"SKULL" "In the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate issued anti-Christian edicts, and the escalating oppression led to a rebellion of the Christian local lords." "A castle town in Western Japan." "Meet Senjuin, a femme fatale, whose seductive lips, and tragic charm ensnare men in the bonds of desire." "The man who bows at her palanquin is Justice Chijiwa." "He is an official of severe integrity so rare in this cold and indifferent world." "Meet Reinosuke Ushio, a passionate supporter of the cause, ready to protect Hojo, despite the disease that has eaten away his lungs." "Osetsu, a crimson lily blooming among the infidels, was the only daughter of Nakazo, his old retainer." "Master Ushio, I'll pray with all my heart that you return in triumph." "Master, is this farewell?" "Don't cry!" "Nakazo, take care of Osetsu and my child." "For Osetsu, who had to say her goodbye in secret, the departure marked the end of a lonely autumn." "Do you have any news from the Master?" "You have nothing to worry about." "He'll be back soon, and you'Il go live in the big mansion." "The rain has stopped." "I'll go to the store." "Uncle, do you think the Master will really marry her?" "A rumor is going around town..." "Please, don't get mad at me." "Everyone in town is talking about the Master's engagement." "Doesn't this drive you mad?" "Is that true?" "Is it?" "Everyone says that when the Master returns, he will marry Lady Senjuin." "I feel so sorry for Osetsu." "I felt so bad for Osetsu, that I wanted to slap those big mouths." "The evil gossip threw Osetsu and her father in a bottomless pit of desperation." "Then, one day..." "Fire!" "It's a fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "The mansion of Lady Senjuin is burning!" "The Christian army was besieged, and even Nakazo was summoned to join their ranks." "Uncle, it's terrible!" "Lady Senjuin's mansion is on fire." "You... set fire to..." "Lady Senjuin's mansion." "I know you so well." "Why are you trying to fool me?" "I know the pain that's ripping your heart." "No matter what you do," "I will never hate you." "The rage of the Shogun's army was formidable." "Plagued by a deadly disease," "Reinosuke was losing strength." "The crusade of the Christians ended in a mountain of corpses and a river of blood." "Eventually, Justice Chijiwa found out that the arsonist who had set Senjuin 's mansion afire was jealousy-crazed Osetsu." "Son, hold my hand tightly!" "It's a pity, but the law is the law." "Move to the next target." "Shoot the boy." "Defeated, Reinosuke was returning to this cursed town where violence and evil ruled." "Master Ushio, meting out justice to criminals is my one and only duty." "Please, let me do my job." "Look at that, Chijiwa!" "It seems to me that your work here is done." "You are free to go." "I still have some unfinished work." "Some important work." "I must punish both the mother and the child for their crime." "This is my right and my duty." "Chijiwa, shut up!" "I've heard enough!" "Be quiet!" "The justice of a heartless judge brings only misery." "Osetsu, it's me, Reinosuke." "Can't you see my face?" "Is this a personal vendetta, or did the Shogun send you?" "I know this sword." "Shusaku Horikawa, is that you?" "You know well that my job has no room for mercy." "The capture of that criminal, Reinosuke Ushio, is my right and my obligation." "Go away!" "Shikibu..." "You must go away, now!" "The son of the traitor, too, will die." "Kill him!" "What a painful life!" "This decaying body has caused only misery and pain to those around me." "Death and oblivion are what awaits us beyond the borders of our earthly life." "SKULL THE END" "SKULL" "In the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate issued anti-Christian edicts, and the escalating oppression led to a rebellion of the Christian local lords." "A castle town in Western Japan." "Meet Senjuin, a femme fatale, whose seductive lips, and tragic charm ensnare men in the bonds of desire." "The man who bows at her palanquin is Justice Chijiwa." "He is an official of severe integrity so rare in this cold and indifferent world." "Meet Reinosuke Ushio, a passionate supporter of the cause, ready to protect Hojo, despite the disease that has eaten away his lungs." "Played by young Utaemon Ichikawa." "Reinosuke praised the Lord, and lamented the