Shinobi no mono (aka: The Ninjas) — dvd review — early!
Shinobi no mono (aka: The Ninjas) is credited as the film that started the whole worldwide ninja craze, and not without good reason. The film has a level of technical and artistic skill that’s readily apparent to even the most indiscriminant viewer, an intelligent and involving story of historical intrigue, incorporating real ninja tactics for the first time ever, and a cast of top notch actors bringing the story to life. If the film featured but one or two of these elements it would be noteworthy, but being that it manages all three, it is a film legitimately worthy of acclaim.
Being the original template from which the “Ninja” (itself a Chinese pronunciation of the Japanese Shinobi no mono (thanks program notes!)) film sprang, Shinobi no Mono features a handful of tried and true genre staples. The story finds two ninja clans posturing for the glory and respect afforded by the completion of a single mission: the assassination of the tyrannical Lord Nobunaga Oda, who has waged an all out war on the shinobi. At the center of the conflict is Ishikawa Goemon (Raizô Ichikawa). Endlessly talented in the art of the shinobi, he is at the top of his clan in nearly everything, and viewed as the one true successor to the clan chief. But Goemon is not your typical hero. Skilled though he may be, he’s a bit cocksure, egoistic, and something of a ladykiller. This all serves to land Goemon in a heap of trouble when he succumbs to the carnal lure of the chief’s wife (played by the froggy-faced Kyoko Kishida, Woman in the Dunes). As punishment, Goemon is excommunicated from the clan. In order to clear his name, Goemon must become something lower than the ninja, stooping to levels even their sneaky lot would deem reprehensible (ie: burglary), in an effort to clear a path to Nobunaga. Only through his actions can either clan hope to get close enough to ever fulfill their goal. But as is the way with shinobi, not all is as it immediately seems, and even the victors may prove ignorant to the true motives behind the scenes.
What made Shinobi no mono such a standout effort when it was first released was the fact that it depicted real shinobi techniques, rather than the fantastical super-powered versions, in a fashion that provided just as much, if not more, excitement than their fictional counterparts. Director Satsuo Yamamoto (Zatoichi the Outlaw) sought the help of a real Ninjutsu master, Masaaki Hatsumi (a technique followed recently by Owl’s Castle), to train the actors and verify that the techniques and strategies employed by the ninja of the film were only those of actual ninja. As such, the story features heavy use of smoke bombs, decoy animals, secret passages, disguises, prosthetic footprints, super-sprinting (helped in part by an under-cranked camera), and much, much more. But what is truly impressive is how exciting the sequences prove today. Even now, a good 45 years after the film was released, the alterations maintain a tangible intensity and authenticity, immensely entertaining in both their beautiful fluidity and shockingly rough and tumble nature.
But Shinobi no mono is no slouch in the cinematic department either. Cinematographer, Yasukazu Takemura (Sleepy Eyes of Death 6 and 7) makes smart usage of his wide screen palette, filling the screen with as much mayhem as the epics of Kurosawa in moments of action, and thoughtful beauty in quieter sequences. Now that the film is released here in the United States, I can only hope that film academics can incorporate this into their regimen. All too often I come across people whose dogmatic cinematic education has led them to believe there are no other notable Japanese films than the ones made by Ozu, Mizoguchi, and Kurosawa. While this may not be a Seven Saumrai, it’s certainly on par with The Hidden Fortress. Hopefully this one can help open their eyes.
In closing, Shinobi no mono is an impressive entry of classic Japanese cinema, sadly overlooked in the US, but every bit worthy of the status afforded Kurosawa’s samurai tales. Its complex tale requires a lot from the viewer, but in the end proves wholly rewarding. Shinobi no mono is actually the first in a series of eight such Shinobi films, and I cannot wait to see more. Until then, I’ll plan on viewing this one again.
The DVD
AnimEigo presents Shinobi no mono in a restored anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer maintaining its original theatrical aspect ratio, and original Japanese mono audio track. As usual this is accompanied by AnimEigo’s industry leading literal subtitles, color coded for complex character dialogs, and complete with historical and cultural notes at the top of the screen. Also included are two optional subtitle tracks, one translating dialog and signs only, and one handling just the supplemental information. The video is clear, and looked sharp on my television, though a bit of dithering was apparent on my computer monitor. That said, the film is one of a softer contrast ratio (ie: lots of grays and not too many deep blacks or hot whites), and I don’t think too many people are going to be watching the film at 1200×800 resolution. The transfer can prove a little dark in places, especially those involving shadow lurking and nighttime espionage, but again, this I would attribute to the contrast ratio rather than any fault of the restoration team. It’s restored Japanese audio language track preserves a little pop and hiss, which I found charming.
First up in the extras department are the program notes. If you read this site, you already know these are my favorite extras. AnimEigo has crammed a lot of info in here about Ninjas, their history (including the origin of the stereotypical black-clad ninja), their pop culture incarnations, and their endless appeal. The thing is, this material will actually enhance your understanding of other Ninja films (For example, I had no idea that the word “shinobi” was written as a sword over a heart. That totally explains Shinobi: Heart Under Blade). It’s a nice resource for anyone even slightly interested in shinobi, and a must read for Ninja film fans.
Second up is the photo gallery, containing the original theatrical poster and about 12 other production stills.
Lastly, AnimEigo has provided a trailer gallery, featuring the original theatrical trailer for Shinobi no mono, along with ones for Shogun Assassin, Samurai Assassin, Kon Ichikawa’s 47 Ronin, and Ashura.
I must also note that Shinobi no mono features one of the nicest covers that AnimEigo has ever produced.
All in all, this is a nice disc. An entertaining cinema classic, lovingly restored and translated, and boasting a nice amount of educational material, all for about half the price of a Criterion. What’s not to love?
Shinobi no mono hits stores October 9th, 2007
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