Directed by Yasujiro Ozu and written by Ozu and Kogo Noda, Sanma no aji (An Autumn Afternoon) is the story of a family patriarch who is aware that his time is coming as he devotes his final moments by arranging a marriage for his daughter in the hope she can have a future. Ozu’s final film of his illustrious career is an exploration of modernism and a man keeping hold on tradition as he is aware that he has to let his daughter go and have a life of her own while hoping she retains his values. Starring Chishu Ryu, Shima Iwashita, Keiji Sada, Mariko Okada, Teruo Yoshida, Shinichiro Mikami, and Eijiro Tono. Sanma no aji is a ravishing and touching film from Yasujiro Ozu.
The film follows a widower who is aware that he’s in the final years of his life where he decides that it is time for his daughter to find a husband after seeing a mentor of his drunkenly reveal his own regrets in life. It’s a film with a simple premise by writers Yasujiro Ozu and Kogo Noda as it’s also about a family growing and adjusting to the changes in their lives. Notably in Shuhei Hirayama (Chishu Ryu) who works at a nearby factory in an office while he shares his home with his youngest son Kazuo (Shinichiro Mikami) and his 24-year old daughter Michiko (Shima Iwashita). His eldest son Koichi (Keiji Sada) is already married to Akiko (Mariko Okada) as they’re living their own lives while they endure a few problems of their own as Koichi is given some used golf clubs at a bargain price that Akiko disapproves of. Yet, Shuhei is concerned about trying to find a husband for Michiko during a night out with friends along with their old teacher of Chinese classics in Sakuma (Eijiro Tono) that would spur Shuhei to make plans for the future after seeing Sakuma extremely drunk as well as how his daughter Tomoko (Haruko Sugimura) reacts to her father.
Ozu’s direction which doesn’t aim for anything stylized or flashy does play into the simplicity of the story. Notably with his stationary static shot where he never moves the camera at all just to get enough coverage of what is happening during the course of the film. Shot on location in Tokyo, Ozu does use some wide shots of the location but also some precise compositions of the factories as well as certain locations including a bar that Shuhei goes to often as well as sushi restaurants. Ozu doesn’t use any close-ups in favor of just simplistic medium shots where the camera is often in front of the actor to talk to another actor or in a shot where there’s more than one character in a frame. Ozu would also play into this sense of loss but also acceptance of a new world in a scene at a bar that Shuhei goes to where he meets a sailor from his past in Yoshitaro Sakamoto (Daisuke Kato) who reminisces with him about the war and muse about what happened if Japan had won.
While there are elements of humor in the film, there is also this air of melancholia that Ozu would use throughout the film as it relates to what is the end of something. Notably as Shuhei saw what happened to Sakuma and how far he’s fallen with little to show for in the end just as he and a couple of his friends have done well. Shuhei realizes what he must do for Michiko as it’s not just about the acceptance that he’ll have to do things by himself once Michiko and Kazuo leave for their own lives. It’s also about Michiko needing to let go of taking care of her father though she admits to be unsure about wanting to get married. The film’s final images is about that acceptance but also the end of something as it relates to Shuhei yet Ozu manages to maintain a semblance of dignity knowing that even though a man’s life is to end. It at least has created a new beginning for those who are important to him. Overall, Ozu crafts a rapturous and intoxicating film about a man trying to find a suitable husband for his daughter.
Cinematographer Yuharu Atsuta does incredible work with the film’s colorful cinematography with its emphasis on naturalistic lighting for many of the daytime scenes while using low-key lights from Kenzo Ishiwatari for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night including the bar that Shuhei goes to. Editor Yoshiyasu Hamamura does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to play into the conversation scenes. Art directors Tatsuo Hamada and Shigeo Ogiwara do brilliant work with the look of the sushi restaurant and the bar that Shuhei goes to as well as the noodle shop that Sakuma runs and Shuhei’s home.
Costume designer Yuji Nagashima does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largey straightforward with the suits the men wear and the modern clothes of the time that the women wear along with traditional Japanese robes. Sound editor Ichiro Ishii does superb work with the sound as it is largely straightforward as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sounds of television showing baseball games. The film’s music by Kojun Saito is amazing for its lush and somber orchestral score with its usage of strings that sweep into its arrangements to play up the melancholic tone of the film while music coordinator Takanobu Saito provide a few traditional pieces as well as a war march piece that play into Shuhei’s fondness for his military past.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Fujio Suga and Zen’ichi Inagawa as a couple of drunks that Shuhei talks to at the bar, Shinobu Asaji as Shuhei’s secretary, Toyo Takahashi as the waitress at the sushi restaurant, Daisuke Kato as a former sailor in Yoshitaro Sakamoto that Shuhei remembered and chatted with at the bar, Ryuji Kita as an old friend of Shuhei in Shin Horie, Michiyo Kan as Horie’s young wife Tamako, Nobuo Nakamura and Kuniko Miyake in their respective roles as family friends Shuzo and Nobuko Kawai, and Kyoko Kushida as the bar proprietor whom Shuhei believes looks like his late wife. Eijiro Tono is superb as Shuhei’s former Naval mentor Seitaro Sukuma as a man who has fallen on hard times and is coping with his own failures while Haruko Sugimura is terrific as his daughter Tomoko as a middle-aged woman running a low-level noodle shop that is struggling as she copes with missed opportunities for herself. Shinichiro Mikami is fantastic as Shuhei’s 21-year old son Kazuo who works nearby at a factory as he is more concerned about what is for dinner rather than do something for himself. Teruo Yoshida is excellent as Yukata Miura as a friend of Koichi who gives Koichi some golf clubs while also having interest towards Michiko despite being attached to another woman.
Mariko Okada is brilliant as Koichi’s wife Akiko who is concerned with the money that Koichi spends knowing that they need it for more important things while Keiji Sada is amazing as Koichi as a man trying to live his own life and help his father find a husband for Michiko despite his own shortcomings in spending money he doesn’t have. Shima Iwashita is incredible as Michiko as a young woman in her 20s who is reluctant about getting married as she runs the household but also worries about what her father will do when she leaves and he’s on his own. Finally, there’s Chishu Ryu in a phenomenal performance as Shuhei Hirayama as a man knowing that he is facing the final years of his life as he also thinks about his past and his daughter’s future knowing what will happen to her if she stays home where it is a performance of grace and sensitivity as a man who has accepted his fate but also thinks about the incredible life he’s had.
Sanma no aji is an outstanding film from Yasujiro Ozu that features a tremendous performance from Chishu Ryu. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous images, a potent music score, and touching themes of life and family. It is a film that is a family drama that is told with such restraint and tenderness as well as being a great final film from one of cinema’s great storytellers. In the end, Sanma no aji is a magnificent film from Yasujiro Ozu.
Yasujiro Ozu Films: (Sword of Penitence) – (Days of Youth) – Tokyo Chorus - I Was Born, But... - (Dragnet Girl) – Passing Fancy - (A Mother Should Be Loved) – A Story of Floating Weeds - (An Inn in Tokyo) – (The Only Son) – (What Did the Lady Forget?) – (Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family) – (There Was a Father) – Record of a Tenement Gentleman - (A Hen in the Wind) – Late Spring - Early Summer - (The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice) – Tokyo Story - Early Spring - Tokyo Twilight - (Equinox Flower) – Good Morning - Floating Weeds - Late Autumn - The End of Summer
© thevoid99 2019
Directed by Yasujiro Ozu and written by Ozu and Kogo Noda from a novel by Ton Satomi, Late Autumn is the story of three old men who helps a widow find a prospective husband for her daughter who is reluctant to leave her mother. The film is an exploration into the conflicts between tradition and modernism as well as devotion to a parent which recalls Ozu’s 1949 film Late Spring. Starring Setsuko Hara, Shin Saburi, Nobuo Nakamura, Ryuji Kita, Yoko Tsukasa, Keiji Sada, and Chishu Ryu. Late Autumn is an elegant yet touching drama from Yasujiro Ozu.
The film is essentially a simple story about three men who decides to play matchmaker for the daughter of their late colleague who is reluctant to leave her mother. When one of the men decides to pursue the mother since she is a widow and he’s been a widower for years, it causes some tension between mother and daughter as the latter has been reluctant to the idea of marriage despite the prospects she has. It’s a film that just doesn’t explore the ideas of traditional customs but also the sense of reluctance from young people to leave their parents and go into the world of marriage as there’s also some cynicism towards the subject.
