A new trailer has emerged online for Takaski Miike’s Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Ichemei/一命). First screening at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, it is a remake of Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 film Hara-kiri. It also marks the first jidaigeki (period drama) film to be shot in 3D.
Starring Ebizo Ichikawa (Space Battleship Yamato), Eita (Dear Doctor),Hikari Mitsushima (Villain, Love Exposure) and Koji Yakusho (13 Assassins), it is due for a cinema release in Japan this October.
The trailer doesn’t feature English subtitles, but you can get the idea.
Miike has shown that he is capable of commanding spectacular chanbara film with the awesome 13 Assassins, itself a remake of Eichi Kudo’s Jûsan-nin no shikaku, and a film that we have previously described as a “masterpiece” with Miike “sticking his own trademark blade straight through the middle and signing his name with the torrent of blood that follows”. While that film was all about the spectacle, and featured a 45 minute battle sequence unlike any other, from all reports Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai is a major change of pace for the legendary director.
Variety describes the film as a “slow-burning tragedy” while The Hollywood Reporter is less complimentary in referring to it as “a painfully long melodrama”. Whatever the case, this is definitely one on our “must see” list for the coming year.
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai does not currently have an Australian release date.
