Samurai Movie Reviews

Contents

(scroll down)

1 - Rashoman

2 - Yojimbo

3 - Twilight Samurai "Tasogare Sebie"

4 - The Hidden Fortress

1 - Rashoman

RASHOMAN

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Writers: Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Akira Kurosawa

Toshiro Mifune - Tajomaru

Machiko Kyo - Takehiro Kanazawa

Takashi Shimura - Woodcutter

Minoru Chiaki - Priest

Kichijiro Ueda - Commoner

Noriko Honma - Medium

Daisuke Kato - Policeman

The movie begins with a Buddhist priest and another man sitting in a burned temple. They both indicate they don’t understand the testimony they heard in the courthouse garden. A man has been murdered - the priest has lost faith in the human sole.They ask a traveler to listen to their story to try and figure it out..

The speaker was in the forest three days ago to gather firewood. He sees a woman’s hat in  a bush, and then searches, finds some other things belonging to a samurai, and then trips over two hands sticking out of the dirt.

The priest then testifies in the courtyard that he met the murdered man and his wife, wearing a veiled hat and riding a white horse,  three days ago in the forest. He couldn’t see the woman’s face but the man was carrying a sword, a bow and arrows.

Next, Tajamoru, a notorious bandit from the mountains testifies while bound with ropes. He tells how he was caught with a bow, arrows, a sword and a white horse. Tajamoru stated he wasn’t thrown off the horse, as had been reported, but had a drink in a poisoned mountain stream and fell of the horse when getting sick.

(The Story according to the bandit.)

He continues that he spotted the samurai and his wife three days ago in the hot forest while sleeping. As they passed Tajamoru glimpsed her face through the veil, and he said he thought he’d seen a goddess. At that point he began scheming on how to get her.

Tajamoru approaches the couple down the trail. He offers to sell some swords he claims to have discovered to the samurai, who follows to the booty while his wife waits by a stream.

(Why would a samurai leave with this crook? What greed??)

Tajamoru leads him deeper and deeper into the woods, until finally he captures the samurai and ties him up. Then, the bandit fetches his wife, and returns and rapes her, although she appears to enjoy it somewhat. The thief admires the wife’s fierce fighting. The wife tells the thief that, because of her honor,  one of the men must die, and she will go with the winner. A fight ensues and Tajamoru kills the samurai with a sword.

The thief ends his testimony by stating he sold the sword.

Back in the rainy temple the woodcutter says the story is a lie and the woman has different version. The priest notes she was docile.

(The woman’s version.)

After she was raped, the thief ran away leaving the wife and husband together. She embraced her husband - who rejected her as tainted. She cuts him loose and begs him to kill her due to her shame. The samurai just sits there. So she takes her dagger and stabs and kills him, and then fails to kill herself.

Back in the downpour in the burned out temple one of them says: “Women use their tears to fool everyone. They even fool themselves.”

At the courtyard a medium is brought in to testify for the dead samurai

(Samurai’s version.)

The thief tried to console his wife after the rape and attempted to get her to marry him. The samurai said his wife never looked so beautiful. The thief said he would take her anywhere she wanted. She agreed but demanded Tajamoru kill her husband, who turned pale at the request. The thief, now disgusted with the woman, threw her to the ground and asked the samurai what to do with her. The samurai was now ready to pardon Tajamoru. The woman ran off and the theif chased her. Hours later the thief returned and cuts the samurai loose who kills himself with the dagger.

At the temple, the woodcutter says the samurai’s story is wrong too, in that he was killed by a sword, and not a knife. The traveller then gets the woodcutter to admit, he had seen everything.

(Woodcutter’s version.)

He did find the hat as in his first version, but also heard the woman crying just after behind the bush. He then saw a man tied up. The thief was begging the woman for forgiveness and to marry him. She cuts the samurai loose who refuses to fight for his spoiled wife. The samurai demands his wife kill herself and when she refuses, gives her to Tajamoru. The thief then starts to leave and the woman breaks down and cries.

The samurai says “women are weak by nature.”

His wife says men are weak. She asks why the samurai won’t kill the thief to defend her honor. And the thief had to rape her at knife point. She claims she would have been proud to have been with a thief of such high reputation. (Really? - SG)

Then the men fought, the samurai missed many times and finally sticks his sword in a stump. Tajamoru quickly kills the samurai. The woman runs away. Tajamoru takes the swords and leaves.

At the temple shell, someone has left a baby. The traveller steals its kimono and amulet and says: “dogs are better off in this world.” and “If you are not selfish, you will not survive.” The woodcutter and traveller fight. The woodcutter, by his silence admits he stole the woman’s knife and admits he isn’t perfect either.

