In the district of the Mino Mountains, the locals believe that there is a legendary female spirit who comes out at night and kills anyone who’s unfortunate enough to lay eyes on her. This horror folktale of the snow woman was also one of the four stories told in Masaki Kobayashi’s “Kwaidan” (StrangeTales) from 1965.
Yosaku is an orphan, an apprentice who works for master sculptor Shigetomo. The movie starts off with them looking for a suitable tree to carve a statue of the goddess of mercy for their temple. However, they’re caught in a snow storm on their back prompting them to take refuge in a rundown cabin. During the night, the evil snow spirit pays them a visit and freezes the old sculptor to death. Being enchanted by Yosaku’s innocence looks, she spares his life but on the promise that he has to keep the encounter a secret.
Yosaku is an orphan, an apprentice who works for master sculptor Shigetomo. The movie starts off with them looking for a suitable tree to carve a statue of the goddess of mercy for their temple. However, they’re caught in a snow storm on their back prompting them to take refuge in a rundown cabin. During the night, the evil snow spirit pays them a visit and freezes the old sculptor to death. Being enchanted by Yosaku’s innocence looks, she spares his life but on the promise that he has to keep the encounter a secret.
- 1/7/2021
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
After the completion of his “The Human Condition”-trilogy in 1961 with “A Soldier’s Prayer”, Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi expressed interest in doing a samurai film, a jidaigeki. In retrospect, a director whose theme has always been the relationship of the individual and the system, the time and age could not have been better for a closer focus on that subject within a more historical context. Considering the following years would have re-discover the genre as a means to explore repressive regimes, codes and how these influence society and the character of a person, “Harakiri” fits perfectly in this time of Japanese cinema. Even though Kobayashi’s approach respects the tradition of the genre, there is an undeniable link to the times, the increasing sense of frustration with an inhumane system, which, in the end, makes his film one of the classics within Japanese film.
The story...
The story...
- 10/30/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Harakiri
Written by Shinobu Hashimoto and Yasuhiko Takiguchi
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Japan, 1962
In the early 17th century, the Iyi clan abides by the bushido code to the letter in all its facets, sepukku, the traditional samurai suicide ceremony by which a warrior disembowels himself before being decapitated, being no exception. It is on a bright sunny day that one Tsugumo Hanshirô (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the Iyi estate, currently run by Saitô Kageyu (Rentarô Mikuni), to plead for space in order to perform a honourable act of seppuku. He claims that the regional peace has led to unemployment, and rather live like a dog, suicide as ordained by bushido seems preferable. Knowledgeable of the occurrences of bluff requests made by other ronin samurai that were merely looking for pittance, Saitô is suspicious of Hanshirô’s motives and begins to relate a recent story of another, younger former warrior (Akira Ishihama...
Written by Shinobu Hashimoto and Yasuhiko Takiguchi
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Japan, 1962
In the early 17th century, the Iyi clan abides by the bushido code to the letter in all its facets, sepukku, the traditional samurai suicide ceremony by which a warrior disembowels himself before being decapitated, being no exception. It is on a bright sunny day that one Tsugumo Hanshirô (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the Iyi estate, currently run by Saitô Kageyu (Rentarô Mikuni), to plead for space in order to perform a honourable act of seppuku. He claims that the regional peace has led to unemployment, and rather live like a dog, suicide as ordained by bushido seems preferable. Knowledgeable of the occurrences of bluff requests made by other ronin samurai that were merely looking for pittance, Saitô is suspicious of Hanshirô’s motives and begins to relate a recent story of another, younger former warrior (Akira Ishihama...
- 1/31/2015
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
Chicago – I’m always amazed when smart people tell me they don’t see foreign films. The fact is that our foreign film market is worse than it’s ever been with fewer and fewer works from other countries actually making an impact in this one. I see dozens of foreign films a year and I’m still just chipping at the iceberg of the international film scene. One of the countries with the most vibrant filmmaking histories is Japan and for proof that they’ve been making intriguing dramas for decades now look no further than the Criterion edition of “Harakiri,” a striking drama that won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and has recently been released on Blu-ray for the first time.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
Without the Criterion Collection, I wonder if “Harakiri” would even be on DVD, much less Blu-ray. Some of their titles — “Carlos,...