sorry state of the world." "He was determined to win the war, and save the pride of the Christians." "Osetsu, a crimson lily blooming among the infidels, was the only daughter of Nakazo, his old retainer." "Osetsu's love for Reinosuke was blessed with a child." "But Osetsu wasn 't the only woman who had feelings for Reinosuke." "The arrogant Senjuin never missed a chance to flirt with him." "Master U s hio." "Rei nosuke..." "Master Ushio." "I'll pray with all my heart that you return in triumph." "You know how I feel..." "I promise to return victorious." "The scream of the triton pierced his heart." "It was time for the men to depart." "They all rushed: some on horse, some on foot, some armed with spears..." "Each second was precious." "Reinosuke was the hero of the Christians." "It was time for him to lead his army into battle." "A battle with a mighty enemy." "Resolved to win with the power of their God, the Christian soldiers were leaving their beloved hometown." "Osetsu and Senjuin were seeing them off with heavy hearts." "The wind in the trees was singing a sad farewell song." "The men were leaving with the grim resolution that this could be their last battle." "Everyone was desperately praying for victory." "please, Lord, protect my men." "Master!" "Master, is this farewel?" "." "please, take care of yourself." "Don't cry!" "Nakazo, take care of Osetsu and my child." "I will." "My lord, I pray that you return victorious." "I pray for your victory." "I pray for your victory." "I pray for your victory." "Reinosuke was leaving the green meadows of his home." "Only the wind knew the pain that was tearing Osetsu's heart, as Reinosuke was leaving." "The somber procession left the castle town." "The battle ahead was a crucial one." "L ed by Reinosuke, the samurai tightened the reins." "The Christian army" "left behind their hometown." "and headed to the field of death." "Everyone prayed that they would see their beloved again." "Osetsu was one of them." "For Osetsu, who had to say her goodbye in secret, the departure marked the end of a lonely autumn." "The spinning wheel goes round and round, like the ever-moving human life." "Some time has passed." "Osetsu and her father were eagerly awaiting the return of Reinosuke." "Their life wasn 't easy." "A kind woman who lived nearby helped them with the housework, and tried to cheer them up." "H ello, auntie." "Osetsu, you're working hard." "Uncle..." "You're so lucky to have a daughter like Osetsu." "I know." "Do you have any news from the Master?" "No, nothing." "Not a word." "Nakazo felt great pity for his daughter." "She was eagerly awaiting her lover's return." "You have nothing to worry about." "He'll be back soon, and you'Il go live in the big mansion." "You'II be taken care of." "I don't know." "Father." "What?" "The rain has stopped." "I'll go to the store." "alright." "But be careful." "I will." "I won't be long." "please hurry." "Auntie, I'm going out." "Be careful." "Uncle." "Uncle." "Do you think the Master will really marry her?" "I'm so worried..." "Why?" "The woman's words pierced Osetsu's heart, and she stopped to listen." "Master Reinosuke..." "What is going on?" "A rumor is going around town..." "please don't get mad at me." "What rumor?" "Tell me." "What's wrong?" "Don't be afraid of me." "I was so shocked!" "Everyone in town is talking about the Master's engagement." "Doesn't this drive you mad?" "The Master?" "Is that true?" "Is it?" "Everyone says that when the Master returns, he will marry Lady Senjuin." "I feel so sorry for Osetsu." "Lady Senjuin?" "I felt so bad for Osetsu, that I wanted to slap those big mouths." "How dare they!" "." "Hearing this, Osetsu cursed Senjuin for trying to steal her man." "The seeds of hatred were sown in her heart." "Was she going to lose the father of her child?" "The evil gossip threw Osetsu and her father in a bottomless pit of desperation." "Then, one day..." "Fire!" "It's a fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "The flames rose up to heaven." "Fire!" "The mansion of Lady Senjuin is burning." "Fire!" "Osetsu's scorching hatred charred the earth." "In the chaos, one man remained cold as ice:" "Justice Chijiwa." "The commotion brought a gleam to his smart eyes." "Lady Senj uin's mansion is on fire!" "." "It looks like arson." "I see." "His eyes remained fixed on