Semishigure

Mitsuo Kurotsuchi's tender love story, "The Samurai I Loved" is a beautifully shot and crafted gem of a film. Rather than streams of words, Kurotsuchi gives us nuanced emotion conveyed through few words, the actors' eyes, and supported by superb camera work and a soft color palette.

Closeups of natural scenes and ever present healing water become metaphors for the deep emotions in the film. Kurotsuchi pays a high compliment to his audience by not using easy gimmicks to get his message across. A master of subtlety, he draws in his audience through the camera lens allowing viewers to feel and intuit the emotions and thoughts of his characters which swirl just below the surface.

Applause to The Egyptian Cinemateque in Los Angeles for screening this sensitive film of feudal Japan. It deserves to be released on DVD.