Japanese Movies.

[Taneda Santôka]

Hey Captain, ease up boy! If you knew the answer coming, why complain about it? My predictable stupidity? Anyway, I think you missread me, and if you don't need a lecture on Kurozawa, why not enlighten those who need, or at least explain, not justify, your opinion. I believe stating boring for artists such as Ozu or Paradjanov is ignorance and laziness, and about Kurozawa, well yes, he made some realy crappy movies, especially near the end and the TV productions, but they can be read with the "Ran grid".......

[DeaDBolT]

I know what you mean , but free record shop here in Holland occasionally sells something different than MTV Asian Screens. (Chinese mostly though)

Btw DeaDBolT, you have any idea when the MTV Asian Screens will start here again on tv?

No idea whatsoever man, will they ever start that again? I thought it was dead.....

[Wundai]

Hey A Question here fellas,

For the ones who have seen both the Romanticized "Last Samurai" and "Shogun" movies/series.

If you would have to choose between the two, which one portrays "The Samurai" the best?
And beforehand I'm not talking of the realness of events or timeperiods because what I've heard they were nonexistent in both movies.

Just the question, which one was the most real in portraying "The Samurai" showed in both movies?

[Kamos]

I've never seen anything from Shogun though I might read the book soon, but I think the Last Samurai did a lovely job on representing the Samurai.

[mr tanko]

i got loads of samurai movies this is a new one i wont to get http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbXnHViUCg also this place has loads of films http://www.samuraimoviedvd.com/produ...roducts_id=207

[Taneda Santôka]

also this place has loads of films http://www.samuraimoviedvd.com/produ...roducts_id=207

I want that movie

[mr tanko]

I want that movie

hehheh hey if you like that you will love Okatsu the fugitive films http://10kbullets.com/reviews/f/lege...-the-fugitive/

[mr tanko]

my dream lady here Okatsu http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/199...tress09wp5.jpg

[Wundai]

Heh thanks for the... oh no wait no answers were given

Well except Kamos but he didn't see Shogun!

[furinkazan]

I saw both. The movie 'The last samurai' is a real beauty. I like to see it again and again. It is totally wrong about a historical point of view(Americans learning Japanese new techniques, Samurai in armor on the battlefield, ....), and the samurai-figure is very romanticized, but it is very entertaining and the vistas and costumes are very beautiful.
About the mini-serie 'Shogun'. This is based on a true story. It tells the story of William Adams( in the serie Blackthorne(=Richard Chamberlain)), an Englishman sailing with the dutch and shipwrecking on the coast of Japan. All the names in the serie were changed, i.e. Toshinaga for Tokugawa. Here the figure of the samurai is more respected and the costumes are very nice. There are no great battles, because the serie focuses on Blackthorne and the real Adams never participated in any battle.

[Wundai]

I see, its funny I just read the William Adams story yesterday on the Shogun box.

So you say the figure of the samurai is much more respected in Shogun, does that also mean is it more close to reality?

[furinkazan]

I see, its funny I just read the William Adams story yesterday on the Shogun box.

So you say the figure of the samurai is much more respected in Shogun, does that also mean is it more close to reality?

Yes that's what i mean, the samurai figure is more realistic in Shogun.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

The thing I hated about "The Last Samurai" was the noble fight portrayed by the Samurai to "protect" thier people. The samurai were basically a bunch of bullies who only wanted to protect thier status (why else would they be the only ones allowed to carry swords). They tormented the lower classes!

[Wundai]

Thats strange, I know there was torment but you make it sound like that happened all the time, they needed the lower classes like farmers and fisherman to bring in the food for Japan didn't they?

What is a Daimyo good for if he doesn't protect his people(in other words, the production, food, trade etc.)

[notvizigothe]

The thing I hated about "The Last Samurai" was the noble fight portrayed by the Samurai to "protect" thier people. The samurai were basically a bunch of bullies who only wanted to protect thier status (why else would they be the only ones allowed to carry swords). They tormented the lower classes!

There were not many scenes where the samurai were with commoners outside of the village they wintered in. And you didn't really see them interact with the normal people. The mostly just beat up Algren and trained. When they were with other people, like in the first battle the soldiers (i.e. commoners) were absolutely terrified, beyond the fact that they were green. And when they were going to meet the Emperor all the people in the streets bowed and tried to avoid them as best they could.

So yes they were portrayed in a more glorious light. But most people were afraid of the samurai.

As for other Japanese films...well I try to avoid most Japanese culture but I do own several Kurosawa films. They are ok. Leone's adaptations are far superior though.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Thats strange, I know there was torment but you make it sound like that happened all the time, they needed the lower classes like farmers and fisherman to bring in the food for Japan didn't they?

What is a Daimyo good for if he doesn't protect his people(in other words, the production, food, trade etc.)

Well yeah they needed the lower classes to provide the basic needs just like in feudal Europe. Except Japan had a much larger warriro population to feed. There were many times in Japanese history were the Shoguns would cancel all the debt that the Samurai owed to the merchant classes. Cause it just ain't proper for the top of the power pyramid to be in the indebted to a despised lower class (If I remember correctly the merchants were lower than farmers and artisans and only above the "untouchables")

anyhow back to movies i like the movie Samurai I However, Samurai II and III really sucked!

[notvizigothe]

anyhow back to movies i like the movie Samurai I However, Samurai II and III really sucked!

Wouldn't know anything about those movies but I think the best 'Asian' Japanese historical movie out there is; Tora! Tora! Tora!

It was directed by Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku and Toshio Masuda. As well as screenplay by Larry Forrester, Ryuzo Kikushima and Hideo Oguni.

And there is around a minute of footage shot by Akira Kurosawa, before they yanked him for being worthless.



Edit: Im following WBK around I saw his last post was Japanese movies and my curiosity got the best of me.

[mr tanko]

watch this guys listen to the drums http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr0hTUk_9P0

[Wundai]

Hmm never saw the Samurai I,II,III series

And heh Tora! Tora! Tora! yes I have it, nice WW2 Movie, not the best for me though.

mr tanko, I liked the drums

[Wild Bill Kelso]

noh masks creep me out!