Uzumasa raimuraito

A Samurai movie about Samurai Drama follows an aged actor in a Samurai TV drama, best known for dying well on this series for the past 40 years. He's dealing with the changing tone of Kyoto, The Hollywood of the East, dealing with becoming washed up, and dealing with his body slowly giving up on him, all at once. On his way out he develops a relationship with a girl who was on her way in, and trains her in the art of stage sword fighting.

It was a very quiet but passionate performance by all the actors, and I love movies about Showbiz. This one was particularly appealing, as I got a small insight of what it was possibly like to be an extra in Japan's studio system.

It was cool cause it was not overly dramatic and was slightly humorous as a satire about making TV shows should be. Plus because it was about a Samurai Drama, we got some cool sword fights. Well forth it.

I'm hoping that this movie has more meaning and nostalgic value to a Japanese audience and that it has just lost something when taken outside its original cultural context.

For a foreigner, with no interest in or point of reference to the old-style Samurai TV series whose demise the film laments, it was really going to take something special to grab my interest. Unfortunately the acting is as wooden as the actors' swords, the dialogue torpid and the general premise of the young girl studying under the old extra was just silly.

The message of the movie is conveyed crystal clear within the first five minutes (end of an era, no appreciation for old skills, vapid modern culture taking over, etc, etc) but it goes on for another 100 minutes adding nothing more.

As the modern age takes over Japan, Kamiyama, an aging samurai and last of his breed, find himself out of work when the lord he served for 40 years gave up his title. With the Princess of Uzumasa disappearing from the public due to a humiliating rumor, the limelight of Uzumasa, a suburb of Kyoto, was on its last shine as the young people flock to the modern day Edo, Tokyo.

In the midst of a dying tradition, hope came about when a young woman of spirit and fire showed up at Uzumasa castle. Under the discipleship of Kamiyama, could she really be the savior of this town? Could she be the next Princess of Uzumasa?

A masterpiece of story telling in a timeless art form of samurai drama. This is a tale of courage, honor, and duty told through the eyes of a veteran samurai who has seen the changes in Japan for over 70 years.

Kamiyama Seiich is a veteran samurai actor of 40 years specializing in the drop dead role of "kirare-yaku". A young producer cancels the long-running series in favor of a more youth-oriented subject matter. This leaves Kamiyama and the bulk of his aging colleagues out of work. While Kamiyama gets sympathy from the managing director, a long-time colleague and cohort, he receives hostile and disrespectful treatment from the new generations of actors, directors, and producers. Facing a lack of work, Kamiyama is relegated to performing his kirare-yaku with his fellow aging actors live in front of tourist in the studio park performance. His performance catches the eye of a young and up-and-coming actress, Iga Satsuki. She begs him to teach her the art of swordplay. Initially reluctant, he agrees and soon comes to embrace her as his protégé. His advice to her is that if you put your best efforts forward, you will always receive help. With her training, Iga soon rises to become a top star. Eventually the park show closes forcing Kamiyama into retirement. A few years later, Iga is asked to star in a remake and reunion of the long-running samurai series that Kamiyama became famous for. Iga accepts on condition that Kamiyama play the lead kirare-yaku role. During the first take, Kamiyama flinches in his performance. The director immediately decides to cut Kamiyama's scenes and role. The same producer who eliminated the original series, ironically comes forth to overrule the director. As the actors retake their positions for the next take, the lead samurai actor asks Kamiyama if he is OK. Kamiyama replies yes but comments that his performance is "rusty." This derogatory comment sparks the best in the lead actor and the rest as the veterans once again demonstrate their experienced, well honed-in art. In the finale, Kamiyama enacts his famous kirare-yaku. It could be interpreted that his final performance was his best and also his last breath. This movie is metaphoric of the modern times when the younger generation, eager for instant fame and success without paying their dues, puts them at odds with veteran actors whom they view as threats to their job security and careers.

Uzumasa Limelight traces the dying Samurai filmmaking tradition of Japan. Akin to American Western movies, in the 50's and 60's Samurai films provided the touchstone for Japanese viewers to the romanticized past of Japan. The film focuses on Kamiyama (played by veteran actor Seizo Fukumoto, known to Western audiences as the silent Samurai guarding Tom Cruze in "The Last Samurai"), a kirareyaku - the actor whose main job is to be killed by the lead star. The story tells with real passion the dying of the tradition, while giving hope as the protagonist hands off the tradition to the next generation through charismatic newcomer Chirhiro Yamamoto, playing Satsuki. Very accessible, and a touching story without sappiness.