Featured Audience Ratings

• Reid V

  
  Masaki Kobayashi's tormented drama is a timeless tale about the changing of times. How the lives we create, built on shifting sands, can so easily disintegrate with the advancement of a simple breeze. During the Edo Period, which saw the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, peace… More
  Masaki Kobayashi's tormented drama is a timeless tale about the changing of times. How the lives we create, built on shifting sands, can so easily disintegrate with the advancement of a simple breeze. During the Edo Period, which saw the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, peace and stability ruled the land. Forced to disband, many warrior clan released thousands of Ronin (lordless samurai) out into the land. Many became impoverished; stripped of their life's work. This particular story follows the aging warrior Hanshiro Tsugumo and his request to commit Hara-kiri on honorable grounds. There he is greeted by Umenosuke Kawabe, the feudal lord of the Lyi clan. Still drunk on the power and tradition of the Bushido Code, Umensokuke is intent on letting Hanshiro fulfill his request. Lately, there have been a slew of Ronin who in demanding honorable death; are really expecting coin. When Hanshiro inquires about a man who recently made a similar demand, a game of mental chess ensues between Hanshiro and Umenosuke. It soon becomes apparent that Hanshiro has a connection to a previous Ronin, Motome Chijiiwa, who recently spilled his own blood in this place and Kobayashi masterfully unravels the story through a series of flashbacks. Released during a time when "Chambara" (sword fighting films) were vogue, Kobayashi subverts the glamorization of the samurai genre. Through his protagonist, he reveals the Bushido code to be merely a facade. A societal adhesive that many clung to even when the ever-evolving society rendered it obsolete. He also undermines the glamor of Chambara pictures by revealing the stark reality of the "honorable" samurai culture. When Motome is forced to commit Hara-Kiri with a sword made of bamboo (he sold his real sword to help out his ailing son), it is agonizing to watch. Thrusting the dull blade into his gut over and over again, a swordsman stands by anxiously; waiting until he feels the ritual is complete before decapitating the poor soul. Using well placed dolly shots & canted angles, Kobayashi & cinematographer Yoshio Miyajima ratchet up the intensity. This coupled with a close-up of Motome's sweating brow as he laboriously impales himself - fully comprehending the horror of this act of "honor"- renders the viewer unable to find glory or honor in this act of self-immolation. Kobayashi frequently cuts to an image of armor that sits inside the Lyi palace to augment his message. Inside the armor is no living flesh. It is merely the relic of a bygone era. Sadly, many are unwilling to let go of the reigns, forcing their anachronism onto others in order to save face. It's a film that looks at humanity's capacity for change. In it, Kobayashi shows the viewer the folly of clinging to what is no longer; the irrationality of adhering to the impractical and the foolishness of coercing others to follow suit. For as the film warns: "What befalls others today, may be your own fate tomorrow."

• Tsubaki S

  
  A powerful critique of the feudal system, the hipocrisy and the persecution of individuality. The parade of a false sense of "honor" that sacrifices human beings for the sake of a facade, an illusion of prosperity, of doing the "right" thing. Kobayashi's… More
  A powerful critique of the feudal system, the hipocrisy and the persecution of individuality. The parade of a false sense of "honor" that sacrifices human beings for the sake of a facade, an illusion of prosperity, of doing the "right" thing. Kobayashi's direction is impecable as usual, and the cast is top-notch. Pretty much what cinematic perfection looks and feels, we watch with a great sense of sorrow for Tsugumo. never with pity. One of the jewels of japanese cinema.