Osetsu, who looked flustered." "'"It's her "" "He immediately saw that the fire was Osetsu's doing." "The Christian army was besieged, and even Nakazo was summoned to join their ranks." "U ncle, it's terri ble!" "Lady Senjuin's mansion is on fire." "Uncle!" "." "Lady Senjuin's... mansion?" "." "No..." "It can't be." "Crazed by jealousy, Osetsu had set the house of her rival on fire." "Osetsu's hatred had burst into roaring flames." "Osetsu," "Osetsu..." "What have you done?" "Osetsu..." "I..." "I know everything." "You... set fire to..." "Lady Senjuin's mansion." "No..." "No..." "Why did you do it?" "." "I didn't do anything." "I know you well." "Osetsu, Osetsu..." "I know you so well." "Why are you trying to fool me?" "I know the pain that's ripping your heart." "No matter what you do," "I will never hate you." "Osetsu..." "My poor child." "I know how you feel..." "I know everything." "Forgive me." "Osetsu..." "Osetsu's heart was broken." "The rage of the Shogun's army was formidable." "Plagued by a deadly disease," "Reinosuke was losing strength." "With each day, defeat seemed closer." "Under a deadly rain of bombshells, the Christians were fighting like lions, but were outnumbered." "The battlefield was littered with countless bodies." "Fire!" "Fire!" "Don't retreat!" "You must not retreat!" "Don't flinch!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "." "Don't be afraid!" "We will win, in the name of God!" "Despite these encouraging words, the Christians could sense defeat." "Don't flinch!" "Fight!" "You must fight!" "Despite his disease, Reinosuke fought like a lion." "But it was all in vain." "The overwhelming power of the Shogun 's army sent the Christian soldiers flying." "I'm mortified..." "So mortified." "The crusade of the Christians ended in a mountain of corpses and a river of blood." "The miserable defeat threw Reinosuke into great despair." "Eventually, Justice Chijiwa found out that the arsonist who had set Senjuin 's mansion afire was jealousy-crazed Osetsu." "Holding tightly the tiny hand of Shikibu, the fruit of her love with Reinosuke, Osetsu ran from the police." "Even God deserts criminals." "There was no escape from the tight net." "You must catch her!" "And if you can't, then..." "You know what to do, right?" "." "The signal!" "The chasers closed on their prey." "Hugging her child, Osetsu was on the run." "But the chasers were getting closer." "With Justice Chijiwa in charge, even a fly couldn 't escape the tight net." "The heartless Chijiwa had a rule: nobody should escape, no matter how petty the crime." "Carrying her child, Osetsu desperately ran, until her legs would bear her no farther." "She found herself in a blind alley from which there was no escape." "That's her!" "." "AI right!" "A single shot." "Son..." "Son..." "Son..." "Got her!" "." "Good job." "Killed without a trial - how cruel." "But Chijiwa didn 't turn a hair." "Son, hold my hand tightly!" "Son..." "With blood spilling from her chest," "Osetsu was whispering to her son." "My dear son..." "The desperate cries of the child didn 't move Chijiwa's cold heart." "It's a pity, but the law is the law." "Move to the next target." "Shoot the boy." "Defeated, Reinosuke was returning to this cursed town where violence and evil ruled." "Wait!" "Chijiwa, don't shoot!" "Stop right there!" "Master Ushio, meting out justice to criminals is my one and only duty." "please let me do my job." "Chijiwa's eyes gleamed with cruelty." "The lifeless body sprawled on the ground, and the weeping child clinging to it could break anyone's heart." "Look at that, C hijiwa!" "It seems to me that your work here is done." "You are free to go." "Hurry!" "I'm afraid I can't do that." "I still have some unfinished work." "Some important work." "Look at them." "Those deplorable arsonists." "I must punish both the mother and the child for their crime." "This is my right and my duty." "I must punish them no matter what." "Arsonists?" "." "Could it be..." "Is that...?" "My..." "Chijiwa, shut up!" "I've heard enough!" "Be quiet!" "The justice of a heartless judge brings only misery." "History is full of examples." "Master, look!" "Look at them!" "You poor boy!" "Don't cry." "Poor thing." "Don't cry." "You look so sweet." "Don't cry." "The beautiful face of the woman had already frozen in a death mask." "You!" "Osetsu." "His