Shogun's Samurai (1978)

Excellent but underrated film

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The Yagyu Conspiracy is an historical saga that take place in Japan on the 17th century. It is in fact a family tragedy. The story is well made and the movie is interesting, I even consider to learn some more on Japan history after watching this film, it may be of a use when watching samurai movies. I find it very important to learn about the countries that produce a genera cinema. Except from the story I find the movie a bit short on action, also the battles are too short and photograph from wide angle which makes it a bit hard to understand who are the bad guys and who are the good guys.Sonny Chiba is doing his usually tough guy acting, and I love him for that, without him this movie would have been another non interesting samurai flick. It is sad that you don't see him as much on this long movie. Unless you are a sonny Chiba fanatic like me, don't buy it Rent it!

Kinji Fukusaku's conspiracy thriller is a rousing entertainment, but its entire premise is a piece of fiction. The second Tokugawa Shogun, Hidetada, retired in 1623 in favor of his second son Iemitsu. Hidetada lived 9 more years in peaceful retirement, following a precedent set centuries earlier by Emporers (back in the days when Emperors, not Generals, ruled the country). Iemitsu's brother Tadanaga was briefly a rival for the position of Shogun, during 1633, but Iemitsu was very far from being a transient, inconsequential placeholder. He ruled until 1651, and took three steps which largely defined public policy for the rest of the Tokugawa era. He violently suppressed Catholicism, using mass crucifixions in his suppression of the Shimabara Rebelion. He closed the country in 1641 to all foreign influence and trade except for a small Dutch trading station in Nagasaki. Finally, he required each of his major vassals (the daimyo)to spend alternate periods of six months in Edo and six months in their home provinces. Beyond the opportunity for surveillance, this system forced the daimyo into ruinous conspicuous consumption and prevented effective challenges to the Shogun for 200 years. This film comes from an age when female warriors had become a commonplace, but well before spurting blood was acceptable. From his tame cameo appearance, you would hardly guess that Toshiro Mifune had more than 50 films ahead of him. The juicy action roles go to Sonny Chiba and Tetsuro Tamba as rival champions of closely related schools of swordsmanship.

Kinji Fukasaku was one of Japan's most prolific directors - its ironic that his breakthrough movie in the West was the last one he made before his death at the age of 73 - that being Battle Royale.During the late '60's to the mid '70's he made a series of excellent Yakuza gangster movies then in 1978 turned to the historical epic with fine results.It is 1624 - Japan after a lengthy civil war which resulted in the Emperor being marginalized and the Shogun running the Government - the current Shogun has died suddenly leaving the succession in doubt - his eldest son Iemestsu should succeed but he is disfigured and stammers - his more handsome younger son Tadanaga has the backing of most of the powerful Lords. Things get complicated very quickly when it becomes apparent that the Shogun was poisoned at the behest of Iemestsu's main supporter Yagyu(Kinnosuka Nakamaru) - Iemestu is as at first appalled by this but as the country get embroiled in the struggle he realises how much he needs Yagyu's support if he is to become Shogun.Meanwhile the Emperor and his courtiers plot behind the scenes to exploit the chaos and return to power.It is an epic tale with political intrigue,battles,assassination's and some spectacular sword-fights and the question of just how much would you sacrifice to attain power - Yagyu will stop at nothing to install Iemestu and this has appalling consequences for both the country and for him personally but he is willing to commit these - Nakamara is excellent in the role - at first you side with what he is trying to do but at the tragedy unfolds you realize what a monster he is. Sonny Chiba is equally good as his eldest son who bears the brunt of one consequence of his Fathers action and he brings the whole thing to its tragic conclusion with more than a touch of hubris.It hasn't quite got the epic feel of a Kurosawa but has a much more cynical take on political struggle - highly recommended.

I do not know if this movie was made from the first three episodes of the "Yagyuu Conspiracy" TV series or the start of the series made out of the movie, or it was all shot with the idea of the film being a feeder for the series.In any case, the movie has the same dynamic cast and excellent story cohesion the series featured (my all-time favorite chanbara series). Production values are high, characters interesting (especially the antagonist, imperial noble Kurasumaru, who is an equally dedicated and loyal servant, just of an opposing side), and the plot far more coherent than many Asian offerings. The fight choreography is dynamic yet plausible, but this is not just a string of fight scenes. The setting is a civil war between two sons of a just-dead shogun, and the movie does not slight the importance of politics and maneuvering the powerful nobles into one's camp. On top of this, the third side of the imperial nobles is trying to use the shogun wannabes to weaken the power of the shogunate and restore actual power to the Emperor. This, rather than the Streetfighter movies, made me a Sonny Chiba fan. When can we get this on DVD with English subtitles? (Personally, I hate most dubbing on films. I can read fast enough for subtitles and I prefer hearing the original actor's delivery.)