Underplayed Gems

Harakiri (1962)

Harakiri poster
Original title
切腹
Directed by
Masaki Kobayashi
Genre
drama film, samurai cinema, action film, historical film, historical drama
Country
Japan
Runtime
2h 15m
Rated
NR
Rating
8.4 of 10 from 1,233 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A masterless samurai requests to perform ritual suicide at a feudal lord's estate. Through flashbacks, he reveals the harsh code of the samurai and the tragic events that led him to seek this violent end.

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What happens

Harakiri (切腹, Seppuku) is a 1962 Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Masaki Kobayashi. The story takes place between 1619 and 1630 during the Edo period and the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. It tells the story of the rōnin Hanshirō Tsugumo, who requests to commit seppuku (harakiri) within the manor of a local feudal lord, using the opportunity to explain the events that drove him to ask for death before an audience of samurai. The film continues to receive critical acclaim, often considered one of the greatest films of all time. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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