Review of Kagemusha (1980) by Twins S — 14 Feb 2011

3 hours long..but it is a story that needs it...and sefinately not the least of the many Kurosawa masterpiece..

The movie is an epic painting and the scene do not look at all dated compare with the kind of CGI standard of these days..

The story is gripping, and draws you beyond the war's mood of the movie entirely into pondering what values where around the 16th century: Courage, Honor, Brotherhood, Pragmatism,Sacrifice, Love and Beliefe..Lives lived into the danger and horror of a war, but kept into a spirit of decency..

It draws you to think, what would happen if you make a film on today's society where most of the value have gone away into dust?

However what is the most interesting thing in the movie, is the relation the audience will experience with the character of the Emperor's Double..A thief that becomes respected and loved, but in order to keep alive has to play the role of the emperor, suppressing all that is in him..He has to live his 'new' life pretending he had already lived it..

There are many layers in this character that keeps you watching the movie till the end..

Beautiful shots of nature and battle doused with colours and red-blue skyes will keep this long ride very very enjoyable.