beloved Osetsu." "Osetsu, it's me, Reinosuke." "Can't you see my face?" "Then this is my son." "I'm your father." "Your father." "Your father..." "My dear son." "He took the boy in his strong arms, and cried out to heaven." "Years later, peace had returned to this castle town." "But under the surface, conspiracy flourished, as the Shogunate harbored relentless hate for Reinosuke, the leader of the rebellious Christians." "The Shogunate has issued an order for his elimination." "Even his old war comrades, have joined the conspiracy for Reinosuke 's assassination." "Searching relief from his long-lasting lung disease," "Reinosuke had retreated to a famous temple." "He had no idea that the peaceful quiet of the temple was a cover for skillful assassins." "T oday is the day." "alright." "Walking up the old temple alley, solemn and painfully handsome in his white robe, Reinosuke felt an ominous presence." "The temple was so quiet, that even a dropping leaf would make a sound." "His instincts told him that evil was lurking in the shadows." "However, Reinosuke was not afraid." "He was straining to hear even the slightest sound, but this didn 't break his step." "A shadow fell across his pale face, but he kept walking without fear." "The assassins were all skilled and efficient." "H e's here!" "H e's here." "AI right, don't miss!" "Not a single sound in the temple hall." "All was quiet." "The assassins were closing in." "They were sneaking up behind Reinosuke, who sat solemn and motionless like a rock." "Merciless murderers." "You cowards!" "Who are you?" "." "Who sent you?" "You cowards!" "Is this a personal vendetta, or did the Shogun send you?" "Answer!" "You won't?" "." "Cowards!" "Enough with questions!" "You traitor, it's judgment day!" "You're going to slaughter me like a beast." "But I only fought for my God." "Shut up, traitor!" "." "Your time is up." "Outnumbered and weakened by the disease," "Reinosuke was in a disadvantageous position." "But his anger was formidable." "It gave him strength to stand against the assassins." "The air froze with their cold rage." "The serene temple was about to see horrible bloodshed." "Rei nosuke Ushio!" "Your death verdict has been issued." "You heretic!" "." "There'Il be no peace for us as long as you live." "Prepare to die!" "Your time is up." "Go to hell!" "You cowards!" "Scum!" "The assassins attacked him like wolves." "Whose side was God on?" "Exhausted and coughing up blood, Reinosuke never dropped his sword." "The blood was getting in his eyes." "The pain was fierce." "The assassins kept coming." "You cowards!" "I know this sword." "Shusaku Horikawa, is that you?" "Y es." "Even his old comrades have betrayed him." "Reinosuke, go to hell!" "You're a dead man!" "Your soul is rotten." "Shut up!" "." "Prepare to die!" "With his white robe turned crimson, Reinosuke was fighting like a lion." "Scum like you cannot kill me." "Shut up!" "." "Your time is up!" "At last." "Reinosuke killed Horikawa." "However... they are like hungry wolves." "One by one, the assassins crept toward our wounded hero." "H e just won't give up!" "Go to hell!" "Reinosuke, your time is up!" "You scum!" "Rotten souls like you cannot kill me." "Come on, kill me!" "You traitor!" "Go to hell." "Exhausted and reeling with piercing pain," "Reinosuke was desperately fighting back." "Yet eventually, his last bit of strength left him..." "You beasts..." "At that moment..." "Two men rushed into the hall." "His old retainer Nakazo." "and his son Shikibu." "Master!" "Father!" "Master..." "This is terrible." "Father!" "If this be God's will, I accept it..." "In a sign of acceptance of his fate," "Reinosuke quietly dropped his head." "Nakazo was shaking with sobs." "Before long, the Shogun 's police closed on the temple." "They had to capture the traitor Reinosuke Ushio." "They were approaching slowly, in great numbers." "Their cries pierced the dead air that lay upon Reinosuke." "They are coming." "I will protect my father." "I won't let them take him!" "Don't!" "There's no point fighting back." "Stop it!" "You too will be accused of treachery." "Just then, the austere figure of Justice Chijiwa appeared." "He was leading the police hordes who rushed to capture Reinosuke." "Chijiwa!" "You never give u p, do you..." "Master Chijiwa, please, have mercy." "Have mercy for your fellow samurai." "You