A History of Japanese Samurai Cinema
It was a huge inspiration for many boys loving action movies, play-fighting and mimicking the out-of-sync dialogue or reciting the powerfully cool quips the characters had to say against their adversaries.
Today we’ll be talking about…
JAPANESE SAMURAI CINEMA AND ITS PROGESSION OVER THE DECADES
But only the authentic Japanese ones. The REAL ones. The ones who set up everything.
For the purpose of this video, we’ll ONLY be looking at ones made in Japan with all Japanese cast and crew – since its beginnings and focusing on just one or two per decade.
Sure, we’re gonna miss a helluva lot, but hey, we’re just gonna go that way.
So let’s get started with some historical context.
Japanese theatre was the staple of public entertainment since 1603. It was called: Kabuki.
This way of theatre, like of any other country’s heritage, relayed folk-tales, and others that can be observed by the 7 basic plots – Overcoming the Monster; Rags to Riches; The Quest; Voyage and Return; Rebirth; Comedy; Tragedy. Commonly known as Chanbara meaning “sword fighting” films, it was a subgenre of Jidaigeki, or period drama, usually set in the times of feudal Japan.
1925’s Orochi (aka The Serpent)
Silent but awesome, it has narration!
Arguably one of the first samurai movies produced, Orochi is a tragedy set in the 1700’s of feudal Japan
around protagonist Heisaburo Kuritomi – a low-class samurai, whose life is turned upside down by a series of false accusations and devious plots by the people he encounters.
Director Buntaro Futagawa would take Rokuhei Susukita’s screenplay and again employ the longstanding relationship of actor Tsumasaburo Bando, whom at the time was at one of the heights of his career, widely popular with both audiences and critics alike. Orochi would become Bando’s most loved film by audiences in his transition from silent film to talkies. As the traditional Kabuki theatre style was prevalent of the time, Orochi used more action-based swordplay which would contrast the much more theatrical and slower movements of theatre.
Originally named “The Outlaw”, Japanese censorship found the term to be glorifying criminality and considered the societal repercussions to possibly become dangerous in a very conservative country, thus the production renamed it to “The Serpent” in relation to the movements and somewhat wiley nature of protagonist Kuritomi.
The honourable yet futile climax to the story, along with a call-back to the very first scene’s narration is sombre and reminiscent of many other tragedies in storytelling history, one I do adore in filmmaking, however there is a certain precision needed for this technique to work without being on-the-nose, something Orochi successfully achieves.
Humanity and Paper Balloons (1937)
12 years after Orochi, Humanity and Paper Balloons was Sadao Yamanaka’s final film before his untimely death at just 28. There’s a clear upgrade to the film stock used, with slight blooms in the lighting and cinematography.
Although centering around a singular samurai protagonist, it also has sub plots for the other civilian characters as they navigate through their simple lives during the 18th century in Edo, current day Tokyo.
Whilst there isn’t any sword-fighting scenes, the storytelling led a more character-based tale of the hardships of the era, again touching on the difficulties for Ronin or masterless samurai. There’s a clear tone in the film that inspired the coming decades of samurai movies to not only be hack and slash, but explore the human condition. There’s also a line that may have been some inspiration to another movie that would come some 25 years later in the form of Masaki Kobayashi’s Harakiri.
Not only is Humanity and Paper Balloons a noteworthy entry, some have even gone on to declare it one of the greatest films of all time.
There is though a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it set blooper of an electrical box mildly exploding from all the fake rain.
The 47 Ronin (1941)
Ther’ve been 11 movies made so far of the infamous true story of the 47 ronin or Chushingura, whom after their Lord is forced to commit suicide after a shameful incident, they bide their time and go on a quest to avenge his death. Whilst they achieve their goal, the act in itself meant that they would all choose their respective demise – ritual suicide.
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, the film was adapted from a Kabuki play by Seika Mayama. Mizoguchi was original employed to make wartime propaganda movies for the government who wanted this to be a ferocious morale booster, however he chose a softer angle as the play had. It was commercial bomb as it was released just one week before the Pearl Harbour attack, audiences found it to be too serious. Whilst lacking in its original popularity, a Part 2 was put into production and released a year later to wider appreciation. Part 1 ran at 112 minutes, whilst part 2 at 111, bringing the total runtime of the combined two to 223 minutes or 3 and 3/4 hours.
