Cinema
Kagemusha
影武者
Akira Kurosawa · 1980
Synopsis
Japan, the 1570s. A thief who looks exactly like him is brought before the lord Takeda Shingen; his brother Nobukado spares him from execution in order to make him a double. During the siege of an enemy castle, Shingen is wounded by a hidden marksman and dies, having demanded that his death be kept secret for three years, according to AlloCiné. The generals then have the thief play the part of the master before the army, the allies and the household, to deceive the rival clans, according to Criterion.
Context
As Tōhō could not complete the financing, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, admirers of the director, persuaded Twentieth Century-Fox to cover the shortfall, in exchange for distribution rights outside Japan, according to Criterion; the director also shot advertisements for a whisky in order to raise funds. Katsu Shintarō, first chosen for the double role, was replaced by Nakadai Tatsuya. The final battle, which reconstructs that of Nagashino in 1575, involved more than five thousand extras. The film was released in Japan on 26 April 1980.
Who it is for
Three hours in the long version, between court intrigues and great battles, around an impostor charged with saving a clan.
Prizes and reception
Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1980, shared with an American film, and nominated for two Oscars.
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