Kagemusha

Synopsis:
In this dazzling epic from Akira Kurosawa, a petty thief named Kagemusha (Tatsuya Nakadai) gets saved from a death sentence because he resembles the warlord Shingen Takeda (also Nakadai). The warlord has been fighting two other leaders for control of 16th-century Japan and impersonators often take his place during battles to put him out of harm's way. Because of Kagemusha's strong physical similarities to the warlord, he's a perfect choice for a "shadow warrior." However, the arrangement suddenly changes when Shingen gets fatally wounded while watching a battle. Adhering to Shingen's final wish, the warlord's men keep the death a secret, and Kagemusha struggles to transform himself from a criminal into a leader. Kagemusha marked a welcome return for the legendary director, who had not made a movie since 1974. Nakadai, a supporting player in earlier Kurosawa films, expertly portrays the leading role(s), almost always filled in the past by Toshirô Mifune. Kagemusha also features the final screen appearance of longtime Kurosawa actor, Takashi Shimura. In order to help the film get an international release, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas served as executive producers.

Nominations:
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Foreign Language Film, 1981 Academy Awards, USA
Best Cinematography, Best Film, 1981 BAFTA Awards
Best Foreign Film, 1981 Golden Globes, USA

Awards:
Best Costume Design, Best Direction, 1981 BAFTA Awards
Best Actor (Tatsuya Nakadai), Best Film, Best New Actor (Daisuke Ryu), 1981 Blue Ribbon Awards
Golden Palm, 1980 Cannes Film Festival
Best Foreign Film, 1981 César Awards, France
Best Director - Foreign Film, Best Producer - Foreign Film, 1981 David di Donatello Awards
Best Film, Best Supporting Actor (Tsutomu Yamazaki), 1980 Hochi Film Awards
Best Director - Foreign Film, 1981 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Supporting Actor (Tsutomu Yamazaki), 1981 Kinema Junpo Awards
Best Actor (Tatsuya Nakadai), Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Film, Best Film Score, Readers' Choice Award, 1981 Mainichi Film Concour

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