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| Kagemusha [1980] | ![Kagemusha [1980]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HFZJQPYNL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Akira Kurosawa
Actors: Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara, Jinpachi Nezu, Hideji Otaki
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £12.99
Buy New: £7.97
You Save: £5.02 (39%)
New (9) from £4.96
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 11595
Format: Pal, Widescreen
Languages: Japanese (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), Japanese (Unknown), Danish (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Finnish (Subtitled), Norwegian (Subtitled), Swedish (Subtitled)
Rating: Parental Guidance
Running Time: 153 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 739177237000
EAN: 0739177237000
ASIN: B000065UHE
Theatrical Release Date: October 6, 1980
Release Date: June 3, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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Amazon.co.uk Review
The 1970s were difficult years for the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Having been unable to secure full Japanese backing for his epic project Kagemusha, the 70-year-old master found American support from George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, who served as co-executive producers (through 20th Century Fox) for this magnificent 1980 production--to that date the most expensive film in Japanese history. Set in the late-16th century, Kagemusha centres on the Takeda clan, one of three warlord clans battling for control of Japan at the end of the feudal period. When their leader Lord Shingen (Tatsuya Nakadai) is mortally wounded in battle, he orders that his death be kept secret and that his "kagemusha"--or "shadow warrior"--take his place for a period of three years to prevent clan disruption and enemy takeover. The identical double is a petty thief (also played by Nakadai) spared from execution due to his uncanny resemblance to Lord Shingen--but his true identity cannot prevent the tides of fate from rising over the Takeda clan in a climactic scene of battlefield devastation. Through stunning visuals and meticulous attention to every physical and stylistic detail, Kurosawa made a film that restored his status as Japan's greatest filmmaker, and the success of Kagemusha enabled the director to make his 1985 masterpiece, Ran. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 A piece of history and art November 29, 2008
To be completely fair to everyone on Amazon, not just connoisseurs of film, I shall say that anyone looking for Shogun Assassin 2 or Kill Bill 3 should turn away now, this is not a 'samurai film'. I say that as negative reviews often seem to come from people that are disappointed at the lack of continuous action.
This is a piece of Akira Kurosawa's later work, which means vivid colour and, sadly, the absence of Toshiro Mifune, who starred in most of his superlative early work. Tatsuya Nakadai, however, provides an excellent performance as the legendary (to Japanese audiences at least) Takeda Shingen and his double, or Kagemusha.
The film tells a romanticised account of the story of the fall of Shingen, who was one of Japan's most infamous warlord in the Warring States period, known most famously for producing 'Demon King' Oda Nobunaga (played very memorably by Daisuke Ryu), Tokugawa Ieyasu (the founder of the isolationist Tokugawa Shogunate) and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a monkey-faced 'peasant shogun' known as the 'Taiko' to most of us now from the book of the same name. Shingen was 'old school', in that he was a infantry and cavalry man at heart, and the story of his fall coincides with the appearance of western influences in Japan, including sugar, catholicism, artillery cannons and guns.
As in history, Shingen is fatally shot during a siege, and a plot is forged to deceive his enemies into thinking he is still alive, worked in this film into a 'Monty's Double' scenario where a convicted criminal - every bit Shingen's likeness - is compelled to take his place for three years while a long-term strategem is formed. It then becomes an insight into social order and etiquette in that volatile period, until the violent climax at the famous - but often over-romanticised - Battle of Nagashino. Yes, there is violence - a Kurosawa film would be missing something without it - but it is there to shock and confound in its pointlessness, not to entertain.
The film covers many common Kurosawa themes; class structure, the horrors of war, the absurdities that men live by. It is not by any means his best work, but it is still an above average film that - provided you do not mind there being no ninjas - you will find thought provoking and perhaps even beautiful.
 Oh so very boring! October 30, 2008
Having seen Seven Samurai and Yojimbo I was curious to see what Akira Kurosawa did with a massive budget and full colour. He managed to be totally boring. Three hours of nothing much happening is what you will sit through. A couple of battles which (due to the era it's set in) are gun battles no samurai sword skill will be seen here. I'm not saying all samurai films should be filled with sword play, I just feel most film fans like a mix of build up and action. Historians and samurai mega-fans will probably get a kick out of the production values I guess.
not for choreography fans June 7, 2008
Deals nicely with a very exciting time in feudal Japan. The story is loosely based on facts but is mostly fiction.
Lord Shingen is killed whilst laying siege to a castle, his last wish is for the clan to regroup, protect the borders for three years. His clan is now in disarray and need to keep the death of their lord secret, if they do not then lord Nobunaga and (the eventual Shogun) lord Tokugawa will attack and destroy the clan.
They use a body double to give the impression Shingen is still alive and it is this double who is the centre of the story.
I will leave the rest for the film, that said anyone looking for one of those sword waving fantasies will be disappointed.
It is not cgi or killbill or lookatthatheadcomeoff, it is a strong story about politics, strategy and the destruction of the Takada.
 FLAT AS A PANCAKE! August 17, 2007
0 out of 12 found this review helpful
If you're looking for serious action then leave this one well alone. I only suffered the first hour and there was not one single 'fight' in that time. Both my hubby and I are serious fans of Chinese / Japanese movies but this ones so boring it's torture!
Excellant piece of Cinematography October 6, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
The film is visibly stunning: the costumes, sets, landscapes etc.. The acting is of the highest quality and you find yourself being totally absorbed. However, i must admit that i was very dissapointed by the far below par battles (or lack of them). One of the biggest battles in Japanese history is over in a couple of seconds without any battle choragraphy or hand to hand fighting?? This lets the film down desperatly, as the whole film builds up to the final battle, which you never really see. However the costumes, stories and acting make it a film well worth adding to your collection.
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