack of complete success . I suspect Kurosawa chose Shingen because of imagery of Shingen sitting solemnly , directing his troops , rather like a film director sitting behind a camera . Kurosawa was a depressive , and I would bet that at times he felt his directing was somehow fraudulent like the shadow warrior pretending to direct Shingen's troops .
All Kurosawa films are magical , but Kagemusha leaves one slightly disappointed and vaguely confused . Recommended for Kurosawa fans .
077 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
I thought this movie was going to bored and not excited at all . Boy was I wrong and total suprised by the action that takes place in this movie . From moment when it gets down explain the background history that movie is based on to the end when The Shadow Warrior is seen in water with the flag , you get drawn into story-line and characters . I orignal order this movie for assignment in my Internaitonl Japan Studies class last semster . Since than I have watch this movie about three times , and each time I am amazed at how the protray each character and tell each character story . Where every you buy your copy from it will be well worth the price , and company who I purchased my from arrived just like they said it would in Used-Very Good condition and within two-four days .
079 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha : The Criterion Collection [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
To bad american film makers cannot go back and make film's like this one . just buy it and enjoy it over and over .
081 4 I had to watch Kagemusha twice to really appreciate it . The first time I was more obsessed with my computer and missed key parts , the second time I enjoyed it thoroughly . The use of color and photography is amazing and considering how low the budget was , Kurosawa did a very nice job . The story of a Japanese lord who dies and the clan who pushed a thief who resembles the lord to take his place . Of course , he can only live as long as the clan finds him useful . Great movie .
082 4 Those costumes are awesome and the number of extras is like an American film from the late 50 ' s or the early 60 ' s . This movie is my third Akira Kurosawa film : he is a classic director . We find that the ( matchlock ) muskets that are probably Dutch in origin are important in 1575 in Japan .
The theme is about a double who is like a ghost or shadow warrior , taking the place of a dead great warlord for three years .
For his blood and guts style that one expects , this movie is very clean
and as a result maybe slower and less of the realism that one might have expected from this director ?
083 4 Watching Akira Kurosawa's three hour long epic color film ( his third ) from 1980 , Kagumusha ( The Shadow Warrior ) reminded me of the historical plays of William Shakespeare . While more famed for adapting the dramas of Shakespeare ( Ran from King Lear , The Bad Sleep Well from Hamlet , The Hidden Fortress from Macbeth ) , Kurosawa's long film reminds me more of the detailed histories , where a single character is less important than the whole milieu ( as well as being a more epic version of the old The Prince And The Pauper fable ) . And he succeeds very well at it . While the overall film is a bit too slow paced to be considered great , there is no doubt that it is an intricate work that abounds with astonishing color imagery , and is suffused in details that the screenplay by Kurosawa and Masato Ide slip in very subtly .
The best example of this is that even though the average viewer will know next to nothing of Japanese feudal history ( what little I knew came from mostly old Japanese films ) , specific details are not needed because the themes and characterizations are so universal . It won the Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and was seen as a comeback film for Kurosawa , after a mostly forgettable decade ( the 1970s ) of sporadic film work .
The actual story of the film is rather simple , the feudal lord of a clan that hopes to unite Japan in 1573 , Shingen Takeda ( Tatsuya Nakadai ) , is assassinated by a rival clan . However , since this takes place at night , the wounded lord has his generals prepare a double to take his place , should he die , and orders them to keep up the pretense for three years . We never see the actual shot , only hear it , and then see it in a re-enactment for the warlord , Ieyasu Tokugawa ( Masayuki Yui ) , who ordered the assassination . The double is a thief , Kagemusha , played by the same actor , who during the opening six minutes of the film , before the credits , mocks the feudal lord and his brother as hypocrites for condemning him , a petty thief . He says they are mass murderers . The lord spares his doppelganger , the first of a number of fortuities in this story , loosely based upon real events . Nakadai is splendid in both roles . Usually , such dual roles are phoned in , but one can sense the difference in the two characters , even long after Shingen is dead . . . . All in all , Kagemusha is a very good film , with some great scenes and moments . Unfortunately , its plot drags weigh it down just enough that it falls below some of his true masterpieces , like Seven Samurai , Ikiru , and The Bad Sleep Well . Yet , even if it is not Kurosawa at his best , like Shakespeare in second rate mode , it is still far superior to all but the very best of lesser filmmakers . Yet , in Kagemusha , as in few other films of quality , it is the very lack of specificity about its people and events - where such details float behind the presentation , throughout the film , then swiftly come together to make sense late in the work , that allows it to have such a lasting impact , narratively , just as its switch between surrealistic color sets and realistic location shots similarly recapitulates the viewers ' disorientation , then realization that something very interesting and different has happened . That simply does not happen in Hollywood films , and rarely occurs in any films , at all . It also shows why critics such as Stephen Prince often do a disservice to the viewers in their commentaries on films , and miss the very elements that make a film work or not . Fortunately , such defects do not affect the great artists whose works are disserviced by such lesser minds .
