Full Trailer For Hitoshi Matsumoto's SAYA ZAMURAI

Former TV comedian turned feature film director Hitoshi Matsumoto continues to reinvent himself with Saya Zamurai. Obviously a restless talent Matsumoto started off strong in the feature world, his moc-doc style kaiju comedy Dai Nipponjin (Big Man Japan) premiering in Cannes. With his second feature Matsumoto made something much more formally constructed though even more dryly absurd with Symbol. For round three Matsumoto focuses purely on his directing duties and leaves the acting to others, giving the lead to his former TV cohort Takaaki Nomi.

Nomi stars as a samurai who abandons his sword and attempts to quit his post, taking his young daughter with him. They are eventually captured and, when they are, given a unique opportunity. The penalty for desertion is death but if Nomi can succeed in making his Lord smile in the next thirty days he will be pardoned. Cue silliness.

The full theatrical trailer for Saya Zamurai has now arrived online and it's hard not to view it as some sort of meta-film commentary by Matsumoto on his own early career. What's he saying by fusing modern style TV comedy stunts with the formalism of a samurai film? I won't hazard a guess until I have the chance to see it, but I'm dying for the chance. Check the new trailer below.