
1980 · drama · history
Directed by Akira Kurosawa3h 0m1980
Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.
Our read: Kagemusha (1980) reads as a sombre, measured, grounded drama · history entry — measured in intensity, mid-stakes in scope, cold in temperature, nihilistic in outlook, with a strong directorial signature.
Sombre, measured, measured drama / history, grounded in texture. Nihilistic, mid-stakes, cold.
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Availability in the UK · via JustWatch




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“You want a sweeping Kurosawa epic about identity, power, and fallen clans.”
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