084 4 really , really good . great preformences with great effect . the dream sequence is really fantastic . theres alot of great acting and a perfect story . mabye its not as epic as ' Ran ' in cast and size , but its so much more complex in the story and its visual aspects are very dark and brooding . definetely worth the buy !
085 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
Kagemusha or Impostor literally Shadow Warrior is Akira Kurosawa's third color film and one of his more impressive of the later releases .
The film is mostly based on the true story about the death of a warlord which was kept secret for 2 years and the man hired to impersonate him .
The film is very impressive and has some excellent sets . The costumes are very authentic also . The film was nearly not made due to budget problems but George Lucas convinced 20th Century Fox to finance part of the film . As Lucas put it , they owed [ Lucas ] a favor because he saved the studio from bankruptcy when he released Star Wars .
The release is a double disc box set with some very nice special features .
Disc 1 contains the film with optional audio commentary by Stephen Prince , two Japanese theatrical trailers and the US theatrical trailer .
Disc 2 contains an interview with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola where they discuss their role in helping produce the film . There is also a segment from the Japanese series Akira Kurosawa : It's Wonderful to Create where Kurosawa talks about the film . Also is a slide show of storyboards painted by Kurosawa with the audio of the scene depcited by the storyboard .
There is also a side by side photo comparison of storyboard paintings and the scene they depict .
The DVD set also includes a large booklet with more storyboard paintings and interviews
086 4 This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film .
Kagemusha or Impostor literally Shadow Warrior is Akira Kurosawa's third color film and one of his more impressive of the later releases .
The film is mostly based on the true story about the death of a warlord which was kept secret for 2 years and the man hired to impersonate him .
The film is very impressive and has some excellent sets . The costumes are very authentic also . The film was nearly not made due to budget problems but George Lucas convinced 20th Century Fox to finance part of the film . As Lucas put it , they owed [ Lucas ] a favor because he saved the studio from bankruptcy when he released Star Wars .
The release is a double disc box set with some very nice special features .
Disc 1 contains the film with optional audio commentary by Stephen Prince , two Japanese theatrical trailers and the US theatrical trailer .
Disc 2 contains an interview with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola where they discuss their role in helping produce the film . There is also a segment from the Japanese series Akira Kurosawa : It's Wonderful to Create where Kurosawa talks about the film . Also is a slide show of storyboards painted by Kurosawa with the audio of the scene depcited by the storyboard .
There is also a side by side photo comparison of storyboard paintings and the scene they depict .
The DVD set also includes a large booklet with more storyboard paintings and interviews
087 4 Kurosawa's best , shame about the vid quality / length . check out Ran and Throne of Blood , also pretty good . if you like japan in the middle ages - harder to find but just as good , kanet Shindo's ' Onibaba ' .
088 4 Kurosawa achieves an excellent balance of emotion , calmness , visual beauty , and compelling character-driven drama . The story happens to begin just about where the film Heaven and Earth ( by another director ) , left off . If you were tantalized by the loose ending of that film , you'll be satisfied by this intense look at the fate of the Takeda dynasty .
Acting quality , cinematography , and symbolism are all superb . . . and once again a mysterious flutist is a key plot element ! I recommend it to all samurai film fans .
089 4 I am just discovering the works of Kurisawa and this is one of the most ( if not the most ) interesting Kurisawa pictures .
The performance by Nadaki is simply amazing , it was great how he changed for each role as the time went on .
The battle scenes are great . My favorite moment is when Nadaki ( the shadow ) is sitting still and the men are all dying around him . This image is as powerful as some of the later in his powerhouse RAN . The ending is depressing beyond belief but totally believable .
This film is challenging to undertand at first but I felt better on a second viewing months later . A definite must own if you are a Kurisawa fan or want a ride for the imagination .