The priest and woodcutter discuss the baby. The woodcutter has six others at home, what difference would one more make and takes the baby.

Divine_Malevolence: Do you know how many things were based upon this concept? It's like a classic in cartoons. I think I saw a Lizzy McGuire episode based upon it.

Sam Glass: lol.. well you sent me... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_Grove

Divine_Malevolence: Yes. Based upon "In a grove". I'm astounded that I had yet to hear about this all.

Sam Glass: so what is the issue to you

Divine_Malevolence: People conceive things differently based upon circumstances. And dead people are angry.  "If that was all, I would not be in this darkness!"

Sam Glass: ha.. the different stories based on their morality?  individual differences?

Divine_Malevolence: Conceived differences. The woman was messed up in the head afterward.

Sam Glass: but was she? didn't she say it was the men?

Divine_Malevolence: She said she stabbed the guy because he was lookin' at her funny. And tried to kill 'erself. She wasn't mentally competent to stand trial.

Sam Glass: but shouldn't her husband have avenged her? and did the notorious thief have to use a knife to rape her? she said she was willing anyway...

Divine_Malevolence: Can't even tell if it was consentual or not at this point.

Sam Glass: with a knife... but she said she admired the thief...

Divine_Malevolence: And the knife was used against the bandit. He ne'er used it himself.

Sam Glass: what about his story.. how was it biased? I think he exaggerated his fighting ability..

Divine_Malevolence: There was no test of fighting ability in the court. However, I assume an infamous bandit would have some fighting ability to flaunt.

Sam Glass: ok... but he didn't talk s much as the others about talking the woman into going with him?? did he?

Divine_Malevolence: He was confident in that respect. She agreed that she'd go with, everything else is moot to the victor.

Sam Glass: and the samurai.. through the medium... said he killed himself.. with the knife... and how he would have let the thief go after his wife wanted him killed... honor?

Divine_Malevolence: Depression. Dude was probably really set off about the entire chain of events.

Sam Glass: i think it was more than that.. he had his honor.. and how would you like it if your wife was raped in front of you.. and then she would want to go with the scum.. and want u killed???

Divine_Malevolence: That's not honor, man. Honor's setting things right. He was saddened that his wife would want him dead, and that'd be quite the blow.

Sam Glass: but to a samurai?  hmm..

Divine_Malevolence: Still human. Ningen.

Sam Glass: yea... with a license to kill.  ningen?

Divine_Malevolence: Human.

Sam Glass: and the woodcutter.. forgot to talk about the knife he stole

Divine_Malevolence: Did he say he stole it? He could've just been backing off because he admitted to lying.

Sam Glass: he took it.. what about the baby.. what was that about?

Divine_Malevolence: I 'unno. Either he was gonna steal it's cloth and abandon it, or he was tellin' the truth about his six kids.

Sam Glass: i think it was a reminder about humanity... and innocence.. and we need to keep going on even in the face of all the problems and bad things we face.. after all.. what's one more mouth to feed?

Divine_Malevolence: It left an open ending. Like in "The lady or the tiger."

Sam Glass: i don't follow, Grasshopper...

Divine_Malevolence: Ever read "The lady or the tiger"?

Sam Glass: na

Divine_Malevolence: At the end, a door opens. On the other side, there could be a beautiful lady, or a tiger. They don't tell you which. It's left up to the imagination.

Sam Glass: and in this case.. what is the choice?

Divine_Malevolence: He could either be bringing the baby to his family so's to take care of it, or he could be robbin' it like a filthy liar.

Sam Glass: i think you are confusing the woodcutter with the 6 kids and the commoner, who stole the kimono and amulet.. aren't u?

Divine_Malevolence: Naw, just the woodcutter. He could be a thieving brat as well.

Sam Glass: sell the kid?

Divine_Malevolence: But he could also be a decent fellow.  Don't know too much about his character.

Sam Glass: yea.. but he clearly had emotion.. that was the key to knowing he cared.. like the priest.. it was the commoner who didn't have any emotion.. and who you couldn't trust

Divine_Malevolence: There was a phrase from your samurai book about that. Something about "The man who smiles"? People can act to deceive.

Sam Glass: I'll have to go back and find that one.. but i think it is off point.. of the three in the destroyed temple.. two were distraught and cared.. they were telling it to the dispassionate commoner...  the dispassionate one stole the kimono and amulet.. the woodcutter may as you have said stolen the dagger.. but he was poor and trying to feed his six kids.. in the end nobody was perfect.. and told their stories with bias as toward their station in life. The truth was outside the stories.

Divine_Malevolence: You sure he had six kids?

Sam Glass: I believe him.. because he had nothing to lose.. and he seemed genuine.. again.. it was easy to see he cared.. and his emotions made sense when thinking of him in total.

