Seppuku

A ronin (a samurai with no lord or master) arrives at the estate of the influential Iyi clan to die an honorable death by self-inflicted harakiri. A series of flashbacks illustrates the consequences of strict hierarchies and blind obedience. Kobayashi’s depiction of symmetrically arranged interiors draws a symbolic connection between rigid forms and rigid rules. The stylized beauty of traditional Japan is contrasted with modern cinematic techniques such as rapid cuts, panning, and close-ups.

Like few other directors of his time, Masaki Kobayashi (1916–1996) used his films to criticize the militarism and spirit of subservience in Japanese society, which he saw as a perpetuation of the country’s feudal past. The few historical films he made also address resistance to tradition and authority and the defense of personal freedom.