My Favourites – Harakiri
For sometime now, I have been wanting to share and discuss some of my favourite movies on PFC and today I begin with the movies I have seen of Mr. Masaki Kobayashi. This article is not about all his movies or his life history. I have hyperlinked Wikipedia on his name for people who might be curious.
A few years ago when television was my only companion after work, I got used to watching the TCM channel and Robert Osborne was the host. His conversations before the movie presentation gave me a lot of information that I had never known before. At some point of time, there was this discussion on Mr. Kurosawa’s movies on TCM and that got me into watching Japanese movies. It didn’t get me too far as I had a tough time getting Japanese movies with subtitles. The DVD rental places weren’t good enough and I didn’t have the money to buy. Only recently, as there are a lot of DVD’s available in the market for affordable prices, I started looking at Japanese movies all over again. One day when I was Googling some history on Japanese cinema I came across this link. This was my first exposure to non-Kurosawa Japanese directors and that’s when I read about Mr. Kobayashi.
So, I got three movies of his Harakiri, Samurai Rebellion and Kwaidan. There are times when I want to write good things about a movie or a director and I have to think hard on the exact scene or dialogue that affected me. In the case of a Masaki Kobayashi movie, it is the entire feature that has changed my perception of watching a movie. The first thing that strikes you is the attention to detail in each and every scene. It is amazing how any culture can be shown in such a universally understandable fashion with such simplicity. I do plan to share my thoughts on each of the movies I have seen. This one is about Harakiri.
The tragedy of an outdated system is exquisitely presented in this movie. None of the characters actually berate the system of Harakiri but it is the admiration of the practice that brings out the futility of it. The movie builds up on the ‘exclusive’ nature of the practice and how in the times the story is set the practice has become a namesake. As the feudal system slowly starts to break down, many samurai warriors are rendered jobless. Not being able to take the ‘dishonour’ of making a meager living by adopting other professions, the warriors start committing Harakiri. Now, they cannot perform Harakiri anywhere. They need to go to the official residence of an existing feudal lord and request for a spot for a graceful exit from society and the world. This would make sure that their transmigration to the other world is favourable.
The story begins with the narrator (Log Book) of the residence of Lord Iyi giving us the background of the time and the situation along with the weather for the day May 13, 1630. It goes on to share an incident that happened. A disgruntled samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo of the disbanded Geishu clan, comes to Edo to the residence of Lord Iyi and requests for a place to perform Harakiri. The man in-charge for the day is Kageyu Saito, who agrees to give an audience to Hanshiro. After hearing out the request Kageyu warns Hanshiro about the strictest following of the Bushido code by the house of Iyi and illustrated his point by narrating an incident. Another samurai of the Geishu clan had come sometime before and had made the same request. The samurai’s name was Chijiwa Motome. But, Chijiwa’s intention was not pure and he hoped that the Lord at Iyi would offer some pittance to him instead of allowing Chijiwa to perform the gory ritual.
Chijiwa is forced to perform Harakiri using his wooden blades (swords) by the house of Iyi to make an example to other samurais. Driven into poverty the blades that Chijiwa carries are made out of wood and the original blades were pawned by him long ago. Even after hearing this account Hanshiro expresses his sincere interest in performing Harakiri and the Kagey relents. Hanshiro asks for the same warriors that forced Chijiwa to be his second for the ritual. Kageyu is surprised that none of the warriors are present on that day and they all have taken a day off. During this time Hanshiro starts to relate his life story and how he knew Chijiwa and why the three warriors are unavailable. This forms the rest of the movie and it is a gripping tale to the end.
It is amazing how even for a slow paced movie the narration keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is action and it comes at the very end but most of the movie is dialogue-oriented. Mr. Kobayashi captures human emotions and the futility of the rigid social rules with amazing ease. Symmetry in the building structures, the carefully laid out pathways and adherence to tradition even in the smallest gesture that any character makes gives you an idea of the rigid social system. Even when a character runs through an empty hall he runs on a straight line at the center of the hallway. Hanshiro’s character is beautifully played by Tatsuya Nakdai and his portrayal of Hanshiro is nothing short of brilliant. You can see how uncomfortable Hanshiro feels when he wants to ask Chijiwa to marry his daughter. There are many more moments that are captured exquisitely.
