Dersu Uzala (1975)

Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Starring Maxim Munzuk, Yury Solomin, Vladimire Kremena, Alexander Pyatkov, Suymenkul Chokmorov, Svetlana Danilchenko. [G]

Kurosawa’s only film not in his native Japanese language follows an explorer expedition traveling through Siberia that encounters an aged, nomadic frontiersman named Dersu Uzala (Munzuk) who becomes their guide. Most of the troops in the party initially ridicule the man for his unusual beliefs, eccentricities, and superstitions, but Dersu gradually earns their respect and trust, and a deep friendship grows between the old man and the leader of the exposition (Solomin). A contemplative yet sentimental epic in the accoutrements of a rugged wilderness adventure, the empathy directed toward Dersu being palpable yet unfussy. Shot in the Far East regions of Russia on 70mm film, with the widescreen photography finding the ruddy warmth in the bleak, muted landscapes. Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, the only time a Kurosawa film won the honor in competition—Rashômon had won an honorary prize in 1952, but Japan notoriously never submitted his films for consideration for the majority of his career.

83/100