The film’s screenplay by Yasujiro Ozu and Kogo Noda does take its time to explore some of its fallacies while showing some concern from these three men who want to ensure the happiness of Ayako (Yoko Tsukasa) as a favor for their late friend. Though their well-meaning approach to ensure Ayako’s happiness would have some repercussions, they would get the help from Ayako’s friend Yoriko (Mariko Okada) who would be the one to learn about their plans upon seeing the tension between Ayako and her mother Akiko (Setsuko Hara). While Ayako does eventually meet someone in Goto (Keiji Sada) whom she likes, she isn’t sure about getting married as she notices that friends who get married become disconnected with one another while one of the daughters of the matchmakers is having her own marital troubles in a minor subplot that does relate to the theme of marriage.
Ozu’s direction has this air of elegance that is shown throughout the film though its presentation is very simple in his trademark, single static-camera shot where the camera never moves. In that presentation, Ozu shows so much by doing so little from the way he presents modern Tokyo with its sushi bars and restaurants to the homes the characters live in. Ozu’s usage of wide and medium shots in a full-frame presentation does convey this sense of a new world emerging in Japan where it is very modern but there are still customs and traditions that are still being held. Notably as Ayako wears modern clothes throughout the film while Akiko still wears traditional Japanese robes though neither women really say anything about their clothes where they both wear traditional robes in the film’s opening scene at the funeral of Akiko’s husband.
The intimacy in some of those medium shots allow Ozu to play into the growing tension between mother and daughter where Ayako is upset over the idea of her mother marrying another man as Akiko has no idea what Ayako is talking about. The use of framing in some group shots are very potent to display not just that tension but also the sense of confusion and misunderstanding that these two women go through as well as some gorgeous shots at Ayako’s work place where she and Yoriko stare into the city. The film would eventually lead to some conclusion about the decision the two women make where it has this very touching moment about not just what Ayako is about to step into but also the journey that Akiko must face. Overall, Ozu crafts a very mesmerizing and captivating film about a young woman going into the world of marriage while dealing with her devotion to her mother.
Cinematographer Yuharu Atsuta does fantastic work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography with its rich colors for many of the film‘s exterior settings as well as some of its interiors with its lighting as well as to display the colors in some of those interior settings. Editor Yoshiyasu Hamamura does excellent work with the editing with its use of rhythmic cuts to play into some of the intensity of the conversations while much of it is straightforward. Production designer Tomiji Shimizu and art director Tatsuo Hamada do amazing work with the look of the apartment Ayako and Akiko live in as well as the sushi bar that Yoriko lives in.
Costume designer Toshikazu Sugiyama does wonderful work with the costumes from the modern dresses that Ayako and Yoriko wear to the traditional robes that Akiko wears. The sound work of Yoshisaburo Senoo is terrific for the intimacy that is captured in many of the film‘s interior scenes that includes one of the film‘s final sequences where Ayako and Akiko spend one last trip where they hear the voices of students. The film’s music by Kojun Saito is exquisite for its whimsical yet intoxicating score filled with some quirky string arrangements and traditional Japanese string instruments to play into some of the film’s humor while using some serene pieces for its drama.
The film’s superb cast includes some notable small performances from Fumio Watanabe as a friend of Ayako and Yoriko in Sugiyama, Kuniko Miyake as Mamiya’s wife, Yuriko Tashiro as Taguchi’s daughter who comes home following a quarrel with her husband early in the film, and Chishu Ryu in a terrific small performance as Akiko’s brother-in-law Shukichi who would later invite Akiko and Ayako to his inn late in the film to talk about all they had been through. Keiji Sada is terrific in a small yet memorable performance as Ayako’s suitor Goto whom she befriends despite her misgivings from one of her dad’s old friends in Mamiya. Shin Saburi is excellent as Mamiya as the man who leads the charge to find a suitor for Ayako where his planning later causes confusion and trouble while Nobuo Nakamura is fantastic as Taguchi who is kind of the conscious of the film as he becomes aware of the trouble they’re creating. Ryuji Kita is great as Hirayama as the third man who does Mamiya’s work while he seeks to pursue Akiko whom he’s had feelings for as he wonders if he should marry her.
Mariko Okada is wonderful as Ayako’s friend Yoriko who is a modern woman with some traditional values as she tries to figure out the tension between Ayako and Akiko while confronting the men over their actions. Yoko Tsukasa is amazing as Ayako as this young woman unsure about getting married while being upset over the idea of her mother remarrying just months after the death of her father as she displays this sense of anguish and confusion into a woman who holds some traditional values as well as modern views. Finally, there’s Setsuko Hara in a radiant performance as Ayako’s mother Akiko as this woman who is the representation of tradition as she’s also one who is very graceful towards her father’s old friends while being caught off guard by Ayako’s accusation that she is to remarry as she wonders what to do for her daughter as well as for herself in a truly exquisite performance.
