Before Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films, it all began with “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail”. Although more comedy-driven, the film gives us a glimpse of the potential the filmmaker had earlier in his career and a small taste of what he would later bring to the big screen years later.
Image courtesy of © 1945 Toho Co., Ltd. © 2010 All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: The Men Who Tread on The Tiger’s Tail (as part of the Eclipse Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa)
DURATION: 59 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Black and White, 1:33:1 Aspect Ratio, Monaural, Japanese with English subtitles
COMPANY: Janus Films/The Criterion Collection
RELEASED: August 3, 2010
Based on the plays “Kanjincho” and “Ataka”
Written and Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Produced by Motohiko Ito
Music by Tadashi Hattori
Cinematography by Takeo Ito
Production Design by Kazuo Kubo
Starring:
Denjiro Okochi as Benkei
Susumu Fujita as Togashi
Kenichi Enomoto as Porter
Masayuki Mori as Kamei
Takashi Shimura as Kataoka
Akitaka Kono as Ise
Yoshio Kosugi as Suruga
Hanshiro Iwai as Yoshitsune
Dekao Yoko as Hidachibo
Years before Akira Kurosawa changed the face of cinema with such iconic works as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Yojimbo, he made his start in the Japanese film industry with four popular and exceptional works, created as World War II raged. All gripping dramas, those rare first films—Sanshiro Sugata; The Most Beautiful; Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two; and The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail—are collected here and include a two-part martial arts saga, a portrait of female volunteers helping the war effort, and a kabuki-derived tale of deception. These captivating films are a glorious introduction to a peerless career.
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail – The fourth film from Akira Kurosawa is based on a legendary twelfth-century incident in which the lord Yoshitsune and a group of samurai retainers dressed as monks in order to pass through a dangerous enemy checkpoint. The story was dramatized for centuries in Noh and kabuki theater, and here it becomes one of the director’s most riveting early films.
Akira Kurosawa, one of the most highly revered filmmakers of all time.
A career which began in the 1930’s up to his final directorial work in 1993, The Criterion Collection is known for celebrating Kurosawa’s oeuvre through multiple DVD releases including the most recent collection titled “AK100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa”. But if there was one collection that many have clamored for many years, it was his earlier films.
And now the Criterion Collection has presented us with another Kurosawa Eclipse Series set titled “Eclipse Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa” which includes his first four films: “Sanshiro Sugata” (1943), “The Most Beautiful” (1944), “Sanshiro Sugata, Part Two” (1945) and “The Men Who Tread On the Tiger’s Tail” (1945).
All four films were previously featured in the “AK100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa” DVD set but for those who have been collecting the Akira Kurosawa DVD’s via the Criterion Collection individually and those who previously purchased the “Postwar Kurosawa” Eclipse Series #7 set, this latest DVD Eclipse Series set is a welcomed addition to the Eclipse Series and a must-have for your Akira Kurosawa Criterion collection.
If there is one thing that Akira Kurosawa is known for in his films, it’s his samurai films and in 1945, Kurosawa began his work on his first medieval warriors in the film “Tora no o wo fumu otokatachi” (The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail/虎ã®å°¾ã‚’è¸ã‚€ç”·é”), a film that was created during a time when Japan was losing the war and the Japanese suffered extreme privation that various resources were not available.
So, instead of working on an elaborate project, in one night, Kurosawa came up with the story “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” which was loosely based on the kabuki play “Kanjincho” and the Noh play “Ataka” and also promising the studio that he can create the film using only one set.
The film would follow the life of Yoshitsune Minamoto (Minamoto no Yoshitsune), a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan known for defeating the Taira clan. The story as featured in various books have shown the Minamoto brothers and cousins to have some problems (mainly trust issues) and for Yoshitsune, he and his brother, the shogun Yoritomo had been at odds. Despite Yoshitsune having done well in defeating the Taira, Yoritomo who was ambitious and suspicious of his brother ordered his brother Yoshitsune to be killed.
Having learned that he was targeted to be killed by his brother, Yoshitsune and his six retainers disguised themselves as monks and needed travel through enemy territory and try to escape from deaths grip courtesy of the Minamoto clan.
In the film “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail”, the film focuses on the seven as they travel through enemy territory alongside with their porter (played by popular comedian Kenichi Enomoto).
