| I wander through Media Play
a few days ago and what do I find...? An amazing
gem in the Rebel Samurai box set. Samurai
Rebellion, a late 60's epic focusing on a
samurai who defies his lord's unreasonable demands
is a brilliant and often sad portrayal of the
struggle against overwhelming oppression. A daring
take on the samurai genre, Samurai Rebellion
is packed with social commentary and presses on
with gradually building and gripping intensity.
On a more aesthetic level, the cinematography
is dynamic and the choreography crisp. It is one
of Toshiro
Mifune's finer roles, and is unfortunately
a rather obscure title. Nevertheless, those fortunate
enough to discover this film are indeed in for
a pleasant, if heartbreaking, surprise.
In the wake of a strange incident
at the castle of the Aizu Clan, Lord Masakata
Matsudaira sent his top mistress away in a fury.
Ichi, the daughter of Hyoemon Shiomi, brutally
attacked the lord's new mistress and
the lord himself. She was therefore rejected from
the castle and forced to marry the son of a vassal,
young Yogoro Sasaharo. His father Isaburo, personally
understanding the grave mistake of marriage without
love, tactfully pled with his superiors to forego
the arrangement. Ultimately, Yogoro relented to
the demands, and he and Ichi were married. Her
quiet demeanor and helpful nature puzzled the
Sasahara's, who were under the impression that
this woman would be a loose cannon. She revealed
that she had attacked the lord for a specific
purpose, for she had never wished to be the lord's
mistress in the first place. Her acceptance of
the all-but-mandatory arrangement was forged in
the mindset that she could prevent others from
this same misfortune. After the birth of their
son, she witnessed the arrival of the lord's new
mistress, who seemed to relish in her new position
without a hint of humility. Filled with disdain,
Ichi went mad with rage. In her recount of what
happened, Yogoro and Isaburo warmed up to Ichi's
character, and for two years, the newly wed couple
gradually forged a loving relationship and gave
birth to their daughter Tomi.
Soon, trouble befell the lord of
the Aizu Clan, as his heir passed on. The son
he had borne with his former mistress still remained
however, and that child would have to become the
new heir to the fiefdom. Ichi would soon be forced
to return to the castle, as was deemed appropriate
by the lord. A fissure shook the Sasahara home,
as it soon became clear that Isaburo's wife Suga
and Yogoro's brother Bunzo wished to immediately
comply with the now-reversed demands of their
lord. Isaburo, whose personal relationship with
his own nagging wife was strained and loveless
from day one, did not desire the loss of the love
which Yogoro and Ichi shared. Despite Isaburo
and Yogoro's stunning objection, Suga and Bunzo
led Ichi into a trap set by the chamberlain and
steward in order to return the woman to the castle.
Yogoro's resolve began to waiver, but Isaburo,
encouraged by his colleague Tatewaki Asano, was
convinced to stay the course. He would rebel,
and with his loyal son, he would demand Ichi's
return... even in the face of the deadly loyalty
of the Aizu Clan superiors.
When you begin to watch the film,
it is a little like seeing a jumbled puzzle. You
don't warm up to anyone right away, and the events
all seem relatively parallel. It soon becomes
clear as time goes on that everything has a purpose
and gradually converges on the climax. Isaburo's
strained relationship plays a part in his avid
defense of his son's marriage over his loyalties
to the clan. Takewaki's alliance with Isaburo
leads to his assistance in the events that transpire,
even if he ultimately hinders the mission of his
old friend. Ichi's personal strength and her loving
empathy are the driving force behind her decisions,
both of acceptance and defiance when it benefits
those she loves or those with whom she empathizes.
It all ties up neatly to the point of the first
major battle. Then, tragedy strikes. The rebellion
crumbles as Ichi, Yogoro, and Isaburo ultimately
die in their defiance, and sadly, only the steward
pays the price for the evil of the film's villains.
The only key that revealed their tragic victory
over the oppression of their lord was Tomi, who
represented the love that led to the defiance.
