Its often been said that the samurai film is the Japanese equivalent of the Western, a genre that definitively represents the culture, character and spirit of Japan in the same way the Western does for the USA (well, parts of it anyway). Like Westerns, samurai films vary greatly in tone and scope; from Kurosawas sweeping historical epic adventures like Seven Samurai and Kagemusha to the violent stylised pulp action of the Lone Wolf and Cub and Zatoichi films by Kenji Misumi. Masaki Kobayashis 1962 movie Harakiri is a relatively small-scale revenge drama, with the emphasis on the drama rather than the revenge.
Topically, Harakiri is set against a backdrop of poverty and desperation caused by unemployment it just happens to take place in 17th century Japan when many samurai lords were deposed. In this atmosphere of depression an abundance of ronin, or masterless samurai, have begun approaching the manors of the lyi clan, asking permission to be allowed to commit harakiri (an honourable, ritual form of suicide involving disembowelling) on their property. Many of these ronin have simply been hoping to be given money and sent on their way so when grizzled samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the door Kageyu Saito (Rentaro Mikuni), counsellor of the clan, decides to call his bluff and see how far he is willing to go. What follows is a battle of wills between the two men as we see flashbacks to Tsugumos past revealing the situation that brought him to this point.
To reveal any more would be risk spoiling a complex film that is best experienced completely cold. Its a slow-burning fable that gradually builds towards an explosively operatic finale of balletic bloodshed. In fact when the gore appears its pretty graphic, especially one scene thats pretty shocking by todays standards so Akuma knows what audiences made of it in 1962.
Overall Verdict: Much more than a samurai film; this is a deceptively complex and affecting drama that will lodge itself in your mind.
Special Features:
Original Japanese Trailer
Interview with director Masaki Kobayashi
Reviewer: Adam Pidgeon