Synopsis
There is no plot, as such, here. Each of the dreams has some sort of narrative, but moreimportant are the visuals and the themes (humanity and nature, nuclear power, and so forth).Dreams is not on the same level as Kurosawa’s great masterpieces (Ran, The Seven Samurai,Throne of Blood, and so on), and is not always compelling. But it is very frequently jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Audio
The music, a curious blend of eastern and western influences, sound… very nice, which isgood, since this not a dialogue-heavy movie. The sound effects are quite good too (even if themix is limited to 2.0), with some very nice rain effects (for instance) creating a fullenvironment.
Video
The original 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format is preserved, thank goodness, as this isa film whose exquisite compositions would be utterly destroyed by cropping. The colours, blacksand contrasts are decent, though there are some shots where the contrasts feel a bit week. Othershots, however, are nothing short of stunning.
Special Features
Very slim pickings here: a filmography and list of awards won by Kurosawa, and that’s it.The menu’s main page is scored.
Closing Thoughts
The lack of extras is disappointing, given what an important figure Kurosawa is, even if themovie isn’t his best. Still, at least we have a widescreen DVD release.
Special Features List
- Director Filmography and Awards List