Late Autumn is a remarkably rich and touching film from Yasujiro Ozu. Armed with a great led by Setsuko Hara and Yoko Tsukasa. It’s a film that explores the dynamics between mothers and daughters as well as the conflict between tradition and modernism that is told with such care by Ozu. In the end, Late Autumn is a sensational film from Yasujiro Ozu.
Yasujiro Ozu Films: (Sword of Penitence) - (Days of Youth) - Tokyo Chorus - I Was Born, But... - (Dragnet Girl) - Passing Fancy - (A Mother Should Be Loved) - A Story of Floating Weeds - (An Inn in Tokyo) - (The Only Son) - (What Did the Lady Forget?) - (Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family) - (There Was a Father) - Record of a Tenement Gentleman - (A Hen in the Wind) - Late Spring - Early Summer - (The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice) - Tokyo Story - Early Spring - Tokyo Twilight - (Equinox Flower) - Good Morning - Floating Weeds - The End of Summer - An Autumn Afternoon
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island is the third and final film of a trilogy of films chronicling the life of Musashi Miyamoto. Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and screenplay by Inagaki and Tokuhei Wakao, the film is an exploration into Miyamoto’s search for peace and meaning just as he goes into a final duel with a man who had been seeking to defeat him. With Toshiro Mifune playing the role of Miyamoto, the film also stars Koji Tsuruta, Kaoru Yaschigusa, Mariko Okada, and Takashi Shimura. Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island is a magnificent film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
In the course of three films that explores the life and evolution of Musashi Miyamoto, here’s a man who is on the search for something bigger than himself as he goes into a journey as he seeks to find answers on identity and spirituality. Meanwhile, another samurai warrior in Sasaki Kojiro (Koji Tsuruta) is also seeking the same things as the years passed since their first meeting as they meet again. This time around, the circumstances have changed as two men are being pursued by people wanting them to represent their houses. Of course, it only troubles the two men as Miyamoto decides to leave the samurai life to become a farmer at a village while Kojiro has become a ronin warrior as they chose to postpone their duel for a year. Eventually, the two men do meet with men of prestige watching this duel yet it would be a duel set into their own terms.
The screenplay is much more structured than in previous stories as the first act is about these two men preparing to duel as they both go on different paths but circumstances beyond their control involving those betting on the men and other issues forced the two to postpone it. The second act is about Musashi leaving the samurai life to find something with more meaning as he stays at a village ravaged by bandits as he becomes their savior while he is also being pursued by the two women in his life in Otsu (Kaoru Yaschigusa) and Akemi (Mariko Okada). The former is still anguished over Miyamoto’s abrupt departure as she goes on a journey to find him as she ponders if he really does lover. The latter, who was also with Kojiro early in the film, wants Miyamoto for herself but comes across bandits where one of them is her mother’s former lover Toji Gion (Daisuke Kato) who had become a bandit to stay alive. Yet, Akemi is conflicted over what to do as she is torn over her feelings for Miyamoto and her hatred towards Otsu.
The second act also has a sense of irony about the role that Miyamoto has chosen where he is able to find peace in this new role but the presence of bandits and the specter of this duel with Kojiro still looms. By the time he decides to get ready for his duel with Kojiro, Miyamoto tries to come to terms with everything he’s learned as well as everything he’s sacrificed along the way. The third act unveils how far these two men have come from their different journeys in life while both seeking for an element of peace before they embark on this duel.
The direction of Hiroshi Inagaki is a mixture of the two elements of the first films from the naturalist tone of the first with some of the more stylized approach in the second film. In this film, the two styles finally come together for a much richer look that mixes a bit of naturalism with an element of style. While still presented in its full-frame format, there is more scope to the presentation as it features scenes set in a world outside of cities while being mixed with a world that is changing where things are in conflict over what is right and what is wrong. For these two men, they just want to do things with honor as both Kojiro and Miyamoto do face opponents but show compassion towards them. There is also an air of melodrama as it concerns the women in their lives as Kojiro is in love with a young woman in Omitsu (Michiko Saga) as she along with Otsu and Akemi all struggle with men’s roles as samurais.
