Review of Samurai Assassin (1965) by Ken S — 24 Feb 2008

I have to admit the poorer film quality and method of narrative delivery had me turned off from Samurai Assassin, which I had seen tagged with "best samurai movie of all time", so I went with a viewing while listening to music in place of the audio track.

I ended up very pleased with the tale of the loser ronin whose lineage was being held from him, and the final sequences brought it all together in a macabre way that I found satisfying.

I cannot recall having such a change of heart over a film.

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The same thing happened with Juno, though to a much lesser degree. The beginning MTV slang soaked and saturated sarcasm, trying to sound cute, made me turn it off at first, but on another day I watched it through and have to admit that the voice of written perspective played very well in the more serious moments, and that which I disdained did fit in a logically drawn characterization.

However, perhaps the lingering grudge I developed, perhaps the general subject matter, pre-viewed hype, or reasons unknown combined to leave me feeling a wonder as to what the fuss was about...

A good movie, but not nearly a great one, idiosyncratic to be sure, but not spoken in my language.

This last remark of mine a laudatory or detraction depending upon your proclivities.