The Bad Sleep Well

Described by many as Akira Kurosawa’s Hamlet, Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru (a.k.a. The Bad Sleep Well) is a film about the corporate corruption of Japanese companies. Much like Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Koichi Nishi (Toshirō Mifune) tries to find out how his father died and make those responsible pay.

Kurosawa’s directing techniques as always shine and present the actors as well disciplined because in all Kurosawa films I believe it’s almost as if the audience isn’t watching a movie but viewing a documentary. It’s as if the cameras aren’t in the room and everyone is just being there normal selves. This also highlight’s Kurosawa’s great casting choices.

The lighting used in Kurosawa films usually highlights the color white. Although most of Kurosawa’s films were shot in black and white he still found ways to highlight certain aspects of shots to catch the audience’s eye. For example in the opening wedding scene the Bride’s dress is a bright almost blinding white causing the viewer to have to focus on her, which hints to her role in the story. Another good example of great lighting in this film is when Nishi, Wada, and another man are talking. Wada is presumed to be dead by everyone who knows him, and the only people who know that he is alive are Nishi and the other man. Wada is lit in such a way that his skin looks pale (almost like a ghost) symbolizing that he is thought to be dead (while still among the living).

Sound in “The Bad Sleep Well” wasn’t very prominent in voices as much as it was in dialogue between characters. In most Kurosawa films there is one characters voice that is very noticeable above all others, but that was lacking in this film. The music in “The Bad Sleep Well” matched every scene perfectly, for example whenever a plan is being discussed a happy type of music is played to offset the possibly evil plan in the audiences mind. But another sound factor that is prominent in all Kurosawa films is silence which happens when serious subjects (i.e. death, and confrontations) are happening.

Costumes in the film were not very extravagant like other Kurosawa films. The story taking place in a corporate setting leaves little room for stand out costumes. Except for Nishi who even during some high moments of stress, he still looks neat and clean when anyone else would have their jacket unbuttoned, messy hair, lowered tie, etc.

Other then the companies building, Nishi’s apartment, and the underground vault there aren’t may sets. This is very strange for Kurosawa who usually has many different sets some which are only seen for less then a minute. The few times the movie has other sets are also strange because they are such a huge change i.e. office setting to mouth of a volcano, and office setting to creepy alleyway with bright lights at the end of it.

The only special effects that I spotted in this film were when a man was ran over by a car. For the time it was made it looked great, but with today’s CGI it could have looked better (but who am I to criticize the great Akira Kurosawa:)).

I believe the “The Bad Sleep Well was a very good film. It is a film that the viewer needs to pay close attention to or they will miss a big detail that holds s the story together. All in all it is another masterpiece of film by Akira Kurosawa.