Harakiri (1962)

STARS...........: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita DIRECTOR........: Masaki Kobayashi WRITERS.........: Shinobu Hashimoto GENRE...........: Action, Drama, Mystery IMDB............: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056058 RUNTIME.........: 2h 12mn SIZE............: 5.73 GB VIDEO CODEC.....: HEVC (Main10@L4) BITRATE.........: 6000 Kbps (2-pass) RESOLUTION......: 1920x794 ASPECT RATIO....: 2.40:1 FRAMERATE.......: 23.976 fps AUDIO...........: Japanese AAC 1.0 192kbps SUBTITLES.......: ENG SOURCE..........: Eureka MOC & Criterion Blu-rays ENCODE DATE.....: 2021-02-06

Following the collapse of his clan, an unemployed samurai (Tatsuya Nakadai) arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi, begging to be allowed to commit ritual suicide on the property. Iyi’s clansmen, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for a new position, try to force his hand and get him to eviscerate himself—but they have underestimated his beliefs and his personal brand of honor. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize, Harakiri, directed by Masaki Kobayashi is a fierce evocation of individual agency in the face of a corrupt and hypocritical system.

Extras

• Introduction - A video introduction to Harakiri by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie. The introduction was recorded exclusively for Criterion in New York in 2004. Please note that the introduction contains spoilers. [Criterion]

• Masaki Kobayashi - A short but very good interview with Masaki Kobayashi conducted by fellow director Masahiro Shinoda. The two directors discuss the success of Harakiri, the graphic scenes in the film, Toru Takemitsu's terrific score, etc. The interview was filmed for the Directors Guild of Japan, on October 14, 1993, at the Haiyuza Theatre, Tokyo.

• A Golden Age - In this video interview, Japanese icon Tatsuya Nakadai discusses his performance in Harakiri, career, and the Japanese film industry. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in Tokyo in 2005. [Criterion]

• Masterless Samurai - In this video interview, Harakiri screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto discusses his creative process, collaboration with Masaki Kobayashi, and the reactions the film generated after its premiere. [Criterion]

• Trailer - the original Japanese theatrical trailer for Harakiri