The Greatest Samurai Film of All Time - Harakiri

Harakiri (1962) is one of the greatest Samurai films (or anti-samurai films) of all time, in fact, I am willing to say it is THE greatest. This video serves as my review for this stunning masterpiece of cinema.
Harakiri was directed by Masaki Kobayashi and is the property of the Shochiku Company.
Music:
"Gathering Darkness" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
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Artist: incompetech.com/
"Maestro Tlakaelel" by Jesse Gallagher
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#Samurai #Film #Review

[@TheShogunate]

Check out this amazing compilation of visuals and music from Harakiri put together by the channel "The Beauty Of" kzbin.info/www/bejne/gobNiIKhZ7B8jac

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

Have you ever seen Aoi: Tokugawa Three Generations? I would love your opinion on it. It has perhaps one of the most accurate portrayals of the Battle of Sekigahara and rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

[@TheShogunate]

@@grandadmiralzaarin4962 I've heard of it! Sadly I have not delved too deep into Taiga Dramas yet

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

@@TheShogunate I cannot recommend it enough! The portrayal of the characters is both engaging and probably the most accurate I've seen outside of a comprehensive documentary. You get a real sense of scale for the battles, the interpersonal rivalries and the politics. If you ever get the time, treat yourself, it is well worth it!

[@oneMeVz]

Gets me hyped up to see it!

[@AlfonsoTheTraitor]

Well that was awesome ❤

[@dch4446]

Just saw this movie. It left me speechless. To mature for it’s time. A remake would be insulting. Absolute masterpiece.

[@yahya_elistinsary]

the is a remake and its not very good in comparison

[@lopilkderlll]

The remake by Takashi Miike is actually pretty good. It’s not better than Kobayashi’s original, but is still a remake that deserves commendation.

[@AttilaKarpati]

Making a remake is like recomposing a Beethoven symphony or repainting a renaissance masterpiece. You can, but what for?

[@drunkenmonkey254]

​@lopilkderlll miike makes a little twist at the end that's simply beautful/devastating.

[@juju10683]

I tried watching the remake and stopped after 20 mins

[@dr.ryttmastarecctm6595]

I watched "Harakiri" over two decades ago and I still feel the sorrow that envelopes the protagonist. As you suggest, I will watch it again, and soon.

[@Joxford]

Watched this in an Intro to Japanese Culture and History college course, I continually still think about this film.

[@richztensteinburg9096]

Harakiri is easily in my top 3 especially for its cinematography. One of the greatest uses of B&W ever put on film. Plus, this movie did the "one man vs army" trope a full decade before Bruce Lee ever did.

[@ShaneRob93]

If you're interested, check out "An Unforgettable Grudge" from 1926. There is only a 13 minute segment remaining of the film and it's a brutal 1 man vs an army segment. You can easily find it on KZbin and it's well worth 13 minutes of your time.

[@MrPeloseco]

It was recommended to me by a good friend. I watched it and instantaneously became one of the best movies I have ever seen. The next day I watched it twice, trying to capture more details and the more I watched the more I liked it. At first I thought it was s bit slow for being what I thought it was a Samurai movie. But once I started rewatching it I was totally trapped in the sometimes repetitive dialogs that all they do is rise my anxiety as a viewer. It just keeps you at the edge with a great screen play, while listening and reviewing the memories a broken man, waiting to see how this is going to end. It is a type of cinema that Hollywood will never get close to produce, and many people will not appreciate how great this film is. But if you like cinema, you will love this movie. It hardly gets any better than this, and you will find yourself rewatching it again and again... kind of addictive almost.

[@TheEffectOfMass]

Excellent video. In the past I have seen Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Hidden Fortress, mostly Kurosawa films. But after heavily playing the game Ghost of Tsushima, my wife and I went on a Samurai film kick. We watched a new movie we had never seen before every weekend for months. And there are many good ones for sure, but Harakiri remains the one that really struck a chord with me and sticks in my mind to this day. A very good film, and a great video by The Shogunate! A wonderful job!!

[@poloshirtsamurai]

Check out Kiru, Samurai Rebellion, Goyokin, Bushido: Samurai Saga and Hitokiri: Tenchu.

[@TheEffectOfMass]

@@poloshirtsamurai Thanks for the tip! I've seen Samurai Rebellion and Bushido: Samurai Saga. The others I'll need to check out though!

