Uzumasa Limelight

Released in 2014
Director: Ken Ochiai
Starring: Seizo Fukumoto

“If you give it your all, someone, somewhere will be watching.”
This impressive line will remain in my heart forever. Even though a word, it deeply resonates with the hearts of many people living today. And there is a film made starring Mr. Seizo Fukumoto, the who plays the role of the man who gets cut down in Uzumasa period dramas – a role he embodies not only in the movies, but likely in the real world as well.That’s Uzumasa Limelight.

A role that is a staple in period dramas. Yet they are the ones who never bask in the spotlight – the “cutting victims.” The man who devoted himself entirely to being the “cutter’s victim,” Seiichi Kamiyama (played by Seizo Fukumoto), portrays what could be called his final act of living – a poignant and moving depiction that etches the story of the “cutter’s victim” spirit into the hearts of all who witness it.

During the heyday of period dramas, there were over 100 stuntmen who played the role of the cutter victims. However, as time passed, period dramas gradually disappeared from movies and television and along with them, the number of stunt actors who play the role of being cut has dwindled to just a handful in the present day. Amidst the very trends of that era in Kyoto’s Uzumasa district, Mr. Kamiyama continues to live his life as a stuntman who gets cut down. His figure possesses a quiet beauty, like that of the Last Samurai.
Night after night, in a corner of the movie village, he practices diligently alone and even if his role is not to his liking, he fulfills it completely, striving only to quietly uphold his duty. Though tossed about in this impermanent world, its quiet presence alone stirs deep emotion.

Period dramas may become a fading presence with the times. But it is precisely at times like this that a film like Uzumasa Limelight – imbued with the spirit of the samurai who lived for the present – can offer profound emotional resonance. Period dramas are something that should never be lost. Is it precisely this that constantly teaches people about duty and compassion, benevolence, and the very essence of the “samurai spirit?” Though they keep repeating the same thing, isn’t it because there is meaning in repeating it? Watching that film, Uzumasa Limelight, with its beauty and quiet majesty, I myself pondered such things. Come to think of it,

I myself used to watch shows like Zenigata Heiji, Lord Komon of Mito, and The Rogue Shogun all the time when I was young. I remember now how much I admired those kinds of characters.

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Author

じゅうべい(Jubei)
Hello everyone. I am Jubei, an earthling whose energy does not stop today. What I like is playing (manga, movies, music (J-Rock, etc.) and visiting cafes). Thank you for your understanding.