I BOUGHT "THE LAST SAMURAI"!!!!!!!!

Porl · 24 May 2004

I thought the film was excellent. The dude that played the second in command samurai is also the lead in Twilight Samurai and he is really good in that. I recommend that if you like samurai films. Not too much fighting but what there is is really good.

The woman that play Taka in The Last Samurai is also in Alive. I didn't think the film was that hot..but she's in it non the less

I have the soundtrack aswell. it is GRATE!!!! I want to buy the dvd now.

Porl''

Onigiri Chan · 25 May 2004

I need the soundtrack ;_;
I agree with the last page though - I hate actors who don't take time to learn the language their acting in. For me, it'd be much easier simply to know what I was saying.
I don't like Tom Cruise anyways though -.-
This just lessens my opinion of him...

Buddha Smoker · 25 May 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
I don't like Tom Cruise anyways though -.-
This just lessens my opinion of him...

I couldn't agree more....I personally haven't liked his acting or him period in most movies.

Mandylion · 31 May 2004

While I don't think it will yeild scientific results, I added a poll. Hope you all don't mind. Please take a second and push the "I loved it!" numbers a little higher.

I finally got around to seeing this movie after it came out on rental at Tsutaya. I must say, I was a bit let down. I guess it was a case of being overhyped. I rented it even though I saw a Tom Cruise interview on the movie a good ways back and decided then I wasn't in the mood. Often seeing actors talk about their movies make me want to see them less...the only screen actors who can really speak well are ones who come from the stage...

In short, I was bored watching most of the first half. The best characters were the supporting cast (I count Ken Watanabe in that number). Second half was not that much better.

Only thing that really made me stop and say wow was the death scene on the battlefield near the end. All the soldiers of the new army bowing down to the old ideals they had destroyed struck me as a very fitting analogy to how Japan has viewed and perversly preserved its culture since Meiji - often realizing too late what they have done.

Past that, I am glad I saved 1000 yen by renting as opposed to selling blood plasma in order to see it in the theater (tickets in Japan run 15 USD a head - just the ticket). It occupied a lazy afternoon at least...

I think my wife said it best - "this is nothing more than a chambara jidai dorama (swordfighting period drama - a genre viewed as kind of cheesy and campy in Japan) with a million dollar cast. I'm going to take a bath."

Buddha Smoker · 31 May 2004

Mandylion said:
I finally got around to seeing this movie after it came out on rental at Tsutaya. I must say, I was a bit let down. I guess it was a case of being overhyped.

I have had that happen to me with so many movies.....I wasn't even really aware of the film until it came out...I must have thought...ahh..it's just another movie with Tom Cruise except he's going with the Samurai Style.

My wife and I watched it in Tachikawa (we had some movie passes that we had from a while back that we got somewhere--so, no paying $30 just to watch it) and was throughly impressed. I then got it onsale from my private source (legal though) on DVD and have loved it. That's my two yen.

kai_sethoris · 2 Jun 2004

I bought it also and enjoyed the film. But it was so predictable, you just knew what was going to happen, But it still is a great film! .
Also when I checked the item on Amazon i noticed that a lot of people reccomended a film also called "Seven Samurai" might look into it.

Buddha Smoker · 2 Jun 2004

kai_sethoris said:
I bought it also and enjoyed the film. But it was so predictable, you just knew what was going to happen, But it still is a great film! .
Also when I checked the item on Amazon i noticed that a lot of people reccomended a film also called "Seven Samurai" might look into it.

Seven Samurai is a classic film (1954, I think). It's black & white but still a great film. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it.

Onigiri Chan · 2 Jun 2004

I was actually in a rental store and saw Seven Samurai in the foreign section. I opted for a Japanese movie called "Audition" instead though - my bad.

I guess the reason why I liked The Last Samurai so much was because I hadn't heard much about it until I watched it. And when I did see the few previews I was absolutely appalled by the idea of hollywood trying to recreate feudal Japan and what not. So when I saw it my expectations were VERY low. Since it greatly exceded my expectations, I loved it. *still grumbling about Tom Cruise* Most American movies really are a bore though....so I had no idea what to expect from TLS.

