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Dramatically compelling and emotionally intense, Harakiri is acertified classic of Japanese film, and a riveting study of samurai codes ofhonor. Unlike Kurosawa's rousing samurai epics, this is an uncompromisinglytragic tale, exposing the hypocrisy of 17th-century Japanese society with itsstory of a family destroyed by the cruelty of feudalism toward warriors inpeacetime. The film is truly Shakespearean in its emotional scope, embodied bythe unforgettable performance of Tatsuya Nakadai (star of Kurosawa's Ran)as an elder warrior seeking revenge for the unnecessary seppuku (ritualsuicide) of his beloved son-in-law. Director Masaki Kobayashi begins at story'send, then recounts the narrative (adapted from a novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi) astold by Nakadai's character. The effect is almost unbearably suspenseful,leading to an explosive climax of supreme defiance and samurai swordplay,erupting from a battle of wills, called bluffs, and hotly defended honor. Forconnoisseurs of samurai action, Harakiri is not to be missed. --JeffShannon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A powerful film giving deep insights into samurai heritage.
My first viewing of this film was in a Japanese history course at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. This isn't just another sword-fight movie; this is a deep moral reflection on the choices that all soldiers must make in fulfilling their duties. The beautiful imagery, acting, and ironic twists are high art. The influences this film must have had on Anime are unmistakable. But this is not a young person's movie; this movie is about death.

The Sword is the Soul
While Kurosawa was settling back into commercial comfort, making samurai comedies, Masaki Kobayashi was approaching the genre with more serious intentions. A "glorification" of feudal values was defintitely not Kobayashi's concern, having been a survivor of Imperial Japan's violent and, luckily, abortive bid to dominate Asia. Kurosawa was too sickly to serve in the Imperial Army, or so the legend goes. Kobayashi focuses directly on feudalism precisely because he realized that it had never been completely eradicated. The same values that had driven Japanese soldiers to commit atrocities throughout Asia were still principally intact in postwar Japanese society. Feudalism was tacitly alive and kicking, and Kobayashi knew just how to expose it. 'Seppuku' (the original title) is a frontal attack on Japanese institutionalized feudalism, as expressed in its inherent cronyism, its stupid adherence to the samurai ethic. Although the last fifteen minutes of this film are electrifying, wherein a lone, masterless samurai is set against a mob of lesser swordsmen (by now a familiar scenography in Japanese film), it is his selfless revenge on the clan that forced his impoverished son-in-law to commit seppuku with a bamboo short-sword that lays waste to the very root of Japanese feudalism.

This is my all time favorite Samurai movie, where is the DVD
Please, oh, please ... someone mentioned that this movie is
out somewhere on DVD, even though it is on widescreen edition.
That is too bad, but I would gladly settle for it. I really
liked this movie ... for many years after I saw this
masterwork, I assumed it had been directed and produced
by Akira Kurosawa ... but it is not, and it is the best
one I have seen ... though Kurosawa is great and I have
lots of his movies.

Please anyone, point me to where I can get a DVD version
of this movie ... it needs to go in my collection to educate
people about Japanese movies!

DVD where are you?!
I finally found a DVD version of this masterpiece, it was a 2003 release filled with all sorts of extra. One big problem, FULL SCREEN! Who in their right mind would put this movie on DVD and put it on FULL SCREEN! Somebody is tauting us fans big time!

It's a great movie, but one that demands to be viewed, if not on the big screen, then at least letterboxed DVD format!

Arguably the finest film ever made in Japan
I had never seen this film until I found a copy at a local Hollywood outlet in Albuquarque, New Mexcio, a few years ago. I took it home, saw it, and was absolutely bowled over by it. Kobayashi's view of Harakiri bespeaks the age when the film was made as it is quite a materialistic interpretation of Harakiri but nonetheless truthful for that. (Forget the cheap eulogy of samurai-death in the recent Last Samurai.)
This is a film-making elevated to the realm of art. The serenity of a Noh play and the theatrical panache of Kabuki are combined to create this absolutely engrossing masterpiece. This is arguably the finest Japanese film ever made. It is perverse that this work, perhaps outshodowed by numerous Kurosawa films, is almost never talked about in Japan.
This is one of those films that cry out for a release in a DVD format ( It is already available in Japan). ... Read more

