It would seem impossible that any "samurai" movie could surpass Kurosawa's "Ran," "Kagemusha," or even "Rashomon" in visual impact, masterful storytelling, and moral imperative. However, there is such a film, and it is "Seppuku" ("Harakiri"), produced in 1962, arguably the best samurai movie ever made.
"Harakiri" (1962), as it is known in the West, was directed by one of the post-WWII great filmmakers of Japan, Masaki Kobayashi. This film, considered by many as his masterpiece, won him the International Jury Prize at Cannes in 1965. Unfortunately, Kabayashi is not as well known outside Japan as some other giants of the Japanese cinema. He was very much affected by the war, and his films, contrary to most Japanese filmmakers of the post-war eras, are very political in nature. Kobayashi's films explore the dark side of the Japanese culture, with its wars, corruption, and hypocrisy, and their consequences. His film, "The Thick-Walled Room" (1953), won him the 1956 Peace Culture Prize. His nine-hour trilogy, "The Human Condition" (1959/61), won the International Jury Prize at Cannes 1963, which actually launched his public recognition, presents a scathing critique of the horrors of WWII, experienced first-hand while on the Manchurian front, and later on the Ryukyu Islands. While serving, as a statement of dissent against war, he refused any promotion and remained a private until he was taken prisoner by the U.S. He spent one year in a prison camp before returning to the business of film making, in 1946, until 1952 as an assistant director under Keisuke Kinishita.
In Japan, Seppuku is the formal term for ritual suicide by disembowelment. Harakiri, as it is known in the West, is the common term, which literally means "stomach cutting." It was an integral part of bushido, the code of conduct of the samurai warrior class. Seppuku was ordered by a superior as punishment to redeem some offence, or chosen over a dishonorable death at the hands of an enemy. In both cases, it demonstrated the honor, courage, loyalty, and high moral character of the individual. Except when performed on a battlefield, it was a very formal ceremony, requiring certain etiquette, witnesses and considerable preparation.
Harakiri is a particularly painful and rather messy way of ending one's days. In this ritual, the "performer" opens his abdomen, starting from left to right and then finishing from top toward bottom. But there is so need to be left for hours contemplating one's entrails. Another swordsman acting as a "second," called kaishakunin, is standing by to decapitate the departing at a pre-arranged moment in the ceremony. Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa, who founded Japan's last great shogunate dynasty in 1603, ordered the practice of harakiri to be discontinued by both secondary and primary retainers. Later on, in 1663, a stronger edict from Lord Nobutsuna Matsudaira of Izu, put an end to the practice altogether. By that time, the ritual had become an idle formalism, and the "performer" was decapitated at the instant he took his sword out of the scabbard, thus avoiding a painful death. In some instances, the sword was replaced by a fan.
Hanshiro Tsugomo (Tatsuya Nakadai) comes to the castle of the Iyi Clan to seek revenge for the humiliation and cruel death of his son-in-law, Anjiwa Motome (Akira Ishihama). Kobayashi is a superb storyteller, and in a slow and deliberate rhythm, he develops his story, which could have been taken from the pages of the Iliad or of the Mahabharata. The tension grows, as the Clan members slowly realize that they are in turn being humiliated by this stranger who truly believe in the samurai code of honor: he must be terminated to prevent him to broadcast his truth.
The final duel with the master swordsmen of the Clan, Hikukuro Omodaka, on the Plains of Gojin-in, is like a meditation, a ballet of death. The film ends in a spectacular combat, and the coup de grace to Hanshiro Tsugomo's seppuku is fittingly not applied by a gallant swordsman, but a cowardly platoon of muskets. Even to the end, the samurai honor code has been violated by the Clan.
As Toshiro Mifune has long been associated with the success of Kurosawa's films, so are Kogayashi's films enhanced by the brilliant interpretation of Tatsuya Nakadai (also staring in the leading roles in Kurosawa's "Kagemusha",and "Ran"). This outstanding actor contributed further to the success of this director's films, "Kwaidan" and the "Samurai Rebellion." The screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto is based on a novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi The cinematography, by Yoshio Miyajima, in black and white, is gorgeous. Many on the shots are "haiku-like" in the imagery. The musical score, written for an ensemble of ancient instruments and percussion by the renowned classical composer Toru Takemitsu, is used sparingly throughout the film, reinforcing the dramatic moments.
Masaki Kobayashi's film is an indictment of the hypocrisy of the establishment, any establishment, would it be in feudal 17th Century Japan or in any other time. Dogma, on which the establishment's authority rests, is evil. The established, codified order, with all its smoke and mirrors, must be preserved at all costs, and nothing must be allowed to come in its way. It is the duty of each member of any government, organization, church, or brotherhood not to spare any effort and to go to any length to protect the appearances and status quo, to achieve this essential goal of survival. The end justifies the means, and no lie or deceit can be eliminated if this survival is at stake.
Although taking place almost five centuries ago during the Tokugawa Shogunate, this film is also a strong denunciation of the entrenched cultural legacy of coercive rituals, blind obedience, and chauvinism that resulted in the tragedy of the Pacific War.