While there are action scenes that occur, it’s not as violent as the previous film while it does involve some horrifying moments that would test both Miyamoto and Kojiro. Even as they get involved in unwanted conflicts as there’s also the eventually conflict between Akemi and Otsu. The second act ends on a somber note over what Miyamoto encounters as well as the fact that the ending also features an element of redemption in a key character. Still, the film is about this duel between Miyamoto and Kojiro as it does finally come to ahead in the film’s climax. It is a moment in the film where everything comes together as it’s presented with such great beauty and intensity as these two men are aware of what they have to do. There’s no fear in either one as they both accept the fact that either one of them could die. It is truly one of the most unforgettable scenes in film as Inagaki presents it in such an understated manner. Overall, Inagaki creates a truly mesmerizing and intoxicating film about acceptance and what it takes to be a man of honor.
Cinematographer Kazuo Yamada does amazing work with the film‘s lush and colorful cinematography from the gorgeous exteriors in the day to the more low-key look of the scenes at night that includes some wonderful lighting schemes by Tsuruzo Nishikawa while the climatic duel is presented with such beauty that it‘s impossible to describe it in detail. Editor Koichi Iwashita does superb work with the editing to create some nice cuts in some of the dramatic moments while using dissolves to help display a few flashback scenes. Art directors Hiroshi Ueda and Kisaku Ito do wonderful work with the set pieces from the homes some of the characters live in to the decayed inn that Miyamoto stays in the first act.
The sound work of Masanobu Miyazaki is terrific for the calm atmosphere it creates in some of the film‘s meeting as well as the scenes involving nature. The film’s music by Ikuma Dan is brilliant for its understated orchestral music to play out the melodrama as well as some bombastic moments in the scenes involving the bandits.
The film’s cast is just outstanding as it features some notable small roles that include Kokuten Kodo as an old priest Miyamoto met in the second film who is amazed at how much progress Miyamoto has made, Haruo Tanaka as a horse thief who tries to challenge Miyamoto, Kenjin Iida as Miyamoto’s young disciple Jotaro, Minoru Chiaki as a boatman who takes Miyamoto to Ganryu Island for the final duel, Daisuke Kato as Akemi’s mother’s old lover who has turned into a selfish bandit, and Takashi Shimura in a small yet memorable role as a court official who looks over the terms of the duel that is to happen. Michiko Saga is wonderful as Kojiro’s lover Omitsu who struggles to deal with his role as well as the fact that he’s finding peace over what might happen to him. Mariko Okada is terrific as the troubled Akemi who tries to pursue Miyamoto while feeling neglected by Kojiro as she seeks to find meaning in her life.
Kaoru Yaschigusa is superb as the anguished Otsu who struggles to deal with Miyamoto’s role while goes onto her own pursuit for him where she eventually has to accept the role that she is set to play for Miyamoto. Koji Tsuruta is brilliant as Sasaki Kojiro as a man who sees Miyamoto as his equal as he tries to deal with the expectations of being a samurai as well as going into his own journey to find inner peace. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in a towering performance as Musashi Miyamoto as a man who is still trying to find his role in life as both a man and as a samurai as he struggles with this duality while being aware of the mistakes he’s made as he eventually finds acceptance as well as the attributes to be a great samurai.
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island is a phenomenal film from Hiroshi Inagaki that features another spellbinding performance from Toshiro Mifune. It’s a film that is definitely one of the great films of the samurai genre while elevating its predecessors in the trilogy to form one of the great trilogies in film. Notably as it this film reveals how far Musashi Miyamoto has gone from a lost man into a man who finds inner peace and reason as a samurai. In the end, Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island is an incredible film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
Hiroshi Inagaki Films: (Sword for Hire) - Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto - Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple - (The Lone Journey) - (Arashi) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls Pt. 2) - (Rickshaw Man) - (The Birth of Japan) - (Life of an Expert Swordsman) - (Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki) - (Samurai Banners)
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple is the story of Musashi Miyamoto’s journey into finding himself and enlightenment as he later deals with warriors trying to take him down as well as the women in his life. Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and screenplay by Inagaki and Tokuhei Wakao, the film is the second part of a trilogy that explore Miyamoto’s evolution as a samurai warrior as he’s played once again by Toshiro Mifune. Also starring Koji Tsuruta, Mariko Okada, and Kaoru Yachigusa. Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple is an incredible film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
In the second part of a trilogy that explores the life and evolution of Musashi Miyamoto, the film takes place three years later after the events of the first film where Miyamoto is a man seeking guidance in his training to become a samurai. While he has won many duels in his journey, he is still unfulfilled in his search for enlightenment as he meets an old priest in his journey who tells him exactly what he needs to do. Upon his arrival at Kyoto, Miyamoto asks to challenge a master at a school only to find himself in trouble with that master‘s many disciples. Adding to the chaos is the fact that Miyamoto is still drawn to Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) who is nearby while another young woman in Akemi (Mariko Okada) is also pursuing him. Meanwhile, another samurai warrior in Kojiro Sasaki (Koji Tsuruta) is watching from afar as he realizes that Miyamoto might be his greatest opponent.
