The Samurai and the Prisoner
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s samurai drama combines a murder mystery with a psychological power struggle in the spirit of Agatha Christie and Shakespeare.
Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure; Pulse, R&A 2002), renowned for his artistically ambitious horror cinema, ventures into new territory with the samurai drama The Samurai and the Prisoner.
Set in sixteenth-century Japan and adapted from the award-winning bestselling novel by Honobu Yonezawa, this period mystery unfolds across four seasons. The story begins as the rebellious samurai Araki Murashige (Masahiro Motoki) barricades himself inside Arioka Castle after taking up arms against his former ally, the ruthless warlord Oda Nobunaga. As the siege tightens, a series of brutal and inexplicable crimes shatters the fortress, and the desperate Murashige is forced to turn to the imprisoned enemy strategist Kuroda Kanbei for help.
Kurosawa transforms a sweeping historical war drama into an elegant locked-room mystery, gradually evolving into a psychologically charged struggle for power reminiscent of Shakespearean tragedy. As suspicion and guilt consume the minds of those trapped within the castle walls, paranoia and betrayal spread unchecked. The fortress becomes a microcosm where political manoeuvring, loyalty and fear slowly erode the community from within.
Rauli Karjalainen (translated by Kati Ilomäki)
Screenings
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Bio Rex LasipalatsiSat 19.9. at 15.10–17.37147 min, 1/3
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Kinopalatsi 2Wed 23.9. at 20.30–22.57147 min, 2/3
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Savoy-teatteriThu 24.9. at 17.45–20.12147 min, 3/3
Trailer
