Samurai Fiction (1998)

Nakano Hiroyuki

Cast: Kazama Morio (Mizoguchi Hanbei), Fukikoshi Mitsuro (Inukai Heishiro), Ogawa Tamaki (Mizoguchi Koharu), Hotei Tomoyasu (Kazamatsuri Rannosuke)
Runtime: 111 min
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese (English subtitles)
Color: black and white
DVD: Daum (Korea)

Review © 2002 Branislav L. Slantchev

A very-well crafted, if occasionally humorless, parody of the epic samurai genre. Director Nakano makes the transition from music videos to full-length features with this debut, and the result is quite impressive. Although most of the film will probably be lost to non-fans of the genre, SF yields enough to satisfy even the nonbelievers. The B&W cinematography, accentuated with extremely careful angle shots and camera movement, and buttressed with excellent Western-style music, provides the glue that holds the rather stingy story together.

There is a sword (isn't there always?) and it is treasured by the Inukai clan because it was a gift from the Shogun. The master samurai Kazamatsuri is hired to guard it but after a rather messy encounter with one suspicious retainer, Kazamatsuri takes off with the sword. The clan must recover the precious heirloom before anyone finds out. They fashion a fake sword but in the meantime, Heishiro, the rash son of the clan's head is hot on the heels of the thief.

He is accompanied by two best friends, and bumbling fools, of whom one gets himself killed almost instantly. All three compete to kill the thief, restore the clan's honor, and acquire timeless glory. Unfortunately, neither is not up to the task, and Heishiro nearly gets sliced in his first encounter with Kazamatsuri. He is saved by Hanbei, a master samurai who lives in seclusion with his daughter Koharu. Koharu, of course, is beautiful and immediately takes to Heishiro, who finds himself rather distracted from his duty. Hanbei, by the way, is one of the best homage to Mifune and his Sanjuro character if I have ever seen one. A lot of hilarious and deep philosophy ensues as the wise Hanbei tries to dissuade Heishiro from revenge. All to no avail, and eventually Hanbei finds himself fighting Kazamatsuri in order to prevent the hapless and very talentless swordsman Heishiro from getting skewered in an uneven match.

Well-done, with rare sparks of inspiration (the "dialogue" between Hanbei and Heishiro following the first tryst with Koharu), Samurai Fiction should not be missed, if only for the fun it pokes at the revered epics.

The Daum DVD is very good, as usual for Korean releases. The audio is clean which is very important for B&W films. It may not be up to Criterion standards, but it comes very close, and would have been nearly perfect if it were not for the occasional softness. The soundtrack is excellent, and the English subtitles were not bad at all. I am not sorry I spent $20 on this DVD.

February 11, 2002