The screenplay explores Miyamoto’s search for meaning in his life as he is still craving knowledge as well as someone who he feels can be a worthy opponent. Yet, he is also troubled by elements of his past as he does meet Otsu for a brief moment as he is unsure if he can be there for her. Even as Otsu starts to struggle with her own feelings as she would also meet Akemi for the first time who knows a lot about Otsu as she tries to manipulate her in order to win Miyamoto. Still, Akemi is going through her own troubles as she is in an uneasy relationship with a young samurai master in Seijuro Yoshioka (Akihiko Hirata) who is the master of a nearby samurai school whom Miyamoto wants to challenge. Once Akemi hears about Miyamoto’s challenge, she hopes to that Miyamoto will kill so she can get a chance to win Miyamoto.
Still, Miyamoto finds himself troubled by the chaos he caused at the Yoshioka house as he reluctantly hides in various places including a geisha house as a courtesan (Michiyo Kogure) falls for him. The presence of Kojiro Sasaki, whom Miyamoto has heard of, adds a unique element to the story since he is someone who is younger but more experienced in the art of the samurai as he too is still in the learning stages. He tries to intervene in order to make sure that the conflict is dealt with fairly and with honor as he sees Miyamoto and Seijuro Yoshioka as men who want to maintain that. Unfortunately, there’s people in Yoshioka’s camp who don’t believe these rules as the results not only disappoints Miyamoto but also makes him realize what he has to do to be a true samurai.
Hiroshi Inagaki’s direction is far more stylish than in the previous film as a lot of it is set in soundstages where it’s filled with forest and rivers that is part of Miyamoto’s journey as he often feels lost in his search for enlightenment. While the framing is still intimate at times including in some of the dramatic moments. There is also a lot of tension that includes a meeting between Akemi and Otsu that is about a battle of passion between the two women over Miyamoto. Inagaki does use a lot of wide shots to establish this tension even though it’s presented in its full-frame format. Notably as there are moments where it is about characters trying to figure themselves out while some like Sasaki is watching from afar though there are moments where he interacts with some of the people present in the conflict. The action is far more gripping but also psychological such as the first duel that Miyamoto has where it is about how someone can attack without getting hit as well as not making the wrong move.
Once Miyamoto starts to be ambushed by a large group of unruly men, the camera is presented with wide shots and cranes to establish the sense of chaos that Miyamoto is in. Notably as it reveals the lack of honor these men have when confronting Miyamoto as they’ve become more concerned with getting rid of him only to disgrace the name of the house they worked for. There also some bits of back stories that are involved that relates to the first film as it concerns Matahachi (Sachio Sakai) who has become a cowardly opportunist where he and his mother try to get rid of Miyamoto only for their plans to fail. The film’s climax does finally involve the duel that Miyamoto is set to take part in but the aftermath is a big step into his evolution but also a step where he once again has to walk into a path of the unknown. Overall, Inagaki creates a film that is compelling but also engaging in a man’s journey into becoming a samurai.
Cinematographer Jun Yasumoto does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography filled with colorful imagery in some of the forest scenes with some gorgeous backdrops along with some lighting schemes by Shigeru Mori in some of the film’s nighttime sequences to establish the chaos of the battle Miyamoto is in. Editor Hideshi Ohi does great work in the editing to use dissolves and other stylish cuts to play out some of the drama while using rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s intense action scenes. Art directors Makoto Sono and Kisaku Ito do brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of the geisha house that Miyamoto hides in to some of the forest exteriors created to establish the murkiness that Miyamoto encounters
The sound work by Choshichiro Mikami is wonderful for the atmosphere created in some of the film‘s action scenes as well as some of the quieter moments involving nature. The film’s music by Ikuma Dan is superb for the calm yet evocative string-orchestral score to play up the sense of drama and action that occurs along with some quieter use of the folk-based music to express some of the emotional aspects of the film.
