The Twilight Samurai (2002)
"Life lies in resolve for death."
Director Yoji Yamada is movie happiness. His unofficial samurai trilogy was created consecutively - released in 2002, 2004 and 2006. Although the first, 'The Twilight Samurai', is the most endearing, the collection is a charm.
Action is limited because they're dramas. They relate fictional stories against historical background as samurai culture declined in the 19th century. Samurai symbolise both good and evil.
It's obvious that chauvinism is a no-no now but then it was global, and had been for thousands of years. And, because the samurai culture involved human animals, there was obviously abuse of power inherited rather than earned.
Within that understanding, and from a modern world where honour is limited, I appreciated the stand the characters make for the sake of their integrity.
The good was community, pride and a code of conduct. Sure, that had its own perversions, but also positivity that many of us long for from our modern culture of selfishness. Although not my beer of choice, that's one reason why Star Wars has a legion of fans. The Jedi are the future samurai.
Yamada's trilogy, which includes 'The Hidden Blade' and 'Love and Honour', is classical, deliberately shot in subdued tones, and includes romantic subplots. When there's action, it's devoid of the poetry or fantasy used in the martial arts movies we're accustomed to. Here, you hack, you slash, you live or die. It's almost clumsy and, because of that, real. And it lasts only a few minutes versus 2hrs of movie.
The common theme is the difficulty of progress. Socially, why should a samurai commit suicide when ordered for no good reason? Why should women be married off to strangers? Why is there a caste system?
Samurai honour is threatened by the overemphasis on economy and the Westernization of the East through weaponry.
Overall, the samurai needed to go but it wasn't necessarily replaced with something much better.
It’s poignant to note that the aftermath included Japan's barbaric invasion of China and consequent 'comfort women', and its infamous suicide bombers role in WW2.
Even today, when democracy is replacement and Japan is a music-mad place I'd love to explore, it's a pressurised society with a high suicide rate that’s fought against by escaping into crazy porn and fantasy anime. The culture of the past isn't easy to escape.
"Life lies in resolve for death."