What's new

Best Hollywood Japanese Movies

Dogen Z

aka YOSUQUE
23 Apr 2007
1,035
20
48
The Last Samurai and Memoirs of a Geisha had a few good scenes but as a whole, they didn't weren't so memorable. I remember watching a few old Hollywood movies about Japan that were a little more memorable:

1. Black Rain with Michael Douglas, a gritty yakuza movie.

2. Sayonara with Marlon Brando, a movie about an American soldier's relationship with a Japanese woman when such things were looked down on.

3. Geisha Boy with Jerry Lewis: I hardly remember this except for the rabbit. I saw it on TV once and wanted to see it again. I thought it was hilarious.

Has anyone else seen these movies? Or, are there any other movies you would add to my list. ( I would like to add Joy Luck Club but that deals with Chinese Americans.)
 
Lost in Translation?

I'm not exactly sure what your looking for. But Lost in Translation offers a really nice look into really feeling out of place in a whole different culture.
 
Lost in Translation?
I'm not exactly sure what your looking for.

Sorry for not being clear. I think what I'm looking for is suggestions on old movies about Japan with a believable storyline, good character development, and minimal stereotypes.

I liked Lost in Translation but it used some extreme stereotypes so it wouldn't fit my list (but I'm keeping it in my DVD library anyway :) )
 
I think the stereotypes is an important part of the movie.... Everyone always bashes the movie because of "stereotypes". However I feel like these stereotypes are placed in the movie on purpose to really bring out the feeling of complete isolation and confusion.

ANYWAAAAYS, If your looking for older movies. I recommend any Akira Kurosawa movie 👍
 
ANYWAAAAYS, If your looking for older movies. I recommend any Akira Kurosawa movie 👍

Thanks for the suggestion. I already have 7 Samurai, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro. But I'm looking for movies with an American point of view. I guess I could add Mr. Baseball.

Stereotypes are amusing the first time you see it but it gets old real quick. I want movies that I can watch over again and still enjoy. Anyway thanks for your help. :)
 
Sorry for not being clear. I think what I'm looking for is suggestions on old movies about Japan with a believable storyline, good character development, and minimal stereotypes.

what hollywood has to do with that? :p😊

I recently watched bunch of old japanese movies, but I cannot remeber any ☝ 😌

I'll go find out and post names 😊 sorry 🙂
 
One of the finer movies to come out of Hollywood and one which people hardly ever talk about is "The Yakuza", made in the mid 70's, starring Robert Mitchum, Takakura Ken, and Brian Keith which was finally released on DVD in January of this year. I believe it to be one of Mitchums finest performances. Takakura Ken also is great in this movie as he is in any movie.

It is a great film noir and one in which anyone with an interest in Japanese tradition and culture would enjoy. Takakura Ken was also in "Black Rain" but once you see "The Yakuza" you will see that "Black Rain" pales in comparison.

This movie has it all, great action scenes, love, regret, obligation, debt and an ending that will leave you stunned. Read the reviews in the link and you'll see what I'm talking about. The only thing that is not believable in this movie is that one of the Americans living in Japan that Mitchum meets up with has a collection of handguns and ammo in his Japanese house. Other than that it is a fine movie and it should be in everyone's collection who has an interest in these types of movies.
 
One of the finer movies to come out of Hollywood and one which people hardly ever talk about is "The Yakuza", made in the mid 70's, starring Robert Mitchum, Takakura Ken, and Brian Keith which was finally released on DVD in January of this year. I believe it to be one of Mitchums finest performances. Takakura Ken also is great in this movie as he is in any movie.

Arigatou, Pachipro san!! 😎:win: That's exactly the kind of suggestion I was looking for! 👍 I'll try to find it this week. It looks great.


BTW, I checked imdb and it looks like there is a remake of this film scheduled for 2009.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
"Bad News Bears Go to Japan" is ok. It was made in the '70s and is almost like "Lost in Translation" (minus the love story) in that people are caught in a foreign land experiencing culture shock. I've seen "The Last Samurai", "Memoirs of a Geisha", and "Sayonara". I liked them all but not so much Memoirs. On a side note, I almost cried at the end of "The Last Samurai"! But everyone has their own tastes, already apparent in our differing views about "The Last Samurai". As for any other go-to Japanese Hollywood movies, I think most of the good ones have been listed here. IMHO you would be better off not going for "Hollywood Japanese" movies.
 
I still don't know if you want only american movies, but here is list of Japanese classic movies I've watched here on some festival:

1. I Was Born, But... - silent movie - simply and beautifully told story about life, joys and woes... I've really liked this one 😌

2. A Quiet Duel - early Kurosawa. interesting story.

3. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums very long movie 😊 but it shows a lot interesting things... like old theatres.. but even more, it depicts a woman's greatness, and what a woman in love will do for a man she loves.

4. Miss Oyu - another story about women sacrifices for love. even better movie from same director.

5. The Crucified Lovers - and another story from same director. and another woman in love and her sacrifices... but actually, these things cannot be boring, those are beautiful stories and really great movies.