[@poloshirtsamurai]

@@TheEffectOfMass Kiru is my all-time favorite. I can't count how many times I've seen it. It's got drama and humor like Kurosawa. The grumbling stomach and Tatsuya going down the stairs to attack the main bad guy always crack me up.

[@Alanoffer]

Don’t know if you’ve seen the early sixties Zatoichi movies , not strictly samurai but they are great stories and well directed

[@TheEffectOfMass]

@@Alanoffer I've seen the original and the remake. I haven't seen many of the others. The Zatoichi and Yojimbo crossover has my attention though.

[@AlfonsoTheTraitor]

I have to agree it is one of the finest movies to come out of Japan. I also have a deep fondness for this film . I have shared this dvd with many of my friends and always when the video is returned. I can see in there eyes that there minds are blown and now they to love this masterpiece. That’s it I have to watch it again .

[@TheShogunate]

Such a great film! I'm glad you were able to share it with your friends!

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

A masterpiece in every respect, a tragedy that unfolds it secrets in a manner that reminded me of Oedipus Rex, and culminates in a gruesome climax. Really, it brought up the best of both eastern and western thatrical traditions, with Nakadai's amazing gutural voicing. Not just a masterful samurai movie, but a masterful movie, simply.

[@100dfrost]

Just looked and found "Harakiri" online with English subtitles. Then I looked up and read the story on Wikipedia. It will be my honor to watch this on this next weekend. Thank-you.

[@norihiro01]

This is one of, if not my favourite samurai films! It's the one that made me "fall in love" with Nakadai Tatsuya as an actor. It's so brutal, sparse, minimal, intense, emotional and gripping. If you have wide eyed adoarations for samurais, then you may get it ceremonially whacked 😉 The only reason I don't watch it more often, is to experience the awe when I saw it the first time ! Thank you for covering it !

[@FuzzyMommy]

I ❤❤❤ Tatsuya!!!!!

[@LoveXKnife]

I just saw this movie, where has it been all my life. Best movie I've ever seen.

[@ホームページ制作と活用の池田]

This is a comment from Japan. This movie is my favorite movie, and I think it's a wonderful movie of national treasure class. The content of the story is also really wonderful, and depicts changes in justice due to people and society, times, justice, values, and times. Also, the things they wear are almost the same as the real thing except for the "sword". At that time, most of the actors experienced the war, and many of the actors were soldiers, so the sword handling is just like the real thing. The way of wearing kimono, gestures, words, this era was a time when traditional culture existed in the society, and it was a little old in the picture, but the life itself was not that far from the general society at that time. bottom.

[@John_on_the_mountain]

Not only did the actors experience the war, chances are their grandparents experienced the Edo period as well. Certainly their great-grandparents

[@wobblertv8083]

Nakadai the eyes say everything. Him and Mifume the two masters of chambara .

[@tamakazura1]

Ah yes, the beautiful and expressive eyes of Nakadai Tatsuya, they've haunted me for years LOL

[@Lenskee]

Epic movie. One of my favourites. Watched it a couple of times. Nowadays those Hollywood movies are like cookies comparing to golden era Sengoku Jidai cinema. The music, the camera play, the angles, lighting, script and play... They're just incomparable.

[@anasevi9456]

I've seen it about half a dozen times, first time I was 15 and it hit me hard. Amazing movie and I agree, it's one to rewatch every few years.

[@Centerhead]

I first watched this film at 14 years old. I am now 36, and it still remains my most important influence in cinema. To this day, the emotional impact is equally devastating and invigorating, a rare combination. It is tied as my favorite film with Jeremiah Johnson. I see them as two sides of the same fabric, viewed from East and West.

[@HeathGleason]

Thank you. Thank you Thank you thank you. I try to get people to watch this film all the time. It's an absolutely incredible movie.

[@jasonhughes4903]

Even with the profligate brilliance of Kurosawa, I would agree that this is still the greatest samurai film of all time. And it is one of my favorite movies of all time regardless of genre.

[@aurex8937]

I will die on the "Seven Samurai is the best samurai film" but this one was really well-made too, and not as well-known as it deserves.

[@rodycaz8984]

This is better. Ran is Kurosawa's best film.

[@John_on_the_mountain]

@@rodycaz8984Ran blew me away the first time i saw it. Easily in my Top 10

[@reznik232]

One of the best films I've ever seen, and an all time favourite of mine. It mesmerises me from start to finish and always stays with me long after it's over. Simply breathtakingly brilliant. Absolutely the best samurai film of all time, and one of the best films of all time...period.

