Favourite Samurai Movie

[Musashi898]

Whats everyones favourite Samurai Movie?, mines The Last Samurai, stop critising me lol, i think the battle scenes are brilliant and the music is great too.

[Walras]

Okamoto's "Sword of Doom." I'm new to kendo and the forums but I still bet you're going to get a lot of flak for The Last Samurai :P.

Although it was a decent film with the exception of Tom Cruises ttt performance.

[Berugijin]

Star Wars.

[joekc6nlx]

Akira Kurosawa's 'The Seven Samurai'. When the samurai shaves his head and dons priests' robes to save the child from the kidnapper, he is practicing the best ideals of samurai. He doesn't have to draw his sword in order to defuse the situation, in fact, he takes a decidedly non-violent approach.

[Twobitmage]

sword of doom had some great fight scenes.

Dont you love the parts where a lone swordsman Pwn a whole batallion?

[piggy]

the seven samurai...i think i saw that with my dad a while ago.
last samurai had real potential but as all my friends know, i dont care for tom cruise at all. absolutely terrible.
joekc6nlx, is your avatar from robot chicken? awesome show!

[Taisaburo]

The Seven Samurai. Although, The Twlight Samurai is very good since there is actual Kendo in it.

[Charuzu]

RK: Reflection.

I cried throu most of the movie. I was watching it with my girlfriend and she just stared at me while I cried and cried. I think that might be one of the reasons why she broke up with me thus I deeply regret watching it. (and most of everything else, I'm just a huge falure at everything I guess. Hell, I can't even spell.)

[joekc6nlx]

Piggy,

Yep, it is Fritz Huhnmorden. I like him because he reminds me of a "claymation" James Coburn.

"Tasegare Seibei" is also a good movie. I can't say I was teary, but it is heartwarming, especially when you understand it's the daughter speaking of her father after he's died in battle. The scene where he successfully scores "do" on his opponent was so quick, you hardly saw it.

[KhawMengLee]

Old:
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Sword of Doom
Seven Samurai
Kagemusha
Shogun's Samurai
Roningai
Owl's Castle

New:
Tasogare Seibei (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DA-225)
Kakushi ken Oni no Tsume(The Hidden Blade) (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DA-620) By the same director as Tasogare Seibei.
Azumi (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=ASBY-2382)
Mibu gishi den (When the last sword is drawn) (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/(simple,mint,with_comments)/detailview.html?KEY=DA-231)
Samurai Fiction
Doraheita (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DVN-22)

[Nokori 3byo]

Just saw Kobayashi Misaki's "Seppuku" (aka "Harakiri") last week. It's fantastic--but not what you could call a upbeat movie. And all the chambara is crammed into the last 15 minutes.

Also, my copy of the Criterion Collection "Sword of Doom" should be arriving any day now. More Nakadai Tetsuya action on the way.

Obviously, the Kurosawa's two Yojimbo films are dope, the first somewhat more than the second. "Ran" is equally terrific with it's gut-wrenching battle scens--ditto "Throne of Blood" with it's naginata-wielding ghosts.

Inagaki Hiroshi's work in the genre definitely desrves praise ("Chusingura" and the "Samurai" trilogy), but for some real creeped out jidaigeki weirdness check out "Onibaba" (an early assay at samurai horror).

[Taisaburo]

Piggy,

Yep, it is Fritz Huhnmorden. I like him because he reminds me of a "claymation" James Coburn.

"Tasegare Seibei" is also a good movie. I can't say I was teary, but it is heartwarming, especially when you understand it's the daughter speaking of her father after he's died in battle. The scene where he successfully scores "do" on his opponent was so quick, you hardly saw it.

Don't forget that super flying Men Uchi.

[Musashi898]

Im guessin you guys and gals did like the Last Samurai BUT with the exception of Tom Cruise, who magically didn't die even though he was faced with cannons, gatling guns, normal firearms etc but hey it's Tom Cruise lol, of course he has to survive it is Hollywood, but i actually think he played an Okish sorta role.

[NorthernKendoka]

Think that Kurosawa's work is amazing. The movie that made the biggest impresion on me was however Mibu Gishi Den. My parents rented it since the movie I wanted wasn't avalible. I had never heard about it before and suddenly there it was. It's a wonderful "nostalgic" samurai movie. I don't any other movie which can make grown men cry like only a samurai can.

[Banza Joe]

Well, i aint ashamed to say 'The Last Samurai' is amongst my fave films of all time. the music is beautiful, the battle scenes excellent. Sure he doesn't die at the end, but are you suprised?
I really don't think Hollywood could have made a better pic pertaining to the samurai.
i loved it.

edit: for the record, Katsumoto and Ujio were my fave characters anyway. its really them that made the film for me, however, i do think Tom Cruise is an excellent actor and did a good job.

