Samurai Marathon
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Samurai Marathon
| image = Samurai_marason.jpg
| caption = Film poster
| director = Bernard Rose
| producer = Jeremy Thomas
Toshiaki Nakazawa
| screenplay = Bernard Rose
Hiroshi Saito
Kikumi Yamagishi
| based_on = {{Based on|The Marathon Samurai: Five Tales of Japan’s First Marathon|Akihiro Dobashi}}
| starring = Takeru Satoh
Nana Komatsu
Mirai Moriyama
Shōta Sometani
Munetaka Aoki
Naoto Takenaka
Danny Huston
Etsushi Toyokawa
Hiroki Hasegawa
| music = Philip Glass
| cinematography = Takuro Ishizaka
| editing =
| studio =
| distributor = Well Go USA Entertainment
| released = {{Film date|2019|2||Japan}}
| runtime = 104 minutes
| country = Japan
United Kingdom
| language = Japanese
English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
{{Nihongo|Samurai Marathon|サムライマラソン|Samurai Marason|extra=|lead=yes}} is a 2019 Japanese-British historical action adventure film co-written and directed by Bernard Rose and starring Takeru Satoh, Nana Komatsu and Mirai Moriyama. It is based on the 2014 novel The Marathon Samurai: Five Tales of Japan’s First Marathon by Akihiro Dobashi, itself inspired by the origin story of the Ansei Toashi 30-km footrace held annually in Annaka City.{{cite web|last=Hadfield|first=James|title='Samurai Marathon': A sprint through Japanese history|date=27 February 2019|publisher=The Japan Times|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2019/02/27/films/film-reviews/samurai-marathon-1855-sprint-japanese-history/|accessdate=27 November 2020}}
Plot summary
In 1855, a daimyo sends his men on a grueling marathon to discover if they're tough enough to face the newly arrived Americans. Misunderstanding his intent, the Shogun dispatches assassins.{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9311062/ | title=Samurai marason | website=IMDb }}
Cast
{{col div|colwidth=30em}}
- Takeru Satoh as Karasawa Jinnai
- Nana Komatsu as Princess Yuki
- Mirai Moriyama as Tsujimura Heikurō
- Shōta Sometani as Uesugi Hironoshin
- Munetaka Aoki as Ueki Yoshikuni
- Ryu Kohata
- Yuta Koseki
- Motoki Fukami{{cite web |url= https://eiga.com/movie/90274/|title= サムライマラソン|accessdate= December 3, 2020|work= eiga.com}}
- Shinsuke Katō
- Joey Iwanaga
- Ruka Wakabayashi
- Mariko Tsutsui
- Mugi Kadowaki
- Nao
- Junko Abe
- Taishi Nakagawa
- Naoto Takenaka as Kurita Mataemon
- Danny Huston as Commodore Perry
- Etsushi Toyokawa as Ioki Suketora
- Hiroki Hasegawa as Itakura Katsuakira
{{div col end}}
Release
The film was released in theaters in Japan in February 2019.{{cite web|last=Clarke|first=Stewart|title=HanWay Boards Bernard Rose's 'Samurai Marathon,' Jeremy Thomas Producing (EXCLUSIVE)|date=6 February 2019|publisher=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/samurai-marathon-bernard-rose-candyman-hanway-jeremy-thomas-1203129827/|accessdate=27 November 2020}} It was later featured at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2019.{{cite web|last=Ide|first=Wendy|title='Samurai Marathon': Edinburgh Review|date=24 June 2019|publisher=Screen Daily|url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/samurai-marathon-edinburgh-review/5140626.article|accessdate=27 November 2020}} Well Go USA Entertainment acquired North American distribution rights to the film in July 2019.{{cite web|last=Brzeski|first=Patrick|title=Bernard Rose's 'Samurai Marathon' to Get North America Release From Well Go USA (Exclusive)|date=2 July 2019|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/samurai-marathon-get-north-america-release-well-go-usa-1222429|accessdate=27 November 2020}} The film was released on VOD and digital platforms in May 2020.{{cite web|last=Martin|first=Peter|title=Now on VOD: Bernard Rose's SAMURAI MARATHON Gets Breathless|date=13 May 2020|publisher=Screen Anarchy|url=https://screenanarchy.com/2020/05/now-on-vod-samurai-marathon.html|accessdate=27 November 2020}} It was also released on DVD and Blu-Ray in the United States on July 21, 2020.{{cite web|last=Prange|first=Stephanie|title=Japanese Action Film 'Samurai Marathon' Due on Disc July 21 From Well Go|date=2 June 2020|publisher=Media Play News|url=https://www.mediaplaynews.com/japanese-action-film-samurai-marathon-due-on-disc-july-21-from-well-go/|accessdate=27 November 2020}}
Reception
The film has {{a or an|{{RT data|score}}}} rating on Rotten Tomatoes.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/samurai_marathon|title=Samurai Marathon 1855|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}} James Hadfield of The Japan Times awarded the film three stars out of five.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|9311062}}
- {{rotten-tomatoes|samurai_marathon}}
{{Bernard Rose}}
{{Philip Glass}}
Category:2010s Japanese-language films
Category:Japanese action adventure films
Category:British action adventure films
Category:2010s action adventure films
Category:Films scored by Philip Glass
Category:Films directed by Bernard Rose (director)
Category:Films produced by Jeremy Thomas
Category:Films based on Japanese novels
Category:Films set in Bakumatsu
Category:2010s English-language films