Gohatto (1999)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 100 minuten
Alternative titles: Taboo / 御法度
Country:
Japan / France / United Kingdom
Directed by: Nagisa Ôshima
Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Ryuhei Matsuda and Shinji Takeda
IMDb score:
6,8 (8.448)
Releasedate: 18 December 1999
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Gohatto plot
"How am I insane?"
Kyoto, 1865, the end of the Edo era. Young samurai Kano Sozaburo is hired as a member of the Shinsengumi, a Buddhist swordsman clan committed to upholding the strict values of feudal Japan. The enchantingly beautiful, Kano proves to be an excellent swordsman, turning the heads of the isolated male community of samurai.
Actors and actresses
Toshizo Hijikata
Sozaburo Kano
Hyozo Tashiro
Isami Kondo
Okita Sōji
Spy
Samurai Tojiro Yuzawa
Samurai executed by Kanô
Narrator (voice)
Reviews & comments
maxcomthrilla
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- 15581 messages
- 2860 votes
It keeps messing around with samurai movies a bit.
Nagisa Ôshima tries to provide his film with a unique angle in the samurai genre by choosing a taboo among the samurai: homosexuality, but since this is not one of the most exposed issues in the film world, I had the idea that the director chose this subject to spice up his film. A misconception on my part, since there are no comical notes in this film, while I would find samurai people with handbags around their shoulders quite funny for a change.
In short, I had expected (hoped for) some kind of satire on homosexual samurai, when it's actually an ordinary drama that happens to be set in the times of the samurai era. I didn't like the drama part and I also thought the fights had little to do with it. Furthermore, I couldn't believe what the hell people saw in the deathly pale Ryuhei Matsuda. A 2.5* for some nice pictures.
Translated from Dutch · View original
wendyvortex
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- 5196 messages
- 7278 votes
Last film by director Ôshima (Cruel Story of Youth, In the Realm of the Senses, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence). It is kept very basic here in terms of sets, almost stage-like (I think similar sets were also used in Paul Schrader's Mishima).
Androgynous samourai causes quite a bit of unrest because quite a few men fall for him and that even leads to murder, although just like in many Japanese films , the transgender person is certainly not completely pure or possessed by a demon or just pure evil.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Onderhond
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- 87623 messages
- 12890 votes
Still very strong.
Oshima's last film is one without any real weaknesses. Also the movie that really launched Matsuda's career, and the movie that exploded with the concept of "gay samurai" (apparently more common than people think). Reason enough to become a real classic, unfortunately the film has fallen into oblivion.
Visually it looks fairly classic, except for the camera work, which is more emphatic. The soundtrack is stronger, Sakamoto's style is also immediately recognizable. Acting is fine, with an always strong Kitano and a great Matsuda, who even manages to play Asano off screen (I didn't even remember him being on the show).
Also nice that the film is closer to the 90 than the 120 minutes. Typically a film with enough individuality and no specific bad points. And a film that has lost none of its power in 20 years. Remains highly recommended.
4.0* and a extensive review
Translated from Dutch · View original
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