For those who have watched many Kurosawa films, traditional Jidaigeki films of his have tend to be lighthearted to serious in nature but with this “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail”, the film in many ways tends to be more comedy-driven courtesy of the involvement of Kenichi Enomoto. Similar to Japan with now with ninety-nine comedian Takashi Okamura playing crazy roles and using weird body language and facial expressions, in the 1930’s and 40’s, Kenichi Enomoto entertained audiences with his comedy and in this film, using hilarious facial expressions and body language.
In addition to Enomoto, “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” featured a good number of stars such as Denjiro Ookouchi (“Sanshiro Sugata”, “The Tale of Genji”) as Benkei, Masayuki Mori (“Rashomon”, “The Idiot”), Takashi Shimura (“Sanshiro Sugata”, “The Most Beautiful”, “Rashomon”, “The Idiot”, “Drunken Angel”) but also stars such as Susumu Fujita (who played Sanshiro Sugata, in both self-titled films included in this Eclipse Series set) as Togashi, the commander of the border guards.
As the obnoxious and loud (and not so bright) porter, he along with the monks would travel and unaware that the men he is escorting is Yoshitsune, his bodyguard Benkei and his other retainers disguised as monks.
Of course, when the porter finds out, he is now fearing for his life and accompanies the men who try to evade their enemies and try to get away from enemy territory but must confront the samurai border guards and convince them to let them pass.
Because the film was released during America’s occupation of Japan following World War II, the film was banned by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) General Douglas MacArthur because the film promoted traditional Japanese values and would not be released until after 1952 when the Treaty of San Francisco was signed (the treaty officially marked the end of World War II and the end of Japan’s position as an imperial power).
VIDEO:
Among the four films included in the “Eclipse Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa” DVD set, “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” is the title that fared the best in terms of picture quality. The film is presented in 1:33:1 black and white and unlike the other three did not sport any major negative damage, scratches, dust or warping.  For a 65-year-old film, “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” features good contrasts, no major blurring or combing at all.
Considering the small resources that Akira Kurosawa had for the filming of “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail”, there are really good shots captured by the cinematographer and overall direction and capturing Kenichi Enomoto’s facial and body expressions were well done.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” is presented in Japanese monaural with English subtitles. Dialogue and music is quite clear through the center channels. I detected no major hiss or pops while watching this film.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Eclipse Series releases do not come with special features but included in the cover insert is information about the making of the film and some history in regards to the release of the film.
Every director has their start and for Kurosawa, many of us are familiar with his jidaigeki films and the beauty and well-written storyline for many of his samurai films. The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” was rather interesting because as the story is about Yoshitsune and his men trying to flee from enemy territory, you are greeted by this character who is not all that smart but it shows you how accomplished of an actor that comedian Kenichi Enomoto was.
I brought up the name Takashi Okamura earlier in my review because over 60-years-later since Enomoto’s comedy work, I have seen Okamura as probably the best comedian out there who comes close to what Enomoto was able to do, while utilizing his facial expressions and body language to get the audience laughing. And as a fan of Japanese cinema, Enomoto may seem a bit inept (some may find him annoying) but in Japanese culture, these type of characters are quite popular with the audience and since Enomoto’s performance as the porter on “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail”, you will definitely see these type of characters in Japanese cinema and also animation.
Although the film is based on Yoshitsune and his men’s escape from enemy territory, the film is more or less about a porter who thinks he’s escorting an innocent group of monks but later finding out that he is stuck with men that may get him killed and sure enough, Kurosawa utilizes the actor for laughs and definitely breaking the monotony of a group of men walking through a forest or resting.
Also, the film does a good job in incorporating Noh flute and drum music throughout the story and to keep that traditional style throughout the film and to balance it with comedy.
Overall, “The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” is more or less a film that showcases what Kurosawa was able to do earlier in his ouevre but a precursor of what he would later bring to the big screen with films such as “Seven Samurai”, “The Hidden Fortress”, “Kagemusha” and “Ran” to name a few.
Before many of Kurosawa’s jidaigeki films, it all started with this film. Sure, the film may be a bit more comedy-driven but overall, any Kurosawa fan will be able to appreciate these earlier works. They are not perfect by any means but it shows you of his potential at the beginning of his film career.
“The Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail” is another welcomed addition to this Eclipse Series 23 DVD set!