090 4 Kagemusha is not a 5 star movie . It is a big step down from Ran ( which is very similar in many aspects , but has a great story ) and Seven Samurai ( a very different and more comedic , earlier movie by Kurosawa ) . Kagemusha has two major problems . The story is quite simplistic , a big problem with a three hour movie . Incredible visuals and excellent production quality carry much of the movie ; there are a few really great scenes , as can be expected of any Kurosawa movie . But the second issue pushes this movie well into 4 - star territory , and that is the ludicrous final battle . There's a lot worth remembering in Kagemusha , but the crazy ending , unfortunately , sticks in the mind .
The Criterion edition is of excellent quality . The transfer and sound quality are first-rate , and the additional material is interesting and well done . Add-ons cannot make a 4 - star movie , even so , into a 5 - star experience . There are many positive aspects to Kagemusha , and any Kurosawa fan will be happy with this DVD set . But for those new to Kurosawa , I strongly recommend Ran or Seven Samurai instead .
091 4 Being a big fan of Asian cinema and Japanese history , I have longed to view Kagemusha . I guess all the waiting , hampered my expectations . This piece takes place prior to the reign of the Tokugawa period when clans were all battling for control .
When Lord Shingen of the Takeda clan dies , the clan quickly substitutes a double to take his place and fool the country of the truth . The double has to convince even his close relations that he is the real thing , otherwise word may spread and other clans will take advantage of the situation .
This movie is one of Japanese most famous directors , Akira Kurosawa , biggest pieces . It was supported and co-produc
ed by George Lucas ( Star Wars fame ) and Francis Ford Coppala ( famous American director ) . It was Akira's movies from the 60 ' s that inspired American movies such as STAR WARS , Magnificent 7 , and a long list of Western movies . You definitely can see the western influences in the magnificent Kurosawa movie , The Seven Samurai .
Back to the movie at hand , I was disappointed . The movie , very beautifully shot with scenery and provided with intelligent dialogue has been weakened by one thing ; pace . This movie has an incredibly and brutally slow pace to it . It is a movie running at 3 hours which could have easily been 1 / 2 the length and still achieved its goal . The acting is superb , characters are amply developed , even though the focus is mainly on 1 person ( the double ) , scenery is spectacular , dialogue is well written , but in the end it just is too long . There really is no reason to justify its length , not even the artistry factor can .
In the end , all the great movie aspects are there , just stretched out too far .
I viewed the 3 / 29 / 05 Criterion Collection : Picture and Sound are yes , above par .
092 4 Another masterpiece from Akira Kurosawa . If you liked ' Ran ' , then you would not want to miss this poignant portrayal of a man thrust into the midst of a great conflict in a turbulent period of the Japanese history .
093 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I'm no film buff : indeed , I seem to be going through a bout of revisiting icons of my college years . Kurasawa's Seven Samurai left lasting memories and I wanted to see more of this great director's work . The booklet giving background to Kagemusha was very helpful to me and I found the plot twist to be one that provoked further reflection in the days after I had watched the film . It is one that I will keep and will watch again from time to time . I agree with an earlier reviewer that the film has a number of relatively static set pieces , mostly associated with clan council meetings or the reception of emissaries . There is a fascinating scene where an early sniper demonstrates an ingenious technique for setting up the fatal shot on which the plot turns . At times the effect is a bit archaic and a bit reminiscent of one of the early Russian historic epic films about a Prince who defeats the Teutonic knights . Still , the film held my interest all by itself , without reference to the history of the cinema .
094 4 I'm no film buff : indeed , I seem to be going through a bout of revisiting icons of my college years . Kurasawa's Seven Samurai left lasting memories and I wanted to see more of this great director's work . The booklet giving background to Kagemusha was very helpful to me and I found the plot twist to be one that provoked further reflection in the days after I had watched the film . It is one that I will keep and will watch again from time to time . I agree with an earlier reviewer that the film has a number of relatively static set pieces , mostly associated with clan council meetings or the reception of emissaries . There is a fascinating scene where an early sniper demonstrates an ingenious technique for setting up the fatal shot on which the plot turns . At times the effect is a bit archaic and a bit reminiscent of one of the early Russian historic epic films about a Prince who defeats the Teutonic knights . Still , the film held my interest all by itself , without reference to the history of the cinema .
095 4 If you love Kurosawa's movies because of great characters and story line , this movie may disappoint you . There are lots of characters but the story is difficult to follow . Shintaro Katsu ( the classic Zatoichi actor ) was originally cast in the main role but due to arguements with Kurosawa he was replaced by Tatsuya Nakadai . This is good because while Katsu was fabulous as Zatoichi , you just can't picture him playing a feudal lord . Nakadai is convincing . As we was later in Ran . The costumes are gorgeous and the scenery wonderful , but the story is not as crisp as Seven Samurai or as compelling as Ikiru . But I still enjoyed the movie for all the other Kurosawa features , high winds , heavy rain , panoramic shots , great close-ups and costumes . Nakadai is also wonderful in Sword of Doom , Yojimbo , Ran and Kill ! . Hara Kiri was too gruesome though his acting was good . Also , the Criterion Collection versions are wonderfully done in DVD format . I always look for their version if available . Now can we get Drunken Angel on DVD please ?
096 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
This film is not only one of the best that Akira Kurosawa directed , but it is based on events that happened during the Age of War in Japan .
097 4 This film is not only one of the best that Akira Kurosawa directed , but it is based on events that happened during the Age of War in Japan .
098 4 I'm not good at remembering names , but I remember this movie very well . The lord is injured and as luck would have it , his men have captured a lookalike for a petty theft previously - for just such an emergency . When the lord dies , the thief is made to impersonate the lord .
Some people like the drama and the battle scenes , which are top-notch . What I found to be exceptional was the portrayal of the imposter , who starts out as crass and angry in the beginning . Upon reluctantly taking position as a double , the imposter rebels ; he wants out and doesn't care much for his sentence of three years ( the agreed-upon time the imposter is to be in place . ) But he does find his loyalty to the lord and land from guilt and duty after a while , and although he is never at ease with his position , he assumes it with responsibility . His last act at the end only makes the charge of the troops even more tragic , but it feels very real .
100 4 Watching two of Kurosawa's later films , Kagemusha and Ran ( 1985 ) reminds me of an anecdote concerning the great director . In the aftermath of the terrible 1923 ( Kanto ) Tokyo earthquake which killed an estimated 100,000 to 140,000 people , Akira's older brother took the young boy to see the mountains of bodies . Akira , understandably afraid , averted his eyes , not being able to bear the sight of the charred bodies ( many of the casualties were caused by the gas pipes rupturing and causing flash fires ) . His brother forced him to look at the carnage , pointing out that to look at anything in the eyes is to dispel the fear that it brings .
I always find the anecdote oddly comforting , because I always think that out of this terrible tragedy and Kurosawa's traumatic experience came the seeds of a temerity , a boldness and assuredness in confronting the horrors of the world . I tend to think that Kagemusha and the even better Ran are the culmination of Kurosawa's fearless examination of human frailties . Both films are wonderfully expressive in their use of colour and lead by renowned actor Nakadai Tetsuya ; both deal with the ugliness of human conduct under extreme circumstances , and yet the times the films are set ( in Kagemusha s case it is the 1570s ) can be seen as a mere setting to portray the extremes of those universal qualities of human betrayal and cruelty that know neither time nor place .
To be honest , Kagemusha isn't up the standard of Kurosawa's classics such as Rashomon , Throne of Blood , Yojimbo , or even the slightly overrated Seven Samurai . But seeing as Rashomon basically invented the idea of the relativity of truth in cinema and Yojimbo and Sanjuro the Spaghetti Western tradition , it doesn't mean Kagemusha is a bad film . Certain scenes - the desperate flailing of upturned horses after the final battle , the bold dream sequence that almost represent Nakadai's thief character as a Godzilla tottering over a psychedelic landscape - have the power to move . And the final bleak portrayal of human carnage - even if that carnage helps to bring about the eventual reunification of Japan - imprints upon the mind of the viewer Kurosawa's unflinching view of the destiny of human greed .
DVD : Criterion have pulled out all the stops for this DVD release . The print of the film itself could perhaps be a little sharper , but it's no worse than Studio Canal's print for Ran , and the bold coulour schema really shines through . Extras-wise , an excellent book , an insightful commentary and a second disc with a Japanese documentary on the master director and extensive interviews with project funders George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola really make this a set worth getting , even in the age of Blu-ray .
101 4 This unbeatable Cannes winner film is a notable artistic triumph a real feast for the eyes , the mind and soul .
When the King has died in a very undesirable moment - wartimes - the Counsel decides not inform about this tragic event and decides to design a substitute for him to avoid the discouragement in the soldiers . The emotional tribulations and the huge pressure exerted in this double carries to a superb and poetic story teller under the powerful gaze of the superb japanese filmmaker , the dazzling genius : Akira Kurosawa .
The arresting images in the final battle are simply outstanding .
A timeless monumental masterpiece and one of the giants films in any age .
102 4 If you like Japanese History and if you like Samurai , you shouldn't miss it . It is the most attractive film in general content of above . The message conveyed is foundamental mysterious story of Japan .
Among Ran , all the films directed by Akira , other samurai film and TV programs , it is a masterpiece .
103 4 Produced in 1980 with the finacial suport of George Lucas and Francis Ford Copolla , Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha is in all aspects an epic . It was a prelude to Kurosawa's 1985 masterpiece Ran with his political and military struggles and existencial conflicts . The historical background is the feudal Japan during the Sengoku Jidai or Age of war that lasted to the begining of the XVII century . An insignificant thief is spared from death by Shingen , the warlord of the powerful Takeda clan . Because of the amazing resemblence with him , Shingen turns the thief into his kagemusha or shadow warrior training him to take his place in case of death for no less than three years . When Shingen is finally killed , the thief , under the vigilance of Nobukado , Shingen's brother and the higher retainers of the clan is forced to fool not only the enemies of the Takeda but also the whole rest of the clan . As the story progresses we see the double grow and mature , gaining corage to accomplish his role as best he can . There's also the relation between the double and Nobukado not just puppet and puppeteer but something more deep . The mask finally breaks and the death of Shingen is discovered by his enemies that soon take arms against the Takeda . From there on the fate of the clan will be decided in bloody final battle . The soundtrack spetacularly give the movie an epic , and heroic feel this being seen on the final scene . Kurosawa showed in this film , despite the slow ritm and the lack of great battles , all his talent as a master of his art .
104 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha : The Criterion Collection [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
Sadly my blu-ray copy had noise coming from the right channel soundtrack on analog mode . This problem was not present on the commentary soundtrack . I think I will buy the standard dvd instead . I do not find the differnce of picture quality of this particular title so great on my tube hdtv screen . Jean
106 4 Exactly like almost any other Kurosawa movie ; in other words , brilliant .
The scripting , acting , shooting , and directing are all absolutely wonderful . It is a film filled with emotion , pulling strings with both the delight of a child and a man's sacrifice for another man he never knew .
Though it is certainly not as lighthearted ( or fun ) like Kurosawa's Samurai flicks ( Yojimbo , Hidden Fortress ) , nor as epic as Seven Samurai , nor as thought provoking as Rashomon , Kagemusha holds a very prized place on my shelf of DVD's .
107 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha : The Criterion Collection [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
No matter how I set my screen or set up the player it's impossible to see the subtitles completely . Not worth the expense in BluRay either . Get the DVD and save some money .
109 4 Kagemusha . . . originally I planned to 4 stars due to several problems I had with this film . But after watching maybe 10 minutes worth of commentary by a Kurosawa specialist on the disc's special features and then brushing up on my Japanese medieval period history documented in this film , I came away satisfied enough to give it 5 stars . Its very rare a movie of this magnitude be less 4 stars , due to the sheer technical difficulties of production . Occasionally you get cheese like Gods and Generals but I digress . . . if you want a great plot synopsis look elsewhere , you will not find it on my post or anywhere on Amazon .
Basically it comes down to this . . . your looking at either buying or renting this movie . You need to rent this if you are Japanese cultural or film lover . You'll probably want to buy it because its one of those movies that will get better each time you view it due to its rich symbology , political intrigue , and entertaining characters . Im not sure how it rates to all of Kursowa's movie due to the fact I haven't seem them all ( ive seen 14 of the 30 films of his ) Give you an idea of what im thinking . . . . Rashomon is my favorite film by him but 7 samurai is what I think to be his most complete film . This movie deserves to be in that short list of his great movies . My only gripe with this movie is the horn heavy orchestration . It felt out of place within the movie ; as if I'm watching a roman psycho drama . Don't be disgruntled by the ending , it is merely a visual condensation and distillation in which the new Takeda daimyo wrecked the clan in such a short time frame after Shingen's ruse is no longer in effect .
110 4 Kagemusha is another excellent film by Kurasawa , though a notch below 7 Samurai and Throne of Blood . All the characters feel real - everyone is there for a purpose . My only critique is the disjointed nature of the psychedelic scenes , though others may disagree . This film belongs in any serious collector's library .
111 4 Absolute must see . Kurosawa fan or not . Every aspect of this film is flawless . According to Criterion it has a release date some time in January ! ! ! Wooohooooo ! ! !
112 4 His later works like Kagemusha is not as pacey , fluid and endearing as his earlier works like Drunken Angel , Throne of Blood and classics like Yojimbo and Sanjuro . In fact when one compares this film to more earlier films Kagemusha seems somewhat stilted . I think this deliberativeness gradually came into his film-making as he was nearing to the end of his life and coming to terms with his coming death .
( You can see this more explicitly in his King Lear re-make film Ran )
Nice scenes though . . .
113 4 As I watch more & more Akira Kurosawa's movies , it comes to my realisation that in actuality , his works are rather Noh-influence . His scenes are perfectly framed & yet , the frames are expansive enough for his performers to do what they meant to do . I used to think that the performances are somewhat pushed but as as we have a tendency to be mellowed by age , as I watch the movie second time around , I am pleasantly surprised that the outcomes aren't what I think they used to be . The performers do what they meant to do in their own natural rhythms & together with a glorious settings ( where everything seem to be right where they are ) , with dosages of old Japanese values , whallah , you have a concoction of Kurosawa movies that we are endeared to . Kagemusha is based upon the true story during the Warring Period between three factions . Fighting scenes are at best patchy but it's still an awe-inspiring site as most of what we have these days are all CGI effects . Kurosawa's movies tend to touch upon death , our mortality , the fragile beauty of life . As war rages on , the scene of soldiers coming to a standstill listening to the haunting sound of a solo flute performance is at once poignant and beautiful at the same time . There are moments like that in Kagemusha . It's also a life in parody as the shadow warrior , a non-blood would have done so much better than the original warlord's own son , whose impatience would eventually lead his Takeda Clan to imminent doom . A movie not to be missed especially for a Kurosawa's fan . Mind you , this movie would eventually be superseded by Ran , which I feel is his work in maturity particularly for this form of epic war genre . Highly recommended .
115 4 First , this is the great film of the historical genre from Japan . Second , it may be the model for recent history in Iraq .
. . . As a drama of manners , Kagemusha serves as a thorough introduction to the presentation layer of the Samurai in Tokogawa Japan . At the ending scenes , this shadow-warrior is able to take to heart the projection of honor and spirit within Shinto .
We owe a prayer of thanks to Lucas and Coppola . Without them , neither Ran nor Kagemusha . Two wonderful , great men .
Tatsuya Nakadai ( acting Lord Shingen and the double ) immerses us in a world where male Samurai had a 50% chance of dying in battle . Their language of grunts and body gestures is still the subject of deep study in Japan . The performances here takes us to a key hole , where we can see this world acted out .
Ran - - in comparison - - is embroiled in the conflicts between Buddhist sensibility , personified with Sue ' and the other non-warrior characters , and the code of Bushido and its core Shinto beliefs . The revenge-spirit within the wife is Shinto at its purest . She destroys the whole clan of her family's murderers . Willingly , she gives her most-honorable head to the blade .
Here in Kagemusha the sacrifice of one's life is given freely by dozens of Samurai . Whole squads of soldiers throw their bodies before arrows aimed at the false Lord . As it happened then . The achievement of this film is that we almost understand what is happening .
And what sacrifices will we be willing to make , if SARS tests us next year , in the winter of 2004 ? ? ? How important are courage and loyalty to us ? How will we die ?
116 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I love Akira Kurosawa but to be honest , I wasn't impressed at all with this movie .
The plot is interesting & builds in excitement until it reaches about 2 hours into the movie & then it becomes exhausting and tedious to watch until the ending battle scene which I thought was disappointing & anticlimactic .
The ending battle scene may have been historically accurate but instead Kurosawa should have awarded his viewers with some nice hand to hand combat between Samurai . It's like all those extras weren't put to good use .
Pretty much all of the battle scenes in the movie consisted of arquebuses mowing down Samurai .
This may have been historically accurate for the time period but it doesn't make for good entertainment .
I would much rather see the Samurai hacking off limbs with Naginatas or shooting arrows at each other .
The hundreds of extras were not used effectively in my opinion !
The plot was fictional , so Kurosawa should have thrown in some fictional battle scenes as well .
Unfortunately , the lack of battle scenes also hurts the movie .
If I remember correctly , there were about 3 . Two very short ones not worth mentioning & then the ending battle scene .
Adding at least 2 more battle scenes of good quality would have made the film more watchable .
Action has a magical quality of enticing the viewer back into the movie . ( especially after long periods without any action )
This wasn't used effectively in Kagemusha .
