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Page 8
By Dr. Emad El-Din Aysha
lthough I ve read up
A the (deliberately
incomplete) produc-
tion notes on The Last
Samurai, what really pro-
pelled my brain into over-
drive decoding the symbol-
ism of this film was a docu-
mentary by investigative
journalist John Pilger, Japan
Behind the Mask, that I saw
back in the 1980s. Leaving
his socialist value system
aside, what Pilger did was
attune my consciousness to
the fact that meanings, reali-
ties and truths are always
veiled or hidden in Japanese
culture. You can see this
early on when Omura
(Masato Harada) speaks to
his enigmatic colleague —
who turns out to be chief of
secret police — in Japanese in
Algren s presence, so Algren
(Tom Cruise) can t under-
stand what he s saying.
T hen you get the English
character, Simon Graham
(Timothy Spall), who s a
translator, complaining to
Algren that all he does is to
translate lies very accurate-
ly because in Japan nobody
says what they mean. I
couldn t help but notice that
all this is said after Algren
notices the painted, mask-
like faces of Japanese
women. And remember,
Graham is overjoyed when
he discovers Algren is a lin-
guist like himself, somebody
who picks up a people s lan-
guage in order to learn about
their ways, their customs,
values and perspective on
life.
Just look at the petit
Emperor Meiji
(Shichinosuke Nakamura),
secluded in a box so no one
can see him and speaking
through an interpreter even
though he knows English.
He only comes out of his box
and talks in English when he
tells Algren that he wants
Japan to have a modern
army, to be modern. This
represents Japan coming out
of its historic self-imposed
isolation, becoming part of
the modern world and decid-
ing to live by this world s
rules, as corrupt and ruthless
as they are. Enter Taka
(Koyuki). As the production
notes deceptively say:
[The] young war widow
Taka conducts herself
with such strict composure
that the American stranger
does not suspect the complex
and powerful emotions she
feels towards him until he
realizes that she is just as
much a Samurai as her male
counterparts.
Sure, Taka is shamed by
this man s presence in her
home, the man who made
her a widow and her children
orphans, but that doesn t
explain why neither Algren
nor the viewer never sees her
naked. All you ever see is an
exposed shoulder, even
when she is bathing, with the
love developing between
them being a purely emo-
tional affair. While in her
home, Algren and the viewer
are constantly greeted with
images of her sliding doors
shut in our faces, hiding both
her beauty and her feelings,
not just out of anger but also
Thursday • March 18 • 2004
A course in unveiling Japan s Slashes
linguistics of PERFECTION By Ramadan A. Kader
Ken Watanabe: So, Tom Cruise san, please
converse to me of the evil ways of your
modern, Westernised world
Ethnic time bomb
WHAT started as a soccer riot among fanatical fans
of two teams in a Syrian village soon developed
into deadly clashes of ominous implications. Over
20 were reportedly killed and many others injured
as the mayhem spread like wild fire through sever-
al towns and villages in northeast Syria. Tensions
simmered for three days in the Syrian towns of
Qameshli and Hassake and villages in the vicinity.
The spark is believed to have political overtones.
It was reportedly ignited when locals from Arab
tribes in the region shouted slogans against Iraqi
Kurdish leaders and held up portraits of toppled
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Concerned Syrian
officials branded the riots as part of a ‘destabilisa-
tion plan’ designed to stir up ethnic unrest in the
country. They erupted as the US signalled its readi-
ness to slap diplomatic and economic sanctions
Katasumoro, forc- on Syria allegedly for supporting terrorist groups
ing the modern and developing proscribed weaponry. Washington
Japanese to fight also accuses Damascus of failing to tighten con-
trol of its long and porous border with troubled
honourably again Iraq.
Significantly, the clashes between Arab and
Kurdish Syrians occurred a few days after Iraq’s
people. Her dearly departed, Emperor to return to the old showering the people with Japanese soul and become
thanks to Algren, husband ways. The Emperor, and by gold, wealth acquired from American (greedy, selfish, Governing Council had signed a transitional con-
wasn t up to the task. Japan s extension the Japanese peo- commissions garnered from lusting for power) to the stitution, perceived to favour the country’s Kurdish
because of her growing love
for him. There is a scene
where she tidies up her hair
when she sees Algren riding
date with modernity is
inevitable. What is important
is what comes after, how far
it modernises. And her hus-
ple (because he is their
father, their god, who must
guide them with his wis-
dom), returns to the old ways
arms deals (with the West)
and from building (Western)
railroads through people s
homes. This is something the
core.
