Upon first viewing, this classic B&W film directed by Masaki Kobayashi has instantly leapt onto my "50 Favorites" list.
The title, of course, refers to the Japanese practice of "ritual suicide by disembowelment." It came about as part of bushido, the honor code of the samurai warrior class. By the 17th century, peace had come to Japan and warriors were no longer needed. Thousands of them became masterless ronin as the samurai system collapsed. This story describes the tale of one such ronin, who comes to the residence of a local lord to ask permission to commit harakiri in the estate's courtyard.
There's a story within the story, a bit of mystery and some wonderful swordplay in the course of the film. One scene is particularly impressive - a duel fought beyond a graveyard on a windswept hillock that beats any Western showdown I've ever seen. Some might complain that the pacing is slow, but I found it to be absolutely perfect. Pregnant pauses and lingering shots create an atmosphere far better than any score could. Silence builds tension and adds to the suspense.
The final reckoning is a bit over-choreographed, and there are some lighting errors regarding shadows if one wants to pick nits. On the whole, however, this is yet another testament to the greatness of Japanese film-making as well as the universality of themes like duty, honor, compassion and resolve. When folks say, "They don't make movies like they used to," this is the "used to" they are referring to.
This is the only film I've seen that is actually perfect. There's no bullshit. No fluff. You're engaged within minutes and will be for the next two and a half hours.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 24
ozgungenc
Masterpiece. A film without a single flaw.Buksemannen
Brilliant movie. Especially the last third. Everything that happens in this movie unexpected.johnnyg
This is really an anti-samurai samurai film. Maybe that's why I like it so much.ReVision
Truly amazing movie, i was really drawn into it. and loved the way the story unfolded into an great end.satyrvs
"(...) The suspicious mind conjures its own demons. (...)"Tiago Costa
Upon first viewing, this classic B&W film directed by Masaki Kobayashi has instantly leapt onto my "50 Favorites" list.The title, of course, refers to the Japanese practice of "ritual suicide by disembowelment." It came about as part of bushido, the honor code of the samurai warrior class. By the 17th century, peace had come to Japan and warriors were no longer needed. Thousands of them became masterless ronin as the samurai system collapsed. This story describes the tale of one such ronin, who comes to the residence of a local lord to ask permission to commit harakiri in the estate's courtyard.
There's a story within the story, a bit of mystery and some wonderful swordplay in the course of the film. One scene is particularly impressive - a duel fought beyond a graveyard on a windswept hillock that beats any Western showdown I've ever seen. Some might complain that the pacing is slow, but I found it to be absolutely perfect. Pregnant pauses and lingering shots create an atmosphere far better than any score could. Silence builds tension and adds to the suspense.
The final reckoning is a bit over-choreographed, and there are some lighting errors regarding shadows if one wants to pick nits. On the whole, however, this is yet another testament to the greatness of Japanese film-making as well as the universality of themes like duty, honor, compassion and resolve. When folks say, "They don't make movies like they used to," this is the "used to" they are referring to.
chestrockwell
This is the only film I've seen that is actually perfect. There's no bullshit. No fluff. You're engaged within minutes and will be for the next two and a half hours.camilocabrera22
One of the greatest japanese movies I've ever seen in my life.seventhsamurai54
There's a good reason why this film is the number 1 favorite - Fantastic :)OMERFT
This is how you make a film.Excellent story & Unique quality.I do not think it is easy to find a film like this nowadays.dchauvin
Beautiful and intense, I did however think the ineptitude of the bad guys' swordsmanship in the final scene served to discredit the film slightly..Torgo
Finally, this visual and directorial masterpiece has its entry in the IMDb Top 250. :)johnnyg
Definitely my favorite Japanese film so farsushantv10
a must watch . . . just amazing .BigDaddy616
Decent from any point of view.Showing items 1 – 15 of 24