Greetings gentle readers and welcome to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today it’s a tale of adventure and friendship from the Russian Far East, Dersu Uzala:
and next week’s film, Vampira:
Reviews of Dersu Uzala:
Reviews On Reals says:
The Oscars really got it right when they awarded Dersu Uzala the Best Foreign Film of 1975. Directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, this film is his first and only non-Japanese production—and it couldn’t have come at a better time. In the early ’70s, Kurosawa was struggling. Despite being behind some of Japan’s most iconic films like Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Yojimbo, his career hit a rough patch as Japanese cinema started shifting in a different direction. Just when he was close to retiring, Mosfilm, a major Soviet studio, invited him to adapt the memoirs of Russian explorer Vladimir Arsenyev. The story’s themes—nature, human connection, and mutual respect—fit right into Kurosawa’s vision. This chance to work on a large-scale project gave him a new perspective and a fresh creative spark. Dersu Uzala would later remain Kurosawa’s only non-Japanese film.
Decent Films says:
Though Kurosawa has always been a student of world cinema, his work consists almost exclusively of Japanese-language films shot in Japan, so Dersu Uzala, shot in Siberia for Soviet film house Mosfilm, represents a departure in both senses of the word for the director.
The unspoiled vastness of the Siberian wilderness, so utterly unlike the modern Japanese landscape with its cultivated forests, offered a radically new canvas for Kurosawa. Always a powerful visual stylist, Kurosawa crafted some of his most striking imagery for Dersu Uzala, especially in a numinous, eerily lit confrontation with a tiger.
Film Folly says:
Dersu Uzala is commonly classified as an adventure film. Yes, this movie contains elements of adventure cinema, but I can’t shake the feeling that calling Akira Kurosawa‘s classic work an adventure film somewhat diminishes it. While it is indeed a journey through an incredible, unspoiled land filled with numerous dangers for the daring explorers, this film is a poem that forces us to contemplate human nature and our place in the world. It is deep, philosophical, and challenging—qualities that I have rarely, if ever, found in the adventure films I’ve seen.
My take: A beautiful film filled with memorable images. The strength and depth of the friendship between a Russian soldier and his native guide is a breath of fresh air. Kurosawa tells a solid tale with a touch of tragedy at the end. It’s a straightforward film, accurately reflecting the relationship between the two men. It’s worth watching every few years or so: ⭐⭐⭐.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Screen writers: Akira Kurosawa, Yuri Nagibin
Plot (Spoilers!)
Captain Vladimir Arsenyev is an explorer who has been tasked to map the rugged terrain of a region of the Russian Far East. He has a small detachment of soldiers at his command along with a train of horses. His job is immense and demanding.
The captain meets a native guide, Dersu Uzala, and the two form an instant friendship. Uzala is a master of the region’s terrain and an invaluable asset to the team. He saves the captain’s life on more than one occasion. He also proves to be a kind man, one who thinks of others as often as he thinks of himself. He earns the team’s trust and respect.
The expedition ends and the two part ways. Five years later, Captain Arsenyev is back in the region. He locates Dersu and the two embark on new adventures together. Dersu’s skills and quick thinking save the captain’s life once again and this time the favor is returned as Dersu is dragged from a raging river by his friends.
But old age is catching up to Dersu. He is losing his sharp hunter’s sight and his long-term survival is in doubt. The expedition now over, Captain Arsenyev invites Dersu to return to town with him.
Town life doesn’t suit Dersu however. He eventually returns to his native lands, bearing a brand-new rifle as a gift from the captain. This gift proves to be his downfall. He is murdered for the weapon. Captain Arsenyev is informed and he returns in time to see Dersu being buried in an unmarked grave. A few years later he tries to visit the grave but finds that it cannot be located.
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Bonus:
Angine de Poitrine
When I saw “Bizarre New Band” in the title, I knew exactly who it was going to be. Microtones and surrealist costumes ftw!
I watched Dersu Uzala some years back and it made quite an impression on me, I just loved it and even bought it as a gift to friends. Time to watch it again.
I watched it some day about 1985 or so. I was already a Biology student then and found there ecological meaning and yes, i was impressed. It cannot be other way with such a story in such a landscape. semper loquitur it has been my pleasure to watch it again.
Great movie!
Good costumes and schtick, meh music…
Dersu: All time top ten!!!
I recommend Angine Potriene’s video on KEXP. Take away the costumes, which I happen to like, and you have some beautifully weird microtonal math rock. The guitar has 24 frets covering a scale, rather than 12. Either ya like it , or ya don’t……. I effing LOVE it! https://youtu.be/0Ssi-9wS1so?si=93tvVpoUkch9UpDq
Wow – more like WOW. Thanks semper – and dougie. Great music. And the comments are also hilarious.
I was skeptical starting out, but a convert by the end. There’s a lot of self-aware weirdness (the bit with the lights and arm waves was funny) but there’s something genuinely interesting underpinning it all.
The guitar has 24 frets covering a scale…
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More precisely: It’s a double-neck instrument with, by my count, 36 frets on the guitar (30 close-spaced, 6 wider-spaced in the high register) , and 32 on the bass (24 + 8).
According to a Google search result, the guitar uses a 24-Tone Equal Temperament scale, which is an equal division of the octave into 24 parts instead of the traditional 12. (The wider-spaced frets, of course, would skip over some of the highest notes).
Thank you.
I saw this in the 1980s, when the BBC and Channel 4 showed non English language films regularly.
The book on Dersu is quite a read. Have not seen the movie, but I can only imagine Kurusowa treats it well.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199552.Dersu_the_Trapper
Thanks for the link to the movie. Hope all are well.
There seems to be a story there on itself: Kurosawa was an enthusiast of Russian literature, and read Dersu Uzala already in the 30’s, years before he started writing and directing.
Soviets knew that Kurosawa liked Russian literature, so when he going trough a rough patch (he attempted a suicide after Dodes’ka-den failed and his career seemed to have ended) they offered him free hands at making a movie based on any Russian book he chose. And he chose the book he had always wanted to film, and he got to film it on location of the book.
So yes, he treats it well. And it treated him well, he went to receive many a lifetime awards and make some good movies, too.
Rick Beato (always interesting with some good interviews) covered Angine de Poitrine about a month ago. He has an interesting take on these two.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zO8bt94-ybg
PS: the comments on the various youtube videos of these two are often very funny, too, for example:
And lots more.
I did not know of this movie. Will check it out asap. Thanks!!
Thank you all for your comments! I’m happy you guys enjoyed the movie selection. I think the music is interesting but ultimately not for me.
OT but I think this should be available in all national health services
taken once a month as an essential nutrient + daily nc