6. Twenty-four eyes - actually, I haven't seen this one. but I heard "that this film had people shed the most tears in Japanese film history." ☝

7. Samurai Rebellion - haven't seen this either :( I've heard it is the best one from all these I've presented. Hope to see it one day.

hope this helps... to anybody/everybody 😌

🙂
 
Thank you for your suggestions, Half n Half and Alma. :) I'll make sure to take a look at Bad News Bear go to Japan and at least some of the films you suggested Alma, even though I'm looking for American films about Japan. Samurai Rebellion and Ms. Oyu seem especially worthwhile.

My library will certainly grow thanks to contributors on this thread. :) (But is Lost in Translation without the love story any good? hmmm, I wonder ;)
 
Sayonara

I think I should add this to the thread. 😊

Even thought it's an old film, I think Sayonara is well worth watching today. Short synopsis: Fast rising Air Force ace pilot dumps gorgeous Air Force general's daughter for the star of a Japanese performer troup during the Korean War. Brando does his best to talk like Elvis.
 
I would love to watch that movie, especially because it is mainly shot in the city I live in now: Kobe.
 
Madam Butterfly

I would love to watch that movie, especially because it is mainly shot in the city I live in now: Kobe.
You should be able to find it in the "classics" section of your local Tsutaya video store.
_______
I was trying to find a good movie version of Madam Butterfly but I only found this. A superb performance by Kristi Yamaguchi
 
Can't stand Hollywood films about Japan. Always so contrived. And mostly it white guy gets japanese girl and teaches Japanese guys a lesson
 
Can't stand Hollywood films about Japan. Always so contrived. And mostly it white guy gets japanese girl and teaches Japanese guys a lesson

Ah, contrived. I know what you mean. And talk about getting the girl. Take a look at this: :bikkuri:

But other movies listed here are not too contrived and sometimes the foreigner gets the local girl even in real life. :)
 
Thank you for that suggestion but the storyline is rather weak. I was thinking of something more like this:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...339&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
:p
Sorry but that link is dead now. Somebody took the clip of Mr. Baseball off of youtubes. Too bad, it was a great clip-great scene, great soundtrack. Here's a link to a review of that movie. It's the best that I can do, now. :(
Amazon.com: Mr. Baseball : Tom Selleck, Ken Takakura, Aya Takanashi, Toshi Shioya, Dennis Haysbert, Fred Schepisi, Fred Schepisi, Doug Claybourne, Bobby Newmyer, Gary Ross, Kevin Wade, Monte Merrick: Movies & TV
 
Hey hey hey what happend with

硫黄島からの手紙 (Romaji :Iwo jima kara no tegami)

That wasn't made by japanese people, but the story was about japan, and i must say Clin Eastwood did anything to make it real and it touched many people this movie because it was beautifull and it showed another side of Japan and that i respected the most, because people always say that Japanese soldiers were evil people, in this movie you can see that there are even people who had never had any arms in their hands and they were forced to join the army to protect their country.

Respect To Clint Eastwood because this movie was a must have in my DVD collection and i still like the characters that Watanabe Ken, Nakamura Shido,... plays in this nice movie about japan during the war against the US on the island Iwo Jima.
 
Hey hey hey what happend with
硫黄島からの手紙 (Romaji :Iwo jima kara no tegami)

Respect To Clint Eastwood because this movie was a must have in my DVD collection and i still like the characters that Watanabe Ken, Nakamura Shido,... plays in this nice movie about japan during the war against the US on the island Iwo Jima.

You're right. This movie should be included with the others. But it's a depressing movie so I haven't felt the need to watch it more than once. Kind of like the anime, Grave of Fireflies. One of these days I'll watch it again. Thanks for mentioning it.
 
Last edited:
You're right. This movie should be included with the others. But it's a depressing movie so I haven't felt the need to watch it more than once. Kind of like the anime, Grave of Fireflies. One of these days I'll watch it again. Thanks for mentioning it.

Okey, i have another J-Hollywood movie and that is really typical America.

Here are some minuspoints:
*There aren't actually real Japanese Actors in it.
*The set was taken in America, they never reached the REAL Japan, only a few scenes, like the metro scene and the school scene.
*The most cars in the movie weren't japanese while they all say they ride a Toyota,Nissan,Subaru,Suzuki,Lexus,Mitsubishi?
*Vin Diesel comes only in the endcredits.

I think you can allready guess about wich movie i mention.

Yes, indeed The Fast & Furious: Tokyo Driftµ

for more source material:

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - Wikipedia

my new celeb who i like plays also in the movie:
Keiko Kitagawa
Keiko Kitagawa - Wikipedia
 
Has anyone mentioned "Mr. Baseball (1992)"?

It's supposed to be a dud, but I like Tom Selleck and Ken Takakura. It also says a lot about Japanese baseball and the gaijin players there. 👍
 
Back
Top Bottom