Twilight Samurai Movie Review

When many people think about a stereotypical samurai movie, one often thinks the movie will be full of swords and bloodshed. Twilight Samurai surprised me. I'm not sure why I loved this movie, but I very much did. It was a personal story, a very intimate one, as opposed to some tale of epic societal shift. I literally felt as though I lived in this small, feudal shogun village.

Twilight Samurai (or titled 'Tasogare Seibei' in Japanese) is a 2002 film, starring Hiroyuki Sanada who you may recognize as "Ujio" in 2003's The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise. The story takes place around the 1860s and involves members of the Unasaka Clan in the Shonai Province. This area is now referred to as the Yamagata Prefecture in northeast Japan.

It is at a time of significant, progressive change in Japan just prior to the Meiji Restoration when the samurai effectively lost power. Some samurai pretend nothing is changing, others defiantly resist the changes, and some accept it as a natural defeat. The age of the sword is coming to an end and society struggles to adapt to that change.

The scenery is breathtaking and I was immensely impressed with the village sets. It very much makes me want to visit the countryside of Japan. The music is also quite good; emotional, fitting, and complementary to the cinematography.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well annunciated the Japanese dialogue was. I recognized some words, having studied Japanese for a year and a half in college. However, it would be a gross understatement to suggest that I actually understood any of the story's detail without the assistance of the subtitles. At over two hours of reading subtitles, this may not be your kind of movie - but I really connected with it.

Twilight Samurai, in some respects, has occasional tones of a romantic comedy, but is overwhelmingly a romantic tragedy in that the two that love each other are consistently blocked from being together by the arbitrary standards of a conformist culture and the societal expectations of a doomed feudal regime. The story is so familiar and so human, that non-Japanese speaking viewers can easily connect with it.

Much like many books and movies today, the protagonists in this film are people of modern-day values trapped in a time and a system of antiquated, obsolete ones. The order of the samurai and their sense of obligation and loyalty are part of what keeps a low-ranking samurai, Seibei (pronounced 'Say'-'bay') from his childhood love, Tomoe (pronounced "Toe'-'mo'-'eh'). Similarly, the conformism and social conservatism of a woman's expectations are what keeps her from him.

There are only two fight scenes in the entire movie. So if you are expecting an action movie, you'll likely be disappointed. This movie is a story about relationships. Told from the point of view of Seibei's youngest child, the story reveals itself with hints of the class Romeo & Juliette dilemma.

The samurai belong to a class and each individual samurai's rank within that class is measured by a monthly rice stipend called a 'koku.' Our widowed hero raises two daughters and cares for a mother with Alzheimer's with only 50 koku. This petty amount is described to be only enough for a single person to survive for one year. This low stipend has forced Seibei to take menial side jobs such as cage building and farming to subsidize.

Twilight Samurai is valuable for someone who is interested in Japan's culture beyond that of just martial arts. Here, a lot is learned of a samurai's place, position, and interaction with a society. While there is much that I have always admired about the samurai, there has also been a part of me that wonders if the reason why they are essentially extinct is because of some of the rigidity of their alleged values. This assertion is something I am currently writing about for an upcoming article for the Castle Rock AIKIDO Dojo Newsletter, which will review the Seven Values of the Samurai first articulated in the 1899 Japanese text entitled Bushido: The Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe.

In a scene near the end of the movie, I am reminded of some of the text from Miyamoto Musashi's Book of 5 Rings: The Water Book, when he describes the best ways to fight indoors. I had not truly appreciated these passages until I watched this scene from Twilight Samurai.

I first saw Sanada-san, the male lead actor, portray "Ugio" in The Last Samurai. The Last Samurai and Twilight Samurai are similar to each other in that both take place at approximately the same time period. However, The Last Samurai deals with these societal changes on a macroscopic level and Twilight Samurai addresses these societal changes on a microscopic level.

Twilight Samurai wasn't about changing the country or saving the world. It was about a series of events that brought two people together. It was about a man who was, overall, content with his place and standing in the world - who had no ambition to rise in it other than to provide as best he could for his family. I guess one could argue that of the seven virtues of a samurai, Seibei most valued that of humility.

