Guide Note

Dreams is a 1990 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa.

Fast Facts

1. Release date: May 11, 1990
2. Director: Akira Kurosawa
3. Screenwriter: Akira Kurosawa
4. Producers: Mike Y. Inoue and Hisao Kurosawa
5. Distributor: Warner Bros.
6. MPAA rating: PG
7. Run time: 119 min
8. Japanese title: "Yume"

Dreams consists of eight vignettes that were influenced by several dreams Kurosawa had throughout his life.¹

Five of the dreams--"Sunshine Through The Rain," "The Peach Orchard," "The Blizzard," "Crows," and "Village of the Watermills"--are pleasant and colorful. The remaining three are dark and scary nightmares: "The Tunnel," "Mount Fuji in Red," and "The Weeping Demon."

Dreams, which relies heavily on intricate imagery more than dialogue, received mixed reviews upon its release. While some critics enjoyed its "visual splendor," others did not care for its sentimentality and "preachiness."²

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