Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2011
From left: Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Keanu Reeves, Ko Shibasaki and Carl Rinsch. Courtesy TOWA
The famous story revolves around a group of samurai who plot vengeance on the man who forced their master into suicide and turned them into ronin (“masterless samurai”).
After 34 days filming in Hungary in March, the production moved to the huge Shepperton Studios in England where 18th-century Japan has been painstakingly recreated with a castle, fortress, tournament arena, 100 monks, 50 samurai, 16 prostitutes and 15 concubines. Later in the year, cast and crew will move to Japan for some location shooting.
Reeves, who sports a samurai hairstyle for his role, told a press conference in London that this story is different from earlier versions. He called 47 Ronin “a story of revenge and impossible love. My character is a kind of half-breed with a mysterious past, who’s in love with the princess and she’s in love with me, but we can’t be together. But during this journey and revenge, things change. We’ve reworked the story but with great care and respect.”
Reeves also praised Shibasaki’s talent and physical beauty, calling her “mysterious and beautiful.” Shibasaki was selected for the role of Mika in a secret audition in Tokyo last November, according to filmmakers. “Ko has a unique femininity, which we can’t find easily in the West. She has Audrey Hepburn’s elegance and there’s no doubt that she’ll become an internationally accredited superstar,” said director Rinsch.
Apart from trying to speak some Japanese, Reeves said his biggest challenge was learning to fight two-handed with swords. “It’s much faster than I thought but it’s really cool,” he said.
- 47 Ronin will be released in the fall of 2012.
- Chris Betros is the editor of Japan Today.