I need to move to Japan....

Buddha Smoker · 2 Jun 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
I was actually in a rental store and saw Seven Samurai in the foreign section. I opted for a Japanese movie called "Audition" instead though - my bad.

Shame on you...nah, just kidding. At least you got the other one. You should see Seven Samurai though...really good movie but keep in mind that it was made in 1954.

Onigiri Chan · 2 Jun 2004

I love the older movies.
Audition turned out to be pointless....it was freaky, and I kinda' liked it because it was weird. But it was definitely pointless. I know this because the director says so on his interview. Which I watched in the hopes that I would find out exactly what the whole POINT of the movie AUDITION was. But as it happens...there is none.

Glenn · 2 Jun 2004

"Audition" heh? Yeah, that's not a light watch. I almost lost my lunch at the end of that one. I remember seeing that a Japanese movie was coming on IFC or something, so I thought, "cool, a Japanese movie." I had no idea what I was in store for. So a word to the wise: if you have a strong stomach then you could probably handle this movie, but if not, I would recommend not watching it.

Onigiri Chan · 2 Jun 2004

Yeah it was definitely a twisted movie to say the least -.-
I might buy it just because it's my kinda' movie.
*still aggitated by its lack of purpose*

Buddha Smoker · 2 Jun 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
I love the older movies.

Then you'll love The Seven Samurai....

I think I'll pass on the Audition movie from what you guys are saying.

Onigiri Chan · 2 Jun 2004

All I hear is good things about Seven Samurai.
What exactly is it about?

Mandylion · 2 Jun 2004

Yes, see the Seven Samurai - puts the Last Samurai to shame.

Be warned, it is very long.

The movie is about a village tha needs protection from bandits. The don't have any money, but they promise to feed and house a samurai if they will protect their homes and farms. So a small group sets off to town to find the right kind of samurai for the job.

They come back with seven very different personalities and they set about getting the little village ready for the return of the bandits. It has a few good fight scenes, but really the flick is about the relationships between the samurai as a group, the village, and some moral lessons thrown in for good measure.

If you like the Seven Samurai, you will like the Magnificent Seven, a western based off our topic of discussion.

Buddha Smoker · 2 Jun 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
All I hear is good things about Seven Samurai.
What exactly is it about?

I hate to say it but "Seven Samurai" but seriously seven samurai that defend a village against some bandits. The story is really good and the characters are deeper than they appear.

Onigiri Chan · 2 Jun 2004

I'm not one for westerns =.=;;
Seven Samurai also sounds like my kinda' movie...so i'll pick it up when I get to the rental store next week ^^

Buddha Smoker · 2 Jun 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
I'm not one for westerns =.=;;
Seven Samurai also sounds like my kinda' movie...so i'll pick it up when I get to the rental store next week ^^

I doubt that you will be disappointed. I enjoyed it myself and I'm not big on black & white movies.

Arch · 2 Jun 2004

Simple a real class movie !

Duo · 3 Jun 2004

Buddha Smoker said:
Then you'll love The Seven Samurai....

I think I'll pass on the Audition movie from what you guys are saying.

How about Yojimbo then ? I think it's a great movie. A true Kurosawa classic. I want to get my hands on the 47 ronins film, but haven't found it so far.

I saw the last samurai when it first came aout, a bunch of months ago. The 2 girls I was with cried some 3 or 4 times during the movie . I thought overall the movie was ok and worth my money, but I was dissapointed on several points. Firstly, how did Aldren learn kenjustsu so fast and so efficiently in such a small amount of time. Secondly, it is was not likely that the outcast samurai would accept a foreigner just like that. Thirdly, during the ninja atack, after they failed the assasination, they all came out in the open takin on much larger force then themselves. I thought that was a lil bs, never heard of ninjas coming out on the open like that. Also, it was ridicilous how that woman, Taka I think, killed that ninja like it was nothing. Most of all I want to see a movie about that period of time with a japanese cast only, I don't some western tale of some American hero who supposedly schools Emperor Meiji on the way of the samurai. This said, for a hollywood production, I think the movie was pretty good and generally accurate, at least the fights felt very genuine.