Omura uses what s good
about the Japanese, their
veiledness towards outside
minority over other ethnic groups. Though there is
no direct link, it is not unlikely that the latest unrest
in Syria’s frontier towns with Iraq and Turkey was
meant to ram home a message: the Kurdish minor-
back to her village after band was killed with a lance and stops being dazzled by Emperor corrects by confis- influences, for the wrong rea-
changing sides and saving ity seeks to carve a niche for themselves. The con-
decorated with Katsumoto s everything that is Western cating Omura s assets, with sons, for distinctly troversial Iraqi code gives the Kurds, who barely
Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). emblem, the white tiger. Omura s corrupt, unJapanese objectives.
Taka only begins to warm and modern, not seeing the make up 16 per cent of the country’s overall popu-
Katsumoto himself calls this flaws in the picture, the unJapanese soul being Omura s moral defeat occurs
to Algren after he apologises karma , with the white tiger exposed when he refuses to on the battleground when his lation, the right to veto a permanent constitution if
for killing her husband in downside of modernity.
representing his soul as a The feminine symbolism take Katsumoto s sword and soldiers disobey him and they think it infringes their rights. The Kurds have
battle, an apology he makes warrior — his Indian spirit- defend his family s honour. refuse to keep firing on the been enjoying autonomy in northern Iraq thanks in
in Japanese — she doesn t of country, while quite com-
animal . It s a good omen mon in the arts, becomes Omura is clearly a stand-in fallen Samurai after they ve no small part to the US.
speak English (hint, hint). that Algren has the same for the kind of selfish capi- been defeated. The soldiers,
She only kisses him (he evident during a heated The weekend rioting in Syria should ring alarm
soul, despite the shameful debate between Katsumoto talist that Japanese culture lead by a cowardly comman- bells that in the post-war era in Iraq, the region
never gets anywhere near things he s done (massacring abhors, a cheap trader if der who run away when he
her), when she dresses him and Omura. Katsumoto faces several destabilising threats. Key jeopardies
Indians, following the wrong describes the cabinet as a you will, as Omura original- first confronts Katsumoto,
for battle, in her husband s orders). ly describes Algren. He s bow down in respect to their are an agenda of ethnic ambitions and the rise of
clothes and armour, in the council of whores while communalism.
This is why Katsumoto Omura retorts that it s the plump, smokes away on fallen comrades, admiring
westernising Emperor s decides to follow him, pre- their bravery and sacrifice. Pandering to Kurdish ambitions in Iraq may well
army. Taka, then, clearly rep- Samurai, with their adher-
ferring to die fighting a lost ence to old (honourable) The modern Japanese army tempt other minorities in the region to stake a
resents Japan, with Algren battle against the Emperor s recruits all flee the first time claim to autonomy within its homeland, if not to
and his eventual return to ways of fighting in battle,
modern army who have turned them into they face Katsumoto — every actually break away. This potential secessionism
her, after the battle, repre- than by taking man for himself — something
senting a healthy mar- whores. Taka s a woman should not be ignored or played down. Foreign
his own life, with a strong sense of hon- Algren is afraid they ll do powers may well wield it as a tool of pressure on
riage and coexistence of which was his when he starts firing at a
old and new, the our and pride, willing to kill countries unwilling to their line.
original herself when Algren is recruit (actually a con-
modernity of the West wish. It script) to make him shoot at
and the noble values forced to live in her house,
t a k e s and she fights the Ninja her- him.
of the traditional East. Samurai But the army learns its les-
Remember the self. She s clearly no whore.
