Kakushi ken: Oni no tsume

A story set in the mid 1800s, during the final days of the Shoguns and the Samurais, Hidden Blade is an authentically Japanese film, appropriately spliced with intelligent comic reliefs, with a controlled release of dramatic, humanly, sword fights. With tight sequences and brilliant character development, the film progresses at a balanced pace, keeping the viewer attentive and concerned. A presentation of Samurai culture and Japanese political and social structure, Hidden Blade is yet another masterpiece by director Yoji Yamada, that is both entertaining and insightful.

Prestigious recounting marked by evocative production design , unflinching plot , intense drama and fatalistic atmosphere . It is an incredibly detailed vision in its own right . Yôji Yamada masterful retelling of Samurai films transports the tale to XIX Japan and the world of Samurai . It stars a19th Century samurai , held in low esteem due to an action by his late father who committed suicide by seppuku . Well set , as it takes place during the time of change of the mid-19th Century ; as it is set in the fictional Unasaka domain . It resembles the real area of Yamagata prefecture which is in the Northern part of Japan , there Yaichiro (Yukiyoshi Ozawa ) is said goodbye by his fellow samurai Friends Munezô ( Katagiri Masatoshi Nagase) and Samon Shimada (Hidetaka Yoshioka) , as he leaves their clan on the northwest coast of Japan to take a fundamental rank within the shogunate in far away Edo . Munezo has lived modestly with his mummy and sister Shino after his dad was forced into suicide after being caught in a failed political intrigue as well as the failure of a bridge Project . Meanwhile , Kie (Takako Matsu) , a farm girl serves them as a maid at their home . As time passes, Munezo's sister marries Samon, his mother passes away , Kie is married into a merchant family, and he is required to learn use western weapons from an official sent from Edo. Learning that Kie is ill due to mistreating and abuse , Munezo rescues her . But Munezo is a bachelor man and is really criticized for her serving at his home , then Munezo sends her back to her father's farm. Shortly after , an official called Yaichiro falling in disgrace and imprisoned in solitary confinement . Later on , Yaichiro breaks out , Munezo is assigned an unfortunate mission : to kill Yaichiro , as he seeks the help of his old teacher , the sword master Kansai Toda. Swordsman Toda now teaches him a new technique to use , as Munezo prepares to take on Yaichiro who has taken hostages .

The impressive flick blends moving drama , violent fights , emotion , a love story and results to be pretty entertaining , as well as thought provoking, and in which a Samurai must resolve his history with a maid and with his close friend .Dealing with thoughtful themes as impossiblity marriage due to different castes , fidelity , Modern Times with use of methods of warfare such as the utilization of artillery and firearms and mutual affection and respect among people . The film confirmed Yôji Yamada's greatest strength and his innovative handling of the popular Samurai genre and this interesting story was created by the novelist Shuhei Fujisawa . The movie title comes from a Samurai master , an expert swordsman who entrusted the secret of the "Hidden Blade" to starring Munezô Katagiri/Nagase . It is incredibly detailed vision in its own right , as the Deep impact of the action and combats on this provoking Samurai film , whose main representation was ¨Seven samurai¨ by Akira Kurosawa , it opened the floodgates for the huge numbers of samurai films that made fortunes for their producers in the sixties and early seventies . Dramatically staged sword-plays occur on and off throughout the plot . Enough budgeted production , with appropriate setting , lots of mood , and sad atmosphere . Masatoshi Nagase gives an extraordinary acting as the upright lord who receives a difficult mission , as he is ordered to prove his innocence from complicity by killing his old friend . It contains stunning fight scenes , fine performances, adequate sets , exciting drama in which all of the fire , ambition, and doom of the Samurai films come brilliantly to life .

The motion picture was well directed by Yôji Yamada , though slow-moving . He is a good craftsman who in 1969 launched the popular "Tora-san" series, the world's longest theatrical film series. "The Twilight Samurai" (2002) marks his 77th film as well as his 41th year as a director since his first film in 1961: Nikai no Tanin (Stranger Upstairs). This movie is the second installment to director Yôji Yamada Samurai trilogy. 'The Twilight Samurai' being the first, 'Love and honor' being the third.

"The Hidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume)" is filmed in a deceptively old-fashioned and leisurely style to make pointed observations of Japanese society, much as "Far From Heaven" did for the U.S.

Director/co-writer Yôji Yamada again adapts Shuuhei Fujisawa stories as he did so beautifully in "Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei)". Taking place just a few years before Hollywood's "The Last Samurai", this feels like a rebuke and response to that very Westernized interpretation of some of the same issues of how changes in military technology impacted feudalism and imperialism, as well as visually referencing many classic Japanese samurai films, but from a more individualized point of view then Kurosawa, Kobayashi or Inagaki

The first half of the film establishes the complicated domestic life and frustrating work of the struggling samurai (a solid and sympathetic Masatoshi Nagase, channeling Toshirô Mifune). The broadly comic scenes of fumbled rifles and cannon training recall similarities with the "Sharpe" TV series of the just a bit earlier Napoleonic wars. Particularly lovely are household hearth scenes of warmth between generations and between master and servants.

But this is not the idyllic village where Tom Cruise sojourned, as darker abuse is revealed and the samurai flaunts rigid social protocols to do right by those he cares for, especially the young maid "Kie" (Takako Matsu channeling the three little maids from "The Mikado" a bit too much). He is slow to reveal emotions or take action (the romance goes beyond Jane Austen in its cross-caste sidling and very slow resolution), suppressing vivid childhood memories we see very briefly in flashbacks in contrast to his voluble friend who rebels, including against traditional suicide.

