Brisk and direct, there is scant room for subtlety in this tiny flick; within little more than five minutes a battle has already come and gone in which the violence is given no build-up for tension or suspense. As this falls within the bounds of jidaigeki we're treated to the visuals we expect and love, including beautiful filming locations, detailed costume design, hair, and makeup, and fine attention for production design and art direction, but even the cinematography joins Harada Toru's direction in being as loose, fleet-footed, and somewhat lighthearted as the writing. And goodness, the story is fairly simple as the commanders of an army, laying siege to an enemy forces, demand the head of the opposing general. For good measure, add blues slide guitar for musical accompaniment, quite specifically bringing to mind Ry Cooder's chords for Walter Hill's 'Crossroads'; while it's been a while since I last watched it, come to think of it I'm not so sure that the music here wasn't wholly lifted. "Curious" is an apt descriptor for 'Bring me the head of Shichiemon!'
It's actually quite well made, mind you. The crew operating behind the scenes turned in fantastic work, including props and weapons, and stunts and effects. Somewhat free-wheeling as Harada's direction may feel, I don't doubt the man for a moment; the camerawork is unexpectedly flavorful. The cast gives spirited, capable performances from one to the next. And for as small as the picture is, when you get down to it the screenplay boasts spots of brilliance: the battle over, the victorious army that laid siege obsesses over whether or not they have indeed been brought the head of their foe. Touches of wry comedy round out the minute tale that could have easily been expanded upon in some measure for a longer feature. To that latter point, though, the one distinct trouble I have with this - rearing its head at a couple points in particular - is that the script tries to weave in more plainly dramatic notions that don't immediately have anything to do with that primary thrust. Passing ruminations on battle, honor, and the samurai needed to be fleshed out much more than they are, and the inclusion in these forty-six minutes instead just feels ill-advised as they present.
Yet while I believe the writing could have been tightened and more focused for an endeavor of such brevity - or alternatively, built out for a longer piece - I can't say I didn't have a good time. It's safe to say that I sat with no expectations or foreknowledge, and though the end product is rough around the edges, it's quite sharp just as it is. This is hardly something that one needs to seek out, but if you happen to come across it, it's more than suitably well made and enjoyable to pass a small block of time. I wouldn't mind seeing a more refined iteration of the concept, but even as it is I think a soft recommendation is merited for 'Bring me the head of Shichiemon!'
