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Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Posted By: Someonelse
Date: 1 Apr 2015 11:28:00
Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Harakiri (1962)
DVD9 | ISO+MDS | NTSC 16:9 | 02:13:03 | 7,26 Gb
Audio: Japanese 2.0 @ 256 Kbps | Subtitles: English
Genre: Drama | Masters of Cinema #20

Director: Masaki Kobayashi
Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita

Of all Masaki Kobayashi’s attacks on the cruelty and inhumanity perpetrated by authoritarian power (including The Human Condition and Samurai Rebellion), perhaps none are more brilliant than his visceral, mesmerising Harakiri [aka Seppuku].

In a magnificent performance, Tatsuya Nakadai (Yojimbo, The Face of Another, Ran) stars as Hanshiro Tsugumo, a masterless down-and-out samurai who enters the manor of Lord Iyi, requesting to commit ritual suicide on his property. Suspected of simply fishing for charity, Hanshiro is told the gruesome tale of the last samurai who made the same request – but Hanshiro will not be moved…

With its intricate structure and pressure-cooker atmosphere, Kobayashi’s first jidai-geki period drama is a full-scale demolition job of samurai ideals and feudal hypocrisy, filmed with artistry and surgical precision, and scored by celebrated composer Toru Takemitsu. Adapted from the same source novel in 2011 by notorious auteur Takashi Miike, the original – winner of the 1963 Special Jury Prize at Cannes – still stands as a startling moment in Japanese cinema. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present, for its 50th anniversary, the UK home viewing première of Harakiri in a Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD edition.

IMDB | Eureka - Masters of Cinema | Wikipedia | Rotten Tomatoes

For Comparison – Harakiri (1962) [The Criterion Collection #302] is here –> Link

'Harakiri', visually, is an incredible film. I only saw the DVD from this DVD/Blu-ray dual-format set but that ranked as one of the most pristine standard-def discs I've seen, defying the film's near half a century age. The Blu-ray, from the ever-dependant Masters of Cinema range, will look marvellous I'm sure. And this is a film that uses its cinematography to full effect.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Along with John Ford, Sergio Leone and David Lean, Masaki Kobayashi is a true master of the lens. This film is a perfect showcase. Filling his frames elegantly with great depth, detail and impeccable set-ups, Kobayashi elegantly creates the world of 17th century Japan – a time when the Shogun warrior clans were dissolved, leaving samurais with no masters and no job befitting their years of training and discipline.

Using a flashback narrative not unlike Kurosawa's 'Rashomon' to reveal the twists, establish a backstory and probe the themes of truth and honour, 'Harakiri' sees the down and out ronin Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) visit the manor house of a lord, requesting to commit hara-kiri/seppuku (ritual suicide) on his property as he no longer has anything to live for.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

The strict, manipulative owner of the house is sceptical and proceeds to tell Hanshiro what happened to the last samurai who asked such a request when all he really wanted was money out of pity. However, Hanshiro has a story of his own that questions the honour of all involved…

To say any more would spoil the rich story, but I will complement the swordfight between two ronins towards the end of the film. It's use of a graveyard, bamboo forest and, ultimately, a windswept field is absolutely remarkable. Lovers of Japanese cinema will find this release to be truly essential.
Cinemas Online
Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Director Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri examines both the futility of the warrior in times of peace, and the callousness of authority toward those it depends upon. It also acts as a deconstruction of the Samurai, stripping these oft-fabled warriors of much of their luster. Opening with Tsugumo arriving at the door of the Iyi clan, Harakiri progresses at a deliberate pace. The story takes place over several timelines. As we quickly learn, all are connected to Tsugumo's decision to commit seppuku. What we get is a tale of honorable men reduced to desperate measures, and a powerful elite whose skepticism and obstinacy blinds them to the moral truth.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

The first act of the film is primarily focused on the story of Motome Chijiwa, a Ronin whose story is told in flashback, and used as a warning to Tsugumo. Like Tsugumo, Motome had also sought out the Iyi clan, and requested the use of their courtyard to commit seppuku. Looking beyond the desperation of Motome's request, the Iyi clan sees only a man looking to gain employment through deceit. In a harrowing, drawn out sequence, we see Motome toyed with, before being forced to commit seppuku in a most grisly manner—despite his pleading for a day's reprieve. It's interesting to note that, though the tale of Motome is undoubtedly distressing, the tact of the Iyi clan is at least understandable. Motome is clearly using the honor of the Samurai as a means to extort money from them; this lack of respect surely deserves to be punished?

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

This is where Kobayashi makes his argument that the rigidity of the establishment serves only to remove any trace of humanity from their decision-making, and that compared to a human life adherence to the Samurai code is folly. Did Motome not deserve better? Could no one ask why a man would risk everything for a few coins? Before committing the act of seppuku, Tsugumo recounts a tale of his own, one that reveals his true intentions. As he narrates his story, a very human tragedy is revealed, and suddenly we come to understand how Bushido serves little purpose beyond the image it helps create. Having lived their lives by it, these masterless Samurai find the rest of the world puts little stock in their code or their previous standing in society; they are, to all intents and purposes, nothing more than vagrants. Through his story we understand that Tsugumo is a man of his word, and the viewer is never in any doubt of that. However, he also seeks retribution, and he will have it by turning against the very ideals he has followed his whole life.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

In sharp contrast to the way Samurai are usually presented, Kobayashi shows them as nothing more than an easily disposed of commodity for the wealthier members of society, kept on a retainer to do their masters' bidding and nothing more. This is seen very early on when we first meet Tsugumo. Appearing gaunt, with unkempt facial hair and scruffy attire, Tsugumo offers a glimpse at the fate awaiting those Samurai who are not killed in battle. Of more interest, however, are the sequences where we see Tsugumo with his family, which are extraordinary in the way they depict a warrior. Tsugomo is shown to be a remarkably affable individual, raising both his daughter and his best friend's son single handedly. When his daughter gives birth, he is the very epitome of the doting grandfather, and it is here that Tsugumo comes to fully understand the full implications of his conditioning in the ways of the Samurai. Make no mistake, though his story is one that is easy to sympathize with, Tsugumo is just as guilty as the Iyi clan for the fate that has befallen him and led him to the door of the Iyi clan. Although he determines the Iyi clan must pay, he knows that he too must face justice.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Kobayashi's film constantly threatens violence, but rarely gives in to it. When it finally becomes inevitable, Kobayashi stages a graceful, yet brutal encounter that suggests an influence on Tarantino's Kill Bill, as Tsugumo faces apparently insurmountable odds. Just like the rest of the film, it is blessed with imagery that is not easily forgotten.

Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

The retail copy of Harakiri is to be a dual format release, with both a DVD and Blu-ray copy included. The screener sent for review only offered a DVD version of the film, but the transfer impressed no end. The audio impresses too, with Toru Takemitsu's minimalist score standing out. The only extra featured on the screener is an interview with director Masaki Kobayashi, where he discusses the film with fellow director Masahiro Shinoda. The final retail copy also promises a twenty-eight-page booklet, an interview with Kobayashi from 1963, and rare production stills.
Closing Statement

A unique entry in the Samurai genre, Harakiri deserves a place amongst the DVD collection of more discerning film lovers. It may be too slow for more impatient viewers, but those with a love of good stories and/or world cinema should place this high on their shopping list.
DVD Verdict
Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]

Edition Details:
• Excerpt from a 1993 Directors Guild of Japan interview with Masaki Kobayashi discussing the film with director Masahiro Shinoda (9:07)
• Original theatrical trailer (3:09)
Harakiri / Seppuku (1962) [Masters of Cinema #20] [Re-UP]


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