The Hidden Blade
by Y?ji Yamada
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Tomoko Tabata, Yukiyoshi OzawaDirector: Y?ji Yamada
Brand: Genius
Cinematographer: Mutsuo Naganuma
Writer: Y?ji Yamada
Editor: Iwao Ishii
Producer: Hiroshi Fukazawa
Writer: Sh?hei Fujisawa
Writer: Yoshitaka Asama
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Japanese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-08
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Tartan Video
Movie Reviews of The Hidden Blade
Movie Review: Samurai Epic with an Ozu flavor
Summary: 5 Stars
Yamada Yoji has created the best example of the jidaieki (period film) since Kurosawa. He has done something unique to Japanese cinema by combining elements of the Ozuesque home drama. Also, its timeless plot should even appeal to Japanese audiences who flock to Western films. It offers a much needed change. This film has a very Eastern feel to it, in that the life of a samurai has not been glamourized. Its protrayed in a realistic way. The things that the main character, Katagiri Munezo, must endure, make a good case for the argument that perhaps one is better off just being a regular townsperson.
Throughout the film, there a several examples of classic Ozu films.
In the The Hidden Blade, Katagiri is getting older and is not married. Likewise in Ozu's Early Summer, Hara Setsuko, plays a woman past 25 who hasn't married either. Katagiri becomes a lot like Hara Setsuko's character in that both are stubborn and will get married when they want to and if they want to. Katagiri also shares common charateristics with the father figure of Ryu Chishu's various characters in Ozu films. Some of the dialouge between Katagiri and his servant Kie reminded me of similar scenes from Tokyo Story, when Ryu and his wife are talking.
What I like about this film, is the way inwhich, Yamada humanizes his samurai characters through anecdote. There is a very moving and funny scene of a little girl who is afraid of Katagiri because he carries a sword. Katagiri cannot understand why this girl is afraid and when Kie tells him, he laughs and points out that most of the time samurai never draw their swords. The life of the bureaucract. There are other comedic episodes until the plot has to become serious. That's when the best dramatic scenes come out.
The Hidden Blade is a complex story that requires you to bring you full attention to it. The closer you follow the story, the more you will see and understand. Like any great work of literature, you have to be willing to be in the work and invest your complete attention.
Overall, this is a great film that showcases Yamada Yoji as the best new Japanese director, along with my other favorite, Koreeda Hirokazu.
Summary of The Hidden Blade
The epic tale of munezo a samurai being displaced in a rapidly changing japan. After a failed political coup he is ordered to prove his innocence by finding & killing yaichiro a former friend samurai & brilliant swordsman. Munezo enlists the help of their old teacher who entrusts him with a secret technique. Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 08/08/2006Action & Adventure DVD Video
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