While some so-called classics leave me cold, "Harakiri" (as it's known in the USA) really fires my imagination. This is a rare movie - the kind that I just can't stop recommending to people.
Much of the film's appeal is based on surprising narrative twists, so I'm reluctant to delve too deeply into the plot here. But the basic setup is as follows - Japan has entered a time of peace, and consequently many samurai are unemployed and suffering in extreme poverty. Some samurai develop a ploy of threatening to commit suicide, but only so they can get sympathetic handouts of food and money from rich families. The film explores what happens when that ploy backfires in a very serious way.
Director Masaki Kobayashi paces the film very slowly - by comparison, many Kurosawa and even Ozu films are breezy, and of course contemporary American films move approximately 800x faster. However, I am never really bored while watching "Harakiri"; the film slowly builds toward a (very rewarding) climax, while filling in the characters' compelling backstories. In short, this movie requires - but pays back - patience. Stick with it, and you'll be rewarded with interesting revelations and even some exciting (and surprisingly violent) fight scenes.
Due to its unusual blend of action, emotion and social commentary, "Harakiri" has shot right up my list of favorite films. I'm tempted to describe it as a Tarantino-style film, only with more of a conscience and a sophisticated worldview. But I suppose that any such comparisons between "Harakiri" and American movies must be broad and a little crude. Kobayashi's film stands on its own, of course, and is well worth seeking out for any cinema fan.
Much of the film's appeal is based on surprising narrative twists, so I'm reluctant to delve too deeply into the plot here. But the basic setup is as follows - Japan has entered a time of peace, and consequently many samurai are unemployed and suffering in extreme poverty. Some samurai develop a ploy of threatening to commit suicide, but only so they can get sympathetic handouts of food and money from rich families. The film explores what happens when that ploy backfires in a very serious way.
Director Masaki Kobayashi paces the film very slowly - by comparison, many Kurosawa and even Ozu films are breezy, and of course contemporary American films move approximately 800x faster. However, I am never really bored while watching "Harakiri"; the film slowly builds toward a (very rewarding) climax, while filling in the characters' compelling backstories. In short, this movie requires - but pays back - patience. Stick with it, and you'll be rewarded with interesting revelations and even some exciting (and surprisingly violent) fight scenes.
Due to its unusual blend of action, emotion and social commentary, "Harakiri" has shot right up my list of favorite films. I'm tempted to describe it as a Tarantino-style film, only with more of a conscience and a sophisticated worldview. But I suppose that any such comparisons between "Harakiri" and American movies must be broad and a little crude. Kobayashi's film stands on its own, of course, and is well worth seeking out for any cinema fan.