“Dreams”: The visual poetry of Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa ‘s film “Dreams” (1990) is a cinematic masterpiece that weaves together a series of eight stories, based on the director’s dreams. Each story is unique, but they all have a common theme: the relationship between humanity and nature. Kurosawa uses a great deal of visual and symbolic elements to explore this theme, making “Dreams” a deeply poetic film.

The film opens with “Setting Sun,” where a young Kurosawa witnesses the death of all living things in a mountainous landscape. The story immediately establishes the importance of nature and how humanity is in danger if it does not protect it. As the film progresses, themes such as the relationship between humans and nature spirits, the importance of preserving the environment, and the importance of culture and history are explored.

Each story is a work of visual art in its own right. In “The Crane on the Roof” , Kurosawa uses impressive set design to create a surreal and evocative landscape . In “The White Snow” , the film takes a more minimalist approach, using only black and white to create a sense of timelessness and peace. In “The Tunnel” , the film plays with the perception of time and uses innovative special effects to create a sense of mystery and danger.

In each story, Kurosawa uses symbols and metaphors to explore his themes . In “The Crane on the Roof” , the crane represents the beauty and fragility of life, while in “The Tunnel” , the tunnel represents the danger and darkness of humanity. These symbols are used to create a common visual language that unites all the stories in the film.

In addition to its poetic themes, “Dreams” also has great historical and cultural value. In “Mount Fuji in Red” , the film addresses the issue of nuclear power and the Fukushima disaster long before the event occurred. There are also references to the history of Japan, such as in “The Peach Garden” , where the story is based on an old Japanese legend.

“Dreams” is a visually stunning and poetic film that explores universal and timeless themes. Kurosawa demonstrates his ability to tell stories in a unique and creative way, using a wide range of visual and symbolic elements. The film is a tribute to nature and Japanese culture, and is a masterpiece that deserves to be seen by any movie lover.