ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EDWARD ZWICK’S "THE LAST SAMURAI" Cover Image

ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EDWARD ZWICK’S "THE LAST SAMURAI"
ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EDWARD ZWICK’S "THE LAST SAMURAI"

Author(s): Goran J. Petrović
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure , Film / Cinema / Cinematography
Published by: Универзитет у Крагујевцу
Keywords: Edward Zwick;anthropology;ontology;Japan;samurai;honor;ethics;culture;utopia.

Summary/Abstract: In this article, I deal with the anthropological and ontological aspects of Edward Zwick’s The Last Samurai. As far as the film’s anthropological aspect is concerned, I deal with the clash between the West and the East as present therein and, by showing that the film ascribes (ethi- cal) superiority to the dying Japanese feudal culture (i.e., the East), I conclude that it opposes the Western Civilization’s prevalent anthropological stance in the 19th century. As for the film’s ontological aspect, I deal with the question of god’s presence (or absence) in the events shown in it, and conclude that the film can be interpreted from both an atheist and a theist perspective. Apropos of the film’s pro-samurai anthropological aspect, I stress the primitivist utopianism of The Last Samurai.

  • Issue Year: XXIII/2022
  • Issue No: 79
  • Page Range: 85-103
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: English
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