A peculiar piece from the Japanese master, consisting of eight episodes dreamt by a man who is regarded as the greatest director in the world. Akira Kurosawa seems to have a desire for playing around a little bit, like in the episode with Van Gogh (played by Martin Scorsese of all people!) where we virtually get to step inside the master’s paintings. The colors are a bright explosion and the director uses every nuance of nature in his tales. Supernatural as well as apocalyptic scenarios dominate the dreams; demons show themselves to mankind. Imaginative moviemaking from a man in his autumn years; its depressing nature understandably comes with the territory.
1990-U.S.-Japan. 120 min. Color. Produced by Mike Y. Inoue, Hisao Kurosawa. Written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. Cinematography: Takao Saito, Masaharu Ueda. Music: Shinichiro Ikebe. Cast: Akira Terao (I), Mitsuko Baisho (Mother of I), Mieko Harada (The Snow Fairy), Chishu Ryu, Hisashi Igawa, Mitsunori Isaki… Martin Scorsese.
Trivia: Original title: Yume.
