Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail

[Lorenzo Javier Torres Hortelano]

Dear kinejapaners,

I'm very interested in this subject because I wrote an article about the
film some time ago -that hopefully I will translate into English soon.
Following your answers I find  a contradction between Sarah's and FB's about
the blank page seen by the audience. It very is important, because it would
be another Kurosawa's key adding to the film. We have to take in mind that
the 'reading' of the blank page is the climax of the film -with a second
climax when Benkey hits his lord.

At least for my article it was important because I focused it in the
question of Truht: 3 lies are developed in the movie (disguised clerks,
blank page, Togashi letting them pass the border); as there would be 3
elements that Kurosawa would have added to the Noh and Kabuki plays: 1)
Enoken as a character; 2) The fact -in a previous scene where the Lord,
Yoshitsune, is disguishing himself as a porter- that he looks like a maiden
dressing up; and 3) The blank page... But, please, may someone tell me for
sure if the blank page is in the original plays?

Best,

 *Lorenzo J. Torres Hortelano*
Profesor / Professor
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación
Despacho 244b, Edificio Departamental
Camino del Molino s/n, 28943 Fuenlabrada (Madrid, Spain)
(34) 914888445
2011/1/27 faith <faithbach at yahoo.co.jp>

> Benkei's blank page is never shown in kabuki, either to the audience or to
> the other actors, not for any formal kabukiesque reasons but for the
> realistic reason that the paper really is blank since Benkei et al are in
> disguise and do not actually have such a scroll.  Benkei's spontaneous
> improvisation of a real "subscription list," which he reads out, is part of
> the dramatic weight of the role.  Mid-read,  Togashi approaches stealthily
> bit by bit with the intention of catching a peek at the page, but Benkei
> clutches it to his breast in time, realistically.(= i.e., the actors are too
> far apart for Togashi actually to have seen the page).  Some Togashi actors
> at this point make the decision that Benkei is a fake either because of his
> suspicious fast clutch, or because T has "really" seen the scroll is blank:
> this is up to the actor.
>
> (The Enoken character does not exist in kabuki but is a wonderful Kurosawa
> invention.)
>
> It is also true, as someone else in this discussion has already pointed
> out, that Togashi does make the conscious decision to let the
> Benkei/Yoshitsune party escape, despite realizing the truth of their IDs and
> knowing he (T) will die for dereliction of duty in letting them go.  He is
> moved primarily by the fact that Benkei later strikes his lord Yoshitsune,
> disguised as a porter, with his staff allegedly to reprimand him.  Striking
> one's lord is something literally for a retainer to die for; Benkei does
> this specifically to dis-convince Togashi's group that the porter may be Y
> in disguise, since what retainer could dare offer physical affront to his
> lord? Because Benkei is willing to undertake such an affront, to his own
> extreme dishonor, Togashi is so moved by B's moral & psychological
> courage that he lets them go.  (Later Benkei weeps and Yoshitsune forgives
> him for the beating.)  Dramatically the scroll business is 2ndary to the
> beating, so far as Togashi is concerned.
>
> Yes, it is very difficult stuff for non-traditional audiences to
> understand.  Kabuki is, however, full of such examples of "noble enemy"
> tropes whereby someone on the opposite side is moved to mercy by the power
> of his antagonist's self-sacrifice in dedication to his own duty.
>
> Kanjincho is out on DVD in the Shochiku series, I believe.
>
> FB
>
>
>
>
>
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