Thereโs at least one good dream every 8 nights.
Presentation:
One of Akira Kurosawaโs final films, which looks like one of his most modern due to the vibrant color and production. Dreams details 8 short stories loosely inspired by his own dreams, though with little connection between them. To be frank, I only found 3/8 to be interesting, but boy, was that second dream impressive and perhaps more dazzling than Ran. The other dream I really liked was the Van Gogh one, and Iโm not sure I would appreciate it as much if Martin Scorsese didnโt pop up. His performance is mundane, but itโs more of the mere fact that he traveled across the world to collaborate for Kurosawa (and as an actor!) that makes it awesome. Actually, him and Spielberg assisted Kurosawa in producing this film, which is some crazy film trivia and explains why they have such good rapport.
Conclusion:
This has the prestige of a good film, but Iโm not convinced it was one. Itโs like one of those mornings where I knew I dreamed, but canโt remember what it was about. The film meanders, like a dream, and the storytelling doesnโt really have a cohesive direction or purpose, like a dream. But most crucially, the vignettes didnโt particularly feel like dreams. Thereโs something about Kurosawaโs long lensing and style that doesnโt really speak to me. Sometimes heโs a great storyteller, but other times his formal presentation loses me, and that subjective voice is particularly necessary for vivid dreams.
Recommendations
Thereโs at least one good dream every 8 nights.