Lookin forward to seeing the Twilight Samurai and Zatoichi. I heard good things about this last one. Anyone seen any of them ?

Mandylion · 3 Jun 2004

Some good points my friend

Duo said:
Firstly, how did Aldren learn kenjustsu so fast and so efficiently in such a small amount of time.

This came up for me too, and aside from the fact that it is just fiction, it seemed to me in his initial bouts, he was using a lot of calvary sabre techniques (one handed, parries etc). I don't know if the director planned it that way, but it would make sense given his calvary bakground (note: I am not a sabre expert so there is avery good chance I am wrong, and historical sabre combat is not like sport saber in modern fencing).

While it doesn't excuse the fact that he became a sword master in the span of one winter, he would have a leg up on anyone else. Plus, from what I hear from martial artists, sabre and katana are kind of like birds of a feather. Both are slashing weapons with broad curved blades, similar wieghts and points of balance. Sure there are differences, but a lot of the mechanics seem the same (to me humble eye at least).

The rest is just a story - inaccuracies abound, but we are just supposed to be entertained, and an American audience is supposed to feel good about themselves.

Onigiri Chan · 3 Jun 2004

I agree with everything you say Duo.
But once again i'm not going to be terribly critical of it as it was good for a hollywood movie and Tom Cruise was in it. *still grumbling about that*
It definitely shouldn't have been about a westerner though. The whole cast should have been Japanese. And i'm sure you're right Mandylion. It was really just made to please us Americans. Which is a shame. I miss the great films ;_;
Funky stuff like the Rabbit Proof fence.

I wonder what your opinions are on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?
I thought it was good, but most Americans i've talked to hated it. I'm not quite sure why.......

Buddha Smoker · 3 Jun 2004

Duo said:
Firstly, how did Aldren learn kenjustsu so fast and so efficiently in such a small amount of time. Secondly, it is was not likely that the outcast samurai would accept a foreigner just like that. Thirdly, during the ninja atack, after they failed the assasination, they all came out in the open takin on much larger force then themselves.

It's a movie...real life doesn't apply most of the time..

Duo · 3 Jun 2004

Onigiri Chan said:
I agree with everything you say Duo.
But once again i'm not going to be terribly critical of it as it was good for a hollywood movie and Tom Cruise was in it. *still grumbling about that*
It definitely shouldn't have been about a westerner though. The whole cast should have been Japanese. And i'm sure you're right Mandylion. It was really just made to please us Americans. Which is a shame. I miss the great films ;_;
Funky stuff like the Rabbit Proof fence.

I wonder what your opinions are on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?
I thought it was good, but most Americans i've talked to hated it. I'm not quite sure why.......

I loved crouching tiger. Later on I showed it to my parents when it came out on rental and they liked it as well. I think it's a great movie. One of my all time favorites. I can't wait for Hero and see how it compares to crouching tiger. I guess some Americans dont like it cuz they are used to watching films in English and used to watching films about themselves all the time.

Buddha Smoker · 3 Jun 2004

Duo said:
I loved crouching tiger. Later on I showed it to my parents when it came out on rental and they liked it as well. I think it's a great movie. One of my all time favorites. I can't wait for Hero and see how it compares to crouching tiger. I guess some Americans dont like it cuz they are used to watching films in English and used to watching films about themselves all the time.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (or Green Destiny like it is called in Japan) was an excellant movie. Very well produced and Chow Yut Fat is an awesome actor.

I BOUGHT "THE LAST SAMURAI"!!!!!!!!

Did you like the Last Samurai?

I Loved It!

Pretty darn good.

Eh, it was okay.

Nah, waste of my time.

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