Divine_Malevolence: Y' ne'er know. He said he had six kids to attain the trust to take that one kid. Why? I 'unno. But that's a gain.

Sam Glass: ahh, Grasshopper.. methinks possible the bias in this one resides in you...

Divine_Malevolence: I'm just saying, he could be a sly dog. Not that he is, but it's possible.

Sam Glass: sure.. but why? what about him makes him suspect to you? because he cares?

Divine_Malevolence: Because the theme of the story is y'can't really trust anyone.

Sam Glass: "if you're not selfish you can't survive" was what the commoner who stole the kimono said... u think that applies to everyone?

Divine_Malevolence: It's possible to apply it to most of the people in the story.

Sam Glass: the baby?

Divine_Malevolence: Woulda stolen something if he coulda.

Sam Glass: milk? sure.. but my point is if you rated them.. those who were more emotive.. the ones who showed they cared... would be less likely to take advantage of others.. so .. form 1-10 with 1 as the most likely to steal and 10 as least likely how would you rate them?

Sam Glass: the priest - 10]

Divine_Malevolence: The priest was a 10, the woodcutter was a 7, everyone else was probably 3 or below.

Sam Glass: I would put the samurai at 8.. they had their code and honor.. although they would lie

Divine_Malevolence: Not too sure 'bout him. He'd probably be a seven-ish guy as well.

Sam Glass: kk but at least you'll admit the woodcutter was more believable than the commoner!!.. and that nasty wife!!

Divine_Malevolence: Trufact.

Sam Glass: ok, good conversation.. anything else?

Divine_Malevolence: Sounds good.

Sam Glass: next week Sanjuro...  two weeks Ran

2 - Yojimbo

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Writers: Akira Kurosawa

Cast Toshirô Mifune - Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai

Tatsuya Nakadai - Unosuke, gunfighter

Yôko Tsukasa - Nui

Isuzu Yamada - Orin

Daisuke Katô -Inokichi, Ushitora's rotund brother

Seizaburô Kawazu -Seibei, brothel operator

Takashi Shimura - Tokuemon, sake brewer

Hiroshi Tachikawa - Yoichiro

Yosuke Natsuki - Kohei's Son

Eijirô Tôno - Gonji, tavern keeper

Kamatari Fujiwara - Tazaemon

Ikio Sawamura - Hansuke

Atsushi Watanabe - The Cooper (Coffin-Maker)

Susumu Fujita - Homma, instructor who skips town

Kyû Sazanka - Ushitora

Divine_Malevolence:  The story begins following a wandering samurai of name and origin unknown. He seems to have very little overall purpose, leaving his trailblazing up to fate by choosing his path with a stick. A small ways down the road, he stumbles upon a family, where the son is foolishly leaving to go join a gang.

Interested, the samurai ventures into the town. He is greeted by a corrupt officer, who tells him that good work is available in the form of being a bodyguard for either of the two warring gang like factions. Hardly interested in such a line of work, he instead enters a small establishment where he meets what would be one of very few allies.

This man tells him of the town, and the situation that they were in. Of how the former boss had died, leaving his son and his left hand man to fight over the position of power. The fact that they had been doing so left the town in a very poor state, where he worried about its continued survival. Finally interested, the samurai decided he would stay and put an end to the insanity.

He first went to the son, and hired himself out for fifty Ryo, attaining such a high price by killing three of the other faction’s members. Took twenty five before, and was promised twenty five after a job well done. The son later decided that even though he had agreed to such terms, it was a truly foolish thing to do, and he would later kill the samurai to keep his money. Unfortunately, he was overheard.

Later, when the son decided to instigate a battle with the new strength on his side. Once they took to the field, the samurai exclaimed he would not fight for a man who would later kill him, and took to merely watching it unfold. There was no actual fighting, as both sides were extremely cowardly, and it was broken up by news that an inspector was to inspect them.

The inspector’s arrival sparked a period of inactivity between the two factions. During this time, the samurai went about observing the life in the town, and the inspector. And during this time, his plot formed. Both sides decided they wished to purchase his aid, and both thus came simultaneously. He refused them both, and merely waited for the next piece of news.

News came in the form of a dead official a ways away, which was sure to draw the inspector away. On top of that, both sides were coming to some sort of forged peace, where they would reign together. The samurai, knowing that it was far too convenient for both sides, set out to investigate the drunken subordinates. One of those who worked under the previous boss’s left hand confessed to doing it for little over a Ryo, and was then captured and sold to the son’s faction.

Not at all satisfied at that, the samurai also went to the left hand and told him of the plight his subordinates were suffering. This caused the fragile truce to shatter, and the second faction took their own hostage to barter with. It came to a trade, where both sides took shots at each other in any way they could. In the end, the son’s own son was traded back for the second faction’s two assassins, and a woman known to be the wife of a villager.

