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Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Director: Masaki Kobayashi
Like the majority of samurai movies, the moody and magnificent Samurai Rebellion is set in the Edo period (that’s 1603-1868, history buffs), when men were men but still did pretty much what the ruling Shoguns told them. On-screen, this is an era when you either swotted up on your swordplay fast or went and hid in the nearest cupboard. Falling firmly into the first bracket is Toshiro Mifune, who here plays a man forced to choose between his bushido code and his family. A lot of people die when Toshiro Mifune is forced to make tough choices, so it’s probably unwise of the daimyo lord to demand that Mifune’s ageing samurai, Isaburo, return his son’s wife to court. The daimyo wants her back as his concubine, but she’s now in love with Isaburo’s son and the pair have had a child together. In other words, the daimyo made a big mistake. Isaburo is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore.
Samurai Spy (1965)
Director: Masahiro Shinoda
We’re not saying this one makes the list just because of its amazing title, but it definitely helps. As you can probably guess, Koji Takahashi is a samurai and a spy, a man so stealthy he could cut you into a million piece without you even noticing. New-wave director Shinoda’s film offered Japanese audiences a bridge between samurai movies and the ninja cinema that was exploding in Japan in the early ’60s. Unusually, it’s all set outside the Edo era, playing out at the turn of the 17th century, a time when samurai were still called on as warriors and their status was more than symbolic. Still, Takahashi’s swordsman is weary of war and fatigued by the politicking of two rival clans, real-life rivals the Tokugawa and Toyotomi. Cue intrigue, double-dealing, awesome sword fights and a cameo by a mysterious white-hooded ninja. On second thoughts, maybe they should have called it ‘Samurai Vs Ninja’?
The Samurai Trilogy (1954-56)
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
Bit of cheat seeing as it’s actually three films - Miyamoto Musashi (1954), Duel At Ichijoji Temple (1955) and Duel On Ganryu Island (1965) – but Inagaki’s great work can’t be omitted. Samurai I even won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It’s a three-part biopic of legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, the Citizen Kane of samurai epics. Obviously, only one actor could play the greatest swordsman in history and, sure enough, it’s Toshiro Mifune who dons the kabuto to depict the great man’s journey from young tearaway to veteran samurai and all-round bringer of justice. It’s all set against a backdrop of epic battles and fills the screen with enough fierce two-sword combat to satisfy the greatest samurai fanatic. We’re not sure who holds that title, but it may well be Quentin Tarantino; he homaged and referenced the trilogy in Kill Bill.
Sword Of The Beast (1965)
Director: Hideo Gosha
Samurai master director Gosha provides some of the genre’s greatest battle sequences in this story of disgrace, revenge and redemption. Yuuki Gennosuke (Mikijiro Hira) is a ronin, hunted by his own kind after he assassinates a clan elder. Of course, all is not what it seems. He’s been tricked and manipulated – yes, samurai can be a little trusting – and played unwitting stooge to a Machiavellian schemer in court. As in many of the samurai greats, plot often takes second place to mood and style. Gennosuke flees to the mountains for a showdown with powerful ronin Yamane, before the realisation dawns that, like him, his fellow ronin has been betrayed by his own.
Director: Masaki Kobayashi
Like the majority of samurai movies, the moody and magnificent Samurai Rebellion is set in the Edo period (that’s 1603-1868, history buffs), when men were men but still did pretty much what the ruling Shoguns told them. On-screen, this is an era when you either swotted up on your swordplay fast or went and hid in the nearest cupboard. Falling firmly into the first bracket is Toshiro Mifune, who here plays a man forced to choose between his bushido code and his family. A lot of people die when Toshiro Mifune is forced to make tough choices, so it’s probably unwise of the daimyo lord to demand that Mifune’s ageing samurai, Isaburo, return his son’s wife to court. The daimyo wants her back as his concubine, but she’s now in love with Isaburo’s son and the pair have had a child together. In other words, the daimyo made a big mistake. Isaburo is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore.
Samurai Spy (1965)
Director: Masahiro Shinoda
We’re not saying this one makes the list just because of its amazing title, but it definitely helps. As you can probably guess, Koji Takahashi is a samurai and a spy, a man so stealthy he could cut you into a million piece without you even noticing. New-wave director Shinoda’s film offered Japanese audiences a bridge between samurai movies and the ninja cinema that was exploding in Japan in the early ’60s. Unusually, it’s all set outside the Edo era, playing out at the turn of the 17th century, a time when samurai were still called on as warriors and their status was more than symbolic. Still, Takahashi’s swordsman is weary of war and fatigued by the politicking of two rival clans, real-life rivals the Tokugawa and Toyotomi. Cue intrigue, double-dealing, awesome sword fights and a cameo by a mysterious white-hooded ninja. On second thoughts, maybe they should have called it ‘Samurai Vs Ninja’?
The Samurai Trilogy (1954-56)
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
Bit of cheat seeing as it’s actually three films - Miyamoto Musashi (1954), Duel At Ichijoji Temple (1955) and Duel On Ganryu Island (1965) – but Inagaki’s great work can’t be omitted. Samurai I even won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It’s a three-part biopic of legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, the Citizen Kane of samurai epics. Obviously, only one actor could play the greatest swordsman in history and, sure enough, it’s Toshiro Mifune who dons the kabuto to depict the great man’s journey from young tearaway to veteran samurai and all-round bringer of justice. It’s all set against a backdrop of epic battles and fills the screen with enough fierce two-sword combat to satisfy the greatest samurai fanatic. We’re not sure who holds that title, but it may well be Quentin Tarantino; he homaged and referenced the trilogy in Kill Bill.
Sword Of The Beast (1965)
Director: Hideo Gosha
Samurai master director Gosha provides some of the genre’s greatest battle sequences in this story of disgrace, revenge and redemption. Yuuki Gennosuke (Mikijiro Hira) is a ronin, hunted by his own kind after he assassinates a clan elder. Of course, all is not what it seems. He’s been tricked and manipulated – yes, samurai can be a little trusting – and played unwitting stooge to a Machiavellian schemer in court. As in many of the samurai greats, plot often takes second place to mood and style. Gennosuke flees to the mountains for a showdown with powerful ronin Yamane, before the realisation dawns that, like him, his fellow ronin has been betrayed by his own.
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