The Hidden Blade [Blu-ray]

Product Description ------------------- The epic tale of Munezo, a samurai being displaced in a rapidly changing Japan. After a failed political coup, he is ordered to prove his innocence by finding and killing Yaichiro, a former friend, samurai and brilliant sman. Munezo enlists the help of their old teacher who entrusts him with the secret technique of THE HIDDEN BLADE. Now he must choose between duty and honor. .com ---- Prolific Japanese director Yoji Yamada's affecting, award-winning period drama The Hidden Blade (2004) continues his examination of the clash between the modern world and the code of the samurai that was be in his O-nominated Twilight Samurai. Like its predecessor, with which it shares not only themes but cast members, The Hidden Blade takes place at the cusp of the 20th century, when the romance and honor of the samurai world has given way to petty bureaucracy and the intrusion of the outside world, as exemplified by a warrior in Western dress who seeks to instruct his rural comrades in British rules of conduct. Their attempts to acclimate, at once humorous and heartbreaking, underscore the picture's central conflict, a love story between a samurai (Masatoshi Nae, the ardent Elvis Presley fan in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train), whose loyalties to his superiors are tested by a mission to dispatch a friend (Yukiyoshi Ozawa) accused of treason, and his family's maid (Takako Matsu), whom he is forbidden to marry due to ancient issues of class. Viewers seeking the explosive action of traditional chanbara (Japanese -fighting films) may find Yamada's reserved pace somewhat challenging, but the leisurely focus allows him to observe the fading traditions of feudal Japan through depictions of the rituals of everyday life. The result is a poignant film about loss, love, and honor, gorgeously photographed and performed with subtle grace by its trio of leads. The Blu-ray/DVD combo includes several extras that focus largely on Yamada, including an introspective making-of featurette, a 2004 Q&A at a press conference, and his visit to the film's premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. A US trailer, which focuses on action, and a Japanese spot that's centered on the love story, round out the set. --Paul Gaita

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