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Kagemusha - Criterion Collection Actors: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki Director: Akira Kurosawa Number of Items: 2 Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Running Time: 180 minutes Studio: Criterion Collection Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-03-29 Buy from Amazon |
 "Subtle yet engaging, complex yet never confusing..."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". "a must see gor all Samurai movie fans and newbies alike!"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. "Great!"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. "Fine"This movie is fine, I like it! Hope you enjoy it as well "Interesting to say the least"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. |