[Hisham]

The last samurai is a great movie, i don't like the fact that Tom's character got into using dual style so fast but i think that the basic idea behind the movie is a deep one.

[ZealUK]

The last samurai is a great movie, i don't like the fact that Tom's character got into using dual style so fast but i think that the basic idea behind the movie is a deep one.

That concerned you more than the fact that they were all fighting in yoroi?

The best review of that movie is below....

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=five_shitty_movies

[aiuchi]

Akira Kurosawa's 'The Seven Samurai'. When the samurai shaves his head and dons priests' robes to save the child from the kidnapper, he is practicing the best ideals of samurai. He doesn't have to draw his sword in order to defuse the situation, in fact, he takes a decidedly non-violent approach. - And then he kills the guy!

Still, also my fave movie... along with Yojimbo and After the Rain (about a samurai who can't keep his job as fencing master 'cos he's too good humored! And Twilight Samurai. I don't go for the heroic stuff so much.

[WolfofMibu]

i think my favorite samurai movie is the seven samurai as well. altough i am very found of the Samurai Trilogy starring Toshiro Mifune as Musashi Miyamoto. so if i had to decide it would be one of those

[Charuzu]

Well as for the last samurai I thought that the little kid should of kicked his arse. But when Cruse won I'm like O.o

[Musashi898]

My fave character was Ujio, again for the record Tom cruise played a resonable part, the fight scenes and music were brilliant, Zatoichi i think is my second favourite, thats is a very uber kool movie.

[kanyil]

I am a fan of the show "暴舫將軍" (Something Shogun). It's about a young shogun (who was more like superman with a katana, by the way), who masquerades himself in every episode to investigate, and deal with bad deeds that happen amongst his subjects.

It's hilariously addictive. Near the climax of each episode he would reveal his identity to the bad guys and give them a chance to redeem themselves by committing seppuku, the bad guys would be at first shocked and prostrate themselves before the shogun, but then everything would go south after the the shogun demands seppuku (can you say "hell no"?).

A huge brawl then ensues, the shogun (and his 2 trusty ninja side kicks) chops down, on average, at least 30 cronies per show.

Not a movie, more like a samurai soap opera.

[Kobo]

The Last Samurai and Seven Samurai. Very good movies.

[Anjin-san]

Watch the Last Samurai again, you'll find its actually a comedy.

I haven't seen much but the last good samurai film I saw was either Ran or When the Last Sword is Drawn.

[The great I AM]

Watched Mibu Gishi Den last week. Goddam that has to be the best samurai film I've ever watched, its fantastic! I even almost cried at the end when Yoshimura was getting ready to Kiru his Hara. Its great. Everybody should watch it.


"Migoto na samurai da"

[KhawMengLee]

Watched Mibu Gishi Den last week. Goddam that has to be the best samurai film I've ever watched, its fantastic! I even almost cried at the end when Yoshimura was getting ready to Kiru his Hara. Its great. Everybody should watch it.


"Migoto na samurai da"

I like how he has such a soft demeanour and then turns to satan in a swordfight...sweeeeeeet.

If you liked that, watch the Hidden Blade(see my earlier post) and Tasogare Seibei.

[Fai]

My favs has to be Ame agaru (after the rain) and The Twilight Samurai

[yohed55]

i just watch all the fighting movies on Spike, they're funny if nothing else, the voices are clearly not the person who's talking and their lips dont line up with the words.

[Kobo]

Watch the Last Samurai again, you'll find its actually a comedy...
A comedy? Ooook...

[Musashi898]

how on earth is the Last Samurai a comedy or is that just some stupid comment

[KhawMengLee]

how on earth is the Last Samurai a comedy or is that just some stupid comment

It is a divine comedy...unfortunately, because its spoken in the language of the Gods, we mortals don't get it...

[Gatsu]

My favorite so far is Samurai X, but i want to see the last samurai and Hero.

[Anjin-san]

Gatsu, you're the man. That's the best signature I've EVER SEEN. I was actually rolling all over the floor laughing.

[Gatsu]

yeah thanks, i love it too. Seeing jim carry join the night at the roxbury crew is awsome.

[Seikei-san]

My favorites would be Zatoichi, and The Last Samurai. I saw the Last samurai first, and yes, the music IS beautiful and the battles are cool. Zatoichi was also very interesting, and enjoying in my opinion.

[nodaka]

Sword of Doom is one of my favorites.

[Mr. Donigan]

I just watched "Samurai Fiction" and really enjoyed it. Yojimbo is always good. "Taboo" is, well, different than any other Samurai movie I've ever seen. The kendo in it is great though.

