The Last Samurai

**ben** · 17th January 2003, 10:33 PM

Tom "I am a cad and a bounder" Cruise is apparently shooting chanbara flick (the genre, not the sport) in NZ at the mo. Does anyone here know anyone involved in the production (extras/ consultants/whatnot)?

I can't imagine what his swordsmanship will be like. Very short and jerky probably.

b

**Ares2907** · 18th January 2003, 01:35 PM

lmao

**aru-ma** · 18th January 2003, 04:26 PM

go here ben:
The last Samurai
I'm going to watch this just to see what it looks like, I'll probably waste my $11.50 though.

Probably see you in otsuka if your still around

**ShÖgun** · 20th January 2003, 09:21 AM

check tom trying to make it happen, i kinda curious how he handles the sword

**Will** · 20th January 2003, 10:23 AM

Actually, I do know one of the extras....

My brother's friend when he was a freshman and sophmore (~8 years ago) in high school is going to be a peasant with his cousin. I learned this because last week I found out that the cousin is the son of one of the older members at my dojo by coincidence when the older member asked me if i knew his sister-in-law's family b/c we lived in the same town. I just thought that was interesting cause it's like, whoa small world.

I also saw on access hollywood that tom is practicing for the movie by "buying a sword and swinging it around"

**aru-ma** · 25th January 2003, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by Will
I also saw on access hollywood that tom is practicing for the movie by "buying a sword and swinging it around"

Really? that's nice to know, hope he gets his fingers cut off

, just joking.

but thats the thing with hollywood or movies in general isnt it? they're focusing more on the screen value (whether it looks good on screen or not) rather than the correct way of perfoming it. personally I dont think its wrong, although I dont like it. In the end they're making a movie not practicing budo.

Confound · 25th January 2003, 11:33 PM

Don't remind me of that ugly hasso that Qui-gon jin does. Please. . . (No offense, Ares. I like Star Wars, in fact Qui-gon is my second favourite Jedi, but still.. He has too many 'Ns' in his name.)

c

**Raiza** · 19th August 2003, 03:34 AM

I like this photo.

http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/im...4.jpg&img=&tt=

**angryshinai** · 19th August 2003, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by Raiza

I like this photo.

http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/im...4.jpg&img=&tt=

LOL must be lesson No1 for Tom... chudan no kamae

**D'Artagnan** · 19th August 2003, 09:23 PM

"In the end they're making a movie not practicing budo" -dorkusmaximus

I have to say i totally agree. the fact is, the reality of combat is not aesthetically pleasing, nor is it meant to be. Hollywood films on the other hand have a sole purpose to be entertaining. i can appreciate that kendoka view sword fighting movies in a different way than the average joe public, this being because they tend to have a better idea of what 'real' combat is all about. unfortunatley though most people want to see unrealistic fight scenes that last half an hour than realistic ones which last half a minute.

at least thats what i think.

A

**Phlebas** · 20th August 2003, 02:23 AM

"unfortunatley though most people want to see unrealistic fight scenes that last half an hour than realistic ones which last half a minute." -- D'Artagnan

This is so true. It's all part of storytelling vs. reality, and if there was no difference nobody would read a book or watch a movie... in fact, if there were no difference, there would BE no books or movies. (shudder) Telling a story is all about verisimilitude, not the cold hard truth. There has to be some escape, right? The truth can get heavy after a while, and a good story has long been a place where people run after a hard day's work. If we wanted truth, we'd just keep on working.

What irks me is when a complete mock-up carries the label of "true story" whether it's implied or in the sub-title (see "Braveheart" then read the history), but that doesn't seem to be the case here... but I could be mistaken. Is "The Last Samurai" an original story or was it done in print or celluloid form before?

Anyway, Raiza's link made me laugh... looks like Tom is trying to defend himself while taking a crap in his pants. In this case, I think a REAL kamae would be far more intimidating and impressive that what he's doing. Then again, I'm forced to admit that if I were fighting someone that struck that pose, I might lose because I would be curling up on the ground in hysterics.

A good example of the truth being better than imagination, here. Tom just looks silly. But that may only be my "kendoka's eye" view.

**Raiza** · 20th August 2003, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by Phlebas

Anyway, Raiza's link made me laugh... looks like Tom is trying to defend himself while taking a crap in his pants. In this case, I think a REAL kamae would be far more intimidating and impressive that what he's doing.

That was my impression when I posted the link. There was a guy who visited my old dojo awhile back and he got reamed out in front of everyone by Sensei for doing chudan no kamae with his hips rotated like that. The other guy in the pic doing a real McCoy chudan no kamae impressed me though. Too bad we couldn't see HIM from the front, argh. I'm going to be paying a lot more attention to the swordwork and overall hara of the Japanese cast than Tom (Look at me! I can glare!) Cruise.

**Neil Gendzwill** · 20th August 2003, 03:25 AM

In defense of Tom, his back is relatively straight and relaxed and his grip is more or less OK. This is in direct contrast to most movie swordwork [cough]starwars[cough] where the actors have the patented terrified grip-o-death and the hunched shoulders.