This is the second movie I have seen directed by Yoji Yamada. The first one was Twilight Samurai which I really loved. This one is also nearly as good. My only complain is that it is too similar to Twilight Samurai. Yamada movies seem to be inspired by Ozu's. But while Ozu movies don't feel similar even when they are, Yamada's movies do feel similar. Nevertheless it is treat.
Hidden Blade is a hybrid samurai/family drama, with very little action. I love this movie because it defies many aspects associated with those movies. Primary of course is the violence. Here the protagonist is a samurai who finds violence distasteful and treats it as a last resort. He is a good swordsman but never boastful or ambitious, and is content with his relatively low status.
When the fight does happen, he strikes his opponent with a move that seems cowardly. He almost turns his back to his opponent but just when his opponent strikes he turns swiftly both dodging and striking at the same time. His opponent calls the move cowardly, but if the opponent was so honor bound he wouldn't have struck him while he was turning his back. So the move only works on somebody who is opportunistic.
But this movie is not about action, it is a family drama. It is a forbidden love story between the protagonist and his maid who belong to different castes and hence cannot marry. It is wonderfully shot and you actually feel that is made in 50's. There are no fast action flourishes associated with modern movies, instead it is more faithful to how people actually used to fight and live in that time.
Hidden Blade is a hybrid samurai/family drama, with very little action. I love this movie because it defies many aspects associated with those movies. Primary of course is the violence. Here the protagonist is a samurai who finds violence distasteful and treats it as a last resort. He is a good swordsman but never boastful or ambitious, and is content with his relatively low status.
When the fight does happen, he strikes his opponent with a move that seems cowardly. He almost turns his back to his opponent but just when his opponent strikes he turns swiftly both dodging and striking at the same time. His opponent calls the move cowardly, but if the opponent was so honor bound he wouldn't have struck him while he was turning his back. So the move only works on somebody who is opportunistic.
But this movie is not about action, it is a family drama. It is a forbidden love story between the protagonist and his maid who belong to different castes and hence cannot marry. It is wonderfully shot and you actually feel that is made in 50's. There are no fast action flourishes associated with modern movies, instead it is more faithful to how people actually used to fight and live in that time.