The Twilight Samurai: Warrior; Worker; Widower; Father:
This "Way of the Warrior", this Samurai, is different, a clan-retainer and Samurai of the lower rank. Working hard, too hard, both in his professional and personal capacities, Squire Seibei Iguchi struggles to maintain the standard of living befitted to the Samurai. In debt and in conflict with his peers, Seibei Iguchi finds comfort and warmth in his deep devotion for the simple life of farming his land, fatherhood and the love of his two young daughters.
Cruelly nicknamed "twilight" because of his reluctance to join fellow workers at the local saké house, he joins his family, not to wallow in self-pity, but to be the contented, proud and lucky father that he knows himself to be.
Directed and screen-played, from the late Shuuhei Fujisawa novel, by the then seventy-one year old Yôji Yamada. His work here is of majestic beauty, beauty as in the sense of self-worth, and that nothing else matters, except the heart and the home that it resides in.
This suburb movie reflects the extreme hardships of the single parent and the repercussions that it can deliver, such as the loneliness of bringing up a family in 19th Century Japan. Trying also, ones best to retain ones own pride and self-respect with the constant struggle with the malicious Leaders and seemingly prejudiced villagers that one has to cohabit along side. Yôji Yamada, here, has made the connection between the life of the lonely family man and the human need to reach out and feel for the necessity for companionship, once more. Done with a wondrously timeless and seamless feel, a pace that has you also connecting with poor Seibei, and his family, we are invited into his home, to join them, to have a clear and concise insight of a very much-loved husband, son and father and his unfortunate predicament.
The Twilight Samurai contains a visual splendour; the work of Mutsuo Naganuma won him the Award of the Japanese Academy for Best Cinematography in 2003. It really is no surprise, for The Twilight Samurai is a beauty to behold, with the green rolling landscapes to the majestic and proud snow tipped mountains and hills, this is a land of vast magnificence, beauty and vigour, with its panoramic backdrops, to the perspective views of deep focus, this cinematography is both extremely rewarding and colourful. To perpetuate this image of both natural grandeur and story telling through its directorship, is a partnership that has delivered one of the most stunningly picturesque and sentimental accounts of early Japanese cultural society.
Along side Mutsuo Naganuma's splendid work, The Twilight Samurai has also had to accept numerous other rewards, besides from Awards of the Japanese Academy, such as Best Actor, Actress, Direction, Editing, Film, Music Score and Screenplay, Sound, Supporting Actor then Best New Comer of the Year (for Min Tanaka). Nominated too, for Best Foreign Language Film: Japan, at the 2004 Academy Awards. The Awards do not stop here, for The Twilight Samurai has a universal appeal, winning the hearts and minds of counties such as Germany, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Italy, Spain, and the USA and with several Japanese trophies well and truly giving The Twilight Samurai the respect it deserves.
The Twilight Samurai is a marvellous story of love lost and love needed, and love found, the story telling of a great man who has nothing, who lives the simple life, but has the love of his daughters, mother and his childhood friend Tomoe. With these magical ingredients, along with an interestingly precarious and threatening sub-plot, there was never a richer and happier man than the Twilight Samurai.
The Twilight Samurai: Respect Him; Befriend Him; Envy Him; Watch Him.
This "Way of the Warrior", this Samurai, is different, a clan-retainer and Samurai of the lower rank. Working hard, too hard, both in his professional and personal capacities, Squire Seibei Iguchi struggles to maintain the standard of living befitted to the Samurai. In debt and in conflict with his peers, Seibei Iguchi finds comfort and warmth in his deep devotion for the simple life of farming his land, fatherhood and the love of his two young daughters.
Cruelly nicknamed "twilight" because of his reluctance to join fellow workers at the local saké house, he joins his family, not to wallow in self-pity, but to be the contented, proud and lucky father that he knows himself to be.
Directed and screen-played, from the late Shuuhei Fujisawa novel, by the then seventy-one year old Yôji Yamada. His work here is of majestic beauty, beauty as in the sense of self-worth, and that nothing else matters, except the heart and the home that it resides in.
This suburb movie reflects the extreme hardships of the single parent and the repercussions that it can deliver, such as the loneliness of bringing up a family in 19th Century Japan. Trying also, ones best to retain ones own pride and self-respect with the constant struggle with the malicious Leaders and seemingly prejudiced villagers that one has to cohabit along side. Yôji Yamada, here, has made the connection between the life of the lonely family man and the human need to reach out and feel for the necessity for companionship, once more. Done with a wondrously timeless and seamless feel, a pace that has you also connecting with poor Seibei, and his family, we are invited into his home, to join them, to have a clear and concise insight of a very much-loved husband, son and father and his unfortunate predicament.
The Twilight Samurai contains a visual splendour; the work of Mutsuo Naganuma won him the Award of the Japanese Academy for Best Cinematography in 2003. It really is no surprise, for The Twilight Samurai is a beauty to behold, with the green rolling landscapes to the majestic and proud snow tipped mountains and hills, this is a land of vast magnificence, beauty and vigour, with its panoramic backdrops, to the perspective views of deep focus, this cinematography is both extremely rewarding and colourful. To perpetuate this image of both natural grandeur and story telling through its directorship, is a partnership that has delivered one of the most stunningly picturesque and sentimental accounts of early Japanese cultural society.
Along side Mutsuo Naganuma's splendid work, The Twilight Samurai has also had to accept numerous other rewards, besides from Awards of the Japanese Academy, such as Best Actor, Actress, Direction, Editing, Film, Music Score and Screenplay, Sound, Supporting Actor then Best New Comer of the Year (for Min Tanaka). Nominated too, for Best Foreign Language Film: Japan, at the 2004 Academy Awards. The Awards do not stop here, for The Twilight Samurai has a universal appeal, winning the hearts and minds of counties such as Germany, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Italy, Spain, and the USA and with several Japanese trophies well and truly giving The Twilight Samurai the respect it deserves.
The Twilight Samurai is a marvellous story of love lost and love needed, and love found, the story telling of a great man who has nothing, who lives the simple life, but has the love of his daughters, mother and his childhood friend Tomoe. With these magical ingredients, along with an interestingly precarious and threatening sub-plot, there was never a richer and happier man than the Twilight Samurai.
The Twilight Samurai: Respect Him; Befriend Him; Envy Him; Watch Him.