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Gohatto Reviews

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Widely regarded as the greatest living Japanese director as well as one of the film world's foremost hierophants of transgression, Nagisa Oshima returns from a long hiatus with a film worthy of his reputation. Set in 1865 during the waning days of the Tokugawa shogunate, it focuses on an exotic young male beauty, Kano (Ryuhei .. Read more

Starring	Ryuhei Matsuda, Shinji Takeda, Tadanobu Asano, Yoichi Sai
Director	Nagisa Oshima
Genres	Drama, Gay/Lesbian, World Cinema

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Critic's review of Gohatto
View all critics' reviews (6)
- "...TABOO is one of Oshima's finest films....Oshima has created a film of resilient, downright tensile strength that ends on a satisfyingly ironic note..."
- 11067
- - Los Angeles Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Gohatto
View all members' reviews (28)
- - 10
  - 3
  Fascinated me
  
  This movie fascinated me, never knew ideas and concepts could be so liberated in Japan during that era or any generation.
  
  The fairy tale being told ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 302640
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - StarPrince
  - east sussex
  - 17 Apr 2004 at 14:13
Most recent members' reviews of Gohatto
View all members' reviews (28)
- - 0
  - 0
  A Very Different View of Japan
  
  A fabulous film highlighting a world that probably existed but has been suppressed for decades. The tale of life within a Samurai community and the structures ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1091407
- - OscarFreak
  - 292 reviews
  - London
  - 12 Feb 2012 at 06:50
- - 0
  - 0
  Gohatto ...a hidden history
  
  Very good...well directed and beautifully filmed...the meshing of macho warriors and characters in a gay scenario is both powerful and enlightening
  
  Report this review
- 1035526
- - Dude0203
  - 71 reviews
  - Wirral
  - 31 Aug 2011 at 17:00
- - 0
  - 0
  boys and men having fun
  
  Military is full of homosexuals seems to be the central theme of this film that explores those gay relationships in clear detail. Straight guys are there as ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1023131
- - juradino
  - 701 reviews
  - London
  - 29 Jul 2011 at 19:58
- - 3
  - 0
  Beautiful and enigmatic
  
  Seductively filmed and well acted, this is no love story but rather a story of passions, passions of samurai for a beautiful new recruit. The enigma lies with ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 820870
- - a customer
  - Banchory
  - 13 Oct 2009 at 22:27
- - 3
  - 3
  Another Damaged Disk
  
  Don't bother; it's damaged and as we all know, LoveFilm doesn't bother to take damaged disks out of circulation. I figure the only way to avoid it ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 670182
- - a customer
  - London
  - 08 Dec 2008 at 12:38
- - 5
  - 0
  One of Oshima's very best
  
  Nagisa Oshima should always be listed near the very top of any list of Japanese directors, and this film, long in gestation and superb in realisation - his ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 614889
- - Savage
  - 632 reviews
  - London, England
  - 17 Aug 2008 at 10:09
- - 1
  - 1
  Customer Review
  
  Unfortunately for anyone not fluent in Japanese this film will be a visual only experience . The lack of adequade subtitles makes the film a worthless rental.
  
  Report this review
- 579709
- - a customer
  - UK
  - 23 Jun 2008 at 15:22
- - 1
  - 0
  Gohatto
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  It has been mentioned (particularly by the Brightlights critic Andrew Grossman) that Gohatto is far removed from the urgency and potency of Oshima's earlier... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 481672
- - DTurley
  - 10 reviews
  - Trowbridge
  - 02 Oct 2007 at 11:46
- - 0
  - 1
  Underwhelming
  
  Expecting a lot of this film, I was disappointed in its rather one track plot and the slowness of it all. Although it was certainly an atmospheric view of old ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 465087
- - Cato
  - 589 reviews
  - Lydbury North
  - 11 Aug 2007 at 18:21
- - 0
  - 1
  ow...this film hurt
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  I rented this knowing it had a bit of an on-off review. Some people liked it and others didn't. Nagisa Oshima may be the greatest director from Japan but i ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 459731
- - Sameen
  - 27 reviews
  - Glasgow
  - 19 Jul 2007 at 14:05
View all members' reviews (28)

- - 10
  - 3
  Fascinated me
  
  This movie fascinated me, never knew ideas and concepts could be so liberated in Japan during that era or any generation.
  