The film’s cast is excellent as it features some remarkable small roles from Kenjin Iida as a boy Miyamoto meets early in the film who later is taken to Priest Takuan, Yu Fujiki as Seijuro’s older brother who tries to defend the family honor against Miyamoto, Daisuke Kato as a family friend of Oko who organizes the attack on Miyamoto, Mitsuko Mito as Akemi’s mother Oko who tries to get Akemi to marry Seijuro, Eiko Miyoshi as Matahachi’s mother who plots to kill both Miyamoto and Otsu, and Sachio Sakai as the disgraced Matahachi who has become a cowardly bum filled with regret. Kuroemon Onoe is wonderful as Priest Takuan who tries to help Otsu find a path in life after being anguished over Miyamoto. Akihiko Harata is terrific as the young samurai master Seijuro Yoshioka who is eager to defend his family honor despite the actions of his disciples.
Michiyo Kogure is superb as the courtesan Lady Yoshino who is intrigued by Miyamoto as she falls for him as her words would provide some guidance for Miyamoto. Mariko Okada is great as the conniving Akemi who tries to manipulate Otsu into believing that Miyamoto doesn’t love Otsu while dealing with her own issues with Seijuro. Kaoru Yachigusa is amazing as Otsu as a woman eager to see Miyamoto again while dealing with her feelings as well as being confused about what path in life she should take. Koji Tsuruta is brilliant as the young samurai warrior Sasaki Kojiro as a man who is a skilled and experience warrior who believes that Miyamoto would be his greatest opponent while dealing with outside forces trying to stop Miyamoto. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune is an awesome performance as Musashi Miyamoto as a man who is eager to find peace but is becoming more troubled by his lack of direction and holding on to the past as it’s a more compassionate yet chilling performance from Mifune.
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple is a fantastic film from Hiroshi Inagaki that features a thrilling performance from Toshiro Mifune. The film is definitely a much more exciting film than its predecessor while being balanced by its drama to establish a man trying to find himself. It’s also a film that explores the code of the samurai and how some lose sight into these rules for selfish reasons as there’s those that are trying to hold on to that ideal. Overall, Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple is a tremendous film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
Hiroshi Inagaki Films: (Sword for Hire) - Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto - (The Lone Journey) - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island - (Arashi) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls Pt. 2) - (Rickshaw Man) - (The Birth of Japan) - (Life of an Expert Swordsman) - (Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki) - (Samurai Banners)
© thevoid99 2013
Based on the novel Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is the first of a three-part story about the adventures of a lone samurai who starts out as a soldier only to become a skilled samurai warrior who is defined by his introspection. Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and screenplay by Inagaki and Tokuhei Wakao, the first part is about a warrior’s growth as he becomes a fugitive during a civil war as he seeks to find redemption. In the lead role of the samurai warrior Musashi Miyamoto, he is played by the iconic Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune. Also starring Rentaro Mikuni and Kaoru Yachigusa. Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is an incredible film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
In the first part of this trilogy that chronicles the journey of Musashi Miyamoto in his search for enlightenment and a reason to become a true samurai warrior. The first part is about how he would go into this journey that would take him all over Japan as he starts out as a soldier seeking fortune and fame. Instead, he becomes deserted by his best friend and eventually a fugitive where a Buddhist priest captures him where he would later guide the man that would become Musashi Miyamoto into a path of self-discovery. In the course of this journey, the man who was then called Takezo would encounter all sorts of things as he is this wild warrior who has a lot of spirit but no sense of direction.
The screenplay does have a traditional structure as it plays into Takezo’s development from warrior to enlightened samurai. It starts off with a sense of innocence where Takezo and his friend Matahachi (Rentaro Mikuni) having dreams of being part of this civil war that is happening in the early 17th Century in the hopes they become war heroes. Instead, they lose the war as they seek shelter in the home of a woman and her daughter where something happens that leaves Takezo disappointed and deserted prompting him to return home. The experience of being disillusioned and deserted by his own friend would cause Takezo to act out as he becomes this fugitive with no direction as if he feels the world had abandoned him. After attacking some men, he gets into trouble as a lord from his village seeks a bounty on him where Takezo does endure more betrayal and disappointment.
