Word: tsugumo
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...corner of the porch" on which to commit harakiri-a sham heroism often used by ronin to draw out an offer of a job. After the first young warrior's ignoble death is forced upon him, largely as a diversion for the courtly company, a seasoned old fighter Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives seeking vegeance. The Tragedy unfolds austerely in flashbacks framed by Tsugumo's rather wordy debate with Lord Iyi's chief retainer, whose ridgid adherence to a feudal military system is summed up by the phrase: "In time of peace, ther is no hope...
...film's best scenes lift it to the stature of an astringent minor classic. Director Kobayashi softens violence with impeccable artistry. In his hands, the grim ancient ritual of self-immolation seems as rigidly formalized and strangely beatiful as any of the lethal arts, bullfighting for example. And Tsugumo's climactic battle with the palace elite guard, as intricately choreographed as a kabuki dance, provides in one swift scene an unforgettable splash of blood, boldness and cinematic bravura...
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