  The fairy tale being told ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 302640
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - StarPrince
  - east sussex
  - 17 Apr 2004 at 14:13
- - 7
  - 0
  Kendo for experts
  
  Nagisa Oshima's film about life in a 19th century samurai militia barracks is a compelling whodunnit that leaves you stunned. The film is beautifully ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 136257
- - zero
  - brighton
  - 14 Jul 2004 at 16:14
- - 5
  - 0
  One of Oshima's very best
  
  Nagisa Oshima should always be listed near the very top of any list of Japanese directors, and this film, long in gestation and superb in realisation - his ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 614889
- - Savage
  - 632 reviews
  - London, England
  - 17 Aug 2008 at 10:09
- - 4
  - 0
  love and jealousy among Samurais
  
  It's a very simple story reasonably well told. I think gohatto means taboo.
  
  The film starts with a contest to select some new recruits to a group... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 11281
- - a customer
  - London
  - 19 Jul 2004 at 16:07
- - 4
  - 0
  Deadly jealousy kills samuri
  
  I really enjoyed this film, both for its visual images and its understated examination of gay love between samuri. If I have a criticism it is the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 65712
- - Zamy
  - 552 reviews
  - London
  - 20 Jan 2005 at 16:38
- - 3
  - 0
  Beautiful and enigmatic
  
  Seductively filmed and well acted, this is no love story but rather a story of passions, passions of samurai for a beautiful new recruit. The enigma lies with ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 820870
- - a customer
  - Banchory
  - 13 Oct 2009 at 22:27
- - 3
  - 1
  Fascinating and compelling.
  
  Apart from anything else, this is a beautifully made film. The music track is superbly haunting and evocative and some of the visuals are stunning; the misty ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 326295
- - sailonby
  - 96 reviews
  - Exeter
  - 09 Mar 2005 at 11:48
- - 4
  - 3
  not for me
  
  I found this film to be quite boring.
  
  Report this review
- 84312
- - a customer
  - Bristol
  - 22 Mar 2005 at 22:09
- - 3
  - 2
  Beautiful but ultimately disappointing
  
  If you like Japanese culture, then this film can't help but appeal: it's all ritual and swordplay and honour and blossom trees.
  
  Gay sex, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 7605
- - a customer
  - Salisbury, England
  - 13 Jun 2004 at 13:09
- - 2
  - 0
  Beat was born to make Gohatto
  
  Don’t dismiss this film because it is foreign and you miss out on one of the best films ever made and produced by Beat. Gohatto is a samurai drama set in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 171016
- - a customer
  - Huddersfield
  - 07 Nov 2005 at 13:20

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Critics' reviews
- "...TABOO is one of Oshima's finest films....Oshima has created a film of resilient, downright tensile strength that ends on a satisfyingly ironic note..."
- 11067
- - Los Angeles Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...[Oshima] hates nobody and, wonderfully served by cast and camera, loves the reticence of a story immaculately told..."
- 11069
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- Oshima's first feature in 14 years (and the first since the 1995 stroke which left him part-paralysed) adapts two short... read more on Time Out
- 45443
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:15
- "...An intriguing study....Extremely striking. There is also a haunting electronic score from Ryuichi Sakamoto..."
- 11066
- - Box Office
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...The lyrical mood is reinforced by a strong score..."
- 11070
- - Total Film
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59
- "...A beautiful, droll meditation..."
- 11068
- - Premiere
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:59

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Gohatto
  
  Widely regarded as the greatest living Japanese director as well as one of the film world's foremost hierophants of transgression, Nagisa Oshima returns from a long hiatus with a film worthy of his reputation. Set in 1865 during the waning days of the Tokugawa shogunate, it focuses on an exotic ...