warrior Even the sequence involving son, that without the Samurai
inscription on anymore to serve the people
Algren s Samurai U j i o the Ninjas brings this out,
with their assault coming of Japan, the government, the
sword — which he elite and the army have to Board Chairman : S A M I R R A G A B
can t read — (Hiroyuki during a play where a man
Sanada) a tries to place his hands on a learn how to be Samurai Editor-in-Chief : M. ALI I B R A H I M
Follow the from the last remaining one. Main Office : 111-115, Ramsis St., Cairo
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t h e own sword, in traditional Advertisements : Sociéte Egyptienne de
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FECTION. The day after the hands. This also explains the Hussein
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cowardly Ninja attack,
ordered no doubt by Omura, ic, death of Katsumoto s son
Nobutada (Shin Koyamada),
Katsumoto says to Algren, Taka (Koyuki), as a perfect T HE Egyptian Gazette has the pleasure to inform
A perfect blossom. You Japan , respectfully con-
who is gunned down by the
enemy, killed by dishon-
could spend your whole life cealed from prying eyes
searching for one, and it ourable weapons, weapons COUNTRY SUBSCRIPTION RATES
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about appreciating beauty, LE56
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Algren about. This explains
Algren s answer to Emperor For comments and feedback, please contact: cash, or by a cheque sent to the United
Meiji s question: Tell me dame262002@yahoo.com
how he died Algren
replies: I will tell you
how he lived.
If you learn to accept
death, not fear it, give your
life for something noble
Crossword Puzzle
and worthwhile — Samurai
means to serve — you 20 Creature irrespon- (6)
realise that life, the lives of
others, is worth saving. The sibly passed (4)
quality of life and the way 21 Spare place setting DOWN
you die, honourably in both not wanted at first 2 Publicity man has
cases, is what matters. The
military virtues of commit- (4) no time to discuss
ment to precision and men- 23 Dreadfully prim, with governor (9)
tal discipline (not having
many minds ), character- aunt is her creed? 3 Officer has dead to
istics of Japanese life, (10) collect and sort
guide you to moral per-
fection, the perfection 2 5 Black cat — what out (7)
Tom Cruise, playing Nathan Algren, in his larger-than-life role as the of the human soul that
dead one may do? 4 Scrap paper (3)
last Samurai warrior, one who unites the old and the new ways controls the actions of
the body. Hence, you (6) 5 Animal deliberately
new ways . Remember how out because he doesn t
he helps Taka to do the understand Algren s differ- learn to kill yet appreciate 26 Item on page, only concealed (5)
housework, saying he isn t a ent customs, not committing life to the full, fighting with a small piece (8) 6 Unpolluted river
Japanese man. He s the suicide when being defeated, honour and being compas-
new Japanese man, the which is why he misinter- sionate to those you defeat 28 Excitement going to flowing round
only man who can really prets the wooden sword fight and those you defend, not clubs for rave (8) resort — managed
defend Japan, Taka, from the with Taka s son as a dishon- preying on the weak just 29 Make space about a to get over (11)
power of modernity, while ourable Western man pick- because you are more pow-
preserving what is good and ing on someone smaller than erful than them. place of worship 7 In excitement of big
distinct about the land and its him. This is also why Taka s The problem with the ACROSS 11 In brief, a centre of
modern West, exemplified in
children have no problem Colonel Bagley s character I One preserving gap population (3,7)
communicating with Algren (Tony Goldwyn), is that peo- made by engineer in 13 Panic, losing end of
because they speak the lan- ple there think anybody who
guage of the heart with him, doesn t fight with modern
proving that despite our weapons, thrilling in
mineral (6)
5 Going to bed, or
wing (4)
14 It was full of nois-
Solution to
many cultural differences, destruction for destruction s getting dressed es I shall hear (4)
we human beings are all the sake, is a savage, somebody
same at heart. racially or culturally inferior,
Algren gets the girl, Taka like the poor native
again (8)
9 Night-bird seen in
15 Read threat to blow
up Pyramids (10)
previous
(Japan), who s playing hard Americans. Algren does
day a disappoint- 18 Extremely sane,
to get (a veiled reality), only describe Katsumoto as a trib-
after becoming Japanese al leader, someone whose
(seeing the value of what is life is about service, sacrific-
ment (8)
10 Red and gold are
holding on to silver
that's very popular
puzzle
Japanese). His submission to ing himself for his people.
what is Japanese is so com- Hence, Katsumoto s quip blazing (6) (3,3,4)
plete it persuades the about Omura s family not
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