The Other Late-Period Masterpiece from Kurosawa

I've just watched Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (The Double) for the nth time, and continue to be moved by a wonderful film. The central characters are the feared warlord Shingen, and the petty thief who, by virtue of his uncanny resemblance, is co-opted as a strategic double and ends up with the weight of an entire clan on his shoulders. A rich and thought-provoking work which may be many things to many people, it is to me above all a rumination on society's need for individuals, and individuals' need for society.


Kurosawa portrays superbly the brutality and cunning on which power has always depended - the struggle between Shingen, Ieyasu and Nobunaga (not to mention Shingen's son) provides a compelling milieu. Tatsuya Nakadai is marvellous as both Shingen and his hapless double, and shines in some truly unforgettable scenes. Music relies heavily on a single motif but is highly effective, if without the brilliance lent by Takemitsu to the soundtrack of Ran (a film that begs comparison with this one).

This is essential viewing for lovers of life, art and cinema.

I have the 2002 Region 2 DVD, which has a more than decent transfer of the film. The image is very stable (with some very minor artefacting), but there is a persistent lack of definition which makes the film look far older than its 30 years. Criterion have issued a Region A Blu Ray edition, and a Region 1 DVD, both of which are supposed to be typically excellent.

EDIT: Kagemusha shared the Palme d'Or with All That Jazz at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival.