Based on the novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi, Samurai Rebellion is the story of a samurai’s son who is forced to marry a clan lord’s mistress where things don’t go as planned prompting the clan lord to change his mind leading a showdown between the lord and an aging samurai. Directed by Masaki Kobayashi and screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto, the film is an exploration into a man being pulled into a world that he doesn’t want to as an act to protect his family. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Go Kato, Yoko Tsukasa, Shigeru Koyama, Masao Mishima, Isao Yamagata, Tatsuyoshi Ehara, Tatsuo Matsumara, and Tatsuya Nakadai. Samurai Rebellion is a gripping yet evocative film from Masaki Kobayashi.
Set in 1725 during the Edo period of Japan, the film revolves around the request of a clan lord who asks for a family to take in one of his mistresses as the son of a samurai warrior marries the mistress. Yet, the marriage ends up being very fruitful and loving until an incident involving the lord’s family changes things and wants the mistress back in the castle forcing her husband to refuse the request and his father to prepare for battle against the lord and his entire clan. It’s a film that explores not just rules of working for a clan but also try to balance that and devote time to family as the samurai warrior Isaburo Sasahara (Toshiro Mifune) is considered the best. The only equal he has in terms of swordsmanship is his best friend Tatewaki Asano (Tatsuya Nakadai) who is the clan’s gatekeeper as he is a man of formality and honor. Sasahara is also a man of honor but the request he’s given to take in a lord’s mistress weighs heavily on him as he is in a loveless marriage and doesn’t want his eldest son Yogoro (Go Kato) to be in one.
Yet, the mistress in Ichi (Yoko Tsukasa) turns out to be a very gracious and kind woman who was forced into being a mistress because her father worked in the lord’s castle. She would tell Yogoro everything including how she was kicked out of the castle after bearing him a son who would be an heir to the lord’s throne. Still, Yogoro and Isaburo accepts him to the family much to the chagrin of Isaburo’s wife Kenmotsu (Takamaru Sasaki) who is aghast into how Ichi was kicked out of the lord’s castle. The film’s script doesn’t just play into this conflict of two people wanting a happy life but also how there are those who just want to use people for power as Isaburo realizes that the clan lord he’s been serving for has become dishonorable and selfish. Many would try to get Ichi back to the castle including Yogoro’s younger brother Bunzo (Tatsuyoshi Ehara) who would trick her but both Isaburo and Yogoro are aware that it’s being handled without them or Ichi having a say in the matter.
That is something Asano would notice as he would be asked by clan leaders to kill Isaburo but he refuses because he of some details which prove that he’s a man of rules. Yet, he and Isaburo become more aware that rules are changing to fit into a new world that doesn’t care for things such as honor. It would force Isaburo and his son to expect the worst as it’s all about getting Ichi back to her family. Especially where the lord’s regime would carry out weapons and such that would represent this idea of a new and darker world that Isaburo isn’t a part of.
Masaki Kobayashi’s direction is definitely entrancing as it has these gorgeous framing devices as well as a great depth of field to get a look from above inside the Sasahara home. The usage of the wide shots would play into the location including scenes early in the film where Isaburo and Asano would go to clan leaders and demonstrate their skills as they would walk home discussing the future. Kobayashi would also use some medium shots and close-ups for the intimate moments inside the Sasahara home along with some wide shots for a sequence where Ichi tells Yogoro her story of how she was picked to become the lord’s mistress. The sequence where Ichi recalls the moment she realized her role for this lord and seeing his new mistress is presented in still shots when she attacks her. It’s a moment in the film where Kobayashi would present something that is very stylized yet prefers to create something that is striking in where he would put his actors into a frame.
Kobayashi also maintains something that is theatrical in his framing as it would emphasize more on strategy and drama rather than action which is often common with samurai movies. By placing the moment of samurai duels in the third act, Kobayashi is more focused on building up the tension between the Sasahara family and the clan lord as the former would even write a petition to free Ichi and return her home. To the lord’s clan leaders, they see this as an act of insolence where the showdown between a steward and Isaburo would come to ahead but it’s all about strategy and who moves first. Yet, there is also an anguish into its outcome as it play into loss and this cruelty emerging into the new world that Isaburo and Asano aren’t a part of. Overall, Kobayashi creates a rapturous yet eerie film about a man trying to defend his family against the wishes of a cruel clan lord.
Cinematographer Kazuo Yamada does amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its emphasis on natural lighting and shadows where there is so much detail shown including some interior scenes involving candles and oil lanterns and how it can set a tone for the scene. Editor Hisashi Sagara does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward with very few stylish cuts in order to play up the intensity of the drama. Production designer Yoshio Muraki does brilliant work with the look of the homes of some of the characters including the Sasahara house with such detail including its sand pits. The sound work of Shigenosuke Okuyama does fantastic work with the sound as it help play into some of the suspense and drama including in some of the sword play and action. The film’s music by Toru Takemitsu is incredible for its usage of traditional string instruments and percussions to add an atmospheric tone to some of the scenes as it is a highlight of the film.
The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from Masao Mishima as a chamberlain, Tatsuo Matsumara as the clan lord Masakata Matsudaira who rules Edo and its province, Etsuko Ichihara as the wet nurse for Ichi and Yogoro’s baby, Tatsuyoshi Ehara as Yogoro’s younger brother Bunzo, Takamaru Sasaki as Yogoro and Bunzo’s mother/Isaburo’s wife Kenmotsu, Isao Yamagata as a relative of Ichi who tries to get her back to the castle, and Shigeru Koyama as the steward Geki Takahashi who starts off as an ally only to side with his master and try to attack Isaburo. Go Kato is excellent as Yogoro as a young samurai who is made head of his family a year after his marriage to Ichi as he copes with the new request to return his wife to the castle as he refuses in hoping to save his family and provide a future for his newborn daughter.
Yoko Tsukasa is fantastic as Ichi as a young woman who is sent to the Sasahara family to marry Yogoro as punishment for her actions towards a clan lord where she feels accepted in her new family only to become a pawn in a lord’s selfish act. Tatsuya Nakadai is brilliant as Tatewaki Asano as a gatekeeper who is Isaburo’s best friend that is a man who is about rules and formalities as he copes with the situation Isaburo was in as he tries to make sense of everything but also maintain his own honor. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in an incredible performance as Isaburo Sasahara as a samurai warrior who finds himself trying to defend his family’s honor after a lord wants his mistress back as Mifune plays a man trying to do what is right for his son and daughter-in-law as well as defy whoever stood in his way as it’s one of Mifune’s finest performances.
Samurai Rebellion is a phenomenal film from Masaki Kobayashi that feature great performances from Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai. It’s a film that explores the world of the samurai as well as a man trying to defend what is right for his family against the cruel and selfish acts of a clan lord. In the end, Samurai Rebellion is a tremendous film from Masaki Kobayashi.
Masaki Kobayashi Films: (Black River) - The Human Condition Trilogy - Harakiri - Kwaidan - (Hymn to a Tired Man) - (The Fossil) - (Tokyo Trial)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Akira Kurosawa and written by Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima, Nora Inu (Stray Dog) is the story of a young detective who goes on a search to find his gun after a pickpocket stole with the help of a veteran detective. The film is a precursor to the buddy-cop film with a mixture of film noir as it relates to two men stumbling into a criminal circuit that involves guns and theft. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Awaji, and Isao Kimura. Nora Inu is a riveting and provocative film from Akira Kurosawa.
Set in a very hot summer in rural areas of Tokyo, the film revolves around a young detective whose Colt pistol had been stolen by a pickpocket where it would be used in a series of shootings prompting him to team up with a veteran detective to find the pickpocket. It’s a film that is a bit of a mystery-suspense film but it’s also a film that is about these two men taking on a case as they’re very different in terms of experience and determination. The film’s script by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima doesn’t just dwell into what is at stake but also a young detective’s folly and his desire for redemption as he felt he screwed things up.
During the course of the investigation, the detectives in Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) and the experienced Sato (Takashi Shimura) go through Tokyo as well as talk to those who might be involved where things become very complicated. The script also showcases a growing sense of immorality in the modern world as those who are connected to the suspect reveal their attempts to be good but are forced to do things to survive in a world that is becoming very cruel. The way the mystery and search for the pickpocket slowly unfolds but the payoff is very fulfilling in terms of its dramatic effect as it relates to those that Murakami and Sato meet and why they’re intrigued to go into the world of crime.
Kurosawa’s direction is quite intriguing for the way he takes this simple story and stretch it out into something that becomes more than it actually is while not losing sight of that simple scenario. Set largely in parts of rural, post-war Tokyo where a lot of the buildings are seen in the stages of being repaired or in ruins. The film has this look and feel of Japan changing into something that is a modern world as there is a key sequence during a baseball game as it plays into that awareness of a modern world that feels vital and vibrant which is in sharp contrast to the rural areas in Tokyo that is struggling to keep up with the changes as it’s something both Murakami and Sato are also dealing with but can adjust to the changes but it’s the growing sense of immorality that is troubling them.
Kurosawa’s approach to wide and medium shots are entrancing as it says a lot into the sense of a world that is changing but also into the look of the rural locations in Tokyo. Kurosawa’s compositions would play into that growing sense of immorality looming over modern, post-war Japan but also in the way it says into the growing conflict within Murakami who feels like he had done something wrong when he had his pistol stolen. Kurosawa’s approach to suspense in the third act where Murakami would finally catch the man who had been using the pistol for the shootings is among one of the key sequences in the film as it is also one of the most chilling. Especially into what is at stake and the hope that Murakami can bring to ordinary people in a world that is very corrupt where Kurosawa’s usage of slanted camera angles and close-ups come into play for that sequence. Overall, Kurosawa creates a compelling yet gripping film about two detectives trying to catch a thief through rural Tokyo.
Cinematographer Asakazu Nakai, with lighting by Choshiro Ishii, does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the usage of natural lights for many of the film‘s daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as some stylish lights and moods for some scenes at night including a key scene set during the rain. Editors Toshio Goto and Yoshi Sugihara do brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of transition wipes as well as some rhythmic cutting that play into some of the film‘s suspenseful moments. Art director So Matsuyama does nice work with the look of the police station that Murakami and Sato work at as well as the places including the home of a suspect. The sound work of Fumio Yanoguchi is superb for not just for the atmosphere that is presented in some of the clubs and in the baseball park but also in the quieter moments in the film that says a lot for its suspense. The film’s music by Fumio Hayasaka is fantastic for its somber orchestral music that plays into the drama while the soundtrack features a lot of the orchestral-pop music of the times.
The film’s wonderful cast include some notable small roles from Minoru Chiaki as a clubhouse director, Ichiro Sugai as a hotel owner, Gen Shimizu as the chief inspector, Eiko Miyoshi as a girl’s mother who learns who her daughter has been hanging around with, and Keiko Awaji in a superb performance as a showgirl named Harumi who knows about the thief where she represents that conflict of morality that looms throughout Japan. Isao Kimura is excellent as the small-time thief known as Yusa who is a key major suspect in not just stealing Murakami’s pistol but also being the one to use it in the mysterious shootings.
Takashi Shimura is phenomenal as Detective Sato as an elderly yet experienced detective who aids Murakami in finding the gun while being this sort of man that can guide Murakami into what it means in being a detective as it is one of Shimura’s definitive roles. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in a remarkable performance as Detective Murakami as this young detective dealing with the humiliation in having his gun stolen while trying to redeem himself in front of his colleagues as it’s a performance of sensitivity and humility that often isn’t seen from Mifune who also brings in a determination into his role while having great rapport with Shimura.
Nora Inu is a marvelous film from Akira Kurosawa that features top-notch performances from his regular actors in Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. The film isn’t just an engaging detective film but also an intriguing study into two men dealing with a changing world set in post-war Tokyo where morals are starting to be pushed aside in favor of survival due to the eerie environments they live in. In the end, Nora Inu is an incredible film from Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa Films: (Sanshiro Sugata) - (The Most Beautiful) - (Sanshiro Sugata Pt. 2) - (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail) - No Regrets for Our Youth - (Those Who Make Tomorrow) - (One Wonderful Sunday) - Drunken Angel - (The Quiet Duel) - Scandal - Rashomon - The Idiot - Ikiru - The Seven Samurai - (I Live in Fear) - Throne of Blood - (The Lower Depths (1957 film)) - The Hidden Fortress - The Bad Sleep Well - Yojimbo - Sanjuro - High and Low - Red Beard - Dodesukaden - Dersu Uzala - Kagemusha - Ran - Dreams (1990 film) - (Rhapsody in August) - (Madadayo)
© thevoid99 2016
Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Hakuchi (The Idiot) is the story of a man who returns from Okinawa following a stint at an asylum where he contends with another man for the affections of a beautiful woman. Directed and edited by Akira Kurosawa and screenplay by Kurosawa and Eijiro Hisaita, the film is an exploration into a man entering modern society following a period of war as he struggles with his new surroundings. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Setsuko Hara, Masayuki Mori, Yoshiko Kuga, Eijiro Yanagi, Chieko Higashiyama, and Takashi Shimura. Hakuchi is a compelling yet flawed film from Akira Kurosawa.
The film revolves a mentally-ill young man with a condition that allows him to say imbecilic things where he falls for a beautiful woman only contend with other men for her affections. It’s a film that plays into a man who exudes a sense of innocence as he is entranced by this woman but also gets the attention of another young woman who is intrigued by him. Even as he would rouse up the emotions of some who are aghast over the things he says as well as his actions though he doesn’t mean to do anything wrong. Yet, part of his strange actions is due to his own illness where he would go into an epileptic fit in case things get intense for him. It would play into a man who finds himself in the middle of something as he is in love with two women but is dealing with the presence of other men.
The film’s screenplay would play into the life of Kinji Kameda (Masayuki Mori) who has just been released from a mental hospital following his service in the war as he copes with his illness and what to do with his life where he would meet another former soldier in Denkichi Akama (Toshiro Mifune) who is also a man of great wealth. Yet, they come across the picture of a beautiful woman named Taeko Nasu (Setsuko Hara) as Akama knows her and wants to marry her. Yet, she is having an affair with another man whom is attached to Ayako (Yoshiko Kuga) whom Kameda is fascinated with. Thus, things become complicated as there is a lot that happens but things get messy and all of these things of who Kameda should be with would make the story meander at times. Yet, there is a reason as it’s really a truncated version where there’s more that is out there in the story but the result would only be a teaser of who some of these people are.
Akira Kurosawa’s direction is very intriguing for the way he captures a simple drama told in the span of an entire season where it’s all about attachments and what people want where this young imbecile is caught in the middle of this drama. Much of it is told in a very intimate manner with a lot of close-ups, medium shots, and some wide-shots for large crowd scenes that includes a birthday party for Taeko where Kameda would tell her a story as it becomes very dramatic. Even as Kurosawa would create these scenes and moments that do play into a sense of longing or anguish that is looming with Kameda either being used as an excuse or the one who precipitated these actions. While there are scenes that are quite long and has elements of suspense and tension in the drama. It’s a film where there is a lot more to be said but there’s elements that keep it from being far more interesting.
Serving as the film’s editor, Kurosawa would create some stylish cuts including some transition wipes but there are elements where the transition wipes become jarring and there’s moments in the film where it meanders in its pacing. With the aid of editor T. Saito, the film which had an original running time of 265 minutes was re-cut by Shochiku studios into a 166-minute running time against Kurosawa’s wishes. As a result, the truncated version not only features a lot of flaws in the story but also raises question into some of the back stories of the characters in the film. Overall, Kurosawa creates a solid yet flawed drama about an idiot who touches the hearts of the people he meets in his life.
Cinematographer Toshio Ubukata does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography as it plays into the snowy look of suburban Tokyo and other places where the lighting is key to scenes set in Akama‘s home. Art director So Matsuyama, with set decorators Genzo Komiya, Shohei Sekine, and Ushitaro Shimada, does fantastic work with the look of the homes that Kameda would live in including the inn run by the family he‘s staying at and the shabby home of Akama. The sound work of Yoshisaburo Imo does nice work with the sound to play to some of the parties and places the characters go to. The film’s music by Fumio Hayasaka is superb for its orchestral-based pieces that play into the drama and some of the light-hearted moments including a couple of classical pieces that are used in the film.
The film’s amazing cast include some notable small roles from Noriko Sengoku as Ayako’s cynical sister Takako, Eijiro Yanagi as the friend of Ayako’s father, Chieko Higashiyama as Ayako’s mother, Minoru Chiaki as Taeko’s lover Kayama who is revealed to be a coward, and Takashi Shimura in a superb performance as Ayako’s father Ono who takes Ameda into his home as he reveals the fortune that Ameda has. Yoshiko Kuga is excellent as Ayako as a young woman who represents the sense of innocence but also realism as someone who has experienced a lot yet has a hard time opening to the goodness that Kameda offers. Setsuko Hara is fantastic as Takeo as this beautiful but troubled woman who is amazed by Kameda’s own kindness and flaws as she becomes tormented and possessive about Kameda as she would quarrel with Ayako over him.
Toshiro Mifune is brilliant as Akama as this man served the war and has acquired some money as he finds himself competing against Kameda over Takeo’s affections yet deals with the anguish over hurting someone who is actually a good person. Finally, there’s Masayuki Mori in a phenomenal performance as Kinji Kameda as this mentally-ill man with a strange ailment who exudes a sense of innocence and strange wisdom as he tries to get people to see things in a different light though he would unknowingly cause trouble as it’s a very mesmerizing performance from Mori.
Hakuchi is a stellar yet flawed film from Akira Kurosawa. Despite amazing performances from Masayuki Mori, Toshiro Mifune, Setsuko Hara, and Yoshiko Kuga, it is a film that has a lot of ideas and themes that play into the goodness of humanity in a troubled post-war setting. Due to the fact that its original 265-minute cut will never see the light of day and the truncated version of this film is the only one that is available. It’s a film that reveals what could’ve been if Kurosawa had complete control as it’s only a glimpse of what he would do to Dostoevsky’s famed novel. In the end, Hakuchi is a terrific but underwhelming film from Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa Films: (Sanshiro Sugata) - (The Most Beautiful) - (Sanshiro Sugata Pt. 2) - (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail) - No Regrets for Our Youth - (Those Who Make Tomorrow) - (One Wonderful Sunday) - Drunken Angel - (The Quiet Duel) - Stray Dog - Scandal - Rashomon - Ikiru - The Seven Samurai - (I Live in Fear) - Throne of Blood - (The Lower Depths (1957 film)) - The Hidden Fortress - The Bad Sleep Well - Yojimbo - Sanjuro - High and Low - Red Beard - Dodesukaden - Dersu Uzala - Kagemusha - Ran - Dreams (1990 film) - (Rhapsody in August) - (Madadayo)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed and edited by Akira Kurosawa and written by Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima, Shubun (Scandal) is the story of a painter’s supposed affair with a famous singer becomes scandal as he tries to fight the press in court where he deals with a lawyer who is forced to play both sides. The film is an exploration of the growing moral decline that is surrounding Japan in the early post-war years as a man tries to fight for his honor with an attorney pulled in two different directions to find justice. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Shirley Yamaguchi, and Noriko Sengoku. Shubun is a compelling and touching film from Akira Kurosawa.
A painter’s encounter with a famous singer prompts a tabloid magazine to make claims that the two are having an affair where the painter sues the magazine for telling lies as he hires a weak-willed lawyer who finds himself being coerced by the magazine’s editor. It’s a film that explores the world of post-war Japan where a painter and a singer find themselves caught in a lie made by a popular tabloid magazine as the painter wanted an apology. When the painter hires this aging lawyer who is known for having a lot of bad luck and has an ailing daughter, things get troubled when the lawyer finds himself being tempted by what the magazine’s editor would offer as a way to kill the lawsuit.
The film’s screenplay explores this growing sense of immorality as the painter only met the singer on a mountain road because she missed her bus and was going into the hotel the two were stating. They had a conversation where a photographer and a journalist would create a story and chaos ensues. Even where this attorney named Hiruta (Takashi Shimura) thinks he can help the artist Ichiro Aoye (Toshiro Mifune) but a meeting with the magazine editor Asai (Shinichi Himori) would create trouble by bribing the already unlucky Hiruta. Once Aoye discovers what kind of man Hiruta is as well as know about Hiruta’s family life which would prompt Aoye to see that Hiruta could do good no matter who severe his life is.
Akira Kurosawa’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions he creates as well as the intimacy he would maintain for much of the dramatic moments in the film. While much of it is shot in Tokyo and areas outside of the city, it plays into something that feels modern where Japan is caught up in the world of celebrity. Kurosawa’s usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into the drama as well as scenes set in the magazine office where the editor and his staff conspire to make money as it plays into this growing sense of immorality in Japan. Also serving as the film’s editor, Kurosawa’s stylish approach to transition wipes and a mesmerizing dissolve montage would play into this sense of cultural change where everyone is up in arms about reading Aoye’s supposed affair with the singer Miyako Saijo (Shirley Yamaguchi). The film’s climax revolves around this trial where it is clear that there is a circus atmosphere that plays into this sense of changing times but there is still a place where the old rules can make a difference as it plays into what Hiruta is dealing with. Overall, Kurosawa creates a fascinating and engaging drama about two men fighting for the truth in a world where morality is lost.
Cinematographer Toshiro Ubukata does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into the growing sense of modernism in Japan as well as some unique lighting schemes for scenes set at night where it has elements of film noir in some of the images. Art director Tatsuo Hamada does fantastic work with the look of the magazine offices as well as the dilapidated place where Hiruta does his work. Costume designer Bunjiro Suzuki does nice work with the costumes from the ragged look of Hiruta to the stylish suits that Asai wears. The sound work of Saburo Omura is terrific to play into the sounds of the city as the quieter moments in Aoye‘s meeting with Saijo at the hotel. The film’s music by Fumio Hayasaka is amazing for its score as it features some somber string-based orchestral music to elements of sweeping themes to play into the drama and sense of modernism in the film.
The film’s superb cast includes some notable small roles from Fumiko Okamura as Saijo’s mother, Masao Shimizu as the trial judge, Bokuzen Hidari as a drunk Aoye and Hiruta meet at a bar, Sugisaku Aoyama as Asai’s lawyer, Noriko Sengoku as Aoye’s assistant/model Sumie, Shinichi Himori as the smug and vile magazine editor Asai, and Yoko Katsuragi in a wonderful performance as Hiruta’s ailing daughter Masako who is dealing with tuberculosis as she looks for her father to do something good. Shirley Yamaguchi is terrific as the famous singer Miyako Saijo who is someone that wants privacy as a simple picture would cause some trouble to her career as she would befriend Aoye and Hiruta’s family. Toshiro Mifune is brilliant as Ichiro Aoye as a painter who finds himself in a scandal as he fights for the truth while coping with his reputation and honor. Finally, there’s Takashi Shimura in a phenomenal performance as Hiruta as a down-on-his-luck attorney who is assigned to help Aoye as he struggles with his own debts where he is coerced by Asai to drop the suit for money as well as his daughter’s illness where he struggles with his own conscious to do what is right.
Shubun is a remarkable film from Akira Kurosawa that features great performances from Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. It’s a film that explores the growing sense of immorality during the early post-war years in Japan in a world driven by tabloids and greed. Especially when two men are forced to fight against this new world order to maintain some decency that is left from the old world. In the end, Shubun is a sensational film from Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa Films: (Sanshiro Sugata) - (The Most Beautiful) - (Sanshiro Sugata Pt. 2) - (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail) - No Regrets for Our Youth - (Those Who Make Tomorrow) - (One Wonderful Sunday) - Drunken Angel - (The Quiet Duel) - Stray Dog - Rashomon - The Idiot (1951 film) - Ikiru - The Seven Samurai - (I Live in Fear) - Throne of Blood - (The Lower Depths (1957 film)) - The Hidden Fortress - The Bad Sleep Well - Yojimbo - Sanjuro - High and Low - Red Beard - Dodesukaden - Dersu Uzala - Kagemusha - Ran - Dreams (1990 film) - (Rhapsody in August) - (Madadayo)
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the stories of Saikaku Ihara, The Life of Oharu is the story of a woman’s struggle to find herself after being a concubine for a territorial lord during the Edo in Japan. Directed by Kenji Mizoguichi and screenplay by Mizoguchi and Yoshikata Yoda. The film explores a woman’s life as she is sold into prostitution by her father as she tries to overcome many obstacles into being defiant against many issues set during a crucial period in Japan’s history. Starring Kinuyo Tanaka, Tsukie Matsuura, Ichiro Sugai, Toshiro Mifune, and Takashi Shimura. The Life of Oharu is an entrancing yet harrowing film from Kenji Mizoguchi.
Told in the span of in the span of many years, the film explores a woman’s tumultuous life as she started off as a woman whose father lived as a samurai working for a respected lord only for her and her parents to be banished. Though things seem to look up as she becomes a lord’s concubine and give birth to his child, the fortunes of Oharu (Kinuyo Tanaka) and her family only go downwards as her father sells her to prostitution to cover his debts. Working at a brothel and then working for a rich couple as a courtesan, Oharu’s life is still troubled despite a few moments in her life that would find her happiness. Yet, she is shamed into a life of cruelty by social classes and the rules of men as she eventually hits bottom. The film is told largely from the perspective of Oharu as it opens with Oharu as an aging prostitute working with a group of aging prostitutes as she’s at a temple reflecting on her life.
The screenplay by Kenji Mizoguchi and Yoshikata Yoda explores the lifestyle of a woman set in 17th Century Japan during its Edo period where women have to play a certain role for men. Yet, it’s a role that is filled with a lot of strict rules and guidelines where falling in love is something a woman who is working under the home of a lord is forbidden to do. It would play to Oharu’s torment as she loses men who want to give her a happy life while she is later banished by a lord’s council for falling for that lord as she and her family receives little compensation.
The cruelty that Oharu would face from her father and other men as well as a rich wife would play to Oharu’s sense of hopelessness. While she would have a few moments of defiance, it would often lead to all sorts of trouble where she endures all these tribulations that lead to her becoming poor and helpless. The third act in the script plays to Oharu finally reaching her bottom as she has endured so much where there would be a glimmer of hope that might actually help her.
Mizoguchi’s direction is very engaging for the way he explores the life of a woman as it is told largely from her perspective as it does sort of begin near the end of the story. Through some interesting compositions filled with some medium shots and a few wide shots, Mizoguchi explores a world where it is dominated by men while women are treated as second-class. While some of the presentation is in the form of a melodrama, there are bits of humor that do play out in the film such as a scene where Oharu exposes a rich wife’s secret after she accused her of having an affair with her husband. Yet, Mizoguchi is more interested in not just exploring the life of this woman and all that she endures but also the system that is preventing her to find happiness. Mizoguchi does play out moments where things seem to go upbeat but always remind the audience that it will only be brief.
By the time the film returns to the temple where Oharu is gazing at statues, it reveals how far this woman has come in all of that cruelty where she gets a chance to find a bit of hope. Yet, there’s compromises that occur for Oharu in the film’s climax where it’s clear that she’s changed a bit in everything she’s been through but the rules haven’t changed. It is in this moment where Mizoguchi employs an act of feminism in the climax though the outcome ends up being far more bleaker than what is expected. Overall, Mizoguchi creates a very fascinating yet haunting film about a woman’s tumultuous life and the cruelty she endures through the unjust system of the times.
Cinematographers Yoshimi Harano and Yoshimi Kono do brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to capture some of the beauty of the Japanese locations in its exteriors while creating some lighting schemes in the interiors to play out some of the film‘s bleak mood. Editor Toshio Goto does excellent work with the editing by using a few stylish dissolves and fade-outs as transitions along with some rhythmic cuts to play out some of the melodrama. Production designer Hiroshi Mizutani does wonderful work with the set pieces from the look of the home of the lords Oharu serves to the brothel she has to work at in the film‘s second act. The film’s music by Ichiro Saito is fantastic as it is filled with some somber yet intricate music to play out Oharu’s journey of despair as the music largely consists of folk instruments and some intense orchestral cuts to create an air of bombast in the drama.
The film’s cast is incredible as it features an amazing collection of actors for the film. In small roles, there’s Takashi Shimura as an old man who helps out the aging prostitutes, Daisuke Kato as a con man at the brothel, Benkei Shiganoya as a brothel owner, Hiroshi Oizumi as a kind brothel manager, Chieko Higashiyama as an old nun, and Jukichi Uno as the fan maker Yakichi who gives Oharu a sense of hope for a brief period. Other notable small roles include Toshiro Mifune as a retainer who courts Oharu early in the film that led to her banishment, Toshiaki Konoe as Lord Matsudaira who falls for Oharu after giving birth to his son, and Hisako Yamane as the lord’s wife who gets rid of Oharu after the birth. Tsukie Matsuura and Ichiro Sugai are excellent as Oharu’s parents with the former as Oharu’s sympathetic mother and the latter as Oharu’s cruel father.
Finally, there’s Kinuyo Tanaka in a riveting performance as Oharu. Tanaka displays a great sense of humility and anguish to a role of a woman who endures all sorts of horrific treatment in the hands of the system towards women as she tries to live her life. Even as she tries to rebel through small means, she is still ridiculed where Tanaka allows her character to unveil as much pain that she endures in the course of her life as it’s a really unforgettable performance.
The Life of Oharu is a tough yet mesmerizing film from Kenji Mizoguchi that features a brilliant Kinuyo Tanaka. The film is definitely a strong piece of feminism that explores a woman trying to deal with the restrictions of her life during a tense period in Japan. It’s also a film that allows audiences to see how much this woman tries to find happiness in her life while dealing with all of the tribulation she faces. In the end, The Life of Oharu is a captivatingly rich film from Kenji Mizoguchi.
Kenji Mizoguchi Films: (Tokyo March) - (The Water Magician) - (Aizo Toge) - (The Downfall of Osen) - Osaka Elegy - (Sisters of the Gion) - (The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums) - The 47 Ronin - (Utamaro and his Five Women) - (The Love of the Actress Sumako) - (Portrait of Madame Yuki) - (Miss Oyu) - (The Lady of Musashino) - Ugetsu - (A Geisha) - Sansho the Bailiff - (The Woman in the Rumor) - The Crucified Lovers - (Princess Yang Kwei-Fei) - (Tales of Taira Clan) - (Street of Shame)
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Akira Kurosawa and written by Kurosawa and Keinosuke Uegusa, Yoidore tenshi (Drunken Angel) is the story about an alcoholic doctor who tries to help a yakuza boss suffering from tuberculosis. The film is an exploration into how a man tries to help a much more troubled individual to find redemption just as his old crime boss is returning to their turf. Starring Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, and Reisaburo Yakamoto. Yoidore tenshi is a harrowing yet engrossing film from Akira Kurosawa.
When someone is in trouble and has no one to go to, there is always someone there to try and help out. In this film, it is about a young yakuza boss who runs a small town near a polluted swamp as he finds himself feeling ill. By going to this local doctor, the boss known as Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune) learns that he is suffering from tuberculosis as he has no idea how to cope with the news as he continues to drink and party against the doctor’s orders. Adding to Matsunaga’s troubles is the return of his old crime boss Okada (Reisaburo Yakamoto) who regains his position as yakuza head while trying to pursue the doctor’s young nurse whom she was once an acquaintance of his. With his illness worsening where Okada would take advantage of that for his own gain, it would allow Matsunaga to try and gain some redemption.
The screenplay by Akira Kurosawa and Keinosuke Uegusa explores a young man succumbing to illness and how he’s unable to cope with it where he goes into a death wish as he believes there’s no hope for him. Yet, the film begins with Matsunaga going to Dr. Sanada (Takashi Shimura) to treat a bullet would he got on his hand after a fight with a rival gang. Dr. Sanada is a very blunt individual who always has something to say whether people like it or not yet he’s also an alcoholic. Despite Dr. Sanada’s urge to drink and living in a nearby slum with a polluted swamp where he could’ve taken a job at prestigious clinic. He is someone that is eager to help out people no matter how impatient or unruly they can be. In Matsunaga, here is someone Dr. Sanada knows that might die and not seem to care about it. At first, the two men don’t seem to need each other but Matsunaga’s illness worsens while Dr. Sanada starts to become increasingly concerned.
While there are elements of film noir in not just its setting but also in some of the dialogue that Kurosawa and Uegusa writes as it features some very crass language where characters call themselves “assholes” and “bitch” to each other. It’s mostly a drama about a man dealing with his own demons and trying to find redemption in the harsh world of crime that he’s been in for years. The film’s third act is about Okada’s return and how he manages to take over this small town that he used to run where the locals shun Matsunaga. Only Dr. Sanada would take him in as he would face off against Okada to protect his nurse while Matsunaga tries to intervene. A face-off between Matsunaga and Okada does eventually happen as it is more about Matsunaga seeking redemption for his wrongdoings.
Kurosawa’s direction is very stylish for the way he presents the film as a lot of it’s nighttime scenes are very eerie while there’s plaintive guitar music playing in the background to establish a landscape that is quite drab and filled with mosquitoes. It’s all part of Kurosawa’s approach to film noir although it’s a much more different film as he maintains some intimacy in his framing and how he places actors into the frame. The direction is also quite satirical in some respects as it is set in post-war Japan where young Japanese are in an area where there’s people living in a state of decadence unaware of some of the dreariness in their environment that includes this polluted swamp. While Matsunaga used to be a man that runs this dreary yet active slum where he can get a drink for free or take a flower. All of that changes once Okada returns where he makes his return by playing the guitar to a song from his past.
The direction also contains that air of death as it does loom in the film since it relates to Matsunaga’s deteriorating condition that includes a chilling dream sequence. It’s definitely a sequence that really plays to the sense of terror that Matsunaga is facing if he doesn’t stray from his self-destructive behavior as it does play into the third act. The confrontation between Matsunaga and Okada is quite elaborate not just in its suspense and action but also what Matsunaga is trying to gain in this eventual fight. Yet, the aftermath is quite somber as it returns to Dr. Sanada and his view of how everything had happened. Overall, Kurosawa creates a truly engaging yet haunting film about redemption and death.
Cinematographer Takeo Ito does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to set a chilling atmosphere for the scenes at night with some lighting schemes by Kinzo Yoshizawa while the daytime interior and exterior scenes are presented in a more natural setting. Editor Akikazu Kono does excellent work with the editing as it‘s very stylized from its use of wipes and dissolves for transitions along with rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s dramatic moments. Production designer Takashi Matsuyama does terrific work with the look of the town from the polluted swamp to the bar that Dr. Sanada and Matsunaga frequent to.
The sound work of Wataru Konuma is wonderful for the atmosphere it creates from the intimate moments at Dr. Sanada‘s home to the bars and dance halls Matsunaga goes to. The film’s music by Ryoichi Hattori and Fumio Hayasaka is amazing for its somber yet lush orchestral music to capture the drama along with the plaintive classical guitar to set the mood along with some upbeat jazz music for the scenes in the dance halls.
The film’s cast is superb as it features some notable small roles from Eitaro Shindo as the bar waitress Takahama, Michiyo Kogure as Matsunaga’s girlfriend Nanae, and Chieko Nakakita as the nurse who assists Dr. Sanada. Reisaburo Yamamoto is excellent as just-released crime boss Okada who decides to take control of the town and take advantage of Matsunaga’s illness. Takashi Shimura is brilliant as Dr. Sanada as a man who is quite helpful to the people around him despite his reputation as an alcoholic as he tries to help out Matsunaga while being very upfront with him about his condition. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in an incredible performance as the yakuza boss Matsunaga as Mifune brings a true sense of power to his role as a man who means business but also a chilling vulnerability over the fact that he’s facing death as it’s definitely a real breakthrough for Mifune early in his career.
Yoidore Tenshi is a marvelous film from Akira Kurosawa that features phenomenal performances from Takashi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune. The film is definitely one of Kurosawa’s early triumphs in the way he explores humanity at its most troubled as well as setting it in a noir presentation. It’s also a film that unveils the beginning one of the great director-actor collaborations in Kurosawa and Mifune where the film serves as a breakthrough for the legendary Japanese actor. In the end, Yoidore Tenshi is a remarkable film from Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa Films: (Sanshiro Sugata) - (The Most Beautiful) - (Sanshiro Sugata Pt. 2) - (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail) - No Regrets for Our Youth - (Those Who Make Tomorrow) - (One Wonderful Sunday) - (The Quiet Duel) - Stray Dog - Scandal (1950 film) - Rashomon - The Idiot (1951 film) - Ikiru - The Seven Samurai - (I Live in Fear) - Throne of Blood - (The Lower Depths (1957 film)) - The Hidden Fortress - The Bad Sleep Well - Yojimbo - Sanjuro - High and Low - Red Beard - Dodesukaden - Dersu Uzala - Kagemusha - Ran - Dreams (1990 film) - (Rhapsody in August) - (Madadayo)
© thevoid99 2013
Based on a collection of short stories by Shugoro Yamamoto as well as Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Insulted and the Injured, Akahige (Red Beard) is the story about a tumultuous relationship between a doctor and his young trainee in the 19th Century. Directed by Akira Kurosawa and screenplay by Kurosawa, Masato Ide, Ryuzo Kikushima, and Hideo Oguni, the film explores the complexity of a man trying to teach a younger man about what it means to be a doctor. Starring Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Kyoko Kagawa, and Takashi Shimura. Akahige is an incredibly rich film from Akira Kurosawa.
In being a doctor, one has to think about the person in need of help instead of thinking for itself. In this film, it is about a young medical student from the city who finds himself working under the tutelage of a clinic director in a small yet poor town. For this young man who arrives as an idealist who had been trained in the best schools, being in a clinic in a poor part of town seems beneath him. Yet, he goes into great lengths into what it takes to be not just a doctor but a man people can count on. Notably in the encounters with death and such that would force this young man to realize what is right while he would make decisions that would be beneficial in the path he takes whether it would be the right one or not.
The film’s screenplay does have a traditional structure of sorts in the way it plays to the evolution of Dr. Noboru Yasumoto (Yuzo Kayama) and his understanding of what it really means to be a doctor. The first act involves his first meeting with the head of this clinic in Dr. Kyojo Niide aka Red Beard (Akira Kurosawa) who is this very compassionate individual who puts his patients first instead of himself as he’s also a bit of an eccentric with who has rules about how he runs the clinic. Dr. Yasumoto’s journey under Red Beard’s tutelage would play for much of the film’s first and second act where Dr. Yasumoto finds himself taking part in a surgery and watch two old men on their deathbeds. While Dr. Yasumoto does struggle with his environment as well as the fact that he’s working in a clinic that is going through budget cuts while many of the patients are very poor.