[@dylantodd169]

You did a great job not spoiling the heart-breaking moments of the film. This film is a masterpiece

[@purplestuff]

I borrowed this from my local library and was floored. An absolute work of art!

[@mutton7891]

For the longest time Apocalypse Now was my go-to answer for favorite film ever. But it took just one viewing of Harakiri for that to change. Certain moments in this film are more tense than any horror film I've ever seen. A truly masterful piece of work.

[@blanchjoe1481]

As an European American in my early twenties in San Francisco in the mid 70's I had the good fortune to date a Japanese girl from Tokyo here on a student visa. With time on our hands we would spend hours in "Japantown" eating Sushi and watching Samurai Movies. So I was using hashi, eating Sushi and watching Samurai films before most Americans had ever heard of either, it was all considered an oddity at the time. At first we watched the Zato Ichi Series, and their were plenty of them, and just like fast food, they were fun, tasty and easy to digest. One day she said the theater was having a special showing of a "Kurosawa" film ( spoken in an almost reverential tone ), this meant nothing to me, but I let her drag me there, and was forever grateful. This was my first introduction to "Seven Samurai" and I was impressed, The films from Japan that I considered masterworks, Seven Samurai, Harakiri, Ikiri, and Ghost In The Shell ( the original ). Between Seven Samurai and Harakiri I consider Seven Samurai the better film, this is based upon what I felt from the first time I have saw it how unlike Harakiri, it contains an almost "spiritual" quality portrayed by Takashi Shimura. A samurai who has lost all illusions of the Bushido code, who has seen war, horror, and destruction of lives, felt the disappointments of his dreams, and the recognition of his own failings, and yet has come out the other-side as a radiant and benign individual. Almost unknowingly he has transcended his past nature and has become something else that is seen by everyone who meets him, and yet is unseen by himself. The character played by Tatsuya Nakadai is deep, complex, wise even, yet the writer has defined him as an individual driven by a need to punish those who took from him his world, and while masterfully played and written, it is not the story of a man learning transcendence that Seven Samurai represents, for myself I feel the it represents a "better" film, but only for that reason.

[@leeturton9254]

It's not just one of the greatest samurai films but one of the most perfect movies ever made... flawless dialogue flawless acting and visually stunning...the blu ray is superb to .. I've got the Eureka masters of cinema version and it looks and sounds amazing

[@flyingfrogofdeath9616]

Just watched this masterpiece and I am still reeling. Simply incredible. Please do a video on another masterpiece (and personal favourite of mine) that also happens to star Tatsuya Nakadai, 'The Sword of Doom' (1966).

[@TheShogunate]

Oh I absolutely will be covering The Sword of Doom!

[@flyingfrogofdeath9616]

@@TheShogunate Yess!!! Thanks keep up the great work 😃

[@masudashizue777]

I always thought so. I think Harakiri is criminally underrated.

[@danielbetancourt1483]

Amazing film. Just showed it to my Philosophy Prof. and we both agree it's 10/10 and on the short list of the greatest films ever. I am completely in agreement that it has a level of depth beyond most classic Samurai films.

[@RedStretchLimo]

Saw this film years ago and it stayed with me all that time. Watched it again recently and now have my own copy. It's not an easy film to watch but it will change you. Certainly the best Samurai film ever made and one of the greatest films of all time.

[@ralphdesimone6090]

This is my all time favorite movie! You did a good job of giving no spoilers. :) It really is a movie you should just watch knowing nothing about it. I remember first watching and just wondering where it was all going and gradually getting more and more invested! A++ 10/10 everyone drop what you are doing and watch this!

[@mingyuhuang8944]

One of the best movies ever made and needs to have reshowing in western cinemas. In my opinion perfect in almost every way, pacing, action, cinematography etc... We need to bring back these high quality pieces of entertainment and story telling. Tickets would sell out in metro areas.

[@ball-tu7ux]

Agree, one of my all time favorites. If anyone hasn't seen it you must it's a gem of cinema on every level.

[@pablonarcoboy185]

I watch this like once or twice a year now. Such a great movie.

[@au_au]

I watched yesterday because of your recommendation, and I absolutely loved the film! It had at the same time technical quality, narrative immersion and sensibility in great degrees and equal measure. Watching it was truly a lifetime experience.