know well that my job has no room for mercy." "Get out of my way." "The capture of that criminal, Reinosuke Ushio, is my right and my obligation." "Arrest him!" "Take away this traitor." "You traitor!" "Get up!" "Come on!" "Master..." "Father, Father..." "Master..." "Get up!" "Father, Father..." "Traitor!" "Master, Master..." "Father!" "Shikibu, my time has come..." "Driven by the pride of a man who stood a final sacrifice to his celestial mission." "Reinosuke bravely left the temple." "Left behind, Nakazo and Shikibu were sobbing." "F ather!" "The hero who led the Christian army had reached the bottom." "Clad in a blood-stained robe, his shaking figure was a tragic sight." "The cold wind of hatred and betrayal mercilessly pierced his heart." "Righteous people and villains alike are crushed by the great power of the law." "This is the way this cold world is." "Only God can bestow peace upon one 's soul." "F ather, Father!" "Father!" "Carried by the wind, Shikibu's cries pierced his father's heart." "Reinosuke was resigned to his fate, and was ready to meet his end." "Father, Father!" "Shikibu." "Father!" "Listen to me, Shikibu!" "Shikibu, why are you doing this to me?" "." "I hate you!" "Go away!" "Leave me alone!" "Shikibu..." "You must go away, now!" "I won't go away!" "Father!" "Then Justice Chijiwa spoke coldly from the back of his horse." "The son of the traitor, too, will die." "Kill him!" "Father, Father!" "Shut up!" "A victim to a cold-blooded murder." "poor Shikibu was fatally stabbed." "I am cursed." "What a painful life!" "This decaying body has caused only misery and pain to those around me." "Father." "I'll go ahead and meet... our God..." "Shikibu's young life was taken away by the merciless Justice." "Take away the criminal!" "Come on, hurry!" "What are you doing?" "Reinosuke was taken away." "The cold wind mercilessly hit his face." "Death and oblivion are what awaits us beyond the borders of our earthly life." "The time has come for him to depart this impure world." "Filled with despair, he was about to leave for the land of no return." "Too pure to be judged by the earthly laws" "Reinosuke died of his own hand." "He put an end to his stormy and tragic life." "The wind was singing its sad song." "SKULL THE END" "In the silent film era, in Japan film screenings featured narration by Benshi (film narrators)." "Featuring a trinity of pictures, narration and music, such screenings enjoyed enormous popularity." "Japan has an ancient and rich storytelling tradition." "The art of Benshi originates from this tradition." "The Talking Silents series is a modern re-creation of this art." "This series, presented by Digital Meme, features select films from the collection of the famous Benshi and my teacher Shunsui Matsuda." "The DVDs include a rich variety of films:" "from classic masterpieces to fine and rare pieces." "This DVD features two films starring Utaemon Ichikawa:" "Color Print ofEdo:" "Hatamoto to Machiyakko and Skull." "Filmed when Utaemon Ichikawa was in his early thirties," "Color Print of Edo showcases the talent of this dazzling actor." "The story takes place in the early Edo period, sometime in the mid- to Iate-1 7th century." "In that period Edo was the scene of fierce battles between two gangs:" "the "hatamoto yakko'" and the "machi yakko.'"" "The most famous hatamoto yakko was Jurozaemon Mizuno, and the most famous machi yakko - Chobei Banzuiin." "The main hero in this film, Saburobei Asahina, belongs to the Banzuiin clan." "Historic figures, such as Gonbei '"The Dog Killer,'"" "and the busybody Hikozaemon Okubo, appear in this enjoyable and amusing period film." "It tells the story of two brothers:" "one is a respected samurai, and the other a city servant who hates the samurai." "Isn't that strange?" "After all, Utaemon Ichikawa rose to fame with The Idle Vassal series." "He's a man with a moon-shaped scar." "I find it very interesting that the actor who perfected the role of a samurai plays a city servant in this film." "Another notable feature is the splendid costumes." "Since The Idle Vassal series, Utaemon Ichikawa was famous for his dashy outfits." "Do not miss the decorations and the set." "The samurai mansion of Kojiro Miura, Asahina's brother, played by Shinpachiro Asaka." "There is an inner garden." "The garden is enclosed by a spacious