The plot is good but it just isn't enough to carry the viewer through the entire movie alone . It needed more action to go with it !
On a positive note , the Cinematography is excellent & probably the best I've seen in any Kurosawa movie . Possibly the best in any movie period . That actually disappoints me in a way because the great cinematography could have been much more enjoyable if the battle scenes were of the same quality .
But if the lack of Battle scenes doesn't bother you , then you'll probably love this movie . It's rich in color & history .
The acting was also very well done & so was the costume design .
My opinion is that it's worth a rental to see for the first time & if you like it , then buy it . The DVD version has cool special features .
I would also recommend RAN or Chushingura .
Chushingura also suffers from the not enough battle scenes syndrome as Kagemusha but it's plot is still great & so is the final scene where the 47 ronin raid the castle .
117 4 I love Akira Kurosawa but to be honest , I wasn't impressed at all with this movie .
The plot is interesting & builds in excitement until it reaches about 2 hours into the movie & then it becomes exhausting and tedious to watch until the ending battle scene which I thought was disappointing & anticlimactic .
The ending battle scene may have been historically accurate but instead Kurosawa should have awarded his viewers with some nice hand to hand combat between Samurai . It's like all those extras weren't put to good use .
Pretty much all of the battle scenes in the movie consisted of arquebuses mowing down Samurai .
This may have been historically accurate for the time period but it doesn't make for good entertainment .
I would much rather see the Samurai hacking off limbs with Naginatas or shooting arrows at each other .
The hundreds of extras were not used effectively in my opinion !
The plot was fictional , so Kurosawa should have thrown in some fictional battle scenes as well .
Unfortunately , the lack of battle scenes also hurts the movie .
If I remember correctly , there were about 3 . Two very short ones not worth mentioning & then the ending battle scene .
Adding at least 2 more battle scenes of good quality would have made the film more watchable .
Action has a magical quality of enticing the viewer back into the movie . ( especially after long periods without any action )
This wasn't used effectively in Kagemusha .
The plot is good but it just isn't enough to carry the viewer through the entire movie alone . It needed more action to go with it !
On a positive note , the Cinematography is excellent & probably the best I've seen in any Kurosawa movie . Possibly the best in any movie period . That actually disappoints me in a way because the great cinematography could have been much more enjoyable if the battle scenes were of the same quality .
But if the lack of Battle scenes doesn't bother you , then you'll probably love this movie . It's rich in color & history .
The acting was also very well done & so was the costume design .
My opinion is that it's worth a rental to see for the first time & if you like it , then buy it . The DVD version has cool special features .
I would also recommend RAN or Chushingura .
Chushingura also suffers from the not enough battle scenes syndrome as Kagemusha but it's plot is still great & so is the final scene where the 47 ronin raid the castle .
118 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
Having viewed a number of Kurosawa films , I am struck by how often they are highly touted by foreigners , but really , they are nothing but a lot of overblown nonsense ( even the Japanese public thought his movies were terrible , and they thought ' Godzilla ' was a good flick ! ) . Ridiculous overacting , unbelievable plotlines , lousy editing , all are Kurosawas ' trademarks . I will grant the filming is to a very high standard , but who cares , if the story is a complete turkey ? The problem is that Kurosawa never knew how to direct actors , only scenes . The fact that a number of excellent actors worked with Kurosawa and produced splendid performances ( e.g . Takashi Shimura in ' Seven Samurai ' ) had nothing to do with Kurosawa , but were more a happy accident . ' Seven Samurai ' this ain't ! !
119 4 Having viewed a number of Kurosawa films , I am struck by how often they are highly touted by foreigners , but really , they are nothing but a lot of overblown nonsense ( even the Japanese public thought his movies were terrible , and they thought ' Godzilla ' was a good flick ! ) . Ridiculous overacting , unbelievable plotlines , lousy editing , all are Kurosawas ' trademarks . I will grant the filming is to a very high standard , but who cares , if the story is a complete turkey ? The problem is that Kurosawa never knew how to direct actors , only scenes . The fact that a number of excellent actors worked with Kurosawa and produced splendid performances ( e.g . Takashi Shimura in ' Seven Samurai ' ) had nothing to do with Kurosawa , but were more a happy accident . ' Seven Samurai ' this ain't ! !
