Mark Cousins says 'Katsushiro has become the greatest samurai.'

In Episode 6 he identifies the character "Kyuzu," who is the "Buster Keaton samurai" or "deadpan samurai" or "samurai who is now a ronin and lives to perfect his art," as "Katsushiro." "Katsushiro" is the youngest of the samurai -- the one who comes from a rich family and follows the leader after he sees him rescue the woman and baby, the leader played by Takashi Shimura -- the young one who has a romance out in the woods with the farmer's daughter who was dressed as a boy.

This is really mental. Mark Cousins is an escaped lunatic. His saying "the lovers" when it's Scarlett and Gerald, her father, contemplating Tara at sunset is stupid enough, but not to be familiar with "The Seven Samurai" is unacceptable. Why is anybody listening to him?

Then he says "Katsushiro" -- meaning Kyuzu -- throws away his sword. He says Katsushiro throws away his sword out of anguish at the futility of swords when he has been shot. No, a samurai throws his sword at the enemy as a last act of defiance, I believe.

He says, "Most of Kurosawa's movies are about how the individual distinguishes himself without being selfish." No, in Kurosawa's own description, most of his movies are about why can't people live in peace. And his idea of a hero is someone who has compassion.

He says regarding "Ikiru," "The bureaucrat grew up under the feudal emperor. It has taught him to be passive." No, Japan was long past the feudal age by the time the central character of "Ikiru" was born. "He is hit by the juggernaut of modern life. Where does he fit in?" Cousins completely misses the point of "Ikiru," which is someone who knows he's a cog in a machine and is soon to disappear, but struggles to do one act of kindness, getting the permits for a group of mothers who want a place for their children to play, where there is currently just a rubbish heap, and who keep being turned down by the members of the protagonist of "Ikiru"'s department, to try to give your little insignificant life some meaning.

Then Cousins has the movie "Stray Dog" labeled "Stray Dogs," again because he has no idea what the movie is about. The movie is a warning regarding Japan's lawlessness postwar. The saying was, "A stray dog soon becomes rabid." It is the story of one young man, not several "stray dogs," who lacking a job soon turns to crime.


Sh-it's a secret!