Mibu gishi den あるいは WHEN THE LAST SWORD IS DRAWN として、2003年に英語圏でもDVDが発売されているようです。 以下は、DVDを見た人々の反応です。 泣きはらした、こみ上げてくるものを感じた、 吉村に対してempathy、共感を覚えた、などなど。 武士の何たるか、武士道の何たるか、 についてまで、どのように理解するに至ったのか、 について記している人はほとんどおらず、 その点はどうも判然としませんが。
Wow... This movie totally blew me away... I'm not easily as touched as I were with this movie. I literally had to pause it several times not to weep like baby. I haven't been this moved since the movie Heaven & Earth with Tommy Lee Jones, a drama about poverty and sadness, war and it's affect on people This movie straight hit's the roof. I got tears, and a clogged throat. Normally I don't watch too many dramas, but this one I saw in a hunch. I, without a doubt, give this 10 / 10 in the category of dramas! Respect the Samurai's! Respect those who throughout time died for bloodfeuds between clan's, starvation, and honor. This is clearly a masterpiece! It deserves an Oscar.
It's hard to believe that this is from the same director as the truly awful Onmyoji! WTLSID is an almost infinitely better film. After watching THE LAST SAMURAI I was inspired to check out two recent Japanese films focussing on a similar time period, THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI and WHEN THE LAST SWORD IS DRAWN. It's interesting comparing the Japanese perspective of the Samurai with the Hollywood perspective - TLS romanticises the people and lifestyle far more than the Japanese films, though WTLSID is more misty-eyed than TWILIGHT when thinking about those Samurai whose world had left them behind. Both Japanese films are much more character driven than THE LAST SAMURAI, representing the Samurai as much more human and complex people, and also giving a much less simplified view of the sociopolitical conditions of the time. Of the three films, I think I enjoyed WHEN THE LAST SWORD IS DRAWN the most. The characters, acting, action, cinematography and soundtrack were all top notch - and though the end of the film is dragged out too much, it is very moving. I think all three films deserve to be seen though. I find it rather tragic that THE LAST SAMURAI is sure to play in every mainstream theatre in Japan, but TWILIGHT SAMURAI and WHEN THE LAST SWORD IS DRAWN will be lucky to play a couple of festivals and maybe a short art-house run in the US, with an R1 DVD likely to be years off if it comes at all.