Review of Dersu Uzala (1961) by Antonius B — 20 Nov 2018

How fantastic is it that Kurosawa was a fan of Russian literature, and picked this obscure memoir to make a film out of when the Soviet production company Mosfilm approached him during a very difficult period in his life. Somehow it seems appropriate, being so quiet and contemplative, and like a return to truth or oneâ(TM)s original self. The story is fairly simple, relating the real-life adventures of an exploration into the rugged region around the Ussuri river basin when the groupâ(TM)s captain (Vladimir Arsenyev, played by Yury Solomin) befriends a mountain man (Dersu Uzala, played by Maxim Munzuk).

Early on we see that Dersu identifies everything around him as a person â" the sun, moon, wind, water, a tiger, etc. It seems childlike, but itâ(TM)s actually rather profound - he sees a unity to everything, and that man is not separate from his environment. He lives as one with nature, respects its power, doesnâ(TM)t waste, and helps others when he can. As the captain says, âHe had a beautiful soul. He provided for the needs of a person he didn't know, and probably wouldn't ever see.â? He also recognizes subtle signs in things like tracks or weather conditions that others canâ(TM)t see. The scene where he ingeniously builds a makeshift shelter out of tall grasses on the taiga when it gets late and the wind starts howling is excellent. I donâ(TM)t know whether this character or movie helped shaped George Lucasâ(TM)s vision of Yoda, but there are certainly similarities.

The pace of the film is on the slow side, and that combined with minimal action may turn some viewers off, but I found that it went well with Dersuâ(TM)s spirit and the environment they were in. âMan is very small before the face of nature,â? the film says, as Kurosawa gives us beautiful footage of wide open spaces, ice floes, and forests. Let the simplicity wash over you and cleanse you, like Dersu undoubtedly did with Arsenyevâ(TM)s soul. Itâ(TM)s not Kurosawaâ(TM)s very best, but this is a good one, and it got the 65-year-old director back on track to make more films at the end of his career.