One scene that is hard for me to forget is the Harakiri scene of Chijiwa. There is no explicit blood or gore but the fact that he is trying to cut himself using a bamboo sword and the attempts that he makes to genuinely do that is truly disturbing. He pleads to his second to chop his head off as the bamboo is not sharp enough to cut him through as a metal blade would but his request is refused. Only when he bites his tongue off to show that there is nothing else he can do is when the second does his part. Also, when Kageyu realizes that is there might be something fishy, he orders his men to attach Hanshiro. Hanshiro asks all the retainers to hold for a moment and re-affirms his intention to perform Harakiri. He also asks Kageyu to think if it is worth to put some of his men in danger or keep listening to story that Hanshiro is relating. In the climax the clan which speaks so highly of the Bushido code, breaks the code to attack and kill Hanshiro.
This is where I get a little illiterate with cinema. There are shots in the movie where you can see that the two characters are of/at the same height on the screen even though you know that they are of/at different heights. I do not know what that kind of a shot is called but it gives a wonderful effect. The scene where the people at the house of Iyi discuss what their response should be to Chijiwa, the camera is always at a single position. It is behind one of the characters in the room and is far enough to show you all the characters involved in the discussion but, the camera never moves from there. You are always looking from one character to another as the conversation moves from one person to another. It is interesting to say the least.
I could go on writing about this movie and all the scenes that I like and I would just fill up this article with words. Instead, I ask you to go get a DVD of this movie and watch it. Tell me how you liked it and may be enlighten me with information that I am not aware of or have failed to present here, in this article.
Tags: Hara Kiri, Japansese Movies, Masaki Kobayashi, World Cinema
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Seen all the 3,Harakiri(Winner of Cannes Jury Prize), Kwaidan (Winner of Cannes Jury Prize and Best Foreign FIlm Oscar Nominee), and Samurai Rebellion (Winner of FIPRESCI prize,Venice), these are the Gems of Japanese Cinema,highly recommended all 3 of them to all !!!
GK
You might want to look at the Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai Trilogy series released back in 1955. Amazingly enough, I just finished them last week and Although its long drawn and too melodramtic, it’s a landmark film and I loved it especially the first film.. It has great cinematography and character development especially the main character, Mushashi Miyamoto.. If you are in US, netflix is the way to go as far as foreign films..
Another director, I love as far as japanese films apart from Kurosava is Shohei Imamura and his films – The Ballad of Narayama (1984) and Vengeance Is Mine (1979).. Do check them out..
Nik
Loved Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai Trilogy (1954-56)!
Toshiro Mifune was perhaps at his best.
Will definitly look for Masaki Kobayashi.
Thanks for the post!
Harakiri is one of my fav Samurai film. Probably the best apart from the Kurosawa films. I saw it last year & has been telling everyone to watch this masterpiece since then.
I’m glad you wrote a post about it.
Thanks GK, Nik, Vinayak and Mainak. I have the Samurai Trilogy in my to watch list…
I have planned to share the rest over here too one by one
Sorry about the missing hyperlink here it is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaki_Kobayashi
Sarang-
I have watched Kwaidan and Harakiri .. and just found both of them amazing… I am looking for watching the Human Condition Trilogy and Black River.. trilogy is suppose to be Kobayashi’s remarkable work… Ozu, Mizouguchi, Kurosawa.. its just wonderful experience to watch their work and see life in Japan from their perspective… also just watched Kurosawa’s Red Beard… and I dont know if you guys have explored Hiroshi Teshigahara… I have all his films … u guys can chk out my collection here http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=31195408 … if anybody wants to share/exchange films can connect with me…
@Nik Watch The Great Shohei Imamura’s
11′09”01 – September 11 (2002)
Akai hashi no shita no nurui mizu (2001)
Unagi (1997)
Kuroi ame (1989)
Zegen (1987)
Nippon konchuki (1963)
Nianchan (1959)
@Saurabh Watch Hiroshi Teshigahara’s
Rikyu (1989)
Suna no onna (1964)
@Vinayak Watch after his Samurai Trilogy Hiroshi Inagaki’s
Chushingura – Hana no maki yuki no maki (1962)
Arashi (1956)
Muhomatsu no issho (1958)
GK
@Sarang, Man you got more than 2000 movies in your list.. have you seen all of them? You must be crazy freak…