[Nokori 3byo]

Now that I've seen "Sword of Doom," I hasten to add my voice to the chorus of praise for it. Despite the highly stylized nature of the swordwork, it is the jidaigeki most likely to appeal to kendoka on a number of levels. Its action dwells obsesivley on unorthodox koryu, footwork, marathon tsuki practices, and it makes numerous technical references which only those familiar with Japanese sword arts are likely to understand. It's also one of the few period films I've seen in which kendo bougu is shown on screen (as it is set in the 1860s).

Check it out, Grasshopper. You won't be disappointed.

[motlive]

Not much love for The Hidden Fortress

For me:

Seven Samurai
The Hidden Fortress
Yojimbo
When the Last Sword is Drawn

(see a theme there)

[Kusemono]

My favourite is Sanjuro. Yojimbo was good but I think Sanjuro really fleshed out the character and it was a little easier for me to follow than Yojimbo.

[Cailin Coilleac]

Spammers reported. Might be a good idea to lock these old "what's your favourite movie/food/porn/music/dog" threads.

[Cabbage]

Mine would have to be the seven samurai. Yes it may be lame at some points and yes its in black and white but there is just something about it that is so awesome.

[cr720]

The Twilight Samurai and 13 Assassins are my favorites. I don't have much access to the older samurai movies (although I think Yojimbo was on Netflix a while ago...)

[coronzon]

Since I was a kid, one of my favorite directors has been Akira Kurosawa. I'd say Seven Samurai is my favorite. Though, all of his Samurai flicks are good.
I also enjoyed 13 Assassins.

[Scott H]

Well, it has to be Seven Samurai doesn't it? Although there are other great films in this genre out there (and most have already been mentioned), this really is the pinnacle.

Saying that, I recently watched 13 Assassins, and my god, that was good. Of course, there is some Miike weirdness that is to be expected, but a 50 (50!) minute sword fight? Yes please.

On the flip-side I also sat through some of those old "Lone Wolf & Cub" flicks. I saw one of them back when I was, like, 12 years old and thought it was the coolest thing ever, but now, meh...kinda doesn't date well.

[Kokoro777]

Don't you think that Seven Samurai is ripe for a re-make by Miike? He's got a real eye for modern classics and iagine it in colour and in HD? Or if we're all really bad and don't behave, Hollywood could re-make it. Kambei would be played by Will Smith, Katsushiro by Keeanu Reeves, Gorobei would simply have to be Adam Sandler, Shichiroji would be played by Owen Wilson, Heihachi by Jennifer Aniston, Kyuzo by Charlie Sheen and Kikuchiyo by....well you decide

[Scott H]

Don't you think that Seven Samurai is ripe for a re-make by Miike? He's got a real eye for modern classics and iagine it in colour and in HD? Or if we're all really bad and don't behave, Hollywood could re-make it. Kambei would be played by Will Smith, Katsushiro by Keeanu Reeves, Gorobei would simply have to be Adam Sandler, Shichiroji would be played by Owen Wilson, Heihachi by Jennifer Aniston, Kyuzo by Charlie Sheen and Kikuchiyo by....well you decide

I could completely see this happening. Probably not by Miike though. He'll move back into his creep genre I reckon. More likely is a Hollywood remake. God forbid. Although it was technically already remade by Hollywood in the guise of The Magnificent Seven. As for who would play Kikuchiyo.....well, they'd probably give that role to Jim Carrey.

[sarge127]

I never watched samurai movies before...

[chidokan]

samurai assassin wasn't bad, but I still like hidden fortress, shogun assassin series and sword of doom. old and new Yojimbo make me laugh... I have loads of these, good way of spending a quiet night in with whiskey when the dojo is shut...

[b8amack]

Yojimbo > Seven Samurai

[Scott H]

So, a few people recommended "Gojoe" in this thread, so I through it into my NetFlix queue and watched it this past weekend. Pretty darn good. Not your typical samurai flick at all though. Enjoyed having all of the Buddhist cosmology themes in there. Quite a different take on the Benkei/Yoshitsune story.

Thanks for the recommendation!

[Mokujin77]

Mibu Gishi Den (When The Last Sword Is Drawn). Brilliant story, well told with some fantastic acting. Heart-crushingly poignant in places too - It is a soul-less individual who manages to watch this film without at least getting a lump in their throat by the end.

[EdwinaR]

Hello you guys! Japan was always fascina6ting to me and I adore watching movies about ninjas and samurai's. My favorite actor is Tom Cruise (he is so my crush you have no idea lol) so my favorite movie on this topic is he Las Samurai. Well, it's kinda oldie but goodie:)

[coronzon]

Seven Samurai!

[kalyed]

my favorite samurai movie is ninja assassin its a great movie.its a story of guy with strong power and killing skills