Interviews and articels 3-20-04

Challenge letter from Director Yamada

For Director Yoji Yamada, who is best known for his “Tora-san” series, this movie was the eagerly waited first period drama. Sanada-san testifies that the level of his eagerness was extraordinary.
“As I heard that the veteran director, famous for ‘Tora-san’, was to make a period drama, I was much alerted. And I was shocked to read his direction statement on the scenario that was sent to me. It said, ‘I am going to destroy the things that smell like lies, which are so common in period dramas, and would like to express the samurais in that era realistically. For that purpose, I probably will put so much pressure and struggle onto staff and actors. Can you still follow me?’ It almost sounded like a challenge letter. It immediately hit me that Dir. Yamada’s intention and the world that I am heading for are one and the same. I have always been wondering why I couldn’t make the sword actions and acting more realistic. In addition, he must have had so much sentiment accumulated in his heart, as this veteran director’s first challenge to a period drama. I could feel that we could make something very exciting. So I immediately accepted the offer.”

Realistic sword action choreography

Responding to Dir. Yamada’s intention of making realistic samurai movie, Sanada-san practiced the sword action using a real Japanese sword.
“I agreed totally to Dir. Yamada’s pursuit of realistic sword action, not to make viewers wonder, ‘why does that guy get slashed, even if he can escape’ or ‘you cannot kill like that.’ So I spent so much energy for the sword action choreography. To express the actual wrist action when I cut things, I first reconfirmed the movement by cutting something with a real Japanese sword before shooting. I wanted to show the moves that satisfy both action choreographer and sword teacher.”

Seibei and the The Last Samurai

Playing the role in “TTS” and the reality pursuit in it seems to have changed Sanada-san a lot from inside.
“Because I did my best in both acting and action in ‘TTS’, I could happily accept the work in ‘The Last Samurai’. As I had already done all what I could do in Japan, I was happy to join TLS even with a small role, to devote myself in helping express realistic Japan. When I first met ‘TLS’ staff, their enthusiasm for reality pursuit hit me home. They told me to make a knot with your own hair, and that made me believe that it is an extension of ‘TTS’. If I had not experienced the reality pursuit in ‘TTS’, I probably would have hesitated a lot. I really feel lucky to have played ‘TTS’.”

What he learned in “The Last Samurai”

So he joined TLS, and Sanada-san says he learned the insights about how to make the movie targeted at the world market.
“TLS was the movie made for the world-wide market, and it challenged to make Japan understood easily for all the people. It was a big reward for me to be able to learn hands-on how to make the movie for the world market. They did a big marketing campaign as well, and I was surprised to know that much was done to make the movie successful. I went through the U.S. and European premiers with Tom Cruise, so I could take his sincere attitude to the press and tension into my body cells. That is why I could do what he was doing when I was on my own in Thailand and Taiwan premiers. I noticed that I was very different from the past. This time, ‘TTS’, which was targeted only to Japanese viewers, got some attention from overseas, but as a next step, I would love to help produce Japanese movies that can draw more interest from overseas by utilizing know-how from ‘TLS’.”

After China, Hollywood again?

Sanada-san’s next movie is the work by a renowned Chinese director Chen Kaige, and he is also receiving many offers from Hollywood.
“After the Chinese movie, I will work on a Japanese piece in fall this year, but after that there is no set schedule. I have received several offers from Hollywood, but I would not accept one just because it is Hollywood. Offers include horror, action, one of the main characters of a movie similar to “Seven Samurais”, and others, so I am studying them now. I want to step up if I am to take any of it, so I want to find a good piece and a good character.”

Shonai dialect still remains

In learning the dialect of Shonai area, local residents were strong supporters.
“I used the tape that was made by dialect expert, and practiced so hard beforehand. And when I visited Shonai, I asked the local administrative person to speak in their dialect, instead of standard Japanese. I wanted to hear the actual live language. So I could hear Shonai dialect even when I was sightseeing or having dinner. By hearing their language directly, I could feel Shonai people’s humanity and everyday life. Because they are facing the severe climate, the human ties get strong. I understood that they could not survive without helping each other. I took that type of impressions into myself as well. In fact, even after the shooting is over, I could not get rid of Shonai dialect completely. I still speak it without thinking. When I speak with the staff or cast of ‘TTS’, we still use it, and my e-mails to them sometimes come out in the dialect, such as ‘ogenki de gansuka?’ ” (laugh)

In the night after the Academy Awards presentation on February 29, a press conference was held with the team of “The Twilight Samurai”. Even though the dream of Academy Foreign Language Film Award was broken, Director Yoji Yamada and main actor Hiroyuki Sanada were in all smiles while they talked about their impression of the show.

Q: Question, Y: Yamada, S: Sanada

Q: What was your impression of the presentation?

Y: It was really exciting to see the real Academy Awards at the actual site. My honest impression was “the hot gathering of the people who love movies”, and I was totally overwhelmed.

S: I could breathe the same air with the top movie people from all over the world, and I absorbed energy from them.

Q: Did you get nervous at the time of announcement?

Y: Of course. I had been hearing that “The Barbarian Invasions” was the top contender, but I still thought we had a chance. My heart was beating so hard.

S: I was happy just to be nominated, but when the nominees were introduced, I still was chanting “Twilight Samurai, Twilight Samurai,” in my heart. I realized how much I love this movie.

Y: I had asked Sanada-kun to come up to the stage with me if I had to, and to translate my speech, but unfortunately we did not have a chance.

S: I was asked to be a translator, so I was also nervous in that sense. To be ready with anything he says, I was running my own simulation in my head, so I was not paying attention to the show at all. So the moment “The Barbarian Invasion” was called, I felt a little bit relieved. But right after that, I felt disappointed.

Q: What does this nomination mean to Japanese movie industry in your opinion?

Y: I think it is extremely important. After all, it was the first time after 20 years. The other countries who got nominated for the Foreign Language category, other than Japan, are sending the entries more often. So I felt that something is telling me, “work hard, Japanese movies,” by this nomination. In fact, at the Foreign Language Movie symposium, where all the nominated directors met in one place, governments’ support to the movie production became a big issue, such as “what is it like in your country? What about when you made this movie?” All the countries have government support in movie production. Although it was late, Japanese government started to set aside some budget since last year. We have to work hard too, but at the same time, I want to emphasize that the substantial government support is necessary. Japanese movie industry has such a rich heritage.

Q: Sanada-san played in both samurai movies, “The Last Samurai” and “The Twilight Samurai.” Do you think that the both movies made samurai understood better by international audience?

S: These two movies have very different themes, but they both earnestly show samurai spirit and Japanese culture. So I believe there certainly is a synergy. The samurai in “TLS” and the one in “TTS” are very different. By watching both movies, you can have much better understanding about Japanese culture and samurai spirit, that each samurai is much different. And I believe that will help eliminate biased perception largely. If we continue this, I think we can make the real cultural communication happen through movies without “Lost in Translation.”

Q: Is there any particular method in order to target at world market?

Y: I believe that to enjoy picturing emotional details is the tradition of Japanese culture. Rather than copying Hollywood’s tactics to entertain till you die, I believe we should cherish the culture of emotional movies. By doing so, I believe we can make Japanese movies that the world would love.