Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Kagemusha (1980)
Kagemusha
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Kagemusha (1980) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 24 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   9,910 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Akira Kurosawa
Writers:
Masato Ide (writer)
Akira Kurosawa (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Kagemusha on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 October 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | History | War more
Plot:
When a powerful warlord in medieval Japan dies, a poor thief recruited to impersonate him finds difficulty... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 3 nominations more
User Comments:
A Great Mature Kurosawa Film more

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
Koji Shimizu ... Katsusuke Atobe
Noboru Shimizu ... Masatane Hara
Sen Yamamoto ... Nobushige Oyamada
Shuhei Sugimori ... Masanobu Kosaka
more
Create a character page for: ?

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:
Japan
Language:
Japanese
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Filming Locations:
Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When Toho Studios couldn't fulfill the budget demands of the film, American film directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola helped Akira Kurosawa by convincing 20th Century-Fox (still riding high after the success of Lucas' Star Wars (1977)) to fund the remaining portion of the budget in exchange for "Kagemusha"'s international distribution rights. more
Quotes:
Shingen Takeda: I am wicked, as you believe. I am a scoundrel. I banished my father and I killed my own son. I will do anything to rule this country. War is everywhere. Unless somebody unifies the nation and reigns over us, we will see more rivers of blood and more mountains of the dead. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences (2006) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
26 out of 35 people found the following comment useful:-
A Great Mature Kurosawa Film, 15 November 2004
10/10
Author: george-b from san francisco

I am a fan of Kurosawa and have seen many of his films many times. There is a sweep and an ache to Kagemusha that is genuine and has remained in my heart's memory. Unlike Ran, it is not Shakespearean. Unlike Seven Samurai, my favorite all-time film and I believe the best film ever made, it is not a western.

Although epic, it is about a sweet and rueful soul swallowed by karma and history. It is redemptive without overt sentiment, and the lead performance by Tatsuya Nakadai is nuanced and unforgettable.

I will always remember this film, not for its complexity or savagery, but for the simplest moments between Lord and subject, between the highest self and the lowest self, and most particularly, the very real pain of a man caught in the vise of his own life and death.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Kagemusha (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Watch it on Hulu! boomdeay-1
Not in 250? giggle001
Sound-audio. konitzlee
Is the opening shot a special effects shot? ebright99
kurosawa's book to fund the film whitedogandharriet
Why Hollywood music? bostonfilmfan
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Shichinin no samurai Ran The Last Samurai Gone with the Wind Rashômon
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb Japan section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.