One key moment in the film’s second act is when Dr. Yasumoto walks into town with Red Beard where examines various people with Dr. Yasumoto’s help where they come across a brothel that included a sick and troubled 12-year old girl named Otoyo (Terumi Niki) who becomes Dr. Yasumoto’s first patient. Through Red Beard’s guidance, Dr. Yasumoto finds himself dealing with this troubled young girl as he has to go into methods that forces him to stray away from what he’s been taught from schools and go directly into the person. It would become a key moment in Dr. Yasumoto’s character development as well as this young girl who starts to become part of this clinic while befriending a young thief. While Dr. Yasumoto is groomed to become an assistant for a more renowned doctor in the city, he finds himself pondering about the decision he’s to make. While the outcome is somewhat predictable, it really more establishes into the kind of person Dr. Yasumoto has become through Red Beard.
Akira Kurosawa’s direction is absolutely engaging in the way he presents life in late 19th Century Japan as it is in a state of transition where things are changing as it involves themes ranging from existentialism, old ideas versus new, and humanism. While Kurosawa puts a lot of these themes into the forefront of his film, he does it with an air of subtlety as he knows that the audience is in for something that will have them go into discussions. Some of it is done with a lot of tenderness not just in the framing where Kurosawa uses the widescreen format to such effect. It’s also shown in small, simple moments such as moments where characters are interacting outside where the doctors and nurses all come together as if they are a family. A bit dysfunctional at times but a family that treats those who are sick with great care. The patients themselves may be those who are poor and neglected but Red Beard always find ways to tend to their needs.
A lot of Kurosawa’s approach to framing is very unique in the way he puts actors in a group shot whether it involves three or four people or a large group. A lot of it is done with some medium shots and close-ups in order to maintain an air of intimacy. There is also an interesting sequence in which a dying patient named Sahachi (Tsutomu Yamazaki) recalls about his past involving the love of his life and how he presumed to have lost her. It is an entrancing sequence that would play to Dr. Yasumoto’s development while there is also a scene that proves that as caring as Red Beard is. He’s also someone who is willing to fight for what is right such as beating up a gang of bandits with his bare hands just to help out this young girl. There are also some stylistic moments in not just Kurosawa’s use of tracking shots but also in his editing as he uses some dissolves, transition wipes, jump-cuts, and fade-outs to help flesh out the story and play out some of its drama. Overall, Kurosawa creates a truly heartfelt and powerful drama about life and helping those in need.
Cinematographers Asakazu Nakai and Takao Saito do brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to capture some of the beauty of the exterior scenes in the winter to more dreary scenes in Sahachi‘s story that includes some entrancing lighting by Hiromitsu Mori that adds an atmosphere to some of the film‘s interiors and nighttime exterior scenes. Art director Yoshiro Muraki does excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the clinic and some of its exteriors as well as the more polished look of Dr. Yasumoto‘s family home. The sound by Shin Watari is fantastic for some of the chilling moments of the film including a scene where Otoyo and the nurses call a boy‘s name through a well. The film’s music by Masaru Sato is just intoxicating for its serene yet somber orchestral score to play up the drama that is happening along with a few moments that are upbeat as it’s really a mesmerizing score.
The film’s cast is just amazing as it features appearances from Takashi Shimura as a medical administrator, Kyoko Kagawa as a troubled woman who is quarantined by Red Beard, Miyuki Kuwano as the head nurse of the clinic, Yoshio Tsuchiya and Tatsuyoshi Ehara as a couple of doctors in the clinic, Reiko Dan as a nurse who is taking care of the quarantined woman, Kamatari Fujiwara as the ailing Rokusuke, Akemi Negishi as Sahachi’s wife Okuni, and Tsutomu Yamazaki as the ailing yet generous local Sahachi. Terumi Niki is wonderful as the troubled 12-year old girl Otoyo as she discovers a world where there is such thing as good in the world.
Yuzo Kayama is marvelous as Dr. Noburo Yasumoto as a young man who arrives as an arrogant man who felt disrespected by going into a clinic only to realize the demands is needed to be a doctor. Finally, there’s Toshiro Mifune in a phenomenal performance in the title role as a man who is filled with great sensitivity and patience to those he helps while guiding Dr. Yasumoto by showing him what takes to be there for those in need as it’s one of Mifune’s finest performances of his career.
Akahige is an outstanding film from Akira Kurosawa that features a tremendous performance from Toshiro Mifune. The film is definitely one of Kurosawa’s exquisite works as well as one of his most enduring dramas that explores a man guiding a younger man into displaying the attributes to be a doctor. It’s a film that showcases the goodness of what humanity can bring despite the cruel circumstances these characters go into as it unveils a side of Kurosawa that isn’t seen much in his films. In the end, Akahige is a touching yet exhilarating film from Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa Films: (Sanshiro Sugata) - (The Most Beautiful) - (Sanshiro Sugata Pt. 2) - (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail) - No Regrets for Our Youth - (Those Who Make Tomorrow) - (One Wonderful Sunday) - Drunken Angel - (The Quiet Duel) - Stray Dog - Scandal (1950 film) - Rashomon - The Idiot (1951 film) - Ikiru - The Seven Samurai - (I Live in Fear) - Throne of Blood - (The Lower Depths (1957 film)) - The Hidden Fortress - The Bad Sleep Well - Yojimbo - Sanjuro - High and Low - Dodesukaden - Dersu Uzala - Kagemusha - Ran - Dreams (1990 film) - (Rhapsody in August) - (Madadayo)
© 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)
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