Samurai Ficção

The Japanese b/w movie "Samurai Fiction" is neither a typical martial arts movie nor a classical "old school" samurai drama like the ones of Akira Kurosawa. It's rather a collage of different impressions about the life of a Japanese samurai some hundred years ago who becomes involved in a bloody revenge story.

In the beginning the spectators have to get used to the strange mixture of b/w action scenes, narrations, dances, wild editing and a rock and dance music sound track. After a certain time, director Hiroyuki Nakano seems to remember what a story is and tells an interesting plot about a proud samurai struggling between revenge, fight, death and love.

During movie there are always comedy situations such as the witty dialogue between the samurai and his servant or a really beautiful striptease dance Japanese-style by stunning actress Mari Natsuki to an Asian canton pop version of Peggy Lee's hit "Sway".

If you're into Asian hardcore action movies you may be bored by this unusual movie, but if you're open-minded enough for experiments, "Samurai Fiction" is a good and entertaining example for modern Japanese underground cinema.

The way Samurai Fiction seamlessly blends classic chanbara qualities and contemporary cinema is truly remarkable. The result is an homage/parody that pays tribute to classic samurai cinema in an entertaining manner yet still has its own identity and its own unique feel. The most commendable of which is the strange, yet extremely effective humor. There is also the delicious visual style and the equally delectable and entertaining soundtrack.

A very positive movie, with excellent music, on the theme of how to be free as a samurai. Almost all characters are oddballs in some way: a master swordsman who does not want to kill anyone, incompetent ninjas, a son of feudal lord incapable to be a warrior, a bad guy who does not desire any profits of being bad.

There are numerous plays on Akira Kurosawa and Masashiro Shinoda movies, moreover two minor characters bear their names. There will be also a "Zatoichi" blind man who will appear in the midst of the biggest battle to do absolutely nothing.

The title says all: it is what the samurai world could or should be but wasn't; in this sense it is a kind of fable with a good ending for all leading characters (even the bad guy will have his dream fulfilled and will die with a smile on his face). It is a pity that it stayed as "Episode One", though.

Style and Substance. That's what Samurai Fiction is about. I was surprised at the many MTV-ish stylistic shots incorporated into the movie, without a blatant disregard for the storyline, incorporating very modern rock into its soundtrack.

The Inukai clan had their family sword stolen by a renegade samurai Rannosuke Kazamatsuri. Swearing to get it back, Heishiro Inukai embarks on a journey to hunt down Kazamatsuri. However, his skills are no match for a seasoned warrior who has killed many, and almost had his life ended until he is saved by a hermit Hanbei Mizoguchi.

It's a tale of 3 very diverse samurais, each carrying a theme. The peaceful Hanbei Mizoguchi, highly skilled, but abhors the use of violence. The cool and violent killer without remorse Rannosuke Kazamatsuri, who becomes obsessed with challenging Hanbei to a duel. The inept Heishiro Inukai, who defies his father's wishes to embark on a solo quest to regain their family honour. Thrown into the fray are 2 ninjas on a quest to protect Heishiro and carry out his family's orders on his behalf, and Koharu Mizoguchi, the adopted daughter of Hanbei, with whom Heishiro falls in love with.

The storyline might be pretty ordinary, on one end, the revenge theme, the other, love and peace. But I suppose these are themes that are quite universal, especially in martial arts stories.

The fights are all done very simply. Stylish, but kept uncluttered. Shot in black and white, colours are used sparingly, except for the coating of entire frames in red when someone gets killed. You don't see blood, but you see plenty of varying shots and angles of the fight sequences, done mostly with the help of a crane.

What works for me are the comedic characters like Heishiro's friends, early in the beginning, in their run up (pardon the pun) to catching Kazamatsuri. Also, the soundtrack is totally awesome, unlike the use of traditional music to spice up the fights. You might also know that Ronnosuke Kazamatsuri is played by real life rocker Tomoyasu Hotei, who also did that excellent track Battle Without Honor or Humanity, used in the Kill Bill Vol 1 movie.

It's weird to notice that this movie is actually billed as Episode 1. It's been 8 years and I'm not aware of a sequel or continuation in place. But I guess Samurai Fiction has already told the story it wants to tell, and there shouldn't be a need for a follow up.

Code 1 DVD contains the movie and a making of documentary, and a separate disc containing bloopers, cast biographies, how two scenes actually looked in colour, the trailers, and an entire 1 hour feature on the making of the Samurai Fiction, which showed that a simple movie also has its fair share of difficulties, and Mother Nature did its best to stall production.

I think Samurai Fiction is a truly amazing film for the way it balances artsiness with more typical film styles, for the unusual combination of traditional samurai tales with modern rock-ish music. I can't quite tell if it is meant to be an homage to Kurosawa and the like or not, but it's certainly serious enough, and good enough, to not be a parody.

Normally, I don't like black and white films, but the very limited and carefully placed use of color helps this film immensely.

I saw it first with no subtitles, and was quite understandably & totally lost. But now that I have seen it again, I'm glad I bought the DVD. Now, if I can only find the soundtrack...