1971_12 The Daily Collegian December 1971

              THE DAILY COLLEGIAN    Thureday. Dec
TOLMCQLUMN
The films are baaed on theUfe
of a real cat, Musaahl Miyamoto,
wno Uved In Japan In the rold-
15th century, Musashl was a Zen
master, a «cuptor, painter and
poet In addition to being the best
Samurai In Japan.
Most Samurai movies gloss
over the fact that In order to be
a righteous Samurai you had to
be a Zen master too. The run
of the mlU Samurai flick has lots
of blood and sword fighting, and
little else.
Inagaki'a Samura| Trilogy
*   oul   by   suggesting   that
these films project a complete
misunderstanding of the whole
idea of Samurai training.
The flret Mm, 'Legend of
Musaahl,* starts out with Musaahl as a strong man, a great
sword fighter, but completely unaware that It takes much more to
be a Samurai. He Is befriended
by a Zen priest, although the
"befriending* Is of a peculiar
sort - the priest ties Musash!
and hoists him up Into a tree, to
teach him the uselessness of
brute strength.
This is really a great sequence
hi is
*C_ _'. room with a lot of books -
for three years. When he emerges, finally, he has begun his
long training as a Samurai -
learning lhat violence, by Itself,
tchtjojl Temple*-takes up where
•Legend of Musashl* leaves off.
Musash! Is wandering through
Japan, learning, fighting, think-
conversely, when not lo fight.
The second film also introduces us to another fascinating
character   -   Kojlro,  a  young,
The whole idea of why Samurais
fight Is developed here, and we
realize thai, for agreatSamural,
battle is a way of enlightenment;
battling with a great Samurai Is
like sitting al the feet of a great
teacher - even If the cost of the
lesson Is life Itself, 11 Is worth
ir Kojlro. thedi
lo fight
ens the priest. Fin , „,
•But I trusted you!*
sure sign of stupidity,"
jents the priest, as he leaves
Musashl dangling in the middle
of a terrific thunderstor-    —
can  leach  Kojlro anything, ai
The third film. "Duel on Gai
ryu Island," Is a long drawn-o
the film is devoted
ot » year, and we i,,i^Sgj
'romvr»tch,n,Uled|„^'k,
tbey prepare for that n2>
Kojlro becomes » ^^
wealthy Samurai,Musm*^?*'
Ma time wandering «,***
country in rr^protee^H
era and peasants from u^Iw
who prey on them. ""*■
When the fight finally ~*>.
down. It's terrific; beaunW*
tography (all three nirnTs??"
color) only makes it 1**
citing; we are so deeply^,*
with both combatants thatu^i!
taking part in the nghtourstl^
And finally we understand whan",
means lo be a Samurai.
I can't say who wins 1 B
would spoil It. But these fZ
Play around now and then, «!.
ally on 'Samurai Festivals* ria
other, more standardised blood
and swordplay movies.
If you see them playin, „,.
,h»r, near yoUj d,,,,,, mljJ ^
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN   5
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