SAMURAI ASSASSIN in 35mm
Special Features: Introduction by Michael Jeck on Aug. 26
[SAMURAI] [侍]
Toshirô Mifune is Niiro Tsurichiyo, a destitute ronin and illegitimate son of a nobleman. Eager to regain his lofty political status, Niiro enlists in a dastardly plot to assassinate local daimyo, Naosuke Ii (Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII), whose signing of a treaty opening trade between Japan and the U.S. proves controversial. Stunningly shot in black-and-white CinemaScope, SAMURAI ASSASSIN is pure chanbara bliss mixed with deep political overtones colored by director Kihachi Okamoto's (THE SWORD OF DOOM) experiences as a solder in World War II. Mifune's turn as the uncouth Niiro is reminiscent of his work in YOJIMBO but is unlike any character he portrayed during his long collaboration with Akira Kurosawa. DIR Kihachi Okamoto; SCR Shinobu Hashimoto, from the novel by Jiromasa Gunji; PROD Tomoyuki Tanaka. Japan, 1965, b&w, 122 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. NOT RATED
AFI Member passes accepted.
About Michael Jeck
Michael Jeck was the film programmer of the AFI Theater at the Kennedy Center for a decade, and for the first years of the AFI Silver Theatre. His company R5/S8 Presents premiered the uncut version of Akira Kurosawa's THE HIDDEN FORTRESS and relaunched Kihachi Okamoto's ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO. He has done audio commentaries for The Criterion Collection editions of SEVEN SAMURAI and THRONE OF BLOOD, taught a class on Japanese Cinema for 12 years at George Mason University and for 30 years has written the calendar notes for the repertory programs at New York City's famed Film Forum.
Run Time: 122 Minutes
Opening Date: Friday, August 26, 2022
Genre: Action adventure drama