Kedamono no ken

Gennosuke (Mikijiro Hira), a low-ranking samurai on the run from his own clan after killing a councillor teams up with a peasant to prospect gold on a mountain owned by the Shogunate where they face other poachers, bandits, and the samurai sent to avenge the dead councillor. The film reflects both the revisionist trend that was popular in the 1960s chambara films (as well as in their American counterpart, the 'western') and historical shifts in Japanese feudal society in the mid-1800s as Western influences spread. Gennosuke renounces the traditional strict codes of his class by participating in the murder of a samurai superior and then going on the run after finding out that he was simply a stooge in a local power struggle - to be used, betrayed, and abandoned. The asymmetry of hierarchical societies is a central theme, with absolute obedience expected from vassals while lords are free to be as capricious as they wish, owing neither loyalty nor honesty to those serving them. Typical of Hedeo Gosha's early films, 'Sword of Beast' paints a fairly bleak picture of human nature but ends on a relatively upbeat note (amidst the carnage) as the characters realise that loyalty and respect is earned, not inherited. The Criterion Collection version recently shown on TCM showcases the film's excellent cinematography and is nicely subtitled in English. Recommended.

On the surface this may seem like a typical samurai action flick but like Kurosawa and Kobyashi films there are many social implications beneath the surface.

The movie seems to revolve around the irony that while Gennosuke, the main character who is basically cast out of society in to the wild and forced to constantly fight for his survival like an animal, is actually the only character that tries to show any qualities above that of a beast.

Every other character from a group of bandits he encounters to the group of clansmen trying to exact revenge after Gennosuke killed their leader, to a man and his wife from a separate clan trying to steal gold to improve their clan status are either acting for revenge, power, or greed. The greed exists because most of the movie takes place around a mountain where gold has just been discovered and Gennosuke is befriended by a poor man hoping to find some for himself.

Throughout the movie there is constant backstabbing, deception, and generally brutal acts committed by a multitude of these characters. For instance the man from a separate clan living with his wife on a shack by the river are attacked by bandits in the woods trying to steal the gold they have already mined; they hold the wife hostage in demand for his booty but the man would rather give up his wife then part with his gold. Her saving grace is when Gennosuke shows up on the the scene and acts with the courage and compassion to save her life. The husband does come around a little later in the movie but in the end his rival clan plans to kill everyone on the mountain and save the gold for themselves threatening the couple, Gennosuke, and his persuers.

Gosha does a great job with his imagery, demonstrating a wild, dark world threatening to swallow humans whole. Throughout the film, which is almost all outdoors are scenes of men disappearing into woods or buried beneath shrubbery. In fact, it's quite reminiscent of another Japanese Classic, Rashamon. Some of the shots are virtually identical, ie the sun being concealed over the forest canopy or disappearing behind a mountain.

One of the best touches is towards the end when soldiers from the rival clan are planning to take the mountain, and kill anyone who knows about the gold. One of them sounds a battle horn to signal the approach, a battle horn made to sound conspicuously like some kind of strange animal call.

As others have mentioned, this is a solid film about corruption among feudal samurai. The acting and cinematography are both good and the evolution in the characters throughout the film is solid. The action scenes, while not all too common, are very frenetic and gripping.

It is easy to see why this was a Criterion release. There are certainly a number of good samurai movies, but this one isn't like all the others. The title may easily be confused in English with "Sword of Doom" and the protagonist does look quite a bit like Tatsuya Nakadai, but these movies and their themes are completely different.

The movie also stayed with me after watching it. It left me thinking about cults, fraternities and clans. Individuals who dedicate themselves most selflessly to a cause or group, aren't they the easiest group members to sacrifice?

This is Gosha's first or second movie he made in his carrer, after watching his other great movies like goyokin and tenchu, I said what the hell might as well get his other movies, this movie has an exeptional plot and has some great sword fights, especially in the abandoned hut, when the two main characters started going at it...

PS: his other movie that I really like was three outlaw samurai..

One of Gosha's earlier movies, it contains all the elements that made him a "chambara" director to be admired and emulated: Well-composed and thoughtful cinematography, a cynical view of authority (with certain implications for modern Japanese society), human drama, and OF COURSE, some excellent swordplay!

Certainly a solid and watchable samurai drama, both for "popcorn" and "cinema" appeal. I'd see Goyokin and/or Hitokiri first, but see this one next!