Kagemusha - The Double

Rating: 8/10 (12 October 2006)

Only for a director of Kurosawa' caliber could Kagemusha serve as a dress rehearsal for more serious fare like Ran! Like Ran, Kagemusha is set in 15th-16th century Japan and deals with Lords, Kings and succession battles. Where Ran was based on Shakespeares King Lear, Kagemusha is based (however loosely) on historic fact.
Certainly Kagemusha does not have the exquisite battle scenes of Ran, but it holds up well to its more illustrious successor. The compositions are lovely, starting from the opening frame with Lord Shingen, his brother and petty thief Kageumsha. The colors are beautiful and this is one of the best examples of color photography.
There is an emotional core to the movie as well - much stronger than Ran perhaps. When Kagemusha is thrown out in the rain is particularly affecting. The process by which he moves from being a moral-less man who considers Lord Shingen to be a killer of hundreds and robber of domains to eventually aspiring to serve the dead Lord with fierce loyalty is beautifully done.
Kurosawa is one of the all-time great directors. Although Rashomon and some of his earlier B&W films are his best, Kagemusha and Ran stand out in the later part of his career as unmissable epics.