Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990) – A literal title for a one-of-a-kind film (Review)

Ever since his directorial debut in 1943, legendary director Akira Kurosawa amassed a prolific career which contained some of the greatest features ever made. Dreams was one of the last few films he crafted, which has a unique inspiration of the directors own recurring dreams alongside stories from Japanese folklore. It does not have a single narrative, instead depicting eight vignettes that capture a dreamlike feeling and childlike wonder amidst the painterly visuals.

Opening the feature is a pair of fantastical stories experienced through the eyes of young boys. Sunshine Through The Rain unfolds on a day when the sun is out and the rain is falling, an event that a mother warns her son has a potential for terrible happenings. When he is outside, the boy discovers a fox wedding. The Peach Orchard sees a different boy chasing after a girl that only he can see and hear, only to be told by spirits about his family’s transgressions for cutting down all the peach trees. These segments convey childlike innocence with differing results, as the first boy’s awe is shattered upon discovering his voyeuristic actions are considered unforgivable, while the second boy’s mourning of nature leaves him hopeful after experiencing a cruel reality.

There are no prizes for guessing what The Blizzard contains. Four men try to survive against the horrific elements, as the dispiriting circumstances leave day and night to blur together. The allure of sleep leaves them possibly succumbing to their deaths, as this slight segment highlights how pitiful man is against mother nature.

This is followed by possibly the most emotional vignette, as The Tunnel sees a man returning from fighting in the Second World War. As he walks through a tunnel, he comes out of the other side followed by a ghost of one of his soldiers. It becomes clear that the man is a discharged commander, with the story making itself known as a realisation of survivor’s guilt which touchingly captures the weight of responsibility put on his feet courtesy of grief. A tearful ending leaves this as a considerably impactful segment.

In a feature full of gorgeous visuals, Crows somehow manages to be the most stunning looking segment as an art student finds himself journeying through Van Gogh’s works in pursuit of the artist. Starring as the legendary artist is Martin Scorsese, with the prominent casting of the iconic director making this probably the only time that a Kurosawa film had something in common with 2004’s Shark Tale. What unfolds resembles a trip through paintings in search of meaning, gorgeously brought alive with an eye-catching use of colours.

The next pair of vignettes capture darker fears of nuclear devastation and their horrific impact courtesy of mankind’s meddling. Mount Fuji In Red taps into those fears courtesy of a power plant melt down, resulting in people fleeing the differently coloured clouds of oncoming death. The horrors capture the tragic idea that, no matter how dangerous a company’s actions are, the ramifications will impact innocent civilians. Working as an aftermath is The Weeping Demon, which follows a lone man walking a bleak terrain who meets a mutated human. Surrounding them is the sight of a natural beauty devastated by humanity, leaving Earth as a dumping ground that is brought to life through a nightmarish journey aided by hellish moans in the sound design.

As a change of pace, Village of the Watermills is a low-key way to close this film. A man enters a peaceful village where he speaks with an elderly resident, who answers questions about their lifestyle. The conversation offers illuminating answers alongside thoughtful musings on modern life, such as how it destroys nature for needless inventions, or sacrifices what is good for convenience. The heartfelt ending offers an uplifting close to the feature, glancing at life with a celebratory eye that may prove reinvigorating for some.

Across the differing segments and dreamlike visuals, Kurosawa captures the fragility of life and humanity’s troubled relationship with nature in fantastic ways. While Dreams may not be amongst the director’s best features, it remains a stunning work that is one-of-a-kind.

James’s Archive – Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams