Summary
Seizo Fukumoto has reportedly died 50,000 times in a career that has spanned half a century. His work catches the eye of Satsuki, who requests that he mentor her into becoming as good a fighter as he.
Seizo Fukumoto has reportedly died 50,000 times in a career that has spanned half a century. His work catches the eye of Satsuki, who requests that he mentor her into becoming as good a fighter as he.
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.
role | name |
---|---|
Seiichi | Seizo Fukumoto |
Satsuki Iga | Chihiro Yamamoto |
Kawashima | Masashi Goda |
Kenichi Naganuma | Hirotaro Honda |
Mitsuru Tamura | Hisako Manda |
role | name |
---|---|
Director | Ken Ochiai |