hall." "The alcove in the hall is decorated with checkered motif brocade." "Checkered is the pattern of the belt worn by Miura's lover." "And when Asahina appears, we see him wearing a checkered kimono." "We see great attention to detail in this film." "In the scene when the two brothers fight, the servants watch in suspense across the garden, where exotic palm trees grow." "The scenes in this film are aesthetically pleasing." "I hope you enjoy them." "The actresses wear their hair in loose knots, a style typical of the early Edo period." "The film is an elaborate depiction of Edo." "The dazzling performance by Utaemon Ichikawa takes another dimension in the second film." "He became a star at Makino Productions." "Once established as a star, he followed the likes of Tsumasaburo Bando," "Chiezo Kataoka, and Kanjuro Arashi, who established independent production companies." "Utaemon, too, set up his own production company in Ayamegaike, Nara." "The second film, Skull, was made in 1 927 by his company." "In this flm we see Utaemon in his 20s." "He is young and slender, breathtakingly handsome and sensitive." "The plot is very unusual." "A group of Christians opposes the Edo government." "It is a very unusual story." "The bright and easy-going Utaemon plays a gloomy and passionate character, obsessed with strong emotions." "It wasn't an easy role for him." "In Skull Utaemon will charm you with his dark and passionate side." "Highlighted by fierce fighting scenes, the uniqueness of this film drew great attention back then." "The full version was lost, but I hope you will enjoy this extraordinary film." "In my narration I highlighted the dark and passionate side of Utaemon Ichikawa." "Utaemon Ichikawa Revealed" "The film Color Print of Edo was created in 1939." "It was created as a talkie, but the sound in the remaining film was destroyed." "So the sound elements were removed, and benshi narration was added, as with silent films." "The Japanese subtitle of the film contains two historically-charged words:" ""hatamoto'" and '"machiyakko.'"" "I would Iike to explain the meaning of these terms." "The story takes place in the feudal Edo period." "During Edo, Japan was divided into several hundred domains, each governed by a local lord called daimyo." "The Tokugawa Shogun was the biggest daimyo and had national authority." "Tokugawa had his headquarters in Edo (modern Tokyo)." "The Tokugawa clan ruled over the Edo domain, but in reality it played the role of a central government." "This central government had many direct retainers." "They were called hatamoto." "So the Shogun in Edo, had his own hatamoto, who were his direct retainers." "The hatamoto had the same social rank as the local lords, but their economic position was much weaker." "Their income was one-hundredth, or less, of that of the local lords." "Of course, there were some very rich hatamoto, as well as some very poor ones." "But the poor hatamoto were equal to the local lords." "The hatamoto samurai, or '"shogun servants,"" "occupied important posts in the central government." "That was, after all, their duty." "However, there were many hatamoto without any posts." "They were necessary as a military force, to put down rebellions instigated by local lords, but not all hatamoto had posts in the system." "So these hatamoto without posts were paid wages by the Shogun, but had no work to do." "Some of them had quite a bad reputation." "They were known as "hatamoto-yakko. "" "In that period, Edo was a unique city on a global scale." "In the beginning of the 1 8th century, its population was 1.3 million." "Edo was one of the world's biggest cities in that period." "One reason for this demographic boom is that local lords and their entourage (some 500,000 people) came to Edo from other regions." "This was the so-called alternate attendance system." "Under this system, every fourth year" "local lords had to move between their domains and Edo, typically spending alternate years in each place." "They were something like hostages." "For these reasons," "local lords from several hundred domains from across Japan traveled to Edo every fourth year, built vast estates, and lived there with several hundred retainers." "Maybe there were even more retainers." "That is why Edo had a huge samurai population." "Samurai accounted for some 40% of the