The Phoenix (1978)

This extraordinarily complex film is not only a send-up of every samurai film ever made, it is also an extrapolation of the value of life. The Yamatai, represented by Prince Susano-O and elderly advisor Sumuke, hire Yumihiko of Matsuro to hunt the phoenix so that Queen Himiko, sister of Susano-O can have eteranal life.
Kon Ichikawa
Jun Fubuki, Tomisaburō Wakayama, Toshinori Omi, Masao Kusakari, Kaoru Yumi, Ken Tanaka, Reiko Ōhara, Tohru Emori, Ryūzō Hayashi, Mieko Takamine, Tatsuya Nakadai, Mitsuko Kusabue, Takeshi Katō, Junzaburō Ban, Hideji Ōtaki
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