Having seen the condition of this woman, the samurai hired himself to the second faction for sixty Ryo. He was accepted into their order, and used the opportunity to free the woman while further aggravating things between the two factions. They struck out continuously at each other, until the second faction heard news that the woman that was rescued had, indeed, been rescued. With only a small bit of excess evidence, they found it was the samurai and thusly imprisoned him.

But what type of warrior stays imprisoned? He broke out with a great deal of effort, and planted the story that he had fled into the protection of the son’s faction. The second faction took this as an opportunity to wipe out the first, and in the end didn’t find the samurai. His ally, the shop keeper, took him to a temple to get back to fighting strength so that he could later flee.

Of course, the shop keeper was then found and captured himself. This provoked the samurai to come back, while not fully recovered, to save his friend. A bloody and one sided battle ensued, the samurai standing victor over the remnants of the two factions who had plagued the town.

Sam Glass: awesome! u catch what yojimbo means?

Divine_Malevolence: I think it means bodyguard.

Sam Glass: ahh.. well he wasn't much of a body guard.. but the town was quiet when he was finished!

Divine_Malevolence: But I can't find anything, so I think it was made up for the movie.

Sam Glass: I think I read bodyguard somewhere

Divine_Malevolence: In the movie.

Sam Glass: yea.. so the samurai was ronin?

Divine_Malevolence: Yup. He had no master. And no real aim early on either.

Sam Glass: yea.. i liked the beginning where he threw up the stick to see which way he would wander

Divine_Malevolence: Yup yup. If it had pointed a different direction, none o' that would've happened.

Sam Glass: Yea. But what a town! Would it happen here? Two bosses divide the town? Or is it purely Japanese?

Divine_Malevolence: ?

Sam Glass: The feud was between the two sides... the restaurant owner said early on the problem was they both wanted to control the town.. kind of like the mafia I guess

Divine_Malevolence: Yup. Evil factions.

Sam Glass: Hired guns. I liked the time keeper... wonder if that was in all towns.. what was the wood about, u know?

Divine_Malevolence: The wood was to make a loud slapping noise. Like when the people play the bugle in the military.

Sam Glass: Yea.. but it was nice and crisp. What did u think about the shooter. He had an evil grin?

Divine_Malevolence: Cocky guy. Felt naked without his gun. I wonder what he was doing when he wasn't in town.

Sam Glass: Lol.. hired to someone else?.... I thought it was a lucky knife shot to bring him down..

Divine_Malevolence: At the beginning. He showed up halfway through.

Sam Glass: Yes.. but the scene where he fought the samurai.. at the end where they were walking towards each other down the street... and the wind was blowing... they were close and he was about to fire.... and then the samurai whips out the knife and gets the shooter in the forearm!

Divine_Malevolence: He practiced for that. And it was a nice throw.

Sam Glass: Yea, I'll say nice!

Divine_Malevolence: Who needs a gun when you have a dirty knife and a decent throw?

Sam Glass: Yea!! What about the rest of the samurai's fighting? Everyone else seemed unskilled.

Divine_Malevolence: Only when compared to the main character. He was a beast. All else pale in comparison.

Sam Glass: Fathead?

Divine_Malevolence: The slow younger brother?

Sam Glass: the giant with the hammer

Divine_Malevolence: Oh. He was brute force, not skill. Probably there to beat up prisoners.

Sam Glass: kind of dumb not to look in the trunk

Divine_Malevolence: Truly. But what more can one expect from gangsters?

Sam Glass: exactly...and the money? he gave 30 to the family of the rescued woman.. did he take any for himself?

Divine_Malevolence: Not a greedy ronin. He was a man of simple taste. Divine_Malevolence: Saving towns for food.

Sam Glass: yea.. and sake

Divine_Malevolence: Mighty fine life.

Sam Glass: yea.. but how can he face his struggles so calmly?

Divine_Malevolence: General apathy?

Sam Glass: facing death? it takes something to put your life on the line over and over.. after-all it only takes one cut and it would be over for him

Divine_Malevolence: He seems like he's lived a full life and wouldn't otherwise mind.

Sam Glass: The Bushido book I'm reading says every samurai should start and end each day visualizing all the various ways they could die...  burning, cut, drowned... exploded... would that make u calm?

Divine_Malevolence: If I had a way to prevent it.

Sam Glass: but they expect it.. i think that is the difference.. they were special.. and that is what made them calm.. their acceptance...

Divine_Malevolence: Yup yup.

Sam Glass: well.. what else did u like?

Divine_Malevolence: Cool shop keeper. "It's free, just get out."

