Title: Magnificent but harrowing
Product review: I saw Sansho the Baliff some 30 years ago when it was required for a Japanese anthropology class I was taking in college. This is to alert readers to the fact that it was "positioned" not as entertainment but as source of insight into Japanese attitudes about various subjects. That is a good thing to bear in mind because while it is an excellent film in terms of acting, cinematography, plot, dialogue, etc. (hence the 5 stars) I suspect many Americans will not find it "entertaining." It is so harrowing to watch -- not because of violence but because of heart-rending situations -- that American viewers used to at least a bit of comic relief and/or "uplift," even in films billed as tragic, may be squirming. I still get shivers thinking about certain scenes or aspects of the story. Having said all that, I do not wish to give the impression that it is an "anthropology lesson" -- it is an extremely well-executed film shedding light on some aspects of the human condition.
Would you say this review depicts the product in a flattering or unflattering light?
