DigDog
Lifer
- Jun 3, 2011
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unfortunately i have already read the wikipedia page so i spoiled myself for the next season.
i watched the Samurai trilogy, consisting of Samurai I: Myamoto Musashi, Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, and III: Duel at Ganryu Island. Three 1954 - 1956 films that together are a summary of the life of historical badass Myamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman who ever lived, pulled from a then-popular book.
Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, and starring Toshiro Mifune as Musashi.
Film 1 is the early beginnings of a man born Shinmen Takezo (the Japanese have a weird habit of completely changing their name to mark important changes in their lives); he is a farmer who dreams of becoming famous in battle. His sidekick and enabler Matahachi also dreams the same but while Takezo is fierce, almost wild, Matahachi is fearful and incompetent.
They join forces with the Toyotomi at the battle of Sekigahara, and their only experience of the battle is to dig ditches in the pouring rain, while all around them the Toyotomi are being slaughtered. In a fit of rage Takezo arms himself as best as he can and goes rogue, willing to die for just a shot at violence, at a life more than digging the fields.
Matahachi and Takezo are now in places where nobody knows them, armed, and people around them start thinking of them as bandits. The more they treat them like bandits, the more bandits they become. Takezo becomes more and more furious, and when they are finally recaptured - essentially by their own village, who thinks they have lost their minds - Matahachi is happy to be spared back into a normal life, while Takezo refuses any help and seems almost possessed.
A priest is enlisted, Takuhan Soho, who captures Takezo with less-than-honorable means, and seeks to tame his rebellious spirit. After an escape Takezo is finally recaptured again and locked in a cell with nothing but books on the Way of the Samurai, where Soho plans to break his spirit and mold him into a true Samurai.
Along the way, Takezo has lost his friendship with Matahachi, the connection to his family, and the love for his girlfriend. After years of meditation, study and practice, Takezo emerges from captivity and declares himself changed, taking the name Myamoto Musashi. His first instinct is to go back to his girl, but the Buddhist priest Soho urges him to abandon all attachments, and Musashi ventures forth on a pilgrimage to find himself.
Film 2 is Musashi having fought many duels during his years as a Ronin. He has become strong, but still fights his duels with rage and fear, more experienced but no better than he was as Takezo. Still far from enlightenment or mastery of the blade, he meets again with Soho, who scolds him for still being an animal, a brute. The film shows Musashi fighting a massive battle against a large number of goons, and he does win, but realizes that Soho was right, you can't become a master swordsman unless you first dominate your spirit.
A Frienemy is introduced, Sasaki Kojiro, a "true Samurai".
Film 3 has Musashi looking for enlightenment; he toils the earth, carves images of the Buddha, and no longer desires to kill nameless goons, but only wants to perfect his swordsmanship. He fights a bunch of bandits to defend a village, but differently from Film 2, here he massacres them, having now become a true Sword Saint.
Kojiro and Musashi both want to kill each other for the same reason - to see who is more stronk. (i guess that's what friends did in medieval japan)
After a whole bunch of filler, they finally meet at Ganryu island where Musashi bonks Kojiro on the 'ed with a wooden pole and he' ded.
As pointed out also by Wikipedia, the lack of fountains of blood is somewhat disappointing. But overall the trilogy isn't really worth watching; the first film is the one that has the most content, it sets up an interesting character in Takezo, this wild spirit that is too violent, too enraged with the unfairness of life to even do what's best for himself. The wise but cruel Soho dominates him, breaks his spirit and Takezo emerges from the ashes as Musashi, a man who has learned he must abandon much of the good of life for the privilege of becoming a sword saint.
Unfortunately films 2 & 3 don't have anywhere as much content, they are long and slow and there is little change in character throughout. Kojiro is a decent enemy, not much in fighting, but in character; rather then being "evil", he is cruel. He doesn't suffer having to abandon his attachment to life, he rejoices in it, i.e. he treats people around him like shit. After Kojiro has planned to kill Musashi, there would have been more duels; after Musashi plans to kill Kojiro, he knows there will be nore more duels. One seeks more blood, the other seeks to put the sword down.
If i sound like i'm praising the film, i'm not. The real-life character of Musashi is interesting, and i would LOVE a good film re-telling this same story, but possibly NOT F* 6 hours long. Mifune is good as always, but his Musashi is nowhere near Kikuchiyo (7 Samurai) in depth, something that i blame on the bland direction of Inagaki.
Would not recommend if not for historical reasons.
Film 1: 6/10
Film 2 & 3: 5/10
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