The first half is about Takezo’s descent into disillusionment and his desire to die until he is captured by the Buddhist priest Takuan Soho (Kuroemon Onoe) and Matahachi’s fiancee Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa) in the film‘s second half. Soho would use tricks to get into Takezo’s head while he would offer him guidance into a life where Takezo could find redemption as well as a reason to live. While the tormented Otsu would also help Takezo as she had already felt betrayed by the people in her life where Soho would do something that would play to their fate. Notably as its aftermath would force Takezo to ponder everything he had been through where he would make a sacrifice in order to go into this journey to find out who he is as Musashi Miyamoto.
The direction of Hiroshi Inagaki is quite epic in scale though it is presented in a full-frame aspect ratio. Still, Inagaki does create something that is entrancing in the direction from the way some of the battles are presented to scenes where people are searching for Takezo with these wide shots to cover the landscape. Inagaki also uses a lot of stylistic shots to help present some dramatic moments including a scene of Takezo being hung on a tree as punishment for his actions. Inagaki’s framing of these intimate moments with this backdrop of nature allow him to create something that is touching but also engrossing in the way Takezo seems to find a sense of humanity in a brutish savage like Takezo.
Some of the film’s actions are quite intense such as this very rainy, muddy battle scene early in the film as well as scenes where Takezo fights off bandits and those who are trying to pursue him. While Inagaki’s approach is more low-key, he does create something that is still thrilling in what Takezo is all about as a man as well as someone who is lost. By the third act where Soho does play into the fates of Takezo and Otsu, there comes a moment where Takezo and Otsu realize what they have to do in a new place but in very different ways. The third act also has a moment where Inagaki looks at what happens to Matahachi that reveals his fate and how it compares to the fate of Takezo just as he’s about to take on this journey as a new man. Overall, Inagaki creates a very captivating and mesmerizing film about a man’s journey to find himself.
Cinematographer Jun Yasumoto does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the gorgeous colors of the film‘s landscapes to the some of the nighttime interior and exterior scenes that features some unique lighting schemes with help from Shigeru Mori. Editor Eiji Ooi does wonderful work with the editing as it‘s quite stylized with its use of dissolves and suspenseful cuts to play out the drama and intensity of the action. Art directors Kisaku Ito and Makoto Sato do fantastic work with the set pieces from the home of the women that Takezo and Matahachi meet to the temple where the priest lives.
The sound work of Choshichiro Mikami is terrific for the atmosphere is created in some of the film‘s intimate moments including some of the exterior scenes with nature as the backdrop. The film’s music by Ikuma Dan is great for the mixture of intense orchestral score with a mix of Japanese folk as well as serene string pieces to play up the drama that unfolds in the film.
The film’s cast is remarkable as it features some notable small roles from Akihiko Hirata as a village official putting the bounty on Takezo’s head, Kusuo Abe as a bandit Takezo confronts, Eiko Miyoshi as Matahachi’s mother, Mitsuko Moki as a widow Mitahachi and Takezo meets, and Mariko Okada as the widow’s daughter Akemi. Rentaro Mikuni is excellent as Takezo’s friend Matahachi who later deserts him in favor of a widow and her daughter as he later has regrets over what he did. Kaoru Yachigusa is wonderful as Otsu who felt betrayed by Matahachi while dealing with her own anguish as she later tries to help out Takezo. Kureomon Onoe is great as the priest Takuan Soho who captures Takezo as he later tries to steer him into a path that would be helpful for Takezo to find redemption and reason. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in a magnificent performance as Takezo/Musashi Miyamoto where Mifune displays a fierce intensity to a man lost in the world as well as a sensitivity in the way he deals with people as it’s definitely one of his most defining performances.
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is an incredible film from Hiroshi Inagaki that features a towering performance from Toshiro Mifune. The film is definitely one of the most entrancing studies of a man seeking to find a place in a world where he feels rejected. It’s also a film that deviates a bit from most samurai films in order to explore a man’s evolution as he learns what it takes to be both a man and as a samurai. In the end, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is an extraordinary film from Hiroshi Inagaki.
Hiroshi Inagaki Films: (Sword for Hire) - Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple - (The Lone Journey) - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island - (Arashi) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls) - (Yagyu Secret Scrolls Pt. 2) - (Rickshaw Man) - (The Birth of Japan) - (Life of an Expert Swordsman) - (Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki) - (Samurai Banners)
© thevoid99 2013
