For quite some while now, I have been a fan of Akira Kurasawa and Toshiro Mifune and have been getting through any films that they were involved in in any way. Having a friend who comes from Japan coming over a couple of days ago, we watched Snow Trail together(as part of the Hulu Plus Criterion collection) as we are both big film enthusiasts. And I have to say that I was very impressed, and find it a shame that it has been so neglected. It may be too short and maybe it starts off a little too slow. However, from the point where the bank robbers followed the ski tracks to the little lodge, the story even if we have seen it before is exciting and briskly paced. It looks beautiful too, the avalanche scene is very well shot as well as being tense, while the scenery is gorgeous, effectively exuding a sense of isolation and beauty also. Akira Ifukube's score is also a big part of Snow Trail's success, it has such a haunting and melancholic tone that fits the mood of the film brilliantly. Written by Akira Kurasawa himself, the script is engaging, and Senkichi Taniguchi's direction showing a certain delicacy and humanity, a style almost similar to Kurasawa's in a way. Snow Trail nowadays is known as Toshiro Mifune's first starring role, while he would later give even better performances Mifune's performance here is appropriately taut and his character's temperament really helps to elevate the tension. Setsuko Wakayama's Haruko has much charm and innocence also. Overall, obscure and worthwhile, whether you see it as part of the Hulu Plus Criterion collection or elsewhere I do recommend it, and hopefully one day it will get the recognition it deserves. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Snow Trail