[@hanchiman]

A really good Social Commentary movie and also what "honor" really means instead of being hereditary. Also seriously Tatsuya Nakadai really look like a samurai even though he is born in modern day. Kinda interesting that the famous Ii armor still stand to this day and being kept by the descendant of Ii

[@donovanavery4457]

I've watched this movie 3 times this year and I'm about to watch it again thanks to you

[@dezreenmacdowell9967]

Thank you for this extraordinary synopsis and review. How fortunate to stumble upon this your channel by accident. Please continue your thoughtful and penetrating insight into the Samurai genre of films and more.

[@VerticalWit]

Thank you so much for this. Your commentary was excellent!

[@zenneko641]

This film is truly out there on its own, both epic and heartrenching. Great review!

[@TWHueyGuitar]

A truly great piece of art. This film doesn't get nearly enough praise.

[@rafaelverolla7276]

Watched this movie a bit blindly. As a father to a kid around the age of Kingo, that movie completely ripped my heart to pieces. Nothing is more important that the life of your family.

[@toshiro3040]

I blessed my friend by showing him this film. I love the slow burn and payoff at the very end. He appreciated it a lot, had his attention the whole time. I also lent him my copy of sword of doom.

[@bapro1715]

My absolute no.1 samurai movie. Watch it at least every year.

[@jarek94cze]

When I watched this movie a year ago I did not know or notice the Ii clan setting. Very cool. Thanks for the review and interesting information that makes me understand the setting of the movie more.

[@lukabotica7984]

Tempo is amazing in this movie, hooks you to the screen 1000%.

[@kawadashogo8258]

『人それぞれの心など到底計り知れるものではない』 "No one can measure the depths of another person's heart." - Tsugumo Hanshirō

[@santoven]

One of the most magnificent films I've ever seen. A must see for any devotee of Japanese film.

[@michaelstark8720]

I personally love 47 Ronin from 1941. Quest to avenge their Lord stoiry was awesome as it was their unwavering loyalty to their cause. Long movie but my favorite of Japanese cinema but Harakiri is close second.

[@slick_slicers]

I’ve seen the original a few times. It is stunningly tragic. That the young samurai is reduced to poverty and his lowly trade is bad, that he has had to sell his greatest treasures is worse, but when they see his ‘swords’ and insist as they do is truly heartbreaking. And then the next bit… 😢😢😢

[@ronintsukebin9163]

Very, very nice review!

[@ryanwoessner9721]

It truly is the best. The remake is phenomenal as well.

[@Sodomantis]

I remember downloading this 20 years ago and got blown away

[@GOMBE3]

Thanks a lot for this introduction and nicely designed review. Although I didnot know about the film I think I,d try to find it by all means.

[@pie8863]

the first samurai movie I've ever seen and still the greatest. while not my favorite film ever, it's the only one that's ever made me just sit there in silence until long after the credits roll, taking everything in.

[@sandyland121]

I agree. This movie transcends genre with how fucking good it is. Only thing that makes me sad is how underrated and unrecognized the film is.

[@josephannett3471]

Saw it years ago and loved it.

[@A_Toastonawhiteplate]

Great Review...now I have to see if I can finde a way to watch it

[@slimnooze]

back in 2010 - 2011 I went visit my brother abroad. He never had contact with classic Japanese cinema before, unlike me, which, by that time I had gone through several of these films. I rewatched this movie while at his house and invited him along. He was hesitant at first but since he had nothing to do, he joined. He was left speechless. over 10 years later he still tells me this is the greatest film he have ever seem.

[@josefstrauss9017]

What always amazes me about his movie, is the fact that the plot and the acting in this film seem so modern and timeless. They didnt age at all. With Yojimbo and Sword of Doom it is definately one, if not the best Samurai Movie of all time. In my Opinion.

[@jimeaton7598]

Just rewatched Harakiri a few months ago to interrupt a binge of Kurosawa films. The last time I'd seen it was just after graduating high school a little over a decade ago, and it hit me a lot harder this time -- I was completely blown away.

[@control5586]

The movie is 62 years old at the time of this comment. It is absolutely incredible to this day.

[@bushidoblues9302]

A trick I do is playing no longer then 10 seconds of any film clip to avoid getting a claim. Harakiri is no doubt a powerful film. It did a great job in depicting the samurai and their code in a different light. And also how the government officials used the form of ritualistic suicide to take advantage of the samurai. It was quite unique for the time. Excellent review! And yes the film can absolutely be called the greatest. Hope you do more movie reviews soon!

