This year two films will be presented in 3D at Cannes, one is Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, but the other, more fascinating film will be Takashi Miike’s Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Ichimei), a remake of the 1962 feature directed by Masaki Kobayashi based on the novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi.
Today an international trailer for the Cannes competition title has arrived via the film’s official site.
The story is set during the 17th century and centers on Hanshiro (played by Ebizo Ichikawa), an honorable, poverty-stricken samurai seeking a noble end as he requests to commit ritual suicide at the House of Ii, run by headstrong Kageyu (played by Koji Yakusho). Trying to dismiss Hanshiro’s demand, Kageyu recounts the tragic story of a similar recent plea from young ronin Motome (played by Eita). Hanshiro is shocked by the horrifying details of Motome’s fate, but remains true to his decision to die with honor. At the moment of the hara-kiri, Hanshiro makes a last request to be assisted by Kageyu’s samurai, who are coincidentally absent. Suspicious and outraged, Kageyu demands an explanation. Hanshiro confesses his bond to Motome, and tells the bittersweet tale of their lives. Kageyu will soon realize that Hanshiro has set in motion a tense showdown of vengeance against his house.
This weekend Miike’s latest film, 13 Assassins, hit limited theaters. It’s said to be the most audience friendly of the director’s career and unfortunately I have not yet seen it yet, though I was considering making that my morning project. It still hasn’t screened here in Seattle and doesn’t arrive here until May 20, which at that time I will be in Cannes and will have missed it, so I will definitely have to check it out via On Demand before I leave for France next Monday. From what I’ve been told, it’s worth it.
As for Hara-Kiri, I won’t have to wait. I’ll be on hand in Cannes with my 3D glasses in Cannes’ Grand Theatre Lumière… It should be quite an event, and to give you a taste, here’s the international trailer.