Sam Glass: yea.. once he figured out the samurai was a good guy

Divine_Malevolence: At the beginning as well. Though once he saw a good idea he didn't think twice again.

Sam Glass: yea.. i see that. The coffin? Interesting design...

Divine_Malevolence: And they were going to take him out to bury him. Very interesting.

Sam Glass: power cycling here.. internet down again

Divine_Malevolence: Hello.  Say "Ninja"?

Sam Glass: Next week Rashoman?

3 - Twilight Samurai "Tasogare Sebie"

Directed by Yojo Yamada

Written by Shuhei Fujisawa and Yoji Yamada

2002

Review

Hiroyuki Sanada plays Sebei Iguchi

Rie Miyazawa - Tomoe Linuma

Nenji Kobayashi - Choubei Kusaka

Ren Ohsusi - Toyotarou Kuda

Mitsuru Fukikoshi - Michinojo Linuma

Sebei Igushi is a poor widower samurai with a sick mother and two daughters at home. The relaxed and thoughtful hero previously had sold his sword to pay for his wife’s funeral. He leaves his job in “Clan Stores” promptly at the end of each day and goes directly home to care for his family. This story is narrated from the memories of his youngest daughter - Itu - five at the time.

The family lives in a small thatched roof home with chickens in the yard. Kayano, at 10 and the oldest daughter, helps out with the cooking. A male servant - Noata also apparently lives there, along with Sebei’s elderly and memory challenged mother - ‘Gran’.

Itu tells us that in his situation Sebei had become unkempt and grimy. When the ‘lord’ visits for an inspection, he embarrasses Sebei and his supervisor by taking him down for his appearance and smell.

Gran’s brother drops in and informs Sebei that as the elder in the family, he, the uncle, has apologized to the lord. Uncle also lets Iguchi know that he has found a farmer’s daughter wife for him - one with broad hips to have more children.  But not good looking - of course - because his salary was only 50 koku of which 20 was going to pay off debts. Sebei refuses by saying he is “not as miserable as you (uncle) think.”

Later, Sebei asks his girls if they are lonely and need a mother. He notes the proposal and how disrespectful it is to both the samurai and the proposed bride. The girls respond that they are happy with their father’s attention and love.

Next, a samurai friend returns from Kyoto, Mitsuro Linuma, with news that Sebie’s childhood friend, and Mitsuro’s sister, the beautiful Tomoe was back in town after going through a bitter divorce from the abusive Captain Koda. The two also talk of life and politics in the capital.

Upon arriving home, Iguchi doesn’t recognize his childhood friend who has spent the afternoon with his daughters. The mood is set when he shows his feelings for her, and his aging mother recognizes Tomoe but not her son.

Sebei walks Tomoe home that evening (with Noata as chaperon) to her brothers house and finds Captain Koda , drunk and requesting the return of his ex-wife. The exchange ends with Koda and Sebe agreeing to to an illegal duel behind a temple the next morning.

Iguchi arrives behind the temple in time to find Mitsuro beginning the fight with Koda, but brushes his friend aside. Iguchi lets Koda know he only has a wooden sword whereby Koda says he will proceed and kill Iguchi The hero gives the drunk several chances to end the duel noting that the Captain would have been dead if a genuine tool was in use, the last where he had knocked Koda’s sword to the ground and asked for an apology. Iguchi responds to the last lunge by rapping Koda on the head and knocking him out. Clearly this was no ordinary storeroom clerk and now everyone knew it.

At work a few days later at work, one of Koda’s drinking buddies, Zemen Yogo, dropped by to say he had been asked to avenge the loss of honor from the duel. Modest and polite SIguchi declines but notes he had ‘attended’ short sword master Toda’s dojo.

At work, due to knowledge of the fight, Iguchi’s collegues, are now worried retribution from  calling him “Twilight” behind his back. Tomoe leaves him a letter at home where she apologizes for the trouble she has caused but lets him know she is thrilled. She also says she wants to thank him in person. (Pop!) She also says she wants to be of use to him in the future - whatever she can...

Itu tells us Tomoe visited them at this point every evening or two or three days teaching them to cook, sew among other things. She even took them to a festival off limits to the samurai class.

Meanwhile, Tomoe’s brother MItsuro, while fishing informs Iguchi about Tomoe’s marriage interest with him and also of other proposals. Due to the political situation, Mitsuro gives three days for an answer. Sebie lets out that his first wife and her family was not satisfied with his petty salary, and he believed Tomoe would  come to regret it as well. He refuses. Tomoe stops vising the girls.

Late one evening Iguchi’s boss arrives at his house and takes him to new lord Haki, where he is given an assignment to kill drunken Koda’s friend, and previously rejected opponent, Zemen Yogo. It seems Yogo had belonged to the losing faction for control of the clan. He had followed the orders of his sponsor, and when control was settled, refused to commit hari-kari with the rest of the losers.

Iguchi eloquently twice refuses the commission, and attempts to delay the process, but ,when faced with clan banishment he accepts  - to complete the task by dusk the next day (twilight?). In the discussion we discover Iguchi was in fact an instructor at Master Toda’s short sword dojo, and not a student, as Sebei had wanted everyone to believe. The clan believed Iguchi, with his short sword expertise, would have an advantage inside Yogo’s house.

Sebei thinks he will win and prepares for the worst. Through his boss he conveys his regards to his office mates. His boss says he will take care of his family. Iguchi sharpens his sword and sends Noata to ask Tomoe to come over, and help him dress.

While dressing they discuss the conversation with her brother regarding marriage. Iguchi lets Tomae know that he has always “dreamed” she would be his wife. And, of course, Tomoe has to tell him she has accepted the offer of another. Off he goes to fight and she tells him she won’t be there when he returns. Both are devastated. Sebei cries.

Iguchi arrives at Yogo’s much nicer house and stepped over the previous fly-covered commission holder at the front door. Inside the two talk for a long time. Yogo is drunk and asks Iguchi to let him escape as ronin to another province. Both tell their stories and backgrounds, leading eventually to Yogo’s apparent insult in that his assassin had brought a wooden sword. The fight ensues whereby Iguchi uses his short sword, and Yogo - the long. Both were cut before Yogo took the decisive blow, and caught is long sword in the rafters.

Sebei staggers home, bloodied and limping where he is met by Itu. Tomoe, then steps through the door, and after a slight hesitation, they embrace.

Itu then wraps up the story by letting us know they had three good years together before Iguchi was shot and killed in the Meiji Restoration - civil war. Tomoe then moved with the girls to Tokyo where she supported the grils.

Sam Glass: g'day


Divine_Malevolence: G'day mate. Right o' bit o' sun in th' outback, eh?


Sam Glass: That was in 2002?


Divine_Malevolence: Very recent. I'm surprised.


Sam Glass: Yea.. I liked it. Especially the fishing!


Divine_Malevolence: The fishing was amusing. "You two are picking on me!"


Sam Glass: What was that line?


Divine_Malevolence: When the friend told him Tomoe would be willing to marry him. He said she wouldn't be interested in a 50 Ryo Samurai.


Sam Glass: Yes. Sebei was very sensitive and humble, even about his fighting skill which ended up to be excellent.


Divine_Malevolence: It was above average, but he wasn't perfect.


Sam Glass: Of course.. but it was good enough to win.


Divine_Malevolence: Modest yet awesome guy, he was. If I was one of his office-mates, I'd help him with his duties so he could come drinking once in a while.


Sam Glass: Ahh... but what if he didn't want the help?

Divine_Malevolence: Or smell less. I 'unno. Insist! He didn't refuse Tomoe's assistance.

Sam Glass: But who could resist the beautiful Tomoe???


Divine_Malevolence: Her hubby.


Sam Glass: Drunk hubby... and abusive.. she was strong..


Divine_Malevolence: Strong of will, and fleet of foot.


Sam Glass: But she stayed in the end.. I didn't expect her to be there when he came back from his assasination. Did you?


Divine_Malevolence: It's a movie. Of course she stayed. I would've been surprised if she didn't.


Sam Glass: But she had accepted another marriage proposal. Do you think she wasn't telling the truth about it? Was she just saying that to see something about him?


Divine_Malevolence: She was trollin'. She was probably serious, but..... Hey, one can be fickle at times, no?


Sam Glass: OK... sure but was she scheeming.. or just following events?


Divine_Malevolence: Too benevolent to scheme.


Sam Glass: Interesting, but I don't know about it. What about Sebei's relationship with his daughters?

Divine_Malevolence: It was very nice. He was a good pops an' a very good character.


Sam Glass: Did this line say anything to you? On studying Confusious: "Well, it probably be as useful as needlework. But you know, book learning gives you the power to think. However the world might change, if you have the power to think, you'll always survive somehow. That's for boys and girls. All right?"

Divine_Malevolence: 'Tis a great truth. Above all else, one must think. Which is one of the reasons I'm against political parties.


Sam Glass: Umm... I think that thought will need expanding at another time...


Divine_Malevolence: Truly. But that's another topic entirely!


Sam Glass: Back on the movie.. I was interested in one other quote.. it goes back to modesty of the samurai: "I am ashamed to say that over many years of hardship with tow daughters, a sick wife and aged mopther, I have lost the drive to wield asword. A erious fight, the killing of a man, requires animal ferocity ad a calm regard for one's own life. I have neither of these within menow. Perhaps in a month... alone with the beasts in the hills I could gather them back. But tomorrow, I am afraid, is completly impossible."

