Kagemusha

Kagemusha (影武者) is a film by Akira Kurosawa. The Japanese word of the title means "impersonator" (more literally, "shadow warrior"). The story is of a man who is taught to pretend to be an already dead warlord for the sake of keeping his clan united in a forthcoming battle.

Related Topics:
Akira Kurosawa - Japanese - Warlord

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The film takes elements from the Warring States period in Japanese history. The shadowed warlord of the story is based on Daimyo Takeda Shingen and the battle on the Battle of Nagashino which took place in 1573 (source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080979/trivia).

Related Topics:
Warring States - Takeda Shingen - Battle of Nagashino - 1573

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The film was released in 1980 and is generally considered a great costume reincarnation of feudal Japan with its endless warlordism as well as the story of a man with a divided personality, or more generally that of an actor who falls too deep into his role.

Related Topics:
1980 - Japan - Warlordism

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Kurosawa originally cast the boisterous Shintaro Katsu in the title role. He left the production, however, before the first day of shooting was over – either fired or of his own accord (stories differ) – and was replaced by Tatsuya Nakadai, who had appeared in a number of the director's previous films.

Related Topics:
Shintaro Katsu - Tatsuya Nakadai

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A little known fact is that George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola are credited at the end of the film as Executive producers (international version). They convinced 20th Century Fox – when the original producers, Toho Studios, could not afford to complete the film – to make up the shortfall in the budget in return for the international distribution rights.

Related Topics:
George Lucas - Francis Ford Coppola - 20th Century Fox - Toho Studios

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