Samurai films. Iconic paintings and underrated masterpieces

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Historical films ("jidai geki") and historical films with an abundance of sword fights ("chanbara") have established traditions established by renowned directors Hiroshi Inagaki, Daisuke Ito, Akira Kurosawa and Masahiro Makino.

Genre transformation

But over time, samurai films have evolved, arguments about military duty, devotion to the code of honor have been replaced by a more spectacular and vivid spectacle with an accelerated pace of the story. The influence of the Western film industry is reflected in the new sub-genre "gendai geki". The demonstrated flexibility did not allow the samurai ribbons to sink into oblivion, covered with archival dust. Having undergone significant changes, modern samurai cinema has become more dynamic, tough, rather cynical and even erotic.

Works of the great master

Often one of the most significant figures among the directors who shot samurai films is Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese film director, screenwriter and producer who has created 30 films throughout his creative career. His influence on the canons of samurai paintings,professionalism is undeniable. Recall only costume-historical paintings "Rashomon" (1950), "Bodyguard" (1961), "Seven Samurai" (1954), "Brave Samurai". Among the latest works of the master are spectacular and at the same time deep samurai epics, for example, "Shadow of a Warrior".

National Japanese product

Listing the best samurai films, one cannot help but recall the work of Shozo Makino "Chushingura: A True Story" (1928). The director for the first time told the world the story of the famous faithful 47 ronin. The authentic Japanese lore was later turned by Hollywood into the teen fairy tale 47 Ronin (2014). In Carl Rinsch's project, entertainment instead of morality, special effects instead of honor, and ghosts instead of people.

Among the cult samurai movies are Hiroshi Inagaki's "Samurai: The Way of the Warrior" (1954) and "A Tale of the Brutality of Bushido" directed by Tadashi Imai in 1963.

Cool funky rock and roll movie

In the history of cinematography, there are a lot of curious and artistically valuable paintings that are not known to a wide audience or frankly underestimated. For example, the Japanese adventure thriller with elements of the comedy "Samurai Story", the film has a second translation of the title - "Samurai Fiction". The Japanese project was directed in 1998 by Hiroyuki Nakano, who also acted as a co-writer of the script. The feature film was the debut for the director, who previously created music videos, documentaries and television series. Picture rating IMDb: 7.30. It was supposed to be called "The Last Samurai", but this name was already taken, and the author did not want to repeat himself. The events in the movie take place in ancient Japan, during the Tokugawa shogunate. The key character is the young and hot Heishiro Inukai, the son of the clan's adviser. One day, the criminal Rannosuke Kazamatsuri encroaches on one of the relics of the clan - the sword, which more than 80 years ago was transferred to the head by the Tokugawa shogun himself. Enlisting the support of two friends, against the will of his father, Heishiro goes in search of a lost artifact. Worried about the fate of the offspring, the father sends two of the best fighters of the clan after them.

On genre edges

Many fans of samurai cinema will definitely enjoy the work of director Yojiro Takita "The Last Sword of the Samurai" / "Samurai Sword". The film was released in 2002 and has an IMDb rating of 7.60. The events of the tape develop in the middle of the 19th century, at a time when the power of the shoguns began to weaken. In the center of the story is the garrison of the defenders of Kyoto, who were faced with the choice of either going over to the side of the rebels and saving their lives, or dying without tarnishing their honor. The confrontation begins between the former teacher Yoshimura and his opponent - the noble samurai Saito. This structure is considered traditional for samurai films.

The project is a sophisticated and at the same time honest and naive spectacle. Scenes of fights with swords are not accelerated, ropes and other technical devices are not used. Characters fight less spectacularly thanhow effective. The blood looks extremely authentic - thick and dark. The operator is not fond of postcard plans, filming everything as it is. The director boldly balances on genre edges, dramatic episodes alternate with funny comic inserts, tough battle scenes - with melodramatic ones.

Samurai cuisine

Film directed by Yuzo Asahara “The Tale of Samurai Cuisine. The story of true love (2013) with an IMDb rating: 6.80 is fundamentally different from the genre paintings presented above. The main character of the tape, the beautiful Oharu, has a natural culinary talent. Thanks to this, she becomes the wife of the arrogant samurai Yasunobu, heir to the Funaki family. Despite the fact that the whole family pleases the culinary delights of the rulers, Yasunobu does not know how to cook at all. Bringing to life the idea of the mother-in-law, Oharu gradually instills in her husband the basics of the art of cooking. The work of Yuzo Asahara is a real gift for connoisseurs of the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. The picture is a chronicle of family life, which fits the thorny path of heroes from strangers to loving spouses, a close-knit team that has withstood difficulties, passed through the thorns of quarrels, reproaches and insults.

This picture is difficult to compare with the usual samurai films. For fans of battles and action scenes, it would be more prudent to recommend watching the film "Twilight Samurai", "Harakiri", "The Last Samurai" and "Zatoichi".