Chambara / Samuria films!

[random person]

Practically everyone has heard of Akira Kurosawa whose done several samurai films which includes Rashomon; Seven Samurai; Throne Of Blood (inspired by MacBeth); The Hidden Fortress; Yojimbo; Sanjuro; Kagemusha; and Ran (inspired by King Lear).

But what about Masaki Kobayashi?

Harakiri - 1962 10/10 - A Masterpiece!
Kwaidan (Ghost Stories) - 1964 10/10 - A Masterpiece!
Samurai Rebellion - 1967 ns (watching this tonight!)
Inn of Evil - 1971 ns (not available)

Or Hideo Gosha?

Three Outlaw Samurai - 1964 9.0/10
Sword of the Beast - 1965 ns (but ordered it)
Goyokin - 1969 10/10 - A Masterpiece!

Masaki Kobayashi only made four period samurai pieces, three have been released on home video in the west. His films are predominately anti-Samurai in nature, exposting the corruption in honour and loyalty during the Edo (Tokugawa) period of feudal Japan.

Hideo Gosha is has made dozens of movies a good deal of them are either represent the samurai (chambara) or the yakuza (jingai) genres. And as for discriminating Christians I've heard a great deal of later works are spotted with a lot of sex and ultraviolence. Not so with his earliest work (1964-1969, which I've heard is his best work too). Several of his films have hit home video on DVD here in the west. But Gosha is still a rather obscure name considering he is one of the true legendary masters of the genre out of Japan. His films are predominately anti-samurai in nature, exposing the corruption in honour and loyalty during the Edo (Tokugawa) period of feudal Japan.

Having only seen 2 Masaki Kobayashi films and 2 Hideo Gosha films by no means makes me a genre afiscionado or film scholar however, Harakiri and Goyokin both IMO represent films better than anything produced by the popular mainstream Akira Kurosawa represented in the chambara genre.

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For NTSC region 1, Criterion Collection offers the best highest quality standards for DVDs, with several offerings of Masaki Kobayashi and 2 offerings of Hideo Goshi. Additionally, Harakiri and Three Outlaw Samurai are available in stunning Blu-ray. There are more offerings of Hideo Gosha from Toyko Shock and AnimEigo. The Goyokin DVD from Tokyo Shock is now out of print but can still be found for under $20 at amazon.com or ebay. But don't expect the same high quality standards from Tokyo Shock or AnimEigo.

For PAL region 2, I know of Eureka Masters of Cinema which is sorta Criterion's UK equivalent. They have some Masaki Kobayashi films available and their Kwaidan DVD is uncut and runs just over 20 minutes longer than the Criterion Kwaidan.

For NTSC region 1, if one is truly desperate for more Hideo Gosha films:

Samurai movie store

These DVD are labeled remasters but could represent DVD-Rs or even bootlegs, quality standards probably abysmal to watchable (IDK), but they do have Masaki Kobayashi's Inn of Evil and probably the whole body of Hideo Gosha's work. Buy at your own risk.


Harakiri and Goyokin have easily toppled Kurosawa's Seven Samurai as my favorite chambara films. Easily!

Tatsuya Nakadai is my favorite Japanese actor btw and appears to be a Hideo Gosha favorite.

I reiterate I am no awesome afiscionado of chambara films and have very few in my home collection that is quickly being predominated by Kobayashi and Gosha DVDs.

Maybe the real intent of this thread is to expose Kobayashi and Gosha to fellow long term Kurosawa fans or chambara fans or simply masterpieces that truly transcend their respective genres such as Harakiri & Goyokin that can appeal to all audiences.

 

[random person]

Watched Samurai Rebellion and have to say that this is also 10/10 film!

Brilliant film, another anti-samurai humanist film.

I have loved all of them so far. Beautiful masterpieces.

Here is how I rank them.

1. Harakiri 10/10
2. Goyokin 10/10; Samurai Rebellion 10/10 (flip a coin)
3. Three Outlaw Samurai 9/10

Now I am just waiting for the arrival of Gosha's Sword Of The Beast in the mail.

Correction:

Chambara (Samurai film)

Yakuza eiga (Yakuza film)

Jidai-Geki (Period Drama)


After viewing Harakiri; Samurai Rebellion; and Kwaidan, I have to ask what is all the fuss over Akira Kurosawa about?

Masaki Kobayashi focuses on scathing portrayals of feudal Japanese society during the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo; or as Kobayashi himself states portrayals of "individuals against society" or individuals against authority in the face of corruption.

Quite simply, I buy into the growing popular statement that Masaki Kobayashi made the best samurai films ever. The 60s probably produced the best samurai dramas ever, before the genre got more low-budgeted, low-browed, ultraviolent, and exploitative. IMO, Masaki Kobayashi stands on the top of the heap. I have seen all eight of Akira Kurosawa chambara-related films and these two films outweigh every one of them IMO.

Now it is not my intent to turn this thread into an Masaki Kobayashi vs Akira Kurosawa thread. Just that if you think Akira Kurosawa was something or if you think Akira Kurosawa was nothing, give Masaki Kobayashi a shot, I think you'll thank me for it. These films are a real special treat in visuals, sound, drama, and action.

And if you have seen one or more of these films, lets discuss them.