Rashomon (1950)
15 years after renowned writer and director Akira Kurosawa began his film career as an assistant, he brought a new direction of storytelling to the screen. Descending from a samurai family himself, he would write and direct many samurai films, even though the new American censorship would sometimes ban his works due to the post-war nature of the time claiming some were too “feudal”. His bold style was influenced by American cinema but was uniquely distinct and his own.
Rashomon was written in collaboration with Shinobu Hashimoto – it being his first ever produced screenplay. The success of the film would instil a deep and ongoing working relationship with Kurosawa in years to come.
It is a crime thriller based around the recounting tellings of the 4 main characters of a rape and murder, each told from a different point of view which would at times vastly contradict with each others. The style and concept was new, although based on Ryunosuke Akutagawa‘s short story “In a Grove”.
With its emphasis on the subjectivity of truth’s different perspectives, some have taken the meaning to compare to Japan’s defeat from WW2, something Kurosawa would subtly allude to in other works. Rashomon would inspire countless western cinema such as “Courage Under Fire”, “Vantage Point” and even an episode of TV’s sitcom Frasier.
Seven Samurai (1954)
Another of Kurosawa’s masterpieces, again teaming up with writer Shinobu Hashimoto and collaboration with famed actor Toshiro Mifune, Seven Samurai is objectively one the greatest films in cinema history.
When a veteran samurai is hired by a poor village to protect it from raiding bandits, the trope of “putting a team together” was born, where countless other movies have employed this theme in storytelling.
Kurosawa’s ongoing exploration of the hardships and hypocrisy of the samurai way is presented beautifully and the effectively meaningless it held in an evolving society.
@3:20:40 Kyuzo’s death – A poignant moment signifying the eventual death of the samurai way by technologies that would see the sword become redundant, one final act of defiance against the emerging ways, elite swordsman Kyuzo throws his sword at the enemy and the system itself. It may be the most significant and lonely deaths of the film, before brave and brash Kikuchiyo meets his own.
Kurosawa’s other works would go on to also inspire many more films such as Star Wars (The Hidden Fortress) and A Fist Full of Dollars (Yojimbo and Sanjuro), though film The Throne of Blood of 1958 was inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
The 1960’s
Following on from Yojimbo and Sanjuro, which were also ripped off and turned into turned Westerns as with Seven Samurai, came the Samurai Trilogy with folk hero Miyamoto Musashi (played by Toshiro Mifune), the 60’s would also begin a series of movies based on the adventures of a fictional blind swordsman named Zatoichi starring Shintaro Katsu in the lead role. The character was created by novelist Kan Shimozawa
In fact, a total of 26 films would be produced of Zatoichi between 1962 and 1989 where in 1990 a US remake was produced called “Blind Fury” with Rutger Hauer. Admittedly, it’s actually a pretty awesome movie.
Where Kurosawa would have just two notable samurai movies of the decade in 62 with Yojimbo and Sanjuro, Masaki Kobayashi would direct the critically acclaimed Harakiri. It is a tragedy that revolves around an older samurai who sets out to avenge his family against a hypocritical Lord. The story is presented upon his arrival to the Lord through a series of flashback sequences, each sympathetically and heartbreakingly told through his eyes. The screenplay was again written by Shinobu Hashimoto (Kurosawa’s guy) and the stunning and innovative cinematography stylings by Yoshio Miyajima.