[@TheShogunate]

Thanks man!! And yeah, I've tried in the past to just use short snippets but then I've still gotten ridiculously small manuel claims that come in days after upload.

[@bushidoblues9302]

@@TheShogunate some films are definitely stricter than others. 13 assassins had claims for showing just 2 seconds lol. There's alot of BS we have to deal with on KZbin.

[@TheShogunate]

@@bushidoblues9302 2 seconds?! that is absolutely crazy.

[@willmendoza8498]

I have never been able to find a copy of the original, but I have seen the remake twice and loved it. The final reveal blew my mind, and my wife’s the first time we watched it

[@Kjleed13]

Seven Samurai really set the standard in filmmaking for future films not just in Samurai films.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

I was just scrolling through your samurai movie playlist and saw this at the bottom. I’m so glad you covered this one as it is my favorite samurai film of all time. It truly shows the distinction between the virgin Edo samurai vs the chad Sengoku samurai lol

[@Shabangs510]

This is a movie that transcends language and time, just wow

[@zaphyra-]

Tatsuya Nakadai has been in so many good movies. The Human Condition trilogy is probably his best performance.

[@poloshirtsamurai]

Love Tatsuya Nakadai. He's the best!

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

And he's still somewhat active, too! I hope he stays in good health.

[@topnotchcupoftea]

My mum got me the human condition on Blu ray for my birthday Best gift I've gotten for my birthday This Christmas I got harakiri and kwaiden and they were really good as well

[@darkgate33]

beside of the AMAZING cinematography and acting. this is one of the best screenplays in history. When I first watched it I didn't realize it. upon re watch my experience is completely different 2 hours and 13 minutes flew by so quick. I love East Asian cinema particularly Japanese and Korean

[@spuriusfurious]

Yes 1000 times. This movie still sticks with me Year’s later

[@howardroark7726]

Thank you for covering Harakiri. It is my favourite movie. Initially, I interpreted the message as a comparison between the true Bushido of Tsugumo and the empty, ritualistic bullshido of Iyi. However, you may be right that Tsugumo ultimately regrets his commitment to the way of the warrior. That scene where he discovers Motome had sold his swords while his own were still in their sayas could well have represented his realisation that he could have bought his family a few more years by selling his blades and buying medicine. In that sense, there's some similarity with Ishiguro's novel Remains of the Day.

[@scottmerric2180]

Back in the cable days, My brother and I watched something called the International Film Channel. They showed Martial Arts movies and such every Friday. Hats Kiri was playing that day, and I was enveloped by the screen lol. I watched it alone in one sitting. I told my brother about it, and watched it again with him. The next week I came home from School and my dad was glued to the screen watching it lol. It was so powerful at the time, I had never seen 7 samurai, Yojimbo or anything g else. The story blew my mind and and to this day it’s one of my favorite movies. I think for sure it’s the best samurai movie 🎥 imo

[@cordaxg6261]

Just came home from the movies. I saw Yujimbo 6 months ago. That was well totally okay. Harakiri 😢😮 wow !! What an awesome movie. Cant really wrap my head around it. It was just very very good. The story thats being told and unfold is just beyond anything i expected.

[@damexipino]

Agree,the story telling is amazing,the ending is explosive!!!!!!

[@gaiseric9518]

I couldn't agree more. I love this movie. Saw it at a red box as a kid and wanted to see it, but I was too young. Wasn't until 14 years later that I actually found the name of the film.

[@Vaisin]

''Harakiri'' is the best samurai film I've ever seen, my favourite Japanese movie of all time and one of my favourite movies of all time. An absolute classic, a 10/10 movie for sure. And yes, I've recommended it to a friend of mine who's a cinephile and told him to watch ''Seven Samurai'' first (He had both films on his ''to watch'' list already tho).

[@archonmagosaugustus]

Oh, this film is FANTASTIC. I remember renting the tape from a video shop in VHS. What a wonderful film.

[@MaaZeus]

Just bought a new Panasonic OLED TV. Might as well as watch this masterpiece again now. It truly is hearth wrenching film. 👍

[@chrisdiokno5600]

Damn, I am early AF. I have not seen this film, but shall add it to my list. Its up there with Kurosawa.

[@TheEffectOfMass]

Do it, it's amazing. This movie is one that helps define the Samurai film genre.

[@alexanderjohnson6178]

Me when I see this notification: Ah I’ve been looking forward to this

[@beanofsteel]

One of if not my favorite Samurai film. Absolutely brilliant, heartbreaking and everything in between. Need to give it another watch soon.

