When Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence—the prior collaboration between filmmaker Nagisa Oshima and Ryuichi Sakamoto—debuted at Cannes in 1983, Gohatto (1999) star Ryuhei Matsuda was barely a day old. In what would become Oshima’s final film, a 16-year-old Matsuda stars as a recruit in the famed samurai faction Shinsengumi. The young swordsman attracts the attention of his fellows, not only for his skill but also for his beauty. The growing sexual tension and suspicion among samurais raise concerns for leaders Hijikata (Takeshi Kitano) and Okita (Shinji Takeda).

The versatile Sakamoto deftly incorporates western and Japanese instruments with his electronic arrangements (and a hint of an African influence). His haunting score underlines the mystery that permeates the film, heightening the suspense and desire that is on a collision course.

Nagisa Oshima (1932–2013, Japan) is best known as one of the flagbearers of the Japanese New Wave. Films such as Death by Hanging (1968), Boy (1969), and The Ceremony (1971) confront traditional Japanese values in the wake of the postwar revival. His World War II drama Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) stars rock stars David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto as soldiers on opposite sides. His final film was Gohatto (1999).