Akira Kurosawa's films cannot be exaggerated.
But it's hard to imagine that such a prestigious master, the first Asian to win the Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award, would have the darkest moment when there was no film to shoot.
At the beginning of the preparation and filming of "Shadow Warrior", it was at the low point of Akira Kurosawa's life, the film box office failure, was questioned, and wanted to make a movie but could not attract investment.
At that time, Japan's economy was growing rapidly, but the film industry was extremely sluggish, and all the films were pursuing profitable commercial films, and no one was willing to pay for Akira Kurosawa's historical films that did not conform to the mainstream film genre at that time.
At this time, I happened to meet Coppola to visit Japan and met Akira Kurosawa, who was at the end of his rope.
Akira Kurosawa is An idol of Coppola, and after hearing about the idol's situation, Coppola brought in Lucas, another of Akira Kurosawa's super fans, and the two teamed up to find investment for Akira Kurosawa.
The second of the four Hollywood masters helped "Shakespeare of the film industry" complete his first color film, achieving a great work and leaving a good story in the history of world cinema.
This good story creates a flawless work of art.
In terms of composition, there are many equilateral or unequal triangle compositions in the film, and the position of the characters in the picture is extremely exquisite, highlighting the three-dimensional feeling with the triangular plane, giving people a visually shocking effect.
For example, in the long shot at the beginning of the film, Takeda Shingen, Takeda Nobunaga, and Shadow Samurai, the three of them occupy a corner.
Xinxuan and Xinlian were closer, and the shadow warriors were farther away, and this asymmetrical shape made the relationship between the three obvious.
Xinxuan is the lord, located in the center, representing the supreme power, and Xinlian is a confidant and occasional shadow, on the left, indicating that his status is second only to that of the lord.
The Shadow Warrior bows his head and kneels on the right, humble in stature, but sitting with them foreshadows that the next story will be unfolded by the three of them.
The triangle formed by the three of them also has stability, and no matter how the world changes, this structure is unshakable.
Shingen and Shinren are cool tones on the side, and the Shadow Warrior side is warm on the side, and the two different colors also indicate that even if their positions are tuned to each other, the feeling emanating from the aura will not change.
This composition makes people feel like they are living under the rules from the inside out.
For this rule, everyone must abide by it, not to cross the thunder pool, and in line with the temperament of the film itself, as long as the flag of the Wind Forest Volcano does not fall, no one can disobey the order.
In terms of color, Akira Kurosawa's precise grasp of color art can be seen everywhere in the film.
Akira Kurosawa brings out the role of color narrative and lyricism to the fullest, adding to the viewing and aesthetics of the film.
For example, when Takeda Shingen suppressed the territory and planned to march into Kyoto and unify the world, he was seriously wounded by a no-man shot and unfortunately died, and the soldiers and generals of the Takeda family suddenly lost morale and withdrew on the way home.
The colors at this point match the lens perfectly.
First a panorama, then a vista, the sunset in the distance sprinkled on the soldiers, the yellow color appears sad and falling.
Even if you can't see the performance of the character, you can feel the decline of the west mountain, the hero's unwillingness to be twilight, and the tragedy of "dying before the teacher is successful, and the hero is full of tears".
On the camera, there are two back and forth echoes that are enough to prove that the camera language of "Shadow Warrior" is particularly well played.
At the beginning of the movie, there is a candle next to the shadow warrior, but only the shadow of Takeda Shingen is the most obvious on the camera, especially when he gets up and the shadow follows, indicating that Takeda Shingen will become a shadow.
In the middle of the film, the shadow warrior eats with his wife and concubine at Takeda Shingen's mansion.
At the end of the meal, Xin Lian refused his wife and concubine's bedchamber on the grounds that the lord had just recovered from a serious illness and was not suitable for fatigue.
The shadow warrior was a little displeased, stood up and walked outside, and the camera gave the shadow behind him that was getting longer and longer, as if to swallow him, indicating that the shadow warrior was only a shadow after all.
As soon as these two shots appear, there is no need for narration or character interpretation, and the audience can understand at a glance the fate of Takeda Shingen and the fate of the shadow warrior.
In terms of narrative, "Shadow Warrior" is a traditional five-act play.
Follow the principles of beginning, development, climax, ending, and ending, but the narrative is classical, which does not mean that the story will be dull.
At the beginning of the film, Akira Kurosawa left a suspense, whether the shadow warrior would be activated or not, the audience was attracted at the first sight, leaving a question in his mind.
Not long after the film began, Takeda Shingen died, and the shadow warrior became Takeda Shingen's stand-in.
At this time, the Film's McGowan really appeared, there is a McGuffin inside and outside the play, and the McGuffin in the play is whether Takeda Shingen is dead or not, which leads to a series of stories.
Outside the play, McGuffin is whether the shadow warrior will be discovered, guiding the audience to watch step by step, so as to gradually ignore the three-hour long.
Only by letting the audience sit still is a good story, "Shadow Warrior" was done, and the good results of the first place in japan's top ten high-grossing movies of the year were the most powerful proof.
In terms of performance, Tatsuya Nakayo's acting skills are impeccable, and the two states are switched at will.
When playing Takeda Shingen, he is not angry with himself, the mighty domineering spirit of the big man is overflowing with words, and when playing the shadow warrior, he is timid and the weak and selfish of the little thief comes alive.
When the little thief is willing to be takeda Shingen's shadow warrior, the character needs to have a sense of layering.
Because the character's beliefs are different from before, Nakayo Tatsuya uses delicate expressions and movements to make the audience believe that he plays Takeda Shingenmoto as a shadow warrior.
The three-year period had arrived, the Shadow Warrior's mission had been completed, and he was expelled from the Takeda family mansion.
Seeing that the Wind Forest Volcano had died one by one, his takeda Shingen's soul was possessed, and one of them decided to rush to the position, and finally fell into the lake, and his eyes were full of regret and sadness.
Nakayo Tatsuya single-handedly performed four different character personalities, Takeda Shingen, Shadow Warrior, willing to be a shadow warrior, and Shadow Warrior with Takeda's belief, it is simply a thousand faces.
In the scheduling of the scene, the Takeda army at the end of the film fights against the sneak attack of Tokugawa and Oda.
This big scene would be extremely chaotic if it was not scheduled well, but under the direction of Akira Kurosawa, the four armies of the Wind Forest Volcano cooperated with each other, orderly, and looked very comfortable.
This is Akira Kurosawa, he is a master, not a big director.
Most of the big directors just make themselves famous, and the masters can promote the innovation of the world's film language and have a profound impact on future generations.
At the same time, it can also lead its own films to the world, convey its own culture to the world, and change the inherent prejudices of some people and countries.
Shadow Warrior is a classic example.
Westerners watching "Shadow Warrior" will see that individual consciousness is erased by collectivism, and individual freedom is difficult to achieve, and can only obey the overall situation and make an accusation against the collective.
However, oriental people watching "Shadow Warrior" will see the great compassion of Ma Ge's shrouded body, sacrificing the small self, achieving the feelings of home and country, and sacrificing their rights and interests for the sake of the overall interests, which is a big mind and a spirit of dedication worthy of praise.
The cultures and systems of the East and the West are different, and if you watch "Shadow Warrior", you will read different moods.
But it is undeniable that everyone agrees that "Shadow Warrior" is a great epic movie, otherwise "Shadow Warrior" would not have won the Cannes Palme d'Or or been imitated by Zhang Yimou.