The emphasis throughout the film is on generational conflict, as elders who are to be venerated are constantly shown to be fools or much worse -- old uncles complain about younger people (whose names they can't keep straight) using the new Western weapons, but place a higher priority on eating; a mother-in-law viciously mistreats her daughter-in-law to increase profits; a corrupt senior retainer (the feudal titles do not seem well-translated in the subtitles) lies and manipulates while enjoying geishas and complaining about his prostate problems. But a teacher derided as a "crazy old man" who can still best the young swordsman passes on more useful stealth techniques than the martinet drill sergeant who has inherited the honorific "sensei" with his British guns.

While as usual in such films, I simply cannot follow the Byzantine shogun politics even with a superfluous narration, as I've never studied Japanese political history, the second half ironically builds on the iconography of the genre with unusual sights and sounds. Macho conflicts are filmed voyeuristically, with sidling camera angles that indicate a passing from mano a mano duels to the anonymity of modern weapons, and thus justifying the use of the titular vengeance.

The exquisite cinematography and sound design create a special environment. With a look of faded epic cinematography like the passing of an age, we see snow falling on parasols, cherry blossoms on the path and rain fall on unrequited love. We hear them too, as the breezes, wind, crickets, birds, rain and the household sounds of tools and crackling fire punctuate long silences and dominate more than the conventionally soaring score that is used judiciously. But a prison and eventual bloody fights in a heavily symbolic fog are not minimalized.

The production design is much more elaborate in showing us traditional architecture than most such Japanese films.

I'm sure some of the social and historical commentary just goes by a Western audience unfamiliar with particulars, but the themes of individuals caught up in social proscriptions who rebel and seek love, respect, peace and, most of all, control over their lives is universal and very involving.

Fans of the common chambara (swordfigfht) film will be disappointed - this is not an action film. Tartan films is making a mistake by loading its marketing of this film in America with hints that it might be. In fact, this film probably could better distributed by Criterion, since it is the equal of any of the Japanese dramas it handles.

This is a real throwback to the grand tradition of Japanese film - Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi. Flawless cinematography, almost painful care for detail, strong back story, meditative commentary on political history, and a passionate cross-caste romance, much as that captured in the "Samurai" trilogy. Sensitive acting and elegant direction. a romantic soundtrack that never becomes overbearing. Really a film for the ages.

This is the film most people should be watching instead of the Tom Cruise farce "The Last Samurai". Indeed, sympathetic viewing of this film will at least make clear why many of us were outraged at the Cruise film - this has all the thoughtful reflection on the social tensions of that era that "The Last Samurai" lacked.

A fascinating demonstration that the Japanese well know their own history and need no reminders from Hollywood - and can depict that history with a sweep and vision easily as grand and as beautiful as anything Hollywood can produce.

The Hidden Blade The Hidden Blade refers to a dreaded samurai sword skill, which you will see only towards the end of the film. Folks, who like me initially thought that this is one of the usual samurai slugfest, may be disappointed that it's not. But like mentioned in the movie, killing is only a last resort, and even samurais themselves are fearful of death in duels.

But hey, don't jump the gun (pun not intended) just yet. This film has a story to tell, and a poignant one at that. Simply put, it tells of a story about a small town samurai whose village is caught in the transition period of Japan's modernization and introduction of western arms (guns and cannons) and fighting tactics. While struggling to understand the rapid changes taking place in the nation, he has to deal with relationships of the heart with his family's maid, whom he adores but afraid to own up to, and the dilemma of being ordered into a duel with one of this long time friends, whom has gone off the right track.

This film explores many themes, one of which is the samurai code of honour, where committing suicide via disembowelment (hara-kiri) is widely accepted as a practice of maintaining that honour. We also see the bastardization of this honour, of corruption, which brings to mind George Orwell's Animal Farm, where some animals are created more equal than others. The protagonist samurai Munezo often put his head on the line while maintaining that code, even when all else around (including his superiors) put pressure on him into making compromises. How many of us will rigidly uphold our values and principles when faced with adversity? Or will we bow to that pressure and be apologetic for it?

We are also shown the caste system in feudal Japan, which proved to be a stumbling block between the relationship of Munezo and his family maid Kie. The village clan frowned upon and gossips about Munezo's rescue of Kie from her abusive marriage. While the motive may seem justifiable, we all know Munezo's real reason - that he loves her and cannot bear to see her being abused, and ultimately losing her life. Both know that with the caste system, they can never be together. Or can they?

The caste system doesn't only apply to relationships of the heart. Even within samurais, this system applies. Munezo is a small samurai in a small village, and is given little respect by samurais belonging to larger clans and cities. Think of it like the army, where foot soldiers have to "Yes Sir" every officer's instructions - even when it means given the order to kill an old friend who has gone fugitive. Munezo again struggles with this, but knows that as long as he's a samurai, orders are to be obeyed.

Change and modernization is central to the story. And in this film, there are numerous hilarious moments as the samurais in training as a modern army come to grips with strange rituals like foot drills, the handling of modern weaponry, and even the way they run. It's something like Tom Cruise's Last Samurai, only that the training's more comical here, and subtly highlights the dangers losing of one's cultural values when the world moves rapidly in change.

And finally, for those really waiting for a slugfest, there are 2 fight scenes in the entire movie. One is when Munezo seeks his old master for new guidance, and is being taught a new skill / trick. The other is when Munezo meets his longtime friend for a final showdown. Do not expect "wuxia" styled swordfights. Think Star Wars: A New Hope, the duel between Darth Vader and Obi-wan Kenobi. The duel happens with measured strokes and strategy, rather than fast paced action everyone's used to these days.

But again, the emphasis here is not on violence. It's a simple tale with powerful themes, and you will applaud when The Hidden Blade is finally used, justly.