Found a trailer on YouTube today for Twilight Samurai, the melancholy tale of a peaceful, widower father who through circumstance, finds himself having to betray all his principles in order to save both his own life and that of his starving children. Poverty-stricken Sembei Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada) works as a local government bureaucrat and takes in piece-work to support his young daughters and ill mother. Upon learning of the vicious beatings old friend Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa) is receiving from her husband, Sembei does his best to protect her, even taking her in to his own home despite earning the disapproval of his peers. Tomoe eventually divorces her husband and marries Sembei, but his happiness is short lived when he is instructed to take the life of a local criminal. The film's action is seen through the eyes of Sembei's children and we learn that he eventually dies in battle some four years later. Directed by Yoji Yamada, Twilight Samurai is a gentle telling of a pacifist man born out of his time and improves with repeated viewings. Definitely viewing for a wet Sunday afternoon.
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Samurai films are usually so hard and macho. Don't get me wrong, I still like Sonny Chiba et al but I loved the softer Twilight Samurai. It reminded me of The Ballad of Narayama which also looked at feudal Japan without the macho revisionism.
Madman have just released the DVD of Love and Honour which is supposed to be the sequel to Twilight Samurai. I picked it up at the JB 20% off sale last weekend but haven't had a change to watch it yet.
Doodlebug
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