The outstanding screenplay, the superb acting, the cinematography and editing makes "Harakiri" the best samurai film ever.
"Harakiri" (1962), as it is known in the West, was directed by one of the post-WWII great filmmakers of Japan, Masaki Kobayashi. This film, considered by many as his masterpiece, won him the International Jury Prize at Cannes in 1965. Unfortunately, Kabayashi is not as well known outside Japan as some other giants of the Japanese cinema. He was very much affected by the war, and his films, contrary to most Japanese filmmakers of the post-war eras, are very political in nature. Kobayashi's films explore the dark side of the Japanese culture, with its wars, corruption, and hypocrisy, and their consequences. His film, "The Thick-Walled Room" (1953), won him the 1956 Peace Culture Prize. His nine-hour trilogy, "The Human Condition" (1959/61), won the International Jury Prize at Cannes 1963, which actually launched his public recognition, presents a scathing critique of the horrors of WWII, experienced first-hand while on the Manchurian front, and later on the Ryukyu Islands. While serving, as a statement of dissent against war, he refused any promotion and remained a private until he was taken prisoner by the U.S. He spent one year in a prison camp before returning to the business of film making, in 1946, until 1952 as an assistant director under Keisuke Kinishita.
In Japan, Seppuku is the formal term for ritual suicide by disembowelment. Harakiri, as it is known in the West, is the common term, which literally means "stomach cutting." It was an integral part of bushido, the code of conduct of the samurai warrior class. Seppuku was ordered by a superior as punishment to redeem some offence, or chosen over a dishonorable death at the hands of an enemy. In both cases, it demonstrated the honor, courage, loyalty, and high moral character of the individual. Except when performed on a battlefield, it was a very formal ceremony, requiring certain etiquette, witnesses and considerable preparation.
Harakiri is a particularly painful and rather messy way of ending one's days. In this ritual, the "performer" opens his abdomen, starting from left to right and then finishing from top toward bottom. But there is so need to be left for hours contemplating one's entrails. Another swordsman acting as a "second," called kaishakunin, is standing by to decapitate the departing at a pre-arranged moment in the ceremony. Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa, who founded Japan's last great shogunate dynasty in 1603, ordered the practice of harakiri to be discontinued by both secondary and primary retainers. Later on, in 1663, a stronger edict from Lord Nobutsuna Matsudaira of Izu, put an end to the practice altogether. By that time, the ritual had become an idle formalism, and the "performer" was decapitated at the instant he took his sword out of the scabbard, thus avoiding a painful death. In some instances, the sword was replaced by a fan.
Hanshiro Tsugomo (Tatsuya Nakadai) comes to the castle of the Iyi Clan to seek revenge for the humiliation and cruel death of his son-in-law, Anjiwa Motome (Akira Ishihama). Kobayashi is a superb storyteller, and in a slow and deliberate rhythm, he develops his story, which could have been taken from the pages of the Iliad or of the Mahabharata. The tension grows, as the Clan members slowly realize that they are in turn being humiliated by this stranger who truly believe in the samurai code of honor: he must be terminated to prevent him to broadcast his truth.
The final duel with the master swordsmen of the Clan, Hikukuro Omodaka, on the Plains of Gojin-in, is like a meditation, a ballet of death. The film ends in a spectacular combat, and the coup de grace to Hanshiro Tsugomo's seppuku is fittingly not applied by a gallant swordsman, but a cowardly platoon of muskets. Even to the end, the samurai honor code has been violated by the Clan.
As Toshiro Mifune has long been associated with the success of Kurosawa's films, so are Kogayashi's films enhanced by the brilliant interpretation of Tatsuya Nakadai (also staring in the leading roles in Kurosawa's "Kagemusha",and "Ran"). This outstanding actor contributed further to the success of this director's films, "Kwaidan" and the "Samurai Rebellion." The screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto is based on a novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi The cinematography, by Yoshio Miyajima, in black and white, is gorgeous. Many on the shots are "haiku-like" in the imagery. The musical score, written for an ensemble of ancient instruments and percussion by the renowned classical composer Toru Takemitsu, is used sparingly throughout the film, reinforcing the dramatic moments.
Masaki Kobayashi's film is an indictment of the hypocrisy of the establishment, any establishment, would it be in feudal 17th Century Japan or in any other time. Dogma, on which the establishment's authority rests, is evil. The established, codified order, with all its smoke and mirrors, must be preserved at all costs, and nothing must be allowed to come in its way. It is the duty of each member of any government, organization, church, or brotherhood not to spare any effort and to go to any length to protect the appearances and status quo, to achieve this essential goal of survival. The end justifies the means, and no lie or deceit can be eliminated if this survival is at stake.
Although taking place almost five centuries ago during the Tokugawa Shogunate, this film is also a strong denunciation of the entrenched cultural legacy of coercive rituals, blind obedience, and chauvinism that resulted in the tragedy of the Pacific War.
The outstanding screenplay, the superb acting, the cinematography and editing makes "Harakiri" the best samurai film ever.