Just for the record I love Akira Kurasawa and his movies, Seven Samurai and Ran being my favourites of his. Dreams was a film I didn't like very much at first but did admire it for how beautifully filmed it was. Watching it again, I do like it much more. Although it is one of my least favourite Kurasawas and still disappointing for me, it is not a bad film. A couple of the vignettes are rather self-indulgent and muddled in the messaging, some of the more political parts could be seen as somewhat naive and the pacing is uneven, perfect at times but drags too much in others. However, again like with all Kurasawa's work it looks absolutely gorgeous especially in the Crows vignette, full of beautifully composed cinematography and colourful imagery. Kurasawa's direction shows what a versatile director he was, often genteel and poignant here. The music compliments each vignette very well, the haunting tune of the concluding Village of the Watermills vignette fared the most effective. The environmentalism is appropriately heartfelt, and Martin Scorsese is excellent as Van Gogh. Overall, not one of Kurasawa's very best for me but after hearing not so good things about it I am glad I gave it a second chance as it is not for everyone, but I found it much better second time around. If anything Dreams is decent, it is just that it falls short of the greatness of the likes of Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo, Ikiru and Hidden Fortress. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Dreams