Divine_Malevolence: He's not a cold blooded killer. It's true. Had he been the next scene would've been rather boring. "Sit, Twilight." "No" *Stab*


Sam Glass: Yea.. But don't these great samurai always have modesty? It seems to bendfit them in many ways... like in lulling their opponents into false security.. and in disarming emotions from the anticipated confrontation.

Divine_Malevolence: Intimidation probably gets one more than false modesty. A smart adversary will not lower his guard to a seemingly weak adversary.

Sam Glass: But Sebei didn't intimidate anybody... yet he won both his fights.. that is a lesson from this movie.


Divine_Malevolence: Because his opponents were.... Less than bright. One was a drunk moron, and the other forgot he had a roof.


Sam Glass: Exactly.. but they underestimated Sebei...


Divine_Malevolence: Or overestimated themselves.

Sam Glass: yes.. but in the last fight.. it didn't

Divine_Malevolence: "I'm a 400 Ryo Samurai! I won't take that from you!" Admittedly, the bamboo sword might've won him that fight.


Sam Glass: And the second fight didn't start until Sebei told him he had sold his sword to pay for his mother's funeral.


Divine_Malevolence: It didn't start until he revealed his current sword was bamboo.
Sam Glass: But he had an excellent short sword.. his specialty in the dojo.


Divine_Malevolence: Yup yup.

Sam Glass: He sharpened it... Daughter Ito recalled listening to it overnight... Anything else? OK, great.

Divine_Malevolence: Not that I know of. Next, a new classic must be watched. We shalt tune in to Yojimbo!

4 - The Hidden Fortress

Director - Akira Kurasawa

General Rokurota Makabe - Toshiro Mifune

Tahei - Minoro Chiaki

[Matasichi - Kamatari Fugiwara

General Hyoe Tadoukoru - Sasumu Fujita

Princess Yuki - Misa Uehara

Farmer's daughter bought from slave merchant - Toshiko Higuchi

Divine_Malevolence: Two fools, after attempting to joining a war effort and being forced to bury corpses, escape and attempt to return home. This is unsuccessful, as they are then captured yet again, and sent to excavate an abandoned fortress for two hundred pieces of gold.

A riot ensues their first night in the accursed camp, and they escape. Knowing the border to be well patrolled, they decide to take a different route through enemy territory. This would not have been successful if the two had been left to their own devices, yet luck was on their side.

They find gold in a piece of firewood that they found, and decide to look around for more. Their search is somewhat short, and they find that much more than they bargained for. A general and a princess, yet... They would never know, foolish as they are. The gold was gathered, the goal was set, and an escape plan was forged.

The princess, in order to go below the figurative radar, played as a mute. The general didn't hide his identity, though those he told were either already informed or in disbelief. And, of course, the two fools followed, mostly for the sake of manual labor and, perhaps, entertainment.
Upon their first night, they stop momentarily to gain their bearings. The princess finds an unfortunate subject of hers in a trying time, and demands that she be bought. She was not alone, as a noble came along to buy one of the party's three horses. They found themselves down a horse, which lead them to abandon the other two, and up a woman. Thus they did not fit the description of what the enemy was searching for, and they avoided attention.

That is.... Until they were more thoroughly checked, and the general was forced into action to prevent any harm from coming to them. His efforts were more or less in vain, as he stumbled upon a small regiment while ridding of enemy scouts. A duel then commenced, and the honorable commander of the regiment allowed him to leave unimpeded.

A few rainy days later, the party found themselves at a standstill. Moving forward would prove difficult with the many people searching for them, and they had no place to go back to. Again, luck shone upon them in the form of a fire ritual, where they would blend in perfectly. The luck wasn't particularly positive, as they were forced to burn the wood which encased the gold.

But what kind of delay is that to your average protagonist? None, really. They scoured the pit, fools making sure to attain every piece of the loot. They made it away.... Almost, only bringing back two soldiers with them. Which turned out to be convenient, as soldiers are good for manual labor.
Mere moments later, they were surrounded. All hope seemed lost. The general decided that he would be a distraction for the greater safety of the princess, yet the girl they had saved decided her life was less important. He wouldn't allow that, and ended up carrying her away while the princess followed. All three proved that they couldn't escape, but they could provide a gap for a fool or two to slip through. Sadly, a foolish duo doesn't do you much good when you're due to be executed.

The negative luck that had momentarily came upon them wore off at this point, however. A good stroke came when the commander the general had previously defeated was charmed by the princess' honor, and decided to aid them in an escape. Due to the fact he was the only man of real power there, the escape went off without a hitch, and the party managed to escape. All was well for them, yet for the fools....

