Kagemusha - Criterion Collection (1980)

Studio: Criterion Collection
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai,Tsutomu Yamazaki
Release Date: March 29, 2005
Running Time: 180

A typical ploy of medieval Japan based on real facts
By using real historic characters like the renowned Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kurosawa proves once more that life is usually more dramatic than fantasy, as he recounts the substitution of Shingen with a double during the "golden-age"... more

Introductory text cut - a nickpick
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... more

At long last!
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... more

A masterpiece
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.

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Magnificent prequel to Ran
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,... more

An opinion from Japanese Criterion fan.
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... more

Beautiful images
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... more

Exactly like almost any other Kurosawa movie
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... more

wonderful
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... more

FINALLY AAARRRGHHHHHH!!!!
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!!!

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Epic masterpiece!
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... more

Kagemusha: Or How I Fell In Love With Sengoku Japan
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... more

What a Spectacle
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. ... more

Better than RAN
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... more

Better than Ran
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... more

Fine precursor to the classic "Ran"
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... more

Great movie
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... more

I Want My DVD!!!!!!!
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.

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Kagemusha
"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,... more

KUROSAWA
Not as mind-blowing as a few other of 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... more

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