Onmyoji
From DharmaflixWiki
 Add to Queue Not a Member
|  Wikipedia Entry
|
 Buy DVD
|  del.icio.us
|
[edit] Blurb
In Japan's classical Heian period, ghostly occurrences are common and the government calls upon Onmyoji, masters of the occult, to comprehend and quell the supernatural disturbances. When a head Onmyoji (Hiroyuki Sanada) begins to abuse his power for personal gain, a naturally-gifted Onmyoji named Abe no Seimei (Mansai Nomura) teams with a pure-hearted court official (Hideaki Ito) to save the capital city from ruin.
[edit] View from Nowhere
[edit] Other Views from Nowhere
Onmyoji (2001)
AKA: Onmyoji: The Yin Yang Master
Premise: In Japan's classical Heian period, ghostly occurrences are common and the government calls upon Onmyoji, masters of the occult, to comprehend and quell the supernatural disturbances. When a head Onmyoji (Hiroyuki Sanada) begins to abuse his power for personal gain, a naturally-gifted Onmyoji named Abe no Seimei (Mansai Nomura) teams with a pure-hearted court official (Hideaki Ito) to save the capital city from ruin.
Review: Onmyoji is a delightful fantasy that brings to moviedom a neglected subject in Japanese history and folklore, the story of Japan's ancient diviners. What were in life probably no more than fortune tellers and astrologers become, through modern interpretation and the magic of CGI, wizards possessing the power to excise monstrous demons, command shape-shifting god-servants and cast powerful spells by reciting a few simple words.
Some of Japan's oldest folktales tell of diviners in the Heian court who engaged in astrology, fortune telling and the laying on or lifting of curses. The most famous of these Onmyoji was Abe no Seimei. According to legend, Seimei's mother was a fox, which in part would account for his natural skill in the occult. He is frequently mentioned in an anthology of folklore known as Konjaku Monogatari and English readers can find some of his exploits in Japanese Tales, a collection of ancient and mythical stories translated by Royall Tyler. In modern times, Seimei has been popularized in a manga series and the movie itself was based on an award-winning novel by Baku Yumemakura. The success of the movie has led to a sequel and a TV mini-series that ran in 2002. Today, a shrine dedicated to the historical Seimei is preserved in Kyoto where some visitors come to receive blessings from this "god of learning and arts."
In Onmyoji, Abe no Seimei is played to perfection by Mansai Nomura, a top theater actor specializing in Kyogen, a traditional stage art usually incorporating satire, superstition and emphasis on gestures. In his first leading film role, Nomura brings regal posture, graceful movements, wizened looks, and a commanding voice. Playing opposite Nomura is the great Hiroyuki Sanada (Twilight Samurai), a former protégé of Sonny Chiba and one of Japan's better action and dramatic stars. He plays Nomura's nemesis Doson, a head Onmyo with evil ambition. The two end up locked in a physical and metaphysical duel where the fate of the Heian capital rests.
The backdrop for this duel is the city of Heian where supernatural phenomena is common and government-appointed Onmyoji are assigned to investigate. A shadow lurks over the city as many years ago, the city had to be relocated to its present site to escape the curse of Price Sawara who was wrongly forced to commit suicide and his spirit plagued the old city with natural disasters as a result. When the Mikado's (Emperor) newborn son is possessed by a demon, a righteous young court official named Hiromaki (Hideaki Ito, Princess Blade) requests the aid of Seimei. The possession is the work of Doson who manipulates a court minister's hatred for the infant's mother in order to ultimately put himself in control. The battle intensifies when Doson also manipulates the bitterness of the Mikado's first wife by turning her into a living ghost. When this fails and Doson's treason is uncovered, he unleashes the vengeful spirit of Prince Sawara who descends on the city, turning the living into demons. The cool-headed Seimei and the naive, but pure-hearted Hiromaki become fated allies, defending the city from this supernatural assault.
The story is epic and although a modest budget keeps it from being fully realized, the filmmakers make great use of their resources to get the most out of what they have. Aside from the obvious difference in scale and budget, a number of similarities to Lord of the Rings can justly be made. As a head "wizard" gone bad, Doson is like Saruman. Seimei is, of course, a Gandalf figure who relies on the aid of his god-servants, one of whom is a perpetually-smiling girl (Eriko Imai) who transforms into a butterfly. Hiromaki is like Frodo, a person seemingly ill-equipped to fight a supernatural force, but his purity proves to be his greatest asset.
More similarities can be drawn to Chinese folklore as seen in films like Golden Swallow and Green Snake. The idea that Seimei might be born of a fox plays to the popular Chinese legends of fox maidens who seduce men and devour or fall in love with them. The Onmyoji are much like China's Taoist warrior priests as seen in films like A Chinese Ghost Story II and Mr. Vampire. Both use the yin-yang symbol of balance, cast spells for good or evil, and fight against supernatural threats.
There isn't much in the way of swordplay. What is present shows up towards the end as the city is overrun by its own defenders transformed into fanged demons. Being the Heian period, the typical samurai gear most people are familiar with isn't present. In place of this are some fancy costumes from the era which presents a pleasant change. For a finale, Nomura and Sanada face off in a duel that is well staged. Armed with nothing but incantations, Nomura uses his grace (and some wirework) to outmaneuver a broadsword-wielding Sanada, who knows a thing or two about handling swords. It's a classic hard versus soft screen battle that symbolizes the mental and metaphysical state of each participant. Symbolism in general, from use of color to props, is a strong element in this film.
A great amount of care and effort went into the production of Onmyoji. The CGI work is impressive but not overwhelming, the sets and costumes are excellent, the camera work and lighting are especially well done, and the casting and acting are superb. Nomura brings so much from his theatrical experience to his role. Hideaki Ito actually learned to play the flute for his role. Their camaraderie onscreen is vital to the story and it works. Sanada has grown tremendously in his acting ability over the years and considering that much of his performance is opposite CGI effects, he does a terrific job. All of this talent and effort pays off in many ways. Onmyoji is a very entertaining film that successfully combines folklore, horror, political intrigue, romance, and action. Amid all of this excitement, the characters come alive and the story remains engaging.[1]
