Kagemusha (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #38 extract: Kagemusha (1980)



A powerful epic that is restrained and subtle in its approach - don't expect to see battle, rather, try to understand its motion-semiotics - Kagemusha is a film that asks what it takes to lead. With its conclusion implying a symbolic and metaphorical elemental harmony, this is a weighted film. However, this is not Kurosawa at his absolute best. 
Whilst there is the staple Kurosawa quality embedded into this film, it lacks profundity to support its visual mastery. Kurosawa then, in some ways, undermined this film 5 years later with Ran - though, there is an argument for Ran being a nice companion piece. The spectacle of this jidaigeki ultimately leaves it a tremendous film well worth the watch, but, as implied, this may not leave you speechless like other Kurosawa films manage.

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