population." "Overall, samurai accounted for about 5-7% of Japan's population, so in that sense Edo was a unique city." "What were the results of this demographic boom?" "In principle, local lords and their retainers could choose their servants from their native areas." "These servants remained in the samurai household for generations, and forged a strong relationship of trust with their master." "They became a part of the family." "So acts of treachery were unheard of." "But the situation in Edo was different." "The newly arrived local lords and retainers had to choose their servants from the residents of Edo, or virtual strangers." "There were employment agencies, who provided such servants." "So in Edo, the masters didn't have a close relationship with their underlings." "They didn't trust each other." "The servant could betray his master." "If the servant had been in the family for generations, he wouldn't be punished too hard." "However, with the Edo hired hand, the local lord or his retainers sometimes even killed the treacherous servant." "There were cases when servants would be killed for trifling matters." "This prompted servants to form their own "'union" to oppose their masters." "So if, for an instance, a master killed his servant over a minor quibble, the servant's friends would take revenge and then run." "They would run to the leader of their union, who would hide them." "Thus a mafia-like structure, or yakuza, was formed." "In Edo they were called "machi yakko" or "city servants.'"" "They were the citizens' mafia." "Their leaders were highly respected." "When their men were abused at the estate of a local lord, they raised their voice and took revenge." "So this newly-established mafia-Iike structure was locked in a tempestuous relationship of rivalry with the samurai." "As for the machi yakko, they were quite popular with the Edo citizens." "In response to this, the "jobless" hatamoto samurai that I described before, disgruntled over their situation, swore to punish the "outrageous" machi yakko." "So these samurai were given the name hatamoto yakko, which combines the terms hatamoto and machi yakko." "They were something like "gangster samurai."" "And the machi yakko organized in a mafia-like structure were the enemy of the hatamoto yakko." "Fights often erupted between these two extremist groups." "The hero in Color Print of Edo, is called Saburobei Asahina." "He was a hatamoto yakko." "This is a difficult word to translate." "Well, literally translated..." "It means a "guy."" "The yakko clans were something like gangster groups." "There were the samurai gangster groups, and their enemies, the street gangster groups." "There were several historically famous hatamoto yakko but eventually the most prominent one of them was ordered by the Shogun to commit seppuku." "The trifling quarrels of samurai with commoners apparently angered the Shogun." "So initially Saburobei Asahina was a prominent hatamoto yakko." "But the story in this film is greatly simplified." "It is the story of a hatamoto yakko who rejected his boring life and became a machi yakko." "The story is told with humorous, comical touches." "But this film highlights some paradoxes in the samurai society." "Utaemon Ichikawa, the lead actor in Color Print of Edo, was one of the biggest and most popular stars of was one of the biggest and most popular stars of" "Japan's period film cinema." "There were five or six other stars of his caliber, but he was indeed one of the most renowned actors in the Iong history of period films." "One of the reasons is probably his Iong-Iasting popularity." "His stellar career continued for some 40 years." "Like other actors, he came from the kabuki world." "His physical attractiveness and elegant performance developed through the kabuki practice made him a film star." "He was very good in the fighting scenes." "In fact, before actors of his generation made their debut as film actors, which is around the first half of the 1920s, fighting scenes in period films mimicked such scenes in kabuki plays." "In kabuki, fighting was performed as a dance, with stylized movements." "Such dances were extremely beautiful, but failed to convey the true nature of the fighting, and were extremely unrealistic." "This trend prevailed in films for about a decade, as the audience was satisfied with the