ROYALTY ON SCREEN : Akira Kurusawa’s 1980 Palme D’Or Film “Kagemusha”

When a powerful warlord in medieval Japan dies, a poor thief recruited to impersonate him finds difficulty living up to his role and clashes with the spirit of the warlord during turbulent times in the kingdom. Akira Kurosawa’s 1980 Palme D’Or Film Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) was co produced by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

Kagemusha

(1980)

directed by Akira Kurosawa starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Kenichi Hagiwara

Official 1980 Trailer :

Critarion Anniversary Trailer :

Plot :

In 1572, there is a civil war in Japan, and three powerful clans, leaded by the lords Shingen Takeda (Tatsuya Nakadai),Nobunaga Oda (Daisuke Ryu) and Ieyasu Tokugawa (Masayuki Yui), dispute theconquest of Kyoto. When Shingen is mortally wounded, the Takeda clan hides the incident and uses a poor thief to be the double of the strategist Shingen and keep the respect of their enemies. Along the years, Kagemusha incorporates the spirit of the warrior of the dead warlord.

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Kurosawa’s Honorary Oscar
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Steven Spielberg and George Lucas present an honorary Oscar to Akira Kurosawa for his body of work:

Part I:

Part II:

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The Last Emperor of Cinema
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Alex Cox’s documentary on film director Akira Kurosawa(1999)

With Insights from PaulVerhoven, John Woo, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola to name a few …

Part I:

Part II:

Part III:

Part IV:

Part V:

Part VI:

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Mutual admiration : Abbas Kiarostami and Akira Kurosawa
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Abbas Kiarostami upon receiving the Akira Kurosawa Award in SF Film Festival:

Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, never a fan of conventionality, surprises the audience after receiving the Akira Kurosawa Awardby promptly giving it away to honor actor Behrouz Vossoughi.

Kiarostami on films which influenced him:

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AkiraKurosawa: Influences and Influence
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Akira Kurosawa: Influences and Influence on great directors
ranging from George Lucas to Abbas Kiarostami

Part I:

Part II:

JAPAN’S PERSIAN ICON: Anicée (Alvina) Shahmanesh interview on Japanese TV (1970’s)

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