Akira Kurosawa: Kagemusha (影武者)
Kagemusha (影武者) is the kind of movie with a deceptively simple plot which unfolds in a complex or unexpected way. In this respect, it can be seen as the forerunner to the non-liner editing in films like Pulp Fiction and Irreversible.
It’s entire story is encapsulated in the very first shot of the film. The warlord Shingen Takeda sits in his chamber, with his brother on his right and a thief on the left. The thief is the Kagemusha, the imposter or “shadow warrior.” Takeda casts a massive shadow between himself and his brother, and shadows encroach from the corners of the frame; neither of the other two characters casts any shadow at all.
It’s amazing to see how much information Kurosawa can pack into a single composition. He holds onto the frames for an eternity, layering them with important dialogue. The first scene is just under seven minutes long, by my count, without a single cut. The result is that you end up focusing on the progression of the plot, since you aren’t distracted by flashy editing techniques, but the composition subtly underscores and enriches the scene.
The first scene serves as an introduction to this style. Each of the three characters look identical, and it takes a moment to get oriented as to who is who. This gets you into the right frame of mind, where you need to pay equal attention to the plot and style of the film to understand what happens.
This film is full of compositions like this, as when Kagemusha wakes from a nightmare in which he is chased by the late Lord Shingen. As he sits up, he is shown framed against an image of a roiling, turbulant sea. The waves seem to be grabbing hands, trying to pull him under as they did the late Lord.
Kurosawa’s editing also bears note. He makes very heavy use of the axial cut, moreso than in any of his other films. He also crosses the line repeatedly. But rather than getting the impression that Kurosawa is breaking the rules, it seems like he’s just playing by a different set.