*Genre: SAMURAI DRAMA
*Director/Writer: Hirokazu Kore-eda (Nobody Knows, After Life)
*Projected release for 2006.
Spoiler
A young samurai, Sozaemon Aoki departs to the city of Edo from his countryside hometown in north,
Spoiler
to take revenge on his father's enemy. In a strange turn of events, Sozaemon meets Osae, a widower living in a tenement row house, and instantly falls in love. In meeting and living with the tenants of the row house, Sozaemon discovers a rich meaningful life rather than the meaningless death of a warrior.
Shochiku Production Profile:
Introduction:
Director Kore-eda Hirokazu, brings out his first samurai film, after his internationally praised "Nobody Knows". The story follows a young samurai, fated to avenge his father's death. Will he choose vengeance and honor, or will he choose life?
Story:
The time is 1702.
A young samurai, Aoki Sozaemon (Okada Junichi) has left his countryside hometown, and is now living in Edo (now Tokyo), in search of Kanazawa Jubei (Asano Tadanobu), the man who killed his father.
He is living in a dilapidated tenement house, in the poor quarters of the city of Edo. His neighbors in the so-called "row houses" are all good, solid folk who can never even hope to rise out of the squalor of their surroundings. Sozaemon, the provincial samurai, becomes friends with a variety of characters including a habitual drunk, an unsuccessful would-be petty official, a ragman, a perky girl, a doctor, and a scrivener. As the relationships between the characters unfold we are led deeper in the blossoming love story of Sozaemon and the beautiful widow, Osae (Miyazawa Rie).
Although he has never forgot his task to find his father's enemy and to succeed in his vengeance, being around Osae and her son, Sozaemon feels a warm feeling inside, which leads to doubts about the entire act of revenge. However, to walk away from the "revenge-act (ADAUCHI)", could actually bring his entire family down, not only without the reward from the Shogun, but also, as a samurai, to be unsuccessful on revenge would be an act of cowardice, and a disgrace to the entire family name.
Sozaemon, still not being able to decide on if he should take the act of revenge, goes on with his everyday life, teaching the neighborhood children mathematics, reading and writing. He wonders whether he can ever enjoy life without the specter of revenge and swordplay.
With the discovery of the rich meaningful life rather than the meaningless death of a warrior, Sozaemon, together with his strange friends at the tenement row house, decides to plot an act of the lifetime...
Hirokazu Koreeda - Hana Yori Mo Nao
If the film title "Nobody Knows" brings images of Japan's amazing cinematic history to mind, you'll be pleased to know that director Hirokazu Koreeda's new film "Hana Yori Mo Nao" is coming soon to DVD with English subtitles
V6 member Junichi Okada stars as a poor samurai caught between avenging his father's death and living a peacefull life in the squalor of the shantytown of old Edo. An unskilled fighter, Okada's character Sozaemon must choose between an honorable death, or a pleasant life that may cause dishonor to his family. Also stars Tadanobu Asano, Rie Miyazawa, and Ryo Kase.
Hirokazu Koreeda's "Hana Yori Mo Nao" comes out November 24. Film available in both regular and limited editions (with bonus disc) which both feature English subtitles.
