IMDb > Kagemusha (1980)
Kagemusha
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Kagemusha (1980) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
Kagemusha (1980) -- Home video trailer for the Criterion Collection release of this film about a thief recruited to impersonate a warlord
Kagemusha (1980) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   10,497 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Masato Ide (writer)
Akira Kurosawa (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Kagemusha on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 October 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
When a powerful warlord in medieval Japan dies, a poor thief recruited to impersonate him finds difficulty... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 3 nominations more
User Comments:
A beautiful film about human relationships more (68 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Tatsuya Nakadai ... Shingen Takeda / Kagemusha
Tsutomu Yamazaki ... Nobukado Takeda
Kenichi Hagiwara ... Katsuyori Takeda
Jinpachi Nezu ... Sohachiro Tsuchiya
Hideji Otaki ... Masakage Yamagata
Daisuke Ryu ... Nobunaga Oda
Masayuki Yui ... Ieyasu Tokugawa
Kaori Momoi ... Otsuyanokata
Mitsuko Baisho ... Oyunokata
Hideo Murota ... Nobufusa Baba
Takayuki Shiho ... Masatoyo Naito
Kôji Shimizu ... Katsusuke Atobe
Noboru Shimizu ... Masatane Hara
Sen Yamamoto ... Nobushige Oyamada
Shuhei Sugimori ... Masanobu Kosaka
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior)
Kagemusha the Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warrior
The Double
more
Runtime:
180 min | Argentina:162 min | USA:162 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This became the final feature film for one of director Akira Kurosawa's favorite actors, Takashi Shimura. Shimura would pass away in 1982. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Obvious bald caps on nearly every adult male character in the film. more
Quotes:
Shingen Takeda: Even with this resemblance, Nobukado, he is so wicked as to be sentenced to crucifixion. How could this scoundrel be my double?
Kagemusha: I only stole a few coins. A petty thief. But you've killed hundreds and robbed whole domains. Who is wicked, you or I?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Brazil (1985) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
16 out of 23 people found the following comment useful.
A beautiful film about human relationships, 25 May 2000
9/10
Author: anfisa1 from Cambridge, UK

There's a lot that can be said about Kurosawa's work in general and this film in particular, but the thing that impressed me the most in this movie is the relationship between Kagemusha and the little boy Takemaru (the son of the warlord that Kagemusha is copying). The developing friendship between these two people of contrasting social status, upbringing and age is in my opinion one of the most deeply explored relationships in the world cinematography.

The interesting thing about it, is that nothing happens as such. The Western viewer is used to all 'deep' emotions on screen being displayed through useless running around, talking pretentious rubbish and occasionally saving your loved one from a falling meteorite, car, etc. But in "Kagemusha" all the feelings are displayed as they are in real life and yet with amazing intensity which what makes it so special. The psychological and war drama is put against a breath-taking scenery and beautiful buildings of medieval Japan which emphasize the human relationships shown in the film.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Kagemusha (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
is this better or worsier than RAN majaco
Advise from Kurosawa's enthusiasts please jean_dave77
Blooper? (Possible Anachronism) ebm83
Why Hollywood music? bostonfilmfan
kurosawa's book to fund the film whitedogandharriet
Watch it on Hulu! boomdeay-1
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