Gohatto

Japan 1999

Picture and details imdb

Seen 14th August 2006

The film is also known as "Taboo" in English. Taboo in this context is the love between men. The story centers on Kano, the object of desire among the samurais. His first lover was a fellow new recruit but others are also besotted by his androgynous beauty. The commander of the unit turns a blind eye to the goings-on but had to take a more constructive action when one of the men died in mysterious circumstances. The leader felt that Kano might be the cause of that death. He tries to turn Kano into a "real" man but failed miserably. In the end, Kano himself is given the mission to kill his first lover who is suspected of being the man behind the murder. The final scene is very surreal, taking the audience beat by heart beat to the climax. Sensitivity, beauty and pathos come together. The Ryuichi Sakamoto score is very apt enhancing the overall mood of the story.