Dreams (1990)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Akira Kurosawa

Writer:

Akira Kurosawa (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

The past, present, and future. The thoughts and images of one man... for all men. One man's dreams... for every dreamer.

Plot:

A collection of tales based upon the actual dreams of director Akira Kurosawa.

Plot Keywords:

Crow | Death | Ghost | Painting | Japan

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Akira Terao	...	I
Mitsuko Baisho	...	Mother of 'I'
Toshie Negishi	...	Mother carrying child
Mieko Harada	...	The Snow Fairy
Mitsunori Isaki	...	'I' as a boy
Toshihiko Nakano	...	'I' as a young child
Yoshitaka Zushi	...	Pvt. Noguchi
Hisashi Igawa	...	Nuclear Plant Worker
Chosuke Ikariya	...	The crying demon
Chishu Ryu	...	Old Man
Martin Scorsese	...	Vincent Van Gogh
Masayuki Yui	...	Member of climbing team
Tessho Yamashita
Misato Tate
Catherine Cadou

Also Known As:

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (USA) (alternative title)
Yume (Japan)

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

Japanese | French | English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | West Germany:12 (w)

Filming Locations:

Gotemba, Shizuoka, Japan

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mother of 'I': You're staying home. The sun is shining but it's raining.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lost in Translation (2003)

Soundtrack:

In the Village

Beautifully made and achieved

I was pleasantly surprised with dreams, not only in terms of content but also aesthetically. There are very few films that manage to embody personal, local and global concerns as Akira Kurosava has managed in this production. There are so many underlying topics that it is difficult to concentrate in just a few for the purpose of this review, but I believe it is fair to say that Dreams portrays our individual and collective dreams and nightmares, reflecting that sometimes what we dream of today is what will keep us awake tomorrow. A nice range of representations of concerns from the deepest and most personal childhood worries and fantasies to the more complex issues of mental illness, extreme ambition, destruction of our environment and death. In all I recommend this film to anyone who has the chance to see it, It is possible that Dreams may not appeal to a mainstream audience in terms of content because there is a lot of symbolism and critical engagement but the photography and sceneries are for sure something that should not go amiss for anyone. If you get the chance it is truly worth giving it your time, a fantastic experience.