As I watch more and more Japanese films I'm getting used to what I (at least by Western standards) might call their melodramatic performances. I can definitely see how this movie won 12 awards from the Japanese Film Academy, including Best Director, Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress. If it means anything to you, Roger Ebert also gave it 4 stars. You can rent this movie from Blockbuster Video. However, I borrowed it from the Castle Rock Library. Enjoy!

Sean Hannon is a student at Castle Rock AIKIDO. [http://www.CRaikido.com]

The 10 Most Foreboding Movie (And Television) Themes

Aliens Theme by James Horner

10. James Horner has composed no fewer than 100 film scores in his lifetime, ranging from light-hearted children's favorites, to adult comedy. Not to mention his melodies grace the soundtracks of filmdom's most prolific money makers (Titanic

Fun James Horner Fact: James cut his teeth scoring films for B movie director, Roger Corman.

The Black Hole Theme by John Barry

9. If you were to compare the virtues of John Barry's work on The Black Hole and say... um.... Howard the Duck (I don't have the words worthy enough of the verbal defecation that movie deserves), you would begin to truly appreciate his ability to tap into the spirit of the films he scores. The Black Hole is a rare Disney jewel, not only because the film drifts into very dark themes at times, but because the sounds concocted by the genius Barry give the audience an equal sense of scope, and dread. The sweeping brass tones are unnervingly brilliant. The music may not give that sense of something greatly sinister that some require, but there is little room for doubt that a minatory force will soon be revealed. Then again, few things are as terrifying as watching Howard the Duck. This is a nice try though.

Fun John Barry Fact: Barry remains steadfast in proclaiming that he, not Monty Norman, is responsible for the arrangement of the famous James Bond 007 theme song.

The Mothman Prophecies First Movement by Tomandandy

8. It is safe to say that 2002's The Mothman Prophecies was a fairly forgettable film, save for a few chilling moments interspersed among the lengthy chunks of exposition and rural imagery. That isn't to say it was BAD. It simply fell short. What didn't fall short was the crafting of the film's eerie score by the team of Tom Hajdu and Andy Milburn (affectionately known as Tomandandy). The theme, or in this case, the first movement, begins with a pop beat of sorts. I can only think to describe it as Silent Hill meets Harry Gregson-Williams in a bad mood. From there, the composers ease you into a repeating theme, in this instance played out with the use of spooky piano strokes and low bass tones. Next, a bit of upbeat, "Hey, maybe things are going to be okay" moves, and then back into the grim reality, full force. Together, this opening configuration of arrangements sets the tone nicely. Being a child of Appalachia myself, I was quite familiar with the stories of the Mothman and the odd events that occurred whilst the creature "terrorized" locals. Events that finally culminated in the collapse of the Silver Bridge, and many deaths. But if you really want to see a movie that more accurately presents the things you should fear most about that area, I suggest Deliverance.

Fun Tomandandy Fact: Tom & Andy are also quite deft at developing mobile applications.

Godzilla GMK Theme by Kow Otani

7. I don't disguise my affection for all things Godzilla. So it would be logical for someone to accuse me of bias for placing a track from a Godzilla film in this Top 10 countdown. But my defense against this accusation is simple: Have you listened to the arrangement? Kow Otani went against the grain when he composed the theme for the 2001 romp, Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack (or more reliably known as GMK). Prior Godzilla films had fed the public a steady dose of the same march we as fans had come to expect. But Otani was not satisfied with that one bit. The resultant sequence of synthesized tones and booming horns make it undeniable from the start, that this film will not be like those MST3K lampooned children's outings you watched on late night television. And deservedly so. This film portrays Godzilla throughout as an absolutely evil death machine. A ghostly zombie of a beast, bent on making man pay for his sins. It is a real classic, not to be missed. No, I have not yielded to the fanboy in me with this selection. Bah! Well, maybe a little. I LOVE GODZILLA. There. Are you happy? LOVE! Love. Okay, moving on.

Fun Kow Otani Fact: He's from Japan. Japan IS fun.