Description

Kwaidan is an engrossing masterpiece of four nightmarish tales in which terror thrives and demons lurk.Throughout each tale, director Masaki Kobayashi's handsomely conceived imagery conveys a sensual quality that immerses the viewer deep in the spiritual world.Combining visually stunning effects with beautiful use of color, Kobayashi has created a supernatural experience beyond the imagination. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of the greatest fims of all time.
This film is so utterly magnificent, it's on eof the greatest films of all time. It has the most gorgeous art work, dream-like visuals, color photography I've ever seen in film. This is based on tales by Lafcadio Hearn. A bizzare, eerie and horrifying musical score by Toru Takemitsu works exellently with the beautiful visuals. This video also has a gorgeous color Cinemascope widescreen presentation. The first tale Black Hair, is a bit slow, but's it's so worth it in the unbelievable horror climax. The second tale, Woman in the Snow, is one of the best and most beautiful in the whole film. Masaki Kobayashi uses just all white during the blizzard sequinces with some blood reds, lush greens, dream like blues, and odd purples. The third story, Hoichi, the Earless, begins with one of the most beautiful scenes in the film. An epic sea battle between the Heikie and Genji clans. This scene feautures all kinds of bizzare and beautiful colors including a firey red sky. The rest of the film concerns a young blind man's horrifying ordeal with ghosts. I can see some references to this segment in Akira Kurosawa's Ran. The final segment is called In a Cup of Tea and is the weakest. It's too short, and too fast moving. It does feature lots of gorgeous visuals to make up for it. I recommend this film to anyone, if you haven't seen this film. CLICK BUY RIGHT NOW!

The Greatest "Art House" Horror Film
"Kwaidan" is a cinematic masterpiece of the horror genre which, unfortunately, is not nearly as well known to genre fans as it should be. In my view it ranks with Werner Herzog's 1979 re-make of "Nosferatu" as the finest horror film ever made in color. Part of the reason for "Kwaidan"'s obscurity is its national origin (though, strangely enough, the Japanese folktales which form its basis were written by an American expatriate, Lafcadio Hearn). Yet even in Japan, the film was a commercial flop, despite superlatives from critics. More likely, the obscurity of "Kwaidan" derives from its artistry; viewers who come to it for the first time will probably be only marginally aware that they're seeing horror at all. Search in vain for gore and special effects; the film almost recalls Val Lewton's old classics in its reliance on suggestion. As an anthology, moreover, "Kwaidan" is in the same league as the 1946 British film, "Dead of Night," except that it has no over-arching "frame" device to tie the stories together. All four films which make it up are essentially revenge plots: simple and straightforward, like most folktales, though I would like to mention a personal favorite: "Yuki-Onna," whose surrealist account of a female vampire awed me with its weird snow-scapes and eerie soundtrack. By all means, see "Kwaidan" if you have any curiosity at all about horror as viewed through the lens of an artistic master; I only wish American directors had a comparable interest in quality.

Masterful work!
Anthology of ghost stories adapted from Lafcadio Hearn , American writer who lived in Japan .
Visually stunning.
The third chapter is the best. It turns around a poet who must create a epic poem about an ancient battle dictated for the leader of this dead regiment, killed in action, who emerges from the ashes to find out someone who reminds always the echoes of that bloody combat.
Extraordinary!

Ok, I always get sucked into these ghost stories
Lesson 1, always look at the date of the movie and then read the premise. I always read the premise, get the movie and then once it's in, realize that it's more of a Sinbad Saturday Afternoon movie then the Sixth Sense. The last story was cool about the boy who is on the cover but the rest are boring.
Rent-Maybe
Buy-No

Four Japanese Ghost Stories
Kwaidan, though it has some flaws in regard to pacing (it moves just too slowly sometimes) is a visually striking, very colorful film that is a pleasure to look at. This print is crystal clear and very sharp; Criterion usually does a good job in that sense.
Surprisingly, these traditional Japanese ghost tales very much resemble the classic English ghost stories of writers like J.S. Le Fanu or M.R. James--more subtlety, less bombast, working by suggestion and atmosphere. Don't expect a whiz-bang, fast-paced film with a lot of shocks. It's a slow, quiet film.
In my opinion, the two best stories are the first two, "The Black Hair" (reminiscent of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily") and "The Woman in the Snow" (something like Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo"). ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Thinking man's samurai movie
This movie asks several basic questions. Just how far should a samurai's loyalty to his master go? When does the master's demands become unreasonable? And what should a samurai do, when faced with a master's injustice? To modern-day Westerners, the answers may seem obvious. But in 18th century Japan, personal feelings took a backseat to duty.