It’s another master class in cinema and in my opinion, one of the greatest movies ever made. In later years, it would also be remade in 2011 by director Takashi Miike as “Harakiri: Death of a Samurai” or the Kanji title “Ichimei”
The 1970’s
With the exploitation films of American cinema of the 70s, Japan would produce another series of movies around a single travelling samurai and his son, called “Lone Wolf and Cub”. Six films were made with highly stylized graphic violence, themes of protecting others and granting bloody vengeance on those who decided to cross the wrong dude. Whilst other colour movies had obviously been made before the 70s in samurai cinema, Lone Wolf and Cub would embrace it with its film stocks and used other technical elements of filmmaking by the likes of Hong Kong Kung Fu films and American B movies. In 1980, a US-Japan co-production of Lone Wolf and Cub, under the title “Shogun Assassin”
Side note, another re-telling of the 47 Ronin was produced with Kinji Fukasaku‘s “The Fall of Ako Castle”
The 1980’s
Keeping to his epic style and not bowing to the exploitational type of movies, Kurosawa would make two more masterpieces in both 1980 and 1985 with “Kagemusha” and “Ran” respectively.
Kagemusha (or literally translated as Shadow Warrior) meaning a political decoy, starred Tatsuya Nakadai of previous famed movies like Harakiri, in the lead role of a lower-class criminal whom with an uncanny resemblance to the dying Lord Takeda Shingen, is employed as the decoy.
It would win the Palme d’Or at Cannes and also be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the same year. Japanese film magazine Kinema Junpo voted it as number 59 of The Greatest Japanese Films of All Time.
1985
1985’s “Ran” by Kurosawa is a Japanese version of another of Shakespeare’s plays: “King Lear”. It would go on to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design, plus in other areas win another 25 and 15 more nominations.
As the 80s were coming to a close, so would the dynasty of the Zatoichi series with “Zatoichi: Darkness In His Ally”. Having been played by Shintaro Katsu all throughout, for his final curtain call on the titular character, he would become an auteur – writing, directing, producing and starring. This was the second and final time he would direct Zatoichi.
The 1990’s
Heaven and Earth released in 1990, directed by Haruki Kadogawa, was the most expensively budgeted Japanese movie of the time with $40million. It had a huge ticket pre-sale before release, having one of the largest openings in Japan at the time. It would essentially make double its investment over time, though gaining only a small portion upon its grossing in the United States.
Yet another 47 Ronin movie was produced in 1994, directed by Kon Ichikawa, it would win several acclaimed awards including from the Japanese Academy, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Supporting Actor. Its nominations would cover all the remaining higher categories.
In 1999, Kurosawa’s last screenplay After The Rain was produced after his death in 1998 and directed by his former assistant director of 28 years Takashi Koizumi. Later in 2001, After The Rain would win a slew of awards, claiming all the top tiers from the Japanese Academy.
The 2000’s
Nominated for the best foreign film Oscar, 2002 would see the first of three of Yoji Yamada‘s samurai films of the decade with The Twilight Samurai. Starring the versatile Hiroyuki Sanada and set in the mid-19th Century just before Japan’s Meiji Restoration, it follows a low-ranking samurai whom like in other tales, is caught up in a series of unfortunate events that make his uneasy life just that more stressful. It’s touching and profound during a time when the age of the samurai was truly on its last legs. The Japanese Film Academy would see it winning a huge 12 awards in total, all the top tier including – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay.
Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)
I want to talk briefly about Controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike’s “Sukiyaki Western Django”. A film many may have not heard of but is rather close to my heart.
After originally watching a short clip and the trailer, I was super excited to see it. Knowing that Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo Del Toro and Eli Roth spoke so highly of its director Takashi Miike was just about enough of a reason in itself to cast my attention.
Set in an age where history and modern times meld seamlessly into one with technology and dress sense in a similar style to what Wild Wild West did with their steam-punk aesthetic, Sukiyaki Western Django revolves around the spaghetti western tale of a newly stylized version of A Fistful Of Dollars.
In what almost seems like, in my opinion, a spit in the face to Sergio Leone, director Takashi Miike takes back ownership for Japan this great story that originally stemmed from Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece Yojimbo
I love the fact that Miike has taken Leones version and flipped it on its head, giving the film more meaning and camaraderie it deserves.
The only qualms I have for this film is that it is entirely in English, although with all Japanese actors. Quentin Tarantino HAS to have been involved creatively, even though never credited. So much of the film seems his style, especially the temptress dance by Yoshino Kimura which screams Selma Hayak in From Dusk Til Dawn (or was that in the Rodriguez half ;D). I loved the idea of Tarantino playing a cameo, though he takes his character way over the top and is kinda weird.
