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SAMURAI HEADHUNTERS

By John WATE

URBAN CANYONS LIMITED - as DISTR / PROD

Drama - Completed 2013

Japan’s famous elite warriors are celebrated for their courage, formidable fighting techniques and above all, their code of honour. But do these Far Eastern knights really measure up to their heroic image? The drama documentary reveals the unknown dark side of the Samurai - a fascinating tale of forbidden love, treachery, extreme cruelty, and violent death.

- Year of production
- 2013
- Genres
- Drama, Documentary, Historical
- Countries
- UNITED KINGDOM
- Languages
- ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH
- Budget
- 0.3 - 0.6 M$
- Duration
- 52 mn
- Director(s)
- John WATE
- Writer(s)
- Sebastian PEITER
- Producer(s)
- Sebastian PEITER (Urban Canyons), Richard MELMAN (Urban Canyoms)
- Synopsis
- Based on newly discovered Samurai war manuals and an historic 16th century battle for the future of Japan, we reconstruct the life of young peasant farmer Masa who is press-ganged by an impoverished old Samurai into the army. Driven by his love for a village girl of noble birth, Masa rises through the ranks from simple foot soldier to Samurai. But Masa’s reward is to be one of betrayal by his ruthless former master, and a forced suicide by his Samurai warlord.
  
  Interwoven with Masa’s fictionalised story, Japanese and English historians investigate the ruthless and brutal world of the Samurai including out of control headhunting and vicious clan rivalries. The film also introduces living Grandmaster Tanaka who still teaches the ancient fighting techniques today. Tanaka demonstrates some lethal combat tricks and lifts the veil on the common sword testing on living humans. CGI battle animation, stunning re-enactments, original costumes, and historic locations complement the drama.