In Samurai Rebellion, the main character Isaburo (played by Toshiro Mifune) must decide whether to challenge his overlord's decision to take back a former mistress who had become Isaburo's daughter-in-law. The title of the movie should give you a clue to Isaburo's decision. The big sword fight in this film is worth watching, simply because of the rage boiling inside Isaburo. This is swordplay that actually has passion, as opposed to the run-of-the-mill fighting you often see in lesser movies.

The film's director Masaki Kobayashi always made thoughtful dramas that often examined injustice in society. Those who like this movie should also check out two of his other masterpieces, Harakiri and The Human Condition (a nine-hour trilogy).

Moving drama, only one duel and one sword battle
The story was cool but it was mostly drama. The intensity is built up over time and you grow to like the main characters. The only sword battle is at the end of the movie. There is also one duel. This movie was cool but it did not impress like an Akira Kurosawa film. People who say Kobayashi is a better director are just trying to sound like samurai movie connoisseurs. It's simply not true. Kurosawa is head and shoulders above Kobayashi. It was an interesting tale about loyalty and love and I liked it. It was a very moving and cool looking drama.

[warning: spoilers]

Toshiro Mifune's character lays waste to a number of armed retainers in the climactic battle scene. The duel is well done, very theatrical. The image of the two men standingwith their swords crossed is one I will not forget.

Great Samurai Movie
One of the best samurai movies ever made. This film shows a darker side of the Japanese films. Tells of a time when a warrior is asked if he should follow the orders of his master or follow what he thinks is right.

A Man, a Woman, a Sword, and Family Honor
To be a samurai meant owing nearly absolute allegiance to the leader of one's clan, the daimyo. One often filmed story is about 47 loyal samurai committing harakiri en masse when their clan is disbanded. But what happens when the daimyo is unjust and plays with the lives of his loyal samurai?

In SAMURAI REBELLION, a young samurai is forced by his daimyo to marry a difficult mistress who had dared to manhandle him. Lady Ichi surprisingly turns out to be a jewel, and Yogoro, her new husband, grows to love her. When the daimyo changes his mind and has her kidnapped after several unsuccessful attempts to bully the family, Yogoro and his father Itaburo (Toshiro Mifune) singlehandedly take on the whole clan.

Before you know it, the blades are out of their sheathes, and bodies are falling all over the place. Particularly spectacular is a duel between Itaburo and his friend Tatewaki (played by the great Tatsuya Nakadai) in a windswept field of grass. Director Masaki Kobayashi (KWAIDAN, HARAKIRI) is at his best here; and numerous scenes are icily controlled and eerily beautiful as he guides his camera, breaking down sequences into abstract geometrical patterns.

I can't help remembering the song in the musical BANDWAGON which summarizes HAMLET as "The king and the prince meet / And everyone ends up mincemeat." As in HARAKIRI, there is a point to the mayhem here: The honor of a single family CAN outweigh the honor of the clan.

Good chambara
Although this does not have the same intensity as Hara Kiri, this film is definitely worth seeing. Like all good Japanese sword fight movies it has a very deep message. The message is about honor and upholding principles even if it involves giving up one's life.
Toshiro Mifune plays a retainer, Sasahara, to a certain lord who divorces his very headstrong wife, Ichi. This wife, Ichi, eventually is given to Sasahara's son resulting in a happy marriage. However the lord asks, no demands, that Ichi be returned to him despite the fact that she is happily married. Sasahara and his son become enraged and refuse to comply with the order given by their lord. The consequences are dreadfully intense!
The sword fights at the end are awesome especially the duel between Sasahara and Tatewaki, Tatsuya Nakadai. Again, although not as moving as Hara Kiri, this is definitely worth seeing. ... Read more