kabuki-style scenes." "But in the second half of the 1920s, a revolution of a kind occurred." "One of the factors for this revolution was the influence of US films." "Hollywood films of this period, particularly films starring Douglas Fairbanks, featured amazing swashbuckling scenes with acrobatic elements that captured audiences." "For instance the performance of Douglas Fairbanks in films like The Mark of zorro," "The Three Musketeers, or The Thief of Bagdad." "He is jumping and bouncing like a circus acrobat." "Realizing that this performance style was much more interesting," "Japanese actors wasted no time in adopting it." "Utaemon Ichikawa was one of them." "He was able to perform extremely fierce fighting scenes, and still maintain the stately good looks of a kabuki actor." "This, in my opinion, was the secret of his popularity." "Even late in life, Utaemon Ichikawa remained an imposing presence, with roles such as a yakuza boss, or a great magnificent samurai," "He was so magnificent that he could scare the enemy off with his mere presence." "He was very good at this kind of fighting." "His style was dashing and stately, more a show than real fighting." "also, unlike other period film stars, Utaemon Ichikawa played only leading parts, and never accepted supporting parts." "He pledged that he would retire, when he couldn't perform leading parts anymore." "Unlike other actors, he wasn't willing to diligently work as a side character." "He used to say, that if at some point his popularity waned and he had to put up with minor roles, he would quit." "He wanted to remain a hero to the end." "After all, there were many minor parts in which an actor could demonstrate his talent." "But they weren't good enough for Ichikawa." "He wanted to end his career as a hero, ecstatically admired by adoring fans." "I met Utaemon Ichikawa" "Iate in his career, just before he retired from acting." "I asked him what kind of issues he considered when he was given a role." "His reply was very unexpected." "'"The costumes" he said." "What kimono to wear for each scene." "What kimono would be most appropriate." "He used to consult with designers on his costumes, like an actress." "I was really surprised." "I expected him to say the mentality of the part, or the character." "But I was also impressed." "For Utaemon Ichikawa, the most important thing was to look good for his adoring fans." "That is why he carefully picked his costumes, and changed more than ten times in a single film." "His costumes were unusual, but extremely beautiful." "I remember saying to myself "He was indeed a kabuki star."" "He was an extremely cheerful person, with a generous heart." "He wasn't snobbish." "He wanted to be remembered as a star, and refused minor roles, but he never considered himself special or greater." "He was a friendly and warm person." "I have very fond memories of my interview with him." "And still, he was really devoted to his appearance and considered it a kind of service he owed his fans." "Utaemon Ichikawa was indeed a great star." "The second film, Skull, is a silent movie." "The plot is a bit unusual." "It tells the story of a christian local lord." "A few hundred years ago, some local lords embraced christianity." "In the 14th-15th century, during the Warring states period," "Japan was divided into numerous domains that fought against each other." "In that tumultuous era, society enjoyed certain freedoms." "Of course, the constant wars were a significant burden, but there was freedom of religion." "In that period, some local lords were baptized." "But when the Warring States period ended and the Edo Shogunate took over total control, the central government decided to eliminate Christianity." "The Christian lords were persecuted and eventually annihilated." "This film tells the story of a warlord, who fought on the side of these christian lords." "The battle he puts up is tragic and doomed to fail." "This film is directed by Sentaro Shirai." "It is his debut film as a director." "Sentaro Shirai left behind very few films." "He perished in the nuclear blast in Hiroshima." "He was mobilized in the army, and eventually died in the atomic bombing in Hiroshima." "Judging from the masterfully directed fighting scenes," "I believe he would have made an excellent director." "His early demise was a great loss."