[@brandonday2494]

Brilliant film. I'd have to agree it's the greatest.

[@KesselRunner606]

You could certainly debate on the best Samurai movie, but as far as I'm concerned, this movie is The best black and white movie ever shot, east or west. The lighting, textures, shades and contrasts make your eyes perceive a whole new spectrum of colour.

[@TheShogunate]

Absolutely!

[@Fred_L.]

Then you haven´t seen Dinner for One ... ;-]

[@chilajeffrey5172]

Watched this movie and what a fantastic fantastic movie. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@melissaking6019]

A truly great powerfully moving film with a brilliant performance by the greatest Japanese actor ever, Tatsuya Nakadai.

[@gopal72719]

Tasuya Nakadai is a gem of cinema. The sword of doom mesmerised me.

[@nustde00]

This is one of the best history channels on the platform. Have you thought about reaching out to Curiosity Stream? You are television level good my Lord.

[@TheShogunate]

I have been considering it!

[@JudeSR]

Love this movie! I watch it almost once a week. 😭

[@mikotagayuna8494]

While I disagree with your view that this is the greatest samurai film, I understand how important this film is to you as a researcher and KZbinr and your review shows how personal and heartfelt it must have been watching this. Most of us started out as lovers of samurai culture through pop culture and romantization but later learned the depths of sorrow, savagery and hypocrisy that permeated its authentic history. It was at this point that the real learning began.

[@vytisagafonovas3887]

yap, can confirm this is a masterpeace. Was facinated when i first watched it.

[@flammifer451]

This movie has one of the most satisfying endings ever

[@DedicatedSpirit8]

I haven't seen the original but u came across the remake on amazon prime and that final scene... where he unsheathes the blade... I was crying and had the biggest smile on my face. I can't describe the feeling.. Can't wait to watch original

[@funknotik]

I love this movie, I’ve watched it atleast 20 times.

[@MrSinclairn]

Thank you,for this brilliant and spot-on vid:I have this film on Blu-ray,as well as Samurai Rebellion on DVD,along with others such as the main Kurosawa ones[apart from Rashomon!🤨],Imagaki's Samurai's Trilogy plus the Lone Wolf and Cub sextet!👍 'Hara-kiri' ,as you have so succinctly noted,captured probably the reality of post-conflict Tokugawa samurai Japan,with a semi-feudal military elite trying to stay relevant in a changing socio-economic environment.I will,hopefully,give my copy a rare screening in the next few weeks! P.S. It is amazing in this present day,that the name 'Samurai' still conjured up to the basic observer,both nationally in Japan and internationally,such an weird,all-embracing 'knightly/chivalric' allure,when most of the general films(since the end of WW2) incl. the ones,I cited[ espec. 'The 7 Samurai'] ,plus the more recent examples like the 'Ruroni Kenshin' film franchise,invariably show them in an unflattering 'warts-and-all' light! 🙄

[@kayebee4794]

It is! This is my first Nakadai-starred film.

[@jimross7648]

This was a unique film review. It tells much about the film without telling you much about the film. Harakiri is a film that I've heard much about, but I don't believe I've ever actually seen. I knew of the superlatives about the film, but actually very little about the actual film. This video told me more than I've ever heard about this movie and I still know next to nothing about it. You have peaked my interest in this work.

[@TheShogunate]

I'm glad I got you interested!! It's a film everyone should see!

[@LoganParam-03]

I just watched this movie. As a filmmaker starting to study Samurai Cinema. I approve

[@ya2u]

this is one of my favorite movies

[@SetrinSkyheart]

Fun library fact: Those of you with library cards that have access to Hoopla can also watch the film there.

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

Such a hauntingly beautiful movie. Kobayashi really knew what he was doing, and - in both this and Samurai Rebellion - he shows the hypocrisy of a rigid system and the humanity of the tragic protagonists. However I did also enjoy the remake. It was made with respect and still is a good movie on its own, although it lacks the epic grass field duel (which is a big loss, the three duels were kind of rushed into one). What it does add is more detail to Tsugomo's backstory, and the seppuku scene is really, really hard to watch (it was already brutal in the original but it's up to eleven here). It's one of the rare remakes that, while not *necessary*, are worth the time (unlike, say, the new versions of Psycho or Spartacus). Of course, black and white cinematography can play with light and shadow much better than colour even will be able to.