Kagemusha

Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980) reminded me of why I am such a huge fan of the director (in fact, I would name him the greatest director of all time): he has made so many films that are simply too brilliant. Even though Kurosawa himself referred to Kagemusha as the "dress rehearsal" for Ran (1985), the film is not a minor masterpiece. In fact, it is nearly as great as the epic Shakespearean film even though its tone and scope are vastly different.

The film recounts the tale of a thief who is forced to impersonate a famous warlord after his death. The impersonator's role is quite poetic, seeing how he is metaphorically between life and death throughout the film. His problems with identity and something resembling an existential crisis are thought-provoking. The powerplay between the warlords might not be as violent and aggressive as in Ran, but it surely is intriguing.

Kagemusha is incredibly poetic in its expression: long takes, precise compositions, graceful camera movement, meditative pacing and fascinating imagery create a distinctive mood for the film.

Kagemusha instantly became one of my favorite Kurosawa films. It creates a fantastic pair with Ran - it would be fascinating to take a deeper look into these two films and compare them.

Score: 10 out of 10

Andrei Rublev

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Andrei Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev (1966) is a film that blew my mind - and I find it nearly impossible to write a proper review of it. It is something that has to be seen. The questions it raises about art, religion, society and power are profound and intriguing. Tarkovsky's meditative and brilliant form kept me glued to the screen throughout the film. Just go and watch it.

Score: 10 out of 10

The Last Emperor

Bernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning The Last Emperor (1987) tells the story of the final Emperor of China, Pu Yi. He became an Emperor already at the age of 4 and due to the changing world he had to give his title away.

Narratively the film isn't anything special when compared to the other biographical films - which is probably only for the better. While it provides interesting observations on how the Chinese value were changed and it is a proper depiction of Chinese history, the film never becomes anything truly memorable.

At least the film's form is fascinating: beautiful camera drives, fascinating compositions and the entire production is executed on a spectacular scale. However, the English dialogue and stiff acting distracted me a lot - it was hard to get used to them.

In the end, The Last Emperor is a film that could have been better, but it is quite good in its present shape too.

Score: 8 out of 10

Downfall

Oliver Hirschbiegel's Der Untergang - aka Downfall - (2004) is an account of Hitler's (Bruno Ganz) and Nazi Germany's last days. The story is told mostly from the point of view of his final secretary (Alexandra Maria Lara). The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Bruno Ganz' mad performance as Hitler was widely recognised by critics.

The film seems like a valid account of its subject, but it has been altered a little for a better narrative. The film is a shocking: it isn't afraid of telling what actually happened back then. There are people who were offended by how warmly Hitler sometimes acts in the film, but all of those moments have been officially proved true - with one minor exception, but that's not relevant. Naturally, Hirschbiegel doesnt pick sides when it comes to the war, but instead he focuses on each person individually. At the beginning and end of the film, there are clips of a real interview with the secretary, and by that Hirschbiegel reminds us of the fact that the film is a true story.

The beginning of the film is harsh because we are introduced to so many characters at a wild pace. Only Hitler and the secretary are given a proper introduction, but after that it becomes a little hard to remember who's who and where everyone is at the moment. That flaw is partly explained by the fact that the story tries to stick to the truth, but it is a minor flaw in any case. The screenplay uses the huge amount of characters for a benefit: the point of view rapidly changes and it gives a wider perspective for the viewer. For example, when an officer tells Hitler how to shoot himself, we see the scene through the eyes of another officer who eavesdrops on the conversation from the other end of the hallway. It gives the moment a colder and more terrifying atmosphere.

I didnt realise it when I watched Downfall for the first time, but sound is used well to set the atmosphere for each scene. We are constantly reminded of the chaos that is going on outside the bunker by a lot of sound effects. Combine this with cruel and cold sets which radiate a claustrophobic vibe, and you'll have a rather intense cinematic experience.

The film's pace is quite fast although you might not realise that at first. With the long (2,5 hours) running time it becomes a little exhausting by the end of the film. Luckily the camerawork is rather smooth despite its undeniable energy, and that helps the viewer get through the film. The cinematography is almost "clinically clean" which is certainly fascinating: even some of the "action" scenes are quite cleanly shot. It alienates you a little from the events and makes you evaluate the content from a safe distance.

The acting is great in overall. Bruno Ganz simply delivers a riveting performance that really makes the most out of Hitler as a character. Alexandra Maria Lara's performance is a little uneven: she's great when her character is more restrained, but when she becomes more hysterical, Lara "lost the grip" on the character and it feels a little silly. Other notable performance from the great cast is Ulrich Matthes as Joseph Goebbels.

Although the events on their own cause a lot of discussion, the film manages to provoke questions in the viewer. Der Untergang is a solid film of a tough subject, but it is certainly the portrayal that will be remembered.

Score: 8 out of 10