‘Samurai Rebellion’: Duty, Love, and Defiance in Feudal Japan

Renowned Japanese director Masaki Kobayashi dives deep into the unethical demands of feudal authority.

Isaburo Sasahara (Toshiro Mifune, L) and his friend and rival, Tatewaki Asano (Tatsuya Nakadai), in “Samurai Rebellion.” CJ ENM

NR | 2h 8m | Period Drama | 1967

If I’ve always considered Akira Kurosawa the emperor of Japanese cinema, Masaki Kobayashi is its prince. His films, like the harrowing anti-war masterpiece “The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer” (1961) and the hauntingly intimate “Harakiri” (1962), are more than stories. They’re bold examinations of humanity under pressure.