Apparently, Harakiri is not the proper word, Seppuku ( 切腹,) is the preferred non-vulgar description for the ritual act, but since the fine folks at Criterion continue to use Harakiri as the title, I'll follow their lead.
“Harakiri - Criterion Collection” (Masaki Kobayashi)
Harakiri Winner of the Cannes Special Jury Prize, Masaki Kobayashi's drama centers on samurai Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai). A new political climate finds the once-powerful samurais wandering the country begging estate owners to allow them to commit suicide on their property, when what they really want is a handout. Hanshiro arrives at a lavish manor and asks to commit hara-kiri on the grounds, but the vengeful warrior is harboring a secret.
Why aren't there more movies like this made in contemporary cinema? I really can't think of a movie made in recent years that attempted this sort of scale. Spectacular and poetic cinematography, pathos, bathos and even a little sword play. I suppose, if one squints, Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man has comparable moments, but Dead Man is no masterpiece.
Partially, Harakiri's greatness is due to use of black and white film stock, probably largely due to wabi-sabi (Kanji: 侘寂), but there is much that is ineffable.
Simply a masterpiece.
5 stars.