Tales From The Darkside Theme by Donald Rubenstein

6. George Romero is widely known as the father of zombie movies. Occasionally however, Mr. Romero has ventured into other territory to produce quality entertainment in different forms of media. One such venture was the 80's weekly television program, Tales From The Darkside. The project's genesis was the concept of creating a weekly television rendition of Romero's cult horror anthology film, Creepshow. When selecting a composer to score the opening sequence for the series, Romero chose a familiar face in Donald Rubinstein. Rubenstein arranged a simple yet chilling composition with the help of Eric Lindsay, which adequately caused the viewer to be stricken with the requisite amount of goosebumps. The series enjoyed moderate success, and confirmed to the entertainment industry that Romero was more than just a zombie film guy. Itchy. Tasty.

Fun Donald Rubenstein Fact: Rubenstein was only 26 when he began working with George Romero.

Dante's Peak Theme by James Newton Howard

5. I'm not inclined to pan the film Dante's Peak as most would, simply discarding it as mindless catastrophe movie drivel. When I first saw the film, and after subsequent viewings, I remained entertained by it. Given that, we should at least be able to reach a consensus regarding the opening theme music composed by James Newton Howard. This lofty arrangement truly gives weight to the threat of mother nature soon to come. So even if you are not particularly interested in watching James Bond and Sarah Conner take on pyroclastic clouds in what will become a modern day American Pompei, at least lend an ear to the excellent opening theme.

Fun James Newton Howard Fact: Howard has scored every M. Night Shyamalan film to date. Or... has he?

Poltergeist Theme by Jerry Goldsmith

4. As a fan of the television series Parenthood, I am made even more aware of how adept Craig T. Nelson is at playing the family patriarch. As far back as 1982, Mr. Nelson was playing that very role in what would become a horror classic... Poltergeist. The late Jerry Goldsmith would be brought in to add some hefty unease with an eerie theme for the project. Goldsmith is a legend many times over, having created musical gold for hundreds of films in his lifetime. It could be said that Goldsmith was a patriarch of sorts himself. I doubt he could be so convincing as a goofball coach or over-the-hill superhero though.

Fun Jerry Goldsmith Fact: Jerry composed the theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which eventually became the theme for the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. Loved by Trekkies everywhere.

Jaws Theme by John Williams

3. Now we're getting down to the nitty-gritty, as they say. And this Top 10 just wouldn't be complete without SOMETHING from the legendary John Williams. Williams has composed music for some of the film industry's most beloved productions. But there is no room for argument when specifying his most foreboding track. The theme from Jaws deserves this spot rightfully. It is so efficient at delivering a heart pounding sensation that few in America are unfamiliar with it. I won't waste any more time commenting on this one. You and I both know, it belongs here.

Fun John Williams Fact: Williams has laid down the music for all but two of Steven Spielberg's movies.

Halloween Theme by John Carpenter

2. John Carpenter is a bit of an oddity. Not only has he been a prolific director in his entertainment career, but he has also composed the music for several of his films. Quite honestly, his soundtracks are usually dreck. Not so for number 2 on our countdown. The theme from Carpenter's legendary horror film Halloween still today gives the listener a substantial case of fright. Every Halloween it is a foregone conclusion that you WILL hear it, somewhere... at some point. What is so perplexing to me, is how something so simplistic, can be so effective. It is itself a case study in "less is more". By which I mean, the less I hear of it, the more likely I am to NOT suffer cardiac arrest.

Fun John Carpenter Fact: John was offered the directing duties for Santa Clause: The Movie, but his demands for doing so were so unreasonable that he did not get the job.

Unsolved Mysteries Theme by Michael Boyd and Gary Malkin

1. I'll probably receive a great deal of contention for this choice, but it can't be helped. No other composition has given me that unsettling feeling like the theme for the popular NBC television series, Unsolved Mysteries. Maybe it is attributable to being aware of the fact that the stories following the fear-inducing opening theme were representations of real events experienced by real people. Michael Boyd and Gary Remal Malkin created the eerie score, and when in combination with Robert Stack's imposing voice as host, little audio sensation exists that is capable of creating a deeper sense of forebode. The real unsolved mystery is how anyone could disagree with this being number one on the list.

Fun Unsolved Mysteries Fact: Raymond Burr was the original host of the series. No, Godzilla did not co-host with him at any point.

Until next time Brainiacs! [http://www.fearless-photog.net/brainwaves-blog.html]