Harakiri (1962)

Other name:

Description:

Set during the collapse of his clan, Masaki Kobayashis classic movie Harakiri follows Hanshiro Tsugumo, an unemployed samurai played by Tatsuya Nakadai. Hanshiro arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi, begging for permission to commit ritual suicide on the property. Believing the desperate ronin is merely looking for charity, Lord Iyis clansmen try to force Hanshiro to eviscerate himself. However, they gravely underestimate his honor and his past. Refusing the traditional white robes for black ones, Hanshiro sits on the harakiri mat surrounded by armed warriors, calmly speaking to his captors. The narrative unfolds around this intense stillness, leading to a breathtaking duel in the windtossed grass between Hanshiro and Omadaka, the finest of the Iyi swordsmen. Featuring an evocative score by Toru Takemitsu, Harakiri is a scathing denouncement of feudal authority and hypocrisy. This legendary film delivers an epic story of honor, duty, and tragic rebellion.

Country: Japanese

Status: Completed

Released: 1962

Genre:Drama; Samurai