Samurai Banners
by Hiroshi Inagaki
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Katsuo Nakamura, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Toshirô Mifune, Yûjirô Ishihara, Yoshiko SakumaDirector: Hiroshi Inagaki
Brand: Koch International
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 165 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-07-12
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: ANIMEIGO
Movie Reviews of Samurai Banners
Movie Review: Samurai War Epic Driven By Story and Character
Summary: 5 Stars
Samurai Banners is one of those sweeping epics of a bygone era of Japanese cinema. It's grandiose in scale, costume, and character. Samurai Banners or rather Furin Kazan is based on the novel by Inoue Yusushi detailing the rise to power of a poor samurai known as Yamamoto Kansuke. Kansuke is one those beloved characters in Japan because he rose from nearly nothing to success. It is only fitting that he be played by one Japanese cinema's greatest actors, Mifune Toshiro.
Mifune's Kansuke can be ruthless and scheming as shown by how he gets his introduction to the Takeda clan and how he deals with Lord Suwa but he is also principled and sees the potential of Takeda Shingen even when Shingen cannot see it himself. He is not cruel for cruelty's sake but for grim necessity. What softens his demeanor somewhat is the presence of Lord Suwa's daughter, the Lady Yu.
The character of Lady Yu really helps round out the film as her presence even when not on screen casts its influence on the events and motives of Kansuke and Shingen. She lost her father and her clan to Kansuke's schemes and she has good reason to hate both him and his lord Takeda.
Although Kansuke loves her, his station does not permit him to pursue such love especially when his lord decides to make her one of his concubines. Thus is formed the love triangle amongst these characters but one can easily sense that Kansuke truly loves Lady Yu for her character and not just her beauty. He resolves his conflict between love and duty into fierce loyalty towards Lady Yu and when she gives birth, her son is whom Kansuke wants to see become a great leader.
Ironically the great Takeda Shingen of historical renown comes off as a two-dimensional secondary character next to these two. He is relatively happy and well off while the other two must continually deal with their conflicting emotions and underlying pain.
Meanwhile history precedes relentlessly as while these three deal with their feelings, the Takeda clan grows and expands through battle and political strategy. The film ends with the great climatic battle of Kawanakajima in 1561. Here we see the classic confrontation of Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin as the former wards off the sword strokes of the latter with his war fan. And we see the ultimate fate of Yamamoto Kansuke.
Overall, Samurai Banners is great film both for students of history and also for movie-goers who like a good story. The historical backdrop and battles don't drown the characters as can happen in these types of films. The cinematography in some of the scenes is simply beautiful. Now if you are looking for an action-packed slice-em and dice-em type samurai action flick short on plot and character then Samurai Banners is not for you.
Summary of Samurai Banners
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