That aside, it is a true standout of the modern samurai-western genre.
The 2010’s
Finally we come to the 2010s.
Miieke would have two more notable films of the decade with a remake of 1963’s 13 Assassins in 2010 and the Harakiri remake in 2011 from 1962. Not only does he do justice to both films in the storytelling, but the upgraded technology make them an absolute pleasure to visually feast on. For this reason, with 13 Assassins, western audiences ate it up and compared it favourably to some of Kurosawa’s works – in my opinion the highest praise one could receive for filmmaking.
WOW! You made it this far! Well done you!
Here’s a BONUS for you and your amazingness of patience!
Rurouni Kenshin (2012-2014)
The widely popular manga comic series Rurouni Kenshin received a trilogy of live-action movies starting with the title film in 2012, followed up in 2014 with “Kyoto Inferno” and “The Legend Ends”.
All three being written and directed by Keishi Otomo, the first would gross over $36million domestically and more than $60million worldwide proving just how high the popularity could reach for the manga adaptation.
So these were just some of the hundreds if not thousands of samurai movies made in Japan and how they progressed over the years. From the silent era, to character based societal stories, through to epic historical battles, serialised exploitation and a resurgence of a more genuine appreciation from the genres origins.
These movies will always be held in high regard for me, their notions of the faded class-system and its hypocrisy, with rich characters and their heartfelt journeys throughout.
I hope this video has inspired you to take a look at other samurai films that I didn’t get to mention, along with the ones I have.
Until next time.
Written by Lukas Strautins.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orochi_(film)
7 Basic Plots: https://www.autocrit.com/blog/7-stories-world/
“Putting a team together” Putting the Team Together SUPERCUT
Orochi IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0016185/
YouTube: Orochi 雄呂血 (1925) Buntaro Futagawa 二川文太郎 with English subtitles
Director Buntaro Futagawa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buntar%C5%8D_Futagawa
Extra footage: WatchMojo: Top 10 Samurai Movies
Japan – A New Wave: http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Japan-A-NEW-WAVE.html
5 Things You May Not Know About Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Seven Samurai’:
https://www.indiewire.com/2012/04/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-akira-kurosawas-seven-samurai-111325/
Top 10 Worst Ninja Movies – WatchMojo
Top 10 Worst Ninja Movies
Blind Fury Trailer: Blind Fury ≣ 1989 ≣ Trailer
Harakiri: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakiri_(1962_film)
Ichimei: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hara-Kiri:_Death_of_a_Samurai
Heaven and Earth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_and_Earth_(1990_film)
Sprocket review Sukiyaki Western Django: http://www.sprocketfilms.com.au/wordpress/movie-review-sukiyaki-western-django/
Nancy Sinatra – Bang Bang Nancy Sinatra – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Kabuki Theatre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc
The Samurai Trilogy trailer: Samurai I – Musashi Miyamoto (1954) theatrical trailer
Rashomon Trailer: Rashômon (1950) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]The 47 Ronin Footage: The Loyalty of Kenji Mizoguchi’s 47 RONIN (1941)
Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman | Trailer: Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman | Trailer | Pre-Order Now
Shogun Assassin Trailer: SHOGUN ASSASSIN HD Trailer
The Fall of Ako Castle footage: The Fall of Ako Castle
Kagemusha Trailer: Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Kagemusha’ | Trailer
Ran Trailer: RAN | Official Trailer | Now Showing on MUBI
Zatoichi: Darkness in his ally trailer: Zatôichi: Darkness Is His Ally (1989) – Trailer // 座頭市
Heaven and Earth Trailer: Ten to Chi to – Heaven and Earth (AKA Kagetora) Trailer
1994 47 Roning footage: Shijushichinin no shikaku (Kon Ichikawa, 1994).avi
After The Rain footage: Ame Agaru
Sukiyaki Western Django Trailer: Sukiyaki Western Django – Official Trailer (Full HD)
Music: Kill Bill, Tycho, Asian LoFi Mix