They were found with an enormous sum of gold that they could not explain, and were thusly imprisoned. They decided it would be a good end, dieing together in a land they had set out to get to. But their royal friends decided such a fate would be unfitting, and bailed them out.
And so, the clan who had lost found strength to continue, and two fools were a little richer in terms of riches and knowledge.

Ze end! Or is it......?

Sam Glass: Well stated, my friend! Very exhaustive!?

Divine_Malevolence: Jus' gettin' started. Hinged a lot on a leader's honor.

Sam Glass: K. I was looking at three things: 1) the fighting, 2) the song, and 3) the Princess.
How do you rate the fighting?

Divine_Malevolence: There wasn't much of it, but for what there was it was decent. As in the spear fighting. More effort could've gone into the horseback katana kills. One cut does not strike an armored man down.

Sam Glass: Yea.. but it looks like to me it is all about that first strike

Divine_Malevolence: If only he had a crossbow.

Divine_Malevolence: First strike?

Sam Glass: Yes, they seem to circle for a long time trying to get the first strike - with the swords...'

Divine_Malevolence: The ones he hit with a sword were riding away, weren't they?

Sam Glass: I'm confused - are we talking about the fight between the generals or the escape?

Divine_Malevolence: ........ Generals?

Sam Glass: Yea, the duel with spears.. where Mukabe ended up stepping on Takudoru's spear...

Divine_Malevolence: Victory be dismarming. Dismarming. Amusing. Disarming.

Sam Glass: Yea.. and honor? I thought it was different... how it was presented.. leaving...

Divine_Malevolence: One on one when you've got a regiment is honorable. And allowing the victor to leave is a sign of good sportsmanship.

Sam Glass: But in the end the Lord beat Tadukoru and scarred his face - he had that horrible gash

Divine_Malevolence: He was unfortunate, but he was willing to let honor outdo punishment.

Sam Glass: But he was angry at first - because Mukabe didn't kill him

Divine_Malevolence: At first. But then he helped 'em escape.

Sam Glass: Yes, after the Princess sold him

Divine_Malevolence: Irritation rather then resentment.

Sam Glass: feminine wiles - willies?

Divine_Malevolence: Tch. He was impressed by all.

Sam Glass: Who could turn her down?

Divine_Malevolence: The loyal commoner, the strong general, and the kind princess.

Sam Glass: The fools were loyal?

Divine_Malevolence: The fools weren't there.

Sam Glass: Greed! So the song:

The life of a man
Burn it with the fire
The life of an insect
Throw it in the fire
Ponder and you'll see
The world is dark
And this floating world is a dream
Burn it with abandon

Divine_Malevolence: It's a meaningful song. Probably written by a pessimist.

Sam Glass: LOL

Divine_Malevolence: Or a pyromaniac. Odds are someone lost something, saw all go to flames and said, burn it! Because profanity doesn't always come along. A song of bad tidings.

Sam Glass: Ummm... I think it is a song about how short life is... and how one has to take advantage of it.. because it could be gone in an instant!! They sang it three times - recall them?

Divine_Malevolence: Once in a festival, once..... Some time, and once when they had been captured and were about to get put to death. Bad tidings.

Sam Glass: The princess sang it when facing death.. and Takadoru sang it just before he freed them - heady stuff!

Divine_Malevolence: Because he had a tough decision to make. And he was copying her.

Sam Glass: And it was about life and death... the ultimate test of character

Divine_Malevolence: And dark times.

Sam Glass: K.. and the Princess... the eyebrows?

Divine_Malevolence: Obnoxious crying scene. Could've used a better wardrobe. I would've switched with the girl that they rescued.

Sam Glass: Her kimono in the end was kinda nice? In the beginning she was just hanging around the spring and living in a cave.. kinda hard to dress up there? What should she have worn?

Divine_Malevolence: Her kimono was nice. But everywhere else.... They had multiple chances to change, man. On that record, the general could've covered his legs at some point. Mayhaps with the silver they got for the horse.

Sam Glass: Ahh.. but they were saving it for rebuilding the clan! I will excuse them for not dressing up.
Divine_Malevolence: Tcccch. They bought clothes in the end.

Sam Glass: What about how the princess looked in the cave waiting for the rain to stop?

Divine_Malevolence: Comfortable.

Sam Glass: DId you catch her hips?

Divine_Malevolence: Nein.

Sam Glass: Must have been twice as wide as her waist.... childbearing.. more about continuing the clan...

Sam Glass: OK. anything else?

Sam Glass: Then next week.. turn in for "The Twilight Samaurai"


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