And, in a way, victory was Ichi and Yogoro's...
for they died together, while the lord was left
without his selfish request granted.
Toshiro
Mifune does a really fantastic job with Isaburo
(and in this author's opinion, is his best role
that I've yet seen). He comes across as very likeable,
showing a tender nature, an air of dissent, and
a strong will for justice. He manages a blend
in the demeanor of several previous roles: Musashi
Miyamoto, Sanjuro, and Red Beard. However, he
shows something new, specifically when he's burying
his son and daughter-in-law. He shows a new character
trait, a very human grief that I will shamelessly
admit made me cry. Yoko Tsukasa expertly accentuated
her very tragic role with an emotional sadness
that felt almost too real. Takeshi Kato's performance
was also excellent; his range of emotions and
hesitant movements lending to the uncertainty
of his character. Michiko Otsuka, although only
present for the first half of the movie, gave
her character the air of contempt, apathy, and
unlovingness that foiled Mifune's
character so greatly and provided insight into
his actions. Tatsuyoshi Ehara, who plays her son,
manages to act with such a cowardly air, perfect
for his weasely role as the duplicitous brother.
Shigeru Koyama, with his sly movements and sinister
gaze, became a classic villain in the story (and
the only major antagonist who met his demise in
battle with Mifune's character). Tatsuo Matsumura
and Masao Mishima, although providing their characters
a less openly evil demeanor, still forged a contemptible
presence. Finally, there is Tatsuya
Nakadai, the wild-eyed ally/hindrance of Mifune's
character. His cold gaze is unnerving right from
the get-go, and despite the fact that one immediately
considers him a "good-guy", Nakadai
expertly provides a lingering doubt that will
ultimately come to fruition at the climax.
To comment on the more visually-based
features of the film, and the fight choreography
in particular, I must say I'm personally very
impressed. The smooth style through which Toshiro
Mifune's character took care of his opponents
really is satisfying for the modern fan of swordplay
who can become easily bored by the lackluster
style that accompanies some similar films from
this era. The final battle in particular is very
intriguing. Mifune's character, despite all odds
and several gunshot wounds, presses on and slices
through his opponents, aided by his resolve to
right injustice. The camera work used to capture
the action and drama alike was, to put it simply:
professional. The still work, combined with the
zoom and pan was, with few exceptions, exceptionally
well done, and the dynamic was ahead of its time.
All the elements of the visual atmosphere just
blended together to create an aesthetically appropriate
vessel for the unfolding plot.
Finally, music should be mentioned,
even though there isn't much to cover in this
area. Unfortunately, it may be one of the film's
few flaws, as the lack of discernable themes can
make some scenes a test of the viewer's patience.
However, the solemn nature of this film and the
tragic ending don't merit a lavish score, and
the minimalist, traditional approach seems to
compliment the film nicely. To sum up what little
music there is, it is basically either within
the film, as in, the characters are producing
it (i.e. the wedding ceremony); or, it is part
of the thin soundtrack, the styles of which capture
the atmosphere of the time period represented,
as opposed to some contemporary efforts to vie
for a more modern soundtrack. Whether it works
with the film is really up to the viewer to decide,
although personally, I could have done with a
little bit of a modern touch to alleviate the
heavy mood.
Sadly, Samurai Rebellion
is the kind of movie that doesn't receive the
exposure it should. Often it is word-of-mouth
that lends to wider audiences for films of this
nature, especially nowadays. It appears as though
there is a small audience that does comprehend
the excellence of this particular piece of cinema,
but it is unfortunate that the few there are can't
get the message out to other fans. Samurai
Rebellion really should be mentioned
right up their with Kurosawa's
greats. Fortunately, for those who have discovered
what this movie has to offer, they know full well
what others are missing. Samurai Rebellion
is a paradigm of social commentary in the samurai
genre, a brilliant epic with a message about love,
dissent, and justice. Take some time to search
for it, and you'll surely be pleased.
|
(4.5/5)