The First Samurai

"It is the kind of story from which great tragic operas are made: A brave warrior of noble birth and royal ancestry runs afoul of a jealous neighbor who then ambushes him in the countryside. The warrior and his followers defeat their attackers, only to be targeted by others who now fear his growing strength. Overly impressed with his continued success against his enemies, he becomes consumed with hubris and soon falls victim to his own ambition. Add to this the mystique of the samurai, the pageantry of Japan's tenth-century imperial court, and legends of a flying head whose curse has caused…