Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2014

What are often called “samurai films” by the casual watcher outside this country are a major genre in the film industry here known as chambara. Uzumasa Limelight focuses on the latter days of a swordfighting stuntman who’s made a career out of a little jousting and a lot of dying. Kamiyama (Seizo Fukumoto) has worked at the fictional Uzumasa Studios for decades and is now at the end of his career. After a TV series he had a bit part in is cancelled, the resigned Kamiyama is “reduced” to being an extra in a yakuza pic until finally he is lent to a samurai theme park where he begins tutoring an up-and-coming female actress and swordsmith. Satsuki (Chihiro Yamamoto) takes to the lessons with gusto and dedication, but it seems her hard work is a throwback to a different era. She winds up on a TV drama that uses pop stars and CGI instead of real swordplay and realistic action. Mirroring actor Fukumoto’s own career, and using Charlie Chaplin’s film Limelight as a reference point, the film is sweet, heartfelt and impressive in the sword-fighting sequences. Uzumasa Limelight is a winner without having to fake its own death. (103 min)