Description

A sensuous and arresting use of color, set design, and wide screen cinematography create four heart-pounding ghost stories from Masaki Kobayashi (Harikari, Samurai Rebellion), one of Japan's most stylized filmmakers.Each lyrical vignette is intensely composed in the style of an ancient scroll painting, but it's the tone emanating from the editing, eerie soundscape, and the characters' mythical nature that make Kwaidan a truly haunting experience.Winner of the International Jury Prize at Cannes in 1965, the film has since become a cult classic on home video.If there were ever instructions assigned to watching at home, Kwaidan's would read 'best when viewed alone, late at night, in the dark.' ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of the greatest fims of all time.
This film is so utterly magnificent, it's on eof the greatest films of all time. It has the most gorgeous art work, dream-like visuals, color photography I've ever seen in film. This is based on tales by Lafcadio Hearn. A bizzare, eerie and horrifying musical score by Toru Takemitsu works exellently with the beautiful visuals. This video also has a gorgeous color Cinemascope widescreen presentation. The first tale Black Hair, is a bit slow, but's it's so worth it in the unbelievable horror climax. The second tale, Woman in the Snow, is one of the best and most beautiful in the whole film. Masaki Kobayashi uses just all white during the blizzard sequinces with some blood reds, lush greens, dream like blues, and odd purples. The third story, Hoichi, the Earless, begins with one of the most beautiful scenes in the film. An epic sea battle between the Heikie and Genji clans. This scene feautures all kinds of bizzare and beautiful colors including a firey red sky. The rest of the film concerns a young blind man's horrifying ordeal with ghosts. I can see some references to this segment in Akira Kurosawa's Ran. The final segment is called In a Cup of Tea and is the weakest. It's too short, and too fast moving. It does feature lots of gorgeous visuals to make up for it. I recommend this film to anyone, if you haven't seen this film. CLICK BUY RIGHT NOW!

The Greatest "Art House" Horror Film
"Kwaidan" is a cinematic masterpiece of the horror genre which, unfortunately, is not nearly as well known to genre fans as it should be. In my view it ranks with Werner Herzog's 1979 re-make of "Nosferatu" as the finest horror film ever made in color. Part of the reason for "Kwaidan"'s obscurity is its national origin (though, strangely enough, the Japanese folktales which form its basis were written by an American expatriate, Lafcadio Hearn). Yet even in Japan, the film was a commercial flop, despite superlatives from critics. More likely, the obscurity of "Kwaidan" derives from its artistry; viewers who come to it for the first time will probably be only marginally aware that they're seeing horror at all. Search in vain for gore and special effects; the film almost recalls Val Lewton's old classics in its reliance on suggestion. As an anthology, moreover, "Kwaidan" is in the same league as the 1946 British film, "Dead of Night," except that it has no over-arching "frame" device to tie the stories together. All four films which make it up are essentially revenge plots: simple and straightforward, like most folktales, though I would like to mention a personal favorite: "Yuki-Onna," whose surrealist account of a female vampire awed me with its weird snow-scapes and eerie soundtrack. By all means, see "Kwaidan" if you have any curiosity at all about horror as viewed through the lens of an artistic master; I only wish American directors had a comparable interest in quality.

Masterful work!
Anthology of ghost stories adapted from Lafcadio Hearn , American writer who lived in Japan .
Visually stunning.
The third chapter is the best. It turns around a poet who must create a epic poem about an ancient battle dictated for the leader of this dead regiment, killed in action, who emerges from the ashes to find out someone who reminds always the echoes of that bloody combat.
Extraordinary!

Ok, I always get sucked into these ghost stories
Lesson 1, always look at the date of the movie and then read the premise. I always read the premise, get the movie and then once it's in, realize that it's more of a Sinbad Saturday Afternoon movie then the Sixth Sense. The last story was cool about the boy who is on the cover but the rest are boring.
Rent-Maybe
Buy-No

Four Japanese Ghost Stories
Kwaidan, though it has some flaws in regard to pacing (it moves just too slowly sometimes) is a visually striking, very colorful film that is a pleasure to look at. This print is crystal clear and very sharp; Criterion usually does a good job in that sense.
Surprisingly, these traditional Japanese ghost tales very much resemble the classic English ghost stories of writers like J.S. Le Fanu or M.R. James--more subtlety, less bombast, working by suggestion and atmosphere. Don't expect a whiz-bang, fast-paced film with a lot of shocks. It's a slow, quiet film.
In my opinion, the two best stories are the first two, "The Black Hair" (reminiscent of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily") and "The Woman in the Snow" (something like Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo"). ... Read more