Harakiri is an outsatanding and underrated Japanese masterpiece. It seems to be heavily overshadowed by so-called magnum opuses like seven samurai. However, this samurai film was truly incredible in almost every way. The visuals and the themes complimented each other perfectly. It really shed light on the samurai experience like no film before and subverts expectations with regards to numerous samurai cliches.
The recurring mood of this movie is deceitful. Nothing should be interpreted at face value. Our protagonist Tsugumo enters seemingly disturbing the peace at the honorable House of Iyi. He even wears a dark outfit, deceiving one into thinking that he is evil in nature. One would expect that Tsugumo would promptly carry out his "wish" of dying honorably. Given that we know nothing about him and that the camera often keeps physical distance from him, he initially does not evoke pity. However he repeatedly prolongs the ritual, much to the annoyance of Sennukko. And Tsugumo finally tells his grand tale which subverts all of our expectations. It's revealed that he is the victim of corrupt government policies initiated by indifferent upper-class elites. He is really out to vent his grievances in front members of the elite.
But the film doesn't stop there. Part of its magic was just truly how unpredictable it was. Not only was Tsugumo lying in his intentions, he revealed that three of his proposed "seconds" to his harakiri were not sick at all, but could not face the humiliation of losing their buns. The final lines in the film in which sennukko orders the events of the film to be whitewashed to preserve the House's dignity, accentuates the theme of subversion. This is supported when the camera cuts at some of the most climactic moments. While not my original observation, I'd like to echo other reviews in acknowledging how in every death or samurai battle, we never actually see anyone die, or have their hair cut off. It's as if the audience is denied the convenience of being eyewitnesses and instead must accept Sennukko's words with submission.
I've read how this film, while taking place in the 17th century, has striking parallels to Japanese institutions during WWII, however I admit to being no aficionado on Japanese history.
This was my interpretation of the film. Samurais are often depicted as saviors and honorable warriors (ahem all of kurosawa's films), but this interpretation of them has to be the most pitiful and revealing.
In terms of entertainment value, this film was easily 10/10. We grow intrigued as our bereaved protagonist asks to commit ritual suicide after facing poverty. We then have to witness the cringy demise of one previous man named Chijiwa. As we are awaiting Tsugumo to succumb to the same fate, he creates tension by interrupting the procedure with his own anecdotes, where we learn an emotional backstory surrounding the loss of his job and ALL of his immediate family. As if this weren't intriguing enough, the suspense is cranked up when Tsugumo reveals how he retrieved the hair buns and preaches about the evil workings of the ruling class. The ending is a well earned and a well executed climax of realistic and authentic fight choreography for the time the film was made.
Again, I don't know how historically accurate this film was and I'm certain many inevitably dismissed it as political propaganda, but the execution of this movie from a filmmaking standard was near meticulous in my opinion.
Best Samurai film and probably the best foreign film I've ever seen! 10/10.
The recurring mood of this movie is deceitful. Nothing should be interpreted at face value. Our protagonist Tsugumo enters seemingly disturbing the peace at the honorable House of Iyi. He even wears a dark outfit, deceiving one into thinking that he is evil in nature. One would expect that Tsugumo would promptly carry out his "wish" of dying honorably. Given that we know nothing about him and that the camera often keeps physical distance from him, he initially does not evoke pity. However he repeatedly prolongs the ritual, much to the annoyance of Sennukko. And Tsugumo finally tells his grand tale which subverts all of our expectations. It's revealed that he is the victim of corrupt government policies initiated by indifferent upper-class elites. He is really out to vent his grievances in front members of the elite.
But the film doesn't stop there. Part of its magic was just truly how unpredictable it was. Not only was Tsugumo lying in his intentions, he revealed that three of his proposed "seconds" to his harakiri were not sick at all, but could not face the humiliation of losing their buns. The final lines in the film in which sennukko orders the events of the film to be whitewashed to preserve the House's dignity, accentuates the theme of subversion. This is supported when the camera cuts at some of the most climactic moments. While not my original observation, I'd like to echo other reviews in acknowledging how in every death or samurai battle, we never actually see anyone die, or have their hair cut off. It's as if the audience is denied the convenience of being eyewitnesses and instead must accept Sennukko's words with submission.
I've read how this film, while taking place in the 17th century, has striking parallels to Japanese institutions during WWII, however I admit to being no aficionado on Japanese history.
This was my interpretation of the film. Samurais are often depicted as saviors and honorable warriors (ahem all of kurosawa's films), but this interpretation of them has to be the most pitiful and revealing.
In terms of entertainment value, this film was easily 10/10. We grow intrigued as our bereaved protagonist asks to commit ritual suicide after facing poverty. We then have to witness the cringy demise of one previous man named Chijiwa. As we are awaiting Tsugumo to succumb to the same fate, he creates tension by interrupting the procedure with his own anecdotes, where we learn an emotional backstory surrounding the loss of his job and ALL of his immediate family. As if this weren't intriguing enough, the suspense is cranked up when Tsugumo reveals how he retrieved the hair buns and preaches about the evil workings of the ruling class. The ending is a well earned and a well executed climax of realistic and authentic fight choreography for the time the film was made.
Again, I don't know how historically accurate this film was and I'm certain many inevitably dismissed it as political propaganda, but the execution of this movie from a filmmaking standard was near meticulous in my opinion.
Best Samurai film and probably the best foreign film I've ever seen! 10/10.