120 4 I agree with David Thomson when he says few audiences in the West would be content to view an American epic composed solely of battles and their contexts . Kurosawa was a keen businessman and his reputation in the West was entrenched with Kagemusha and Ran , he knew what ( American ) audiences think of as heroic and mystical about historical Japan : Kurosawa's art takes a great deal on its impetus from what Americans ( or Westerners ) imagine about Japan . He was not popular in Japan ( where they thought his stuff was particularly hokey and outmoded , hence the suicide attempt ) . I am not saying that the work is rubbish - there is no ugly shot in either Ran or Kag - merely that there are more authentically Japanese films out there to choose from .
078 4 I thought this movie was going to bored and not excited at all . Boy was I wrong and total suprised by the action that takes place in this movie . From moment when it gets down explain the background history that movie is based on to the end when The Shadow Warrior is seen in water with the flag , you get drawn into story-line and characters . I orignal order this movie for assignment in my Internaitonl Japan Studies class last semster . Since than I have watch this movie about three times , and each time I am amazed at how the protray each character and tell each character story . Where every you buy your copy from it will be well worth the price , and company who I purchased my from arrived just like they said it would in Used-Very Good condition and within two-four days .
013 4 Just amazing . This is not for someone who looks for actions / fighting . This is for someone who has an interest in Japanese culture and views storyline & character development as most important elements in the movie .
033 4 I was blown away by this insanely-great movie . . . you'll be captured by the stroyline , as Ikeda Shingen attempts to keep his realm in one piece , by having a petty thief lookalike stand in for him before he dies . Pay close attention to 1 ) the scene when the dying warlord says , Ugoku na ! ( Do not move , or do not start any military expeditions , or else . . . ) and the final battle scene , when Ikeda's brave army is simply destroyed . Sad , but rich in history , color , drma , etc . Watch it , enjoy it , and you'll never forget this movie .
055 4 I have both the zone 3 and the Criterion versions . I am not going to comment on the story . This version of the movie definitely has superior picture and sound quality . The color is excellent . It also has 20 minutes of additional scenes . However , the introductory text describing the political state which comes right after the film title was cut . Although it does not take away the enjoyment of the movie but I am a little bit puzzled ; the LD version , which I also own retained the text . The introductory text explained why these warlords are fighting each other . The Criterion version of the movie , I suspect , contains the same scenes as the zone 2 DVD version available for quite some time . No sure if the zone 2 version has introductory text .
105 4 Sadly my blu-ray copy had noise coming from the right channel soundtrack on analog mode . This problem was not present on the commentary soundtrack . I think I will buy the standard dvd instead . I do not find the differnce of picture quality of this particular title so great on my tube hdtv screen . Jean
108 4 No matter how I set my screen or set up the player it's impossible to see the subtitles completely . Not worth the expense in BluRay either . Get the DVD and save some money .
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I INITIALLY BEGAN WATCHING THIS MOVIE AT 11 : 30 PM . I WAS VERY TIRED AND INTENDED TO WATCH ONLY THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OR SO . WOW , WHAT A SURPRISE . I DIDEN'T GO TO BED UNTIL 2 : 30 AM . IT'S IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES . THIS REALLY SETS THE MOOD . THE COSTUMES , THE ACTING , THE SUSPENSE , THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE ACTORS , THE DRY HUMOR , THE ENTIRE MOVIE IS PERFECT . I FELT LIKE I STEPPED INTO A TIME MACHINE AND SPENT THREE HOURS IN OLD JAPAN .
037 4 This review is from :
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection ( DVD )
I INITIALLY BEGAN WATCHING THIS MOVIE AT 11 : 30 PM . I WAS VERY TIRED AND INTENDED TO WATCH ONLY THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OR SO . WOW , WHAT A SURPRISE . I DIDEN'T GO TO BED UNTIL 2 : 30 AM . IT'S IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES . THIS REALLY SETS THE MOOD . THE COSTUMES , THE ACTING , THE SUSPENSE , THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE ACTORS , THE DRY HUMOR , THE ENTIRE MOVIE IS PERFECT . I FELT LIKE I STEPPED INTO A TIME MACHINE AND SPENT THREE HOURS IN OLD JAPAN .
063 4 If you're a fan of classic Japanese film , this is a must for your collection . The Blu-ray rendention is gorgeous , even projected on my 8 - foot HT screen . If you've never seen this film before , you'll love it's classic Japanese themes , beautiful costumes , epic scenes with thousands of extras , and of course , the fantastic Japanese cinematography that you'd expect . As the saying goes , if this is the sort'a thing you like , you'll REALLY like this .
