MovieChat Forums > Kakushi ken: Oni no tsume (2004) Discussion > Conformity, Social Politics and Corrupti...

Conformity, Social Politics and Corruption


This was a very political film and reminded me of a Kurosawa picture for that reason.

duty, obligation, conformity, suicides, castes, women as near slaves, powerful elite who act dishonerably

a rebel, the desperate wife of a rebel, a Kensai Todo who relinquishes his title and position to be a farmer, a Kitigari who is growing disallusioned with the life he's been leading. a Kei who comes from a horribly failed first marriage. Interestingly alot of the key figures have had their lives dramatically altered at some point and the causes revolve around such things as politics, social norms, corruption, and conflicts between personal ideology and reality.

In the end, Kitigari too becomes a rebel of sorts... just like Kensai Todo. I think when his friend's wife died it reminded him of his father which was probably the main event in his life that caused him to doubt some of the cultural dogma that's been preached. Reliving his father's death through her and the senselessness of it was the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back.

I like how in the final scene Kie is sitting right along side him whereas previously when they were outside sitting at the beach, she was sitting behind him. Change is in store for pre-Industrial Japan.

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[deleted]

Rupert, I take it that you haven't watched a great deal of Japanese drama?

Because it doesn't usually include much in the way of the "Ah'm gonna yet ya, ya dirty beast" or "Ah, honey babe, ah loves yah, kiss me" stuff. Emotions, though strongly felt, are strictly governed; displays of anger or passion are the height of bad manners. You must read the smallest signs, the sigh or the sad smile, the tightening of the lips or the hand, to understand what the characters are feeling. Watch closely and you will find plenty of "drama or variation in mood" - it just isn't in-your-face obvious, that's all.

Kambei of the Gormful Gumi.

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[deleted]

I can't agree at all. Oh well, it would be a dull world if we all liked the same thing. Did you like Tasogare Seibei or Bushi no ichibun?

Kambei of the Gormful Gumi.

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