I meant to post these a few months ago when they were written:
Sunshine through the Rain
The coming of age theme in Sunshine through the Rain is developed through the innocence of the child. The child is wearing white, which represents purity, the purity and innocence of a child. Kurosawa uses fog and natural framing to draw attention to the foxes; they appear from within the trees surrounded by mistiness. The mist and slow, yet sudden movement of the foxes create an eerie effect, mirroring the suspense and emotions of the young boy. Frames are created with tall trees and low-lying shrubbery that separate the boy from the foxes, in both a literal and figurative way. The overbearingly large shut door to his home shows how he has become isolated from his family as a punishment. The decision placed upon his shoulders upon meeting his mother of choosing to commit suicide and die an honorable death or beg for forgiveness opens the coming of age story, as he must learn to deal with consequences, developing maturity. The final scene reveals the complexity that the future holds, an open field of flowers leads to mountains surrounded by dark storm clouds with a rainbow running across from the field to the other side of the mountains. This ironic scene shows that the boy may endure some turbulence in the future (dark clouds), and perhaps even a roadblock (mountains), but there is still hope for a brighter day (rainbow). The stark differences between the two sides of the journey show that the boy may be going through a transitional phase to maturity, from the brightness and innocence of childhood (field of flowers) to becoming a responsible individual (overcoming challenge, getting to the other side).
The Peach Orchard
The themes of respect, innocence, and tradition are prevalent in this short. Kurosawa uses a small child as the main character, a small child that carries the burden of one family’s decision to chop down the peach blossom trees. The child’s innocence is made apparent as he shows remorse for the absence of the peach trees and is brought to tears by the performance of the dolls one last time and recognizes the importance of such a tradition. The dreamy look that is created as the sun shines through the trees as the young boy runs through the forest is used as a transition from reality to non-reality as the dolls become real. Upon first confrontation with the real-life dolls, music is used to create tension.
The Blizzard
The Blizzard consists of a relatively static scene showing four men attempting to return to their camp while enduring intense, snowy winds and fatigue. Slow motion is used in several scenes to convey this level of fatigue. The themes of courage and perseverance advance the plot as one leader attempts to encourage his three men to continue through the extreme weather. The clanking of their equipment, the rope that attaches them together, represents life. As long as there is sound, there is movement, thus there is life. The loud, winded breaths of the leader also signify life and that they could possibly be on the edge of life. A ghostlike woman appears, most likely Yuki-onna, a deceptively sweet, yet evil, snow goddess of Japanese folklore, just as the three other men have given up. She encourages the leader of the group to give in to the snowstorm and sleep, as the snow is hot and welcoming. She covers him in a shiny, sparkly blanket. The contrast between the blanket and the snow shows the deception of the situation. As she disappears, her face transitions to a demonic image, assuring the viewer of her malicious intent if it was not made obvious already. As she disappears another loud, but unidentified rumble is heard. With the quick cuts to the top of the mountain and falling snow, it is perceived that an avalanche may occur, but with a look back, it is revealed that the rumble was the sound of the flag at their camp.
The Tunnel
Authority plays a large role in anything related to war. In The Tunnel, an army officer is reminded of the results of his actions as an authority figure through nightmare-like hallucinations as he travels through a tunnel returning from war. Before entering the tunnel the officer is met by a barking anti-tank dog strapped with explosives. As he walks through the tunnel, the echo of his footsteps is exaggerated. Only his steps can be heard, symbolic of the solitude he faces returning home alone from war. The backdrop on this side of the tunnel is dark and cloudy, opposed to the brightness at the entrance of the tunnel. This is a reverse representation of the common metaphor that “there is light at the end of a tunnel”. As he is met by a fallen soldier in disbelief of his death and then the entire platoon, the officer is reminded of the consequences of his decisions, shedding light on the fact that with war, the “other side” may not always be bright; one’s perspective on life is permanently altered. The reappearance of the dog at the end is symbolic in two ways; a dog is man’s companion, it will always follow, the dog serves as a constant reminder of his memories, like a reoccurring dream, and also the bark represents the symbolic bite of war, his memories that will never heal.
Crows
This short begins in an art gallery of Vincent Van Gogh with an admiring young artist, who may resemble Kurosawa in his early days. Within the blink of an eye, one of the paintings transforms into a live scene. Vibrant colors are used to perfectly recreate the painting; the transition temporarily deceives the reader, as there is a brief pause between the cut from the painting in the museum to the live scene before movement can be seen. The young man meets Van Gogh, at work, where he delivers some advice about his work habits, comparing it to that of a locomotive. Imagery and sounds of a train are intertwined with the scenes depicting Van Gogh at work. He also explains how his paintings often paint themselves because he views them as dreams. This may be the focal point of the entire collection of shorts and Kurosawa’s work in general. Van Gogh soon disappears and the young artist attempts to find him, literally getting lost in one of his paintings instead. The transformation from real life to painting is expressed through a brief black and white transition. This transformation is also symbolic of the young artist’s transformation from an observer to an artist, one that has become immersed in the work.
Mount Fuji in Red
The apocalyptic Mount Fuji in Red has an environmentalist and political undertone while showcasing human desperation and fear as a consequence of man-made problems. An active volcano disturbs a nuclear power plant and leads to a nuclear meltdown. Pure chaos ensues as people stampede towards the ocean as the deep red sky hovers above. The sound of the explosions and volcano rumbling are louder than any of the sirens, showing that at this point, it has become greater than any possible human preparation or intervention. The explosions and highlighting of the volcano create such a beautiful, yet terrifying sight that it forces the people to pause and stare in disbelief. After the major explosion, the only thing that remains are material possessions and a few people, a symbolic sight, as man created nuclear power, and the only things that remain are man-made objects, no humans. For the few that are left before the final red blow of death, the ocean creates a suicide temptation with the dominant sound of the crashing waves, to escape the luring and fatal winds.
The Weeping Demon
Reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno, cannibalistic demons roam aimlessly on this post-apocalyptic land. The message in this short is that lack of respect for the planet leads to destruction and mutation of the earth, evident by the barren land and enormous growths. This had lead to a reversal and human behavior, from civilized to prehistoric and demon-like.
Village of the Watermill
The final short in Dreams, Village of the Watermill, holds a vital message about purity and simplicity. The subplot about the stranger that was buried under the rock is used to share the morals of the people of the village. The watermills represent how the people of the village rely on the means of the land to live and manipulate or cultivate the land to live the most natural lifestyle. The old man shares his beliefs on how technology isn't always necessary or best and alters the normal way of life and how man was destined to live. He also sheds that death is celebrated at an old age, as it is only natural and a relief from one's harsh duties on earth. The celebration leading up to the burial of the old woman, a celebration of life rather than death perhaps, is a reflection of this. The colorful and lively parade with upbeat music and cheerful dance moves also complement this outlook on life.
