As Part I opens, Jubei (Denjiro Okochi), the best of sea skippers, is unable to overcome the stormy seas of Luzon. All hands on board the Kannonmaru were lost except for Shinkei, who alone made his way to land & eventually home to inform his grandson Jiromaru (Kinnosuke Nakamura) that his father Jubei met with disaster. Young Jiromaru tells his grandfather that he doesn't want to be a skipper like his father, but wants to go to Kyoto and become a samurai…
17 Jun Ghost Ship Part 2 (1957)
Pirates! Ghosts! Samurai!
I’m not sure how much I will be able to devote to a study of Japanese cinema. I am attracted to films that rinse modern concepts through a Shinto lens. So the filmmakers and projects I value are actually few. But you have to explore the often overlooked periphery to understand them. This is overlooked for good reason — by themselves they are without much value.
This is of the same era as Kurosawa’s ‘The Hidden Fortress’ , credited by Lucas as a major influence on ‘Star Wars’. I’ll guess that this film had the larger budget and initial audience.
It too has an evil empire and hidden fortress. It too has a huge explosion destroying the base. It has a kidnapped princess, and the chosen one with father issues, wielding a sword. One might think this a better match, actually because there are ships, mysticism, and a wisened master who sacrifices himself.
Of course if you don’t make the connection, then this is pretty much a waste of time. The fights have none of the energy, immediacy and pain of Kurosawa’s. The actors are puppets. The crowds — many crowd scenes — do not behave as crowds do, but as directed groups.
But when you enter a film, say ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and accept its world, you inherit everything that made that world, from John Ford, to this tripe.
Posted in 2025
Ted’s Evaluation — 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
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