• Saskia D

  
  I've been waiting a long time to watch this movie, but now I've finally seen it! This movie is different from other samurai movies, because it criticizes the samurai code; Bushido, and doesn't romanticize it. Nakadai is as wonderful as ever with his colorful range of… More
  I've been waiting a long time to watch this movie, but now I've finally seen it! This movie is different from other samurai movies, because it criticizes the samurai code; Bushido, and doesn't romanticize it. Nakadai is as wonderful as ever with his colorful range of expressions, nobody else can portray as much intensity as he does. Masaki Kobayashi (the director) definitely is a Master of Cinema! <div style="width:852px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/tatsuya-nakadai/photos?p=3858375"><img src="http://content9.flixster.com/photo/38/58/37/3858375_gal.jpg" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com">

• Lanning :

  
  <b>Seppuku</b> <p> I don't know if this is the best samurai project ever brought to screen, but I'm willing to bet that it is right up there. Actually billed as an <b>anti</b>-samurai film, this bare-bones black & white drama cuts to the… More
  <b>Seppuku</b> <p> I don't know if this is the best samurai project ever brought to screen, but I'm willing to bet that it is right up there. Actually billed as an <b>anti</b>-samurai film, this bare-bones black & white drama cuts to the core of the samurai way of life in an examination of the validity of the samurai code. Although the code ultimately stands up to close scrutiny, albeit unsteadily, it is finally only through revisionist manipulation that it does hold up at all. In short, the way of the samurai, or bushido, finally just survives this anti-samurai treatment, teetering upon a shaky foundation made up of lies perpetrated through sheer force of authoritarian pronouncement and will. This not only demonstrates how the myth and mystique of bushido survive, but it also gives good insight into the way those in power can turn fact into accepted self-serving fiction. <p>As an aside, while watching <i>Harakiri</i>, Eastwood's <i>High Plains Drifter</i>, an American anti-western that performs a similar function of undercutting the perceived code, the collective bravado, of the gun-slinging West, kept coming to mind. That's another one I must watch again.

• Cindy I

  
  A great example of the flaw in basing your opinion of an event on circumstantial evidence instead of the facts.

• danny d

  
  This was a really good movie. its a samurai classic and tatsuya nakadai was amazing as always. he is definitely one of the finest japanese actors ever. i didnt like a few aspects of the way that the story was revealed, and too much of the pay off was given too early in the film,… More
  This was a really good movie. its a samurai classic and tatsuya nakadai was amazing as always. he is definitely one of the finest japanese actors ever. i didnt like a few aspects of the way that the story was revealed, and too much of the pay off was given too early in the film, but it was very good. the story was great and the message of corruption and hypocrasy in fuedal japan was strong, a great samurai film.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]"Harakiri" starts out on May 13, 1630 at 4:00 pm as a ronin, Hashiro Tsugumo(Tatsuya Nakadai), formerly of Clan Fukushima petitions Clan Iyi in Edo to use their forecourt for the purpose of comitting harakari(ritual suicide). Since the dissolution of… More
  [font=Century Gothic]"Harakiri" starts out on May 13, 1630 at 4:00 pm as a ronin, Hashiro Tsugumo(Tatsuya Nakadai), formerly of Clan Fukushima petitions Clan Iyi in Edo to use their forecourt for the purpose of comitting harakari(ritual suicide). Since the dissolution of Clan Fukushima eleven years before, Tsugumo has had to struggle for whatever food he can find and because this is a time of peace, samurai are not in any kind of demand. The senior counselor, Kageyu Saito(Rentaro Mikuni), considers his petition.(A similar event happened to another clan in Edo recently and they were so taken with the ronin's honor, that they made him a retainer. Ever since then, ronin have been making similar petitions and usually have been sent away with at least some charity.) But first Saito tells him about the fate of the last person, Motome Chijiwa(Akira Ishihama), who made the same petition to him. Undeterred, Tsugumo still wants to go forward. That is when things get complicated...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Harakiri" is an enthralling and powerful movie that starts out with a simple situation and uses flashbacks to support a complex and multi-layered story structure. There is very little action until the end. The film may be too long and does certainly bog down in the middle but it is utterly fascinating, none the less.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]The movie is about honor and pride but no matter how important those traits may be, they will still not put food on the table. Also, a higher status does not necessarily make for a better person.[/font]

• George M

  
  Magnificent!

