Samurai Exhibit and Film Festival at JACCC, Los Angeles
Source: Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Japan Foundation
Beginning September 15 and running through November 10, the Japan Foundation of Los Angeles presents “Bugu: The Spirit of Samurai Warrior”, an extensive exhibition of traditional Japanese arms and armor for the samurai warrior and ninja. The exhibit will include video displays of Kendo, sumo and yabusame bouts and a section for gallery-goers to try on replica armor.
“Bugu: The Spirit of Samurai Warrior”
September 15-November 10
Tuesday-Friday 12:00 noon-5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm
244 S.San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Coinciding with the exhibition is the samurai film festival “Katsudo Shashin (Moving Pictures)” on September 30. The festival features two movies by director Hideo Gosha, one by Masaki Kobayashi, and another by Akira Kurosawa.
11:00am THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI (Sambiki no Samurai, 1967)
95 min., B&W, Shochiku Co., Ltd
Gosha’s directorial debut stars Tetsuo Tamba as a wandering ronin (masterless samurai) who joins together with a small village in a fight to the death against a cruel magistrate.
1:00pm BANDITS VS SAMURAI SQUADRON (Kumokiri Nizaemon, 1978)
163 min., Color, Shochiku Co., Ltd
This film teams Gosha with one of his favorite leading men, Tatsuya Nakadai, who portrays a former samurai warrior who abandons his class to become the leader of a gang of thieves.
5:00pm SAMURAI REBELLION (Joi-uchi: Hairyo tsuma shimatsu, 1967)
120 min., B&W, Mifune Productions Co., Ltd.
Directed by respected chambara expert Masaki Kobayashi, SAMURAI REBELLION stars Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai, who previously worked opposite each other in YOJIMBO and SANJURO. This films sets love as the backdrop in a determined, yet seemingly futile battle for justice.
7:30pm THRONE OF BLOOD (Kumonosu-jo)
1957, 105 min., B&W, Toho Co., Ltd.
THRONE OF BLOOD was directed by Kurosawa and stars Mifune who portrays Eashizu Taketori, a feudal lord whose bloodthirsty ambition is surpassed only by that of his wife’s, portrayed by Isuzu Yamada. In the final scene of this powerfully shot film, Kurosawa scrapped the idea of effects and instead opted to use real archers with arrows shooting at Mifune to heighten the scene of reality.
All films are in Japanese with English subtitles. Due to graphic images of violence and strong sexuality SAMURAI REBELLION, THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI, and BANDITS VS SAMURAI SQUADRON are recommended for mature audiences only.
Sunday, September 30
Aratani/Japan America Theatre
244 S.San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Festival Pass: $30 General Pass, $25 JACCC Members
Single Tickets (per film): $10 General Admission, $8 JACCC Members, $6 Students
Box Office open Mon-Sat 12:00-5:00pm
Charge by Phone: 213-680-3700
