Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13067 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-11-22
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: Japanese
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 125 minutes

Synopsis
Hiroyuki Sanada, who played Ujio in Edward Zwick's Hollywood epic THE LAST SAMURAI, stars in a different kind of samurai film in Yoji Yamada's poignant drama THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI. Sanada plays the title character (Seibei Iguchi), who gets his nickname because he is a lowly worker who chooses to go home to his family every night after work instead of going out with his colleagues. Seibei's wife has recently died, so he is raising his two daughters alone, as well as caring for his ageing mother. His well-connected uncle believes he should agree to an arranged marriage so he can be more manly, but Seibei is dedicated to living the life he's chosen. But when his married childhood friend, Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa), wants a divorce from her abusive husband (Ren Osugi), Seibei defends her honour and defeats the sword-wielding man with a piece of wood. When Seibei's clan learns of his victory, the leaders command him to kill Zenmon Yogo (Min Tanaka), something that goes against everything he believes in. Based on the stories of Shuuehei Fujisawa and set during the Meiji Restoration of 19th-century Japan, THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI, which was nominated for a 2004 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, is a special kind of movie, loaded with heart and humanity, a very different samurai film that breaks movingly from the traditions of the genre.

Customer Reviews

Brilliant, Thought provoking
Set in the early days of the Meiji Restoration, when power was being returned to the Emperor and Japan was in a period of rapid modernisation, this charming film shows that the choice of accepting change is a very personal one. Unlike the Hollywood version in the Last Samurai, with it's lame irony of Tom Cruise fighting against western industrialisation, this film shows the changes in society more subtly.

The main character is a samurai clerk who has moved away from war, and has found delight in spending a lot of time with his daughters. However, when his clan sides with the traditional ruling Shogunate against the Imperial forces, he has to make some very crucial decisions about his life, and his family.

Beautifully filmed with a refreshingly slow pace, this is a suberbly made film in every way. The film also shows the nature of Japanese life, culture and heirarchy in a period of massive change.

delightful
surprising, sensitive, beautiful, it also gives an insight into Japanese culture and traditions. I specially liked the slow pace, even the fighting scenes have that calm deliberate air. How do they manage to make everything look so beautiful, even poverty?
This is one to own.

Do not miss this movie!!! ... I wish I could give 6 stars
After 3 times of viewing, it still touch my heart with emotion - superb character developments. The plot flows seamlessly. Action scenes are not super-man style but giving powerful differences. The ending is so touching that I cries like never before with other movies... This simple title will surely mesmerise your soul. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY LOVE THIS FILM.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED