Japanese movie expert needed

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I posted this on my 20 Great Foreign Language Films post, but thought I might have more luck if I started a new post

I realize that I'm being extremely optimistic because of my vagueness, but here goes.

Around 15-20 years ago there was a season of Japanese movies on either BBC2 or Channel 4.

I'm sure YOJIMBO and SEVEN SAMURAI were shown during the season (though not certain), but there was one film I particularly liked.

Unfortunately, I can't remember what it was called, and I remember very little about it.

Only thing that has stayed in my mind was a scene where a princess (maybe) drops a flower (or something) into a stream which flows from where she is being held captive (some kind of castle/fort) as a signal to the guys outside who are trying to rescue her.

I told you it was vague.

I thought it might be HIDDEN FORTRESS, so I bought it, but though it is a great film, it wasn't the one I remembered

I also think that it might have Toshiro Mifune in, but again, I'm not certain.

PLEASE!!!! Does anyone have any idea what I'm on about?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Just asked Mrs E, who stopped knitting for a moment to say 'Huh? Whaaaaa?'. Which I think means 'Not a clue'.

 

[lonely boy]

I think it may be from Sanjuro, though I haven't seen this one.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Thanks. Was going to buy Sanjuro at some point anyway, so could be a great purchase

Any other ideas? Anyone?

 

[plastic penguin]

Andrew Everard:Just asked Mrs E, who stopped knitting for a moment to say 'Huh? Whaaaaa?'. Which I think means 'Not a clue'.

Another jumper, Andrew?

 

[ID.]

lonely boy:I think it may be from Sanjuro, though I haven't seen this one.

Not an expert on Japanese films, but my money is also on Sanjuro. Dropping camellia flowers (red?) into the stream was the sign for the attack. (maybe white camellias were a sign for something else...).

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

That's sounding familiar, it's coming back to me (very slowly).

Thank you all very much. Sanjuro it is (I hope)

 

[SteveR750]

Have you tried googling all or bits of the title?

several years ago I was looking for the film The Island of Laputa ( aka Castle In The Sky) which I had seen about 4 days before Christmas in the late 90s ish - for years it bugged me that this film was never again on TV anytime let alone Christmas, and I could not remember the title, until a random Google search eventually found it on Amazon about 4 yrs ago for about £3.....

 

[Andrew Everard]

plastic penguin:Another jumper, Andrew?

Scarves for Christmas presents, apparently. And for the OP, she added helpfully that if he knew what the movie was called, she could probably work out the title.

 

[ID.]

Looks like the official title is Tsubaki Sanjuro

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056443/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056443/It would've been this Kurosawa original with Mifune. Avoid the 2007 remake.

To make excuses for someone else's wife, not many of my Japanese acquaintances (particularly the female ones) have watched much Akira Kurosawa, as for the title, maybe she was referring to the possible differences between the English and Japanese titles, or am I being generous here?

 

[Andrew Everard]

I think Mrs E was just being her usual quirky self. Her usual viewing is endless Japanese 'duramas' on the internet.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

My wife is Japanese, but was no help at all.

I also asked her mother, but after explaining the scenes in the film I could still remember for about 10 mins, I realized she understood and spoke absolutely no English.

Thanks for all your help, as you can see I have been very frustrated trying to find out the title, so hopefully it is Sanjuro.

 

[Andrew Everard]

BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW:My wife is Japanese, but was no help at all.

I think we just had a shared experience moment. When I explained a few years back to a bunch of audio engineers in Tokyo that my wife was Japanese, they said 'We are very sorry for you'

 

[Alantiggger]

It IS 'Sanjuro' ... go buy

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

After our wedding, we went to Japan so I could meet all her family and friends.

I began to wonder about my decision to get married after several of her friends and family asked "Why did you marry her?"

I now realize what they meant, but it's far too late.

I've asked her mum to take her back, but she says "no returns"

Japanese women are nuts

 

[Alantiggger]

Hahahahaha, you're at it ..... aren't you ? Your wife being Japanese I mean.

 

[ID.]

Don't believe the stereotype of subservient Japanese women, particularly once married.

In many ways I find Japanese women to be stronger and more forthright than Japanese men, particularly the younger generation.

I wouldn't dare offer an opinion on craziness, particularly about stereotypes in Japan about those who speak English and are married to foreigners

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

You lost me on the last part, unfortunately. Although, I think you mean about the attitude of the Japanese people to those who marry non-Japanese.

BUT I 100% agree about the subservient stereotype, my wife certainly isn't subservient in any way, shape or form.

My wife always says that in the older generation, Japanese men are publicly seen to be the head of the house, where in reality, behind closed doors, it is usually the women.

And certainly, the modern generation of Japanese women are far stronger and more independent than their male counterparts.

Now, can we get back to Japanese cinema.

 

[ID.]

Sorry, just speaking from my own and friends' experiences, although to create a tenuous link to cinema, they recently made a movie of the comic Daarin wa gaikokujin (my darling is a foreigner), not many Samurai in it, but plenty of stereotypes (apparently. I haven't bothered seeing it)