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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Taking inspiration from Charlie Chaplin's Limelight (1952), this is a poignant paean to the passing of the jidai-geki period picture. Japanese audiences once thrilled to samurai movies, but changing tastes and techniques mean there is less work for kirareyaku (literally meaning "sliced-up actor" or those extras killed off during fight scenes), stuntmen like Seizo Fukumoto, whose long-running TV show has just been cancelled. But, while arrogant wunderkinds dismiss Fukumoto with contempt and he is reduced to giving swordplay displays to tourists, aspiring actress Chihiro Yamamoto remains eager to learn about fight choreography before the craft is lost forever. Affectionately scripted by Hiroyuki Ono and directed by Ken Ochiai with evident respect for the traditions of Japanese culture and cinema, this manages to be both critical and nostalgic without ever being strident or mawkish. Fukumoto (a real-life kirareyaku who's perished 50,000 times on screen) excels as the twilight warrior, while Hirotaro Honda (as the harassed production manager) and Hisako Manda (as a former star now running the studio canteen) provide fine support.

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Credits

Cast

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SeiichiSeizo Fukumoto
Satsuki IgaChihiro Yamamoto
KawashimaMasashi Goda
Kenichi NaganumaHirotaro Honda
Mitsuru TamuraHisako Manda

Crew

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DirectorKen Ochiai

Details

Theatrical distributor
Third Window Films
Released on
2016-02-09
Languages
Japanese
Guidance
Violence
Available on
Blu-ray
Formats
Colour
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