Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on December 02, 2008 at 12:02:21

and the equal of its predecessors. One general comment: Japan seems to have an almost limitless number of extremely talented actors who can project strength without resorting to the macho posturing--- not to mention the steroid-enhanced comic-book physiques--- which are de rigeur in Americans.
As in the earlier two films, this hero is a samurai on the fringes of his clan, a slave to a profession which is obsolescent.
In the course of his regular duties, he becomes seriously injured, putting the stipend upon which all samurai depend, at risk. In attempting to have his superiors grant him security, his beautiful wife, known as the most beautiful of the town, petitions a high lord.
As in all Yamada's films, however, it is not the plot itself but the personal relationships formed by the characters which hold our fascination. The obvious affection which the often harsh-tongued samurai feels towards his valet and the deep love he feels for his wife, concealed in traditional formality, reveals itself in small gestures.
The subtlety flavor in a fine tea, the sublime nuances in an old Japanese landscape manuscript, these are the quiet pleasures the careful viewer will treasure.