• Chris B

  
  One of the most beautiful and emotional Samurai films I have ever had the pleasure of watching! The story actually goes in a uniquely different portrayal of the Japanese feudal system and even of the Samurai code. It has a very human touch that is truly inspiring and heart wrenching… More
  One of the most beautiful and emotional Samurai films I have ever had the pleasure of watching! The story actually goes in a uniquely different portrayal of the Japanese feudal system and even of the Samurai code. It has a very human touch that is truly inspiring and heart wrenching all the same. With an intense and emotional buildup, the last half an hour really explodes into "an orgy of violence" as my good friend and frequent film watcher Brad said. The violence, unlike most modern films, is an expression of a means to an end and upholding personal honor for oneself and their family. It is justified and beautiful in it's savagery and blood lust. Tatsuya Nakadai does an amazing job and his portrayal of the down and out samurai is brilliant in it's complexity! This is truly a marvel to behold thanks to Criterion's stunning Blu-ray transfer of this gorgeous B&W film! Highly Highly Recommended!

• Lesley N

  
  I'm rubbish at long, old, black and white slow-moving Japanese dramas..zzzzz. But this one's a gem. Unemployed samurai have started turning up at feudal lords homes, requesting to commit hara-kiri. In respect of their honour, they get offered a job instead... but this… More
  I'm rubbish at long, old, black and white slow-moving Japanese dramas..zzzzz. But this one's a gem. Unemployed samurai have started turning up at feudal lords homes, requesting to commit hara-kiri. In respect of their honour, they get offered a job instead... but this just encourages more samurai to turn up with the same request. What to do? One house decides to take the next samurai up on his offer and let him kill himself in the hope of discouraging others. However the samurai who comes after, has a hidden agenda ... The film reminded me of Twelve Angry Men. The whole drama is played out in the rooms and courtyard of the feudal lord (with a few flashbacks) and most of the time is spent in cat-and-mouse dialog as the lord and the samurai try to get the upper hand, one wanting an end to these perky samurai, the other having a story to tell and wanting it heard. Fascinating.

• Brandon K

  
  I was a bit unsure until the climax, which was amazing. That and the greatest bamboo sword suicide made it for me.

• Bill C

  
  Very forward thinking for its time and still merits watching today. It starts off with a strange twist of down trodden man claiming to be an out of work samurai requesting the rite of seppuku at the doors of a successful clan. It pretty much stays in the shogun genre for a while but… More
  Very forward thinking for its time and still merits watching today. It starts off with a strange twist of down trodden man claiming to be an out of work samurai requesting the rite of seppuku at the doors of a successful clan. It pretty much stays in the shogun genre for a while but as the exposition progresses (very slowly) the layers are pealed away revealing a story much closer to the human condition. The Protagonist of the story is a Samurai who along with his best friend have seen many battles both chosen raising there own children over furtherance of their careers. The second hour really moves at a good pace from point to point. The first hour of the movie is dedicated to a slow exposition which is supposed to build tension. It was just too slow for me if it flowed like the second hour this would probably be a 90-100 movie.

• Richard F

  
  Another Janus film worthy of it's Cannes Jury Prize and it's "Criterion Collection" selection. This film is timeless, and exposes the ubiquitous nature of corruption, and the lengths of desperation, even among the most honorable.

• Dimitris S

  
  Perfection like a Rembrandt or a Modigliani painting.There's no exaggeration,an overlooked by some masterpiece,impaling the modern society in half like the samurai's lonely aptitude.Disgrace is the formula of the weak.The loyalty however is what makes us sally and oppose… More
  Perfection like a Rembrandt or a Modigliani painting.There's no exaggeration,an overlooked by some masterpiece,impaling the modern society in half like the samurai's lonely aptitude.Disgrace is the formula of the weak.The loyalty however is what makes us sally and oppose abstract rulers.

• Donna D

  
  One of the best Samurai movies I have seen with it's dramatic tale and compelling story! Nothing can compare to this traditional black and white classic tale of Samurai honorable Harakiri...aka Honorable Suicide. It was very intense at several parts of the movie, and I felt the… More
  One of the best Samurai movies I have seen with it's dramatic tale and compelling story! Nothing can compare to this traditional black and white classic tale of Samurai honorable Harakiri...aka Honorable Suicide. It was very intense at several parts of the movie, and I felt the rage of revenge built up as he told his story on avengence and honor. Great classic movie in the 1600's Japanese Samurai tale. Great movie.

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