Dersu Uzala

In 1902, a Russian army expedition is assigned to explore Siberia under the command of Captain Vladimir Arseniev (Yuri Solomin). He befriends the Goldi (Nanai) hunter Dersu Uzala (Maksim Munzuk) and invites him to guide the explorers through the stark forest up to Khanka Lake. Along their journey, Arseniev discovers that Dersu Uzala is a man with a beautiful soul and they become close friends. When his assignment ends, Dersu Uzala says goodbye to Arseniev. In 1907, Captain Arseniev is assigned for another expedition to the Ussuri River; when he meets Dersu Uzala in the forest, the lonely hunter joins his team and guides the group. However, he is older and has problems with his vision and Captain Arseniev invites Dersu Uzala to live with his family in Khabarovsk City. But the old man does not adapt to the urban lifestyle and decides to return to the forest. In 1910, Captain Arseniev is called to Korfovskaïa to identify the body of a man that has his calling card and might be Dersu Uzala.

"Derzu Uzala" is a simple and unforgettable tale of friendship between a Russian Captain and a lonely hunter with a beautiful soul. This wonderful movie has one of the most beautiful cinematographies I have ever seen and the camera work is impressive, with awesome angle and locations that seems to be of pictures in movement. I had watched most of Akira Kurosawa movies and I do not know how I could forget to see this magnificent must-see movie of his amazing cinematography. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Dersu Uzala"

Akira Kurosawa was a masterful director and powerful storyteller, Dersu has always been my favourite of his films. It was also the first I saw - on Christmas Day afternoon 1978 on UK BBC2 - would that they were as adventurous nowadays! Since then of course I've seen all of his films from Stray Dog on, Rashomon and Ran being especial favourites, but I keep on coming back to watch this one, ostensibly the simplest tale Kurosawa ever filmed.

The understanding and bonding that develops between the two men Arseniev and Dersu is wonderful to see, and over two hours holds your attention with expertly observed minutiae of character and scenic interplay. The last ten minutes cover a lot of ground (no pun intended) but it's all so logical and sad that I always need to see the end credits to recover.

So many marvellous scenes: the tiger in the forest in the morning; the phlegmatic reclusive old Chinaman; the raft; wispy blue shaded smoke from night-fires; the conclusion of course; the view of those two great men, the Moon and the Sun in the same shot. Not everyone would like Dersu, their most likely comments being "boring" - but how wrong they are they'll never know!

A film not fit to lick Dersu Uzala's metaphorical boots (or even Plan 9 from Outer Space's for that matter), Blazing Saddles was filmed the same year in America and a generation on still gets more praise than this poetic masterpiece!

This 1975 joint Japanese-Russian film is a celebration of simple virtues, friendship, loyalty, love, and respect for nature. Based on the journals of the Tsarist explorer and surveyor, Captain Vladimir Arseniev, it is the story of the relationship between Captain Arseniev and an Asiatic hunter of the Goldi tribe named Dersu Uzala. With a love and understanding of the forest that is extraordinary, Dersu guides the Captain through several deadly encounters. He saves the Captain's life by building a shelter out of reeds during a ferocious wind storm. Maksim's performance as Dersu, the ancient woodsman, is very "Yoda-like": wonderous, dignified, and very natural.

The friendship between the two main characters grows over many years and several expeditions in the wild. Their relationship is beautifully developed and moves to an inevitable climax when Dersu and the Captain move back to the Captain's home in the city.

There is in this film a sense of the beauty, tranquility, and timelessness of nature. It takes place at a time in the early part of the last century when people had closer ties with nature and felt a kinship with animals, plants, and the elements. Dersu endearingly refers to all elements of nature including the river, the wind, the trees, and the animals as "men". As the English writer, Hugh Trevor-Roper said of Shakespeare so it is true of Dersu, "He sees mankind almost as part of nature, sometimes basking in a delightful, smiling Nature; sometimes caught up in a fierce, cruel, inexorable, insatiable Nature".

I was totally absorbed in this film and in its regard for the essential goodness of man and the beauty of the natural world. Dersu Uzala is a great film from one of the all-time masters.

This is one of my definite favorites.It tells a story of a man who is one with the wilderness and nature and cant live any other way.Dersu Uzala is an old Goldi(siberian asiatic minority) hunter who thinks he has been cursed after he kills a tiger.To him,every being,every part of the nature is equally worth as humans.

The film gives us accounts of one Russian captain's friendship with Dersu.They are together through thick and thin and Dersu even rescues him from a blizzard when they are stuck on a frozen lake.Dersu has all the natural senses and therefore knows when he is in danger.He knows everything by looking and observing the landscape around him.

So when he kills the tiger,its like a spell has been cast on him.Or is it just his imagination?His people believe in a ghost that rules the taiga,Kanga.He thinks Kanga will punish him in some way.Soon his fears start to get real.He cant kill his prey for food that he needs for living because his eyesight dramatically worsens.One frightening night(my favorite scene) it gets too much for him,listening to the howling wind in the dark,waiting for Kanga to send a tiger to kill him.And captain Arseniev,seeing the horror that struck him,offers him to come with him to his hometown.It happens so.

Throughout the film,you cant help but wonder what will happen to Dersu.Not only because in the beginning Arseniev searches for his grave,in retrospection,but also because he is one lonely,sad man who lives only by hunting.There is no place for him but the taiga.And when the tragedy happens,its hard not to feel remorse and pity the old Dersu.His world has come crashing down.The end specially is painful and shows that there is no mercy in this world for a man who falls from grace in his own homeground.

In the end,this film has outstanding photography,outstanding music,outstanding cast,beautiful scenery and do i need to say anything about the director? A timeless work that can never be surpassed.

Dersu Uzala is slow, serene, beautiful, but nevertheless gripping. It tells of the friendship between a nomadic Siberian native and a Russian army explorer, and how the former is able to help the latter and his team to negotiate the many obstacles presented by the Siberian wilderness. We see how traditional survival methods and intrinsic common sense can help the more urbanised army men to cope with the extremes of climate and geography. Eventually the nomad is persuaded to join the general on his trip back to a town. His ignorance of urban life is apparent, but interesting nevertheless, as we do not imagine such people nor meet them in everyday life today. Kurosawa is on top form here, letting the camera take in the vastness of Siberia, and still allowing the viewers to observe the characters closely. The story is interesting too, with a sadly ironic ending (won't say any more!). I think everybody should watch this film, because everybody will have something to learn from it.