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
Without the Criterion Collection, I wonder if “Harakiri” would even be on DVD, much less Blu-ray. Some of their titles — “Carlos,...
- 10/19/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Harakiri Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi Written by: Shinobu Hashimoto Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Rentaro Mikuni, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri is a sort of anti-samurai film that explores honour and moral decency within the strict adherence to a centuries old code. Kobayahsi's criticisms hurled towards this authoritative body is just as relevant now as it was in Edo period Japan. The result is a film that plays with the audience as it peels back the layers, strategically revealing plot revelations that tantalize the audience, creating a truly engrossing cinematic experience. Hanshiro Tsugumo, a Ronin Samurai, enters the estate of the Lyi Clan in search of a courtyard to perform Harakiri; an act of ritual suicide through disembowelment. Within the Bushido code, it's used both as punishment or voluntarily by a samurai looking to die with honour. In this case, Hanshiro is out of work due to the current...
- 10/18/2011
- by Jay C.
- FilmJunk
Rank the week of October 4th’s Blu-ray and DVD new releases against the best films of all-time: New Releases Fast Five
(Blu-ray & DVD | PG13 | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #803
Win Percentage: 57%
Times Ranked: 5781
Top-20 Rankings: 40
Directed By: Justin Lin
Starring: Dwayne Johnson • Vin Diesel • Paul Walker • Jordana Brewster • Elsa Pataky
Genres: Action • Action Thriller • Chase Movie • Crime • Drama • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Scream 4
(Blu-ray & DVD | R | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #1420
Win Percentage: 49%
Times Ranked: 6843
Top-20 Rankings: 26
Directed By: Wes Craven
Starring: Alison Brie • Neve Campbell • David Arquette • Hayden Panettiere • Courteney Cox
Genres: Horror • Mystery • Slasher Film • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Submarine
(Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #2772
Win Percentage: 60%
Times Ranked: 1079
Top-20 Rankings: 10
Directed By: Richard Ayoade
Starring: Craig Roberts • Yasmin Paige • Sally Hawkins • Paddy Considine • Noah Taylor
Genres: Comedy Drama • Coming-of-Age • Drama
Rank This Movie
Classics & Re-releases Salo, Or The 120 Days Of Sodom
(Criterion Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 1976)
Flickchart Ranking: #4386
Win Percentage: 43%
Times Ranked:...
(Blu-ray & DVD | PG13 | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #803
Win Percentage: 57%
Times Ranked: 5781
Top-20 Rankings: 40
Directed By: Justin Lin
Starring: Dwayne Johnson • Vin Diesel • Paul Walker • Jordana Brewster • Elsa Pataky
Genres: Action • Action Thriller • Chase Movie • Crime • Drama • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Scream 4
(Blu-ray & DVD | R | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #1420
Win Percentage: 49%
Times Ranked: 6843
Top-20 Rankings: 26
Directed By: Wes Craven
Starring: Alison Brie • Neve Campbell • David Arquette • Hayden Panettiere • Courteney Cox
Genres: Horror • Mystery • Slasher Film • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Submarine
(Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #2772
Win Percentage: 60%
Times Ranked: 1079
Top-20 Rankings: 10
Directed By: Richard Ayoade
Starring: Craig Roberts • Yasmin Paige • Sally Hawkins • Paddy Considine • Noah Taylor
Genres: Comedy Drama • Coming-of-Age • Drama
Rank This Movie
Classics & Re-releases Salo, Or The 120 Days Of Sodom
(Criterion Blu-ray & DVD | Nr | 1976)
Flickchart Ranking: #4386
Win Percentage: 43%
Times Ranked:...
- 10/4/2011
- by Jonathan Hardesty
- Flickchart
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