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Dramatically compelling and emotionally intense, Harakiri is a certified classic of Japanese film, and a riveting study of samurai codes of honor. Unlike Kurosawa's rousing samurai epics, this is an uncompromisingly tragic tale, exposing the hypocrisy of 17th-century Japanese society with its story of a family destroyed by the cruelty of feudalism toward warriors in peacetime. The film is truly Shakespearean in its emotional scope, embodied by the unforgettable performance of Tatsuya Nakadai (star of Kurosawa's Ran) as an elder warrior seeking revenge for the unnecessary seppuku (ritual suicide) of his beloved son-in-law. Director Masaki Kobayashi begins at story's end, then recounts the narrative (adapted from a novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi) as told by Nakadai's character. The effect is almost unbearably suspenseful, leading to an explosive climax of supreme defiance and samurai swordplay, erupting from a battle of wills, called bluffs, and hotly defended honor. For connoisseurs of samurai action, Harakiri is not to be missed. --Jeff Shannon
Description
Following the collapse of his clan, unemployed samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi, begging to commit ritual suicide on his property. Iyi's clansmen, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for charity, try to force him to eviscerate himself—but they have underestimated his honor and his past. Winner of the 1963 Cannes Film Festival's Special Jury Prize, Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri is a scathing denouncement of feudal authority and hypocrisy.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of a kind,
This review is from: Harakiri (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
This movie is such a classic it's shocking. Great acting, great script, great story. It shows the hypocrisy of the Samurai clan system and how their world was falling apart.Japan took a pounding in WWII because they tried bringing back the outdated Bushido Warrior Code. MacArthur pushed for the atomic bomb because the Japanese soldiers refused to surrender. If the soldiers ran out of bullets they were expected to attack with the spirit. This makes good anime but has disastrous results on the battlefield. I look upon this as one of the many Japanese films that reflected on the disaster of WWII.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Makes you look at yourself.,
By Himejijo (ON Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Harakiri (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
I had the opportunity to see this at a movie theater and loved it. Apart from the technical aspects, the one thing that I found most powerful about this film is that it forces you to look at how you react to things (this is rare in a film of any genre or period). Without giving away the story, during the beginning when the young man goes to the school, I, along with I think everyone else in the audience judging by their reaction, felt that he was lying about leaving then coming back, and almost felt like he deserved the fate the samurai force upon him. However, as the story unfolds, you realize he was telling the truth, and your opinion of the man completely changes. You find out why he was going to leave, and definitely sympathize with him and his family. Although I love Kurosawa and Ozu's films, I don't recall ever being struck by any of their work as emotionally as I was while watching this film.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Offers a brutally real depiction of Bushido,
By Rob Larmer (Harvey,NB,canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Harakiri (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
I had been wanting to see Seppuku (harakiri) for some time, and as my first rental with zip.ca I was quite exited. I turned it on, and was simply stunned by its sheer power, realism and quality. It featured little of what Kurosawa had brought to the genre, but rather offered a heartwrenching portrait of the futility of a lifestyle that preys upon the helpless. I sat there mesmerized by the brilliance of Kobayashi's direction and Nakadai's performance, together they provided a level of realism that I didn't think was possible with such a robust genre.I felt almost the same way I had after viewing The Wild Bunch. I mean this film totally changes the way I think of a samurai picture, but at the same time it does not detract from anything from the likes of The Seven Samurai or Sanjuro. To say the least I found Seppuku to be an impressive film. I don't give very many 10/10s, but it certainly does deserve that rating. What The Seven Samurai is to The Searchers, Seppuku is to The Wild Bunch. 10/10.
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