Art of the Japanese Sword - New DVD

[emptymind]

Kendo World members may be interested in our new DVD film release - Art of the Japanese Sword. For more information visit: http://emptymindfilms.com

[Toshiro Mifune]

Ordered my copy last night. I really enjoy The Empty Mind documentary and their other films like Chen's village. Also I still hope maybe they will come out with that one documentary they were working on about a female kendoka.

[erikduop]

Thanks for sharing the useful information with all.That helped me a lot, it was all very specific.You have done an great job.Such an informative and well formed post!Thanks again for sharing that, it was wonderful of you.

[Kokoro777]

Thanks for this. I've ordered my copy plus 'The Zen Mind'.

[Kenzan]

Thanks for sharing the useful information with all.That helped me a lot, it was all very specific.You have done an great job.Such an informative and well formed post!Thanks again for sharing that, it was wonderful of you.

That's thar's some sweet, sweet, beautiful sarcasm, I'll tell you what.
Like poetry really.

[Bruce Mitchell]

I got my copy about a week ago. It is beautifully filmed. The sword smiths are top notch as well as the other craftsman. The TSKSR part could have been cut. It did not really add anything to the film, and compared to older vid's that focus this ryu, was not the best presentation of the ryu that I have seen. My only complaint is that the narrator cannot pronounce basic Japanese terms like bokken, it is an embarrassment really. There are times that I wish that they had gone into more depth or spent more time on interviews, but that just goes to show how much I was enjoying it. Well worth buying.

[Obukan_dude]

I'll definately be looking into/purchasing this one. I've enjoyed and learned from all of your past films.

[Kokoro777]

I got my copy about a week ago. It is beautifully filmed. The sword smiths are top notch as well as the other craftsman. The TSKSR part could have been cut. It did not really add anything to the film, and compared to older vid's that focus this ryu, was not the best presentation of the ryu that I have seen.Can you tell me the titles of DVD that deal with TSKSR? The only one I've seen is an old 1980s BBC production, 'Way of the Warrior' which was excellent but I'd like to see something even better.


My only complaint is that the narrator cannot pronounce basic Japanese terms like bokken, it is an embarrassment really. Not the dreaded "bow ken", is it? I don't mean anything bad about this but I think an English narrator always sounds better than an American accented one in documentaries. Its just more authoritative sounding in my opinion. Perhaps my American cousins think and English accent sounds too villainous for a narrator.


There are times that I wish that they had gone into more depth or spent more time on interviews, but that just goes to show how much I was enjoying it. Well worth buying.How long is the DVD Bruce? This type of information needs to be available in the advertisement.

[Bruce Mitchell]

Can you tell me the titles of DVD that deal with TSKSR? The only one I've seen is an old 1980s BBC production, 'Way of the Warrior' which was excellent but I'd like to see something even better.
The Nihon Kobudo Series video (http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=16518&cat=&page=1) is the best, I think. I have and like the BBC Way of the Warrior, it is the best one in English. Then there is Michel Random's Les Arts Martiau ou l'espirit des budo from around the same period.

Not the dreaded "bow ken", is it? I don't mean anything bad about this but I think an English narrator always sounds better than an American accented one in documentaries. Its just more authoritative sounding in my opinion. Perhaps my American cousins think and English accent sounds too villainous for a narrator.
I've only had time to view it once, and have put up a psychological block to keep myself from recalling the exact garbling. It was more than just bokken, and much worse than the British mash-ups I have heard (which are no worse than American English mash-ups). I actually enjoy hearing an English accent from my villainous cousins ;)

How long is the DVD Bruce? This type of information needs to be available in the advertisement.
The dvd is 85 minutes

Really, the negatives are miniscule, the video is great, and I would recommend it.

[Halcyon]

I got my copy a few days ago. Very comprehensive treatment of nihonto sword-making, from producing the tamahagane to making the saya and wrapping the tsuka, and of course everything in between. I imagine the inclusion of the TSKSR was included to give it some narrative structure, sort of an emotional core, if you will. A good reference piece, for those interested in this kind of thing.

[Kokoro777]

This is a superb DVD! I watched my copy this morning and have to say its brilliant and oozes quality. I found myself reaching for the remote control and hitting the pause button to take in the excellent photography of various blades and pressing review when something important was said and being shown on screen. Its one of the few programmes I've seen that takes you from smelting the tamahagane, right up to saya making and tsuka wrapping. Its quite light on detail in the narration being aimed at the general viewer I assume and those people with some knowledge of the processes might have wanted a bit more, but it does show you the processes which I have only previously read about, so together with this it provides a very good story of sword making. Really excellent, buy it today.