The Last Samurai: movie

[hood]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/media/16m.jpg

I didn't see a thread for this yet. Anyone else seen it? What a great movie. I'm a sucker for well done Samurai fight scenes and this movie delivered the goods. Another good one being The Hunted.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/media/31m.jpg

It's a breath of fresh air in a time where wire-work based chinese kung fu movies are getting way too much air time. I can't stand it when people go flying through the air all over the place. It was obvious in this movie that they had quite a few expert swordsmen, and they let them show their stuff. No stupid wires or special powers. Highly recommended.

[wholagun]

It was actually good. WOW. Tom Cruize can be a great actor in the RIGHT role,and be the worst actor if the role is bad, it all depends on the role he is given. When I saw the preview I personally thought it would be the latter.
Your the first one i know that has seen the movie. I wait till more people come back with thier opinions, on this one.

[Seraphim]

I was going to start a thread of it on Friday but I didnt go and see it, Im going tonight.

Tips for spoilers....do this if you want to talk about the movie


SPOILER











asdlkgjalmdaoiurewvdaag.

[Merik]

I really did enjoy this movie. The thing I noticed most of all was the sheer, by not sounding gay, passion into making the movie and getting it right. Another thing that struck me was that one reason why TomCruise did good in the movie was becuase he barely said anything throughout the whole damn thing. Cheers for Samurai!

[hood]

I agree. Both the Japanese and the Germans have the perfect language for grunting, yelling insults, and screaming battle cries. It's used well in this movie. :)

[farmgirl]

I thought it was really good as well. Just in case you want a female perspective....

awww Hood... where's your rotund little avatar???? I miss him. ;)

[Seoulstriker]

I thought it was really good as well. Just in case you want a female perspective....

awww Hood... where's your rotund little avatar???? I miss him. ;)


http://www.xbox-connection.com/hostedimages/hoodAvatar.jpg

this dude was awesome! :)

[96B]

I did not really know what to expect but it turned out to be one of the best movies I have seen lately. I liked how the movie sadly portrayed the transformation from Samurai to the soldier. When you think about it, the soldier has a sense of anonymity amongst an army whereas the warrior has his own identity and reputation.

[Seraphim]

Just saw LS I give it a 10/10

I think this is my third favorite movie, maybe even second favorite.

I wonder what kind of paycheck Tom Cruise would have had. If you dont know what Im talking about, Tom gave up his paycheck for the movie.

There was some CGI in it, like the last battle where it pans out and shows the "modern" army...I thought they could have done the CGI better.

Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan has been the only movie where my adrenalin is pumping and my leg can stop going up and down. All the action scenes in the movie were amazing and superbly done...except for the CGI though

This movie makes me want to don a samurai suit.

http://www.xbox-connection.com/hostedimages/Japan.jpg

http://www.xbox-connection.com/hostedimages/Japan2.jpg

[TriggerPuller]

I thought it was really good as well. Just in case you want a female perspective....

awww Hood... where's your rotund little avatar???? I miss him. ;) FarmGirl is your Avavtar from Cool Hand Luke. That was a great scene......Lucille!!!

TP

[farmgirl]

I thought it was really good as well. Just in case you want a female perspective....

awww Hood... where's your rotund little avatar???? I miss him. ;) FarmGirl is your Avavtar from Cool Hand Luke. That was a great scene......Lucille!!!

TP

That's the one TP.... looks just like me.... ;)

Actually, I got it because Cali Joe told me that was who he pictured when he read my posts.... had to throw him a bone.

[Minjin]

I haven't seen this film yet but it is apparently one of the best films in a long time I have not heard a single person complain about it.

And Tom Cruise made it for free, as a tribute to the Japanese people and their history/culture.

[TriggerPuller]

I thought it was really good as well. Just in case you want a female perspective....

awww Hood... where's your rotund little avatar???? I miss him. ;) FarmGirl is your Avavtar from Cool Hand Luke. That was a great scene......Lucille!!!

TP

That's the one TP.... looks just like me.... ;)

Actually, I got it because Cali Joe told me that was who he pictured when he read my posts.... had to throw him a bone.Thanks. Great movie,hot scene and she didnt even have to get naked! Take care

TP

[96B]

What we've got heah, is... failyah tew communicate. Man what a classic!

[farmgirl]

What we've got heah, is... failyah tew communicate. Man what a classic!


yeah... perhaps I'll watch that today.... nothing like watching a classic on a snow day....

I still like the song he sings.... ;)

[pinkeye]

as one critic put it, "it's not kurosawa but it's as close as zwick [director] is likely to get", and i wholeheartedly concur. it's not art but an above-average production. the battle sequences were well done, but the movie was a typical "hollywood" production with the requisite inacurracies, romantic sub-story, and big (caucasian) action star. seeing ninjas on the big screen was rather "cool" (film geek moment). between this and honey, the choice was rather obvious...

can anyone explain why the cruise and watanabe characters discuss taking out the howitzers only to neglect to do so during the battle? and of course we all know who survives the suicide charge...

[Seraphim]

as one critic put it, "it's not kurosawa but it's as close as zwick [director] is likely to get", and i wholeheartedly concur. it's not art but an above-average production. the battle sequences were well done, but the movie was a typical "hollywood" production with the requisite inacurracies, romantic sub-story, and big (caucasian) action star. seeing ninjas on the big screen was rather "cool" (film geek moment). between this and honey, the choice was rather obvious...

can anyone explain why the cruise and watanabe characters discuss taking out the howitzers only to neglect to do so during the battle? and of course we all know who survives the suicide charge...


Thanks for spoiling part of the movie for people who havent seen it.
From what I remember they did not discuss on taking the howitzers out.
Can you please tell us what inaccuracies there were?

[hood]

Nah, all they said was that they needed to change the fight so it was close quarters, and not at a distance which would have been preferable to the canons.

[Haiw]

The car chase was really great, especially at that moment when Tom Cruise pulled out those akimbo Beretta's...

[Seraphim]

Nah, all they said was that they needed to change the fight so it was close quarters, and not at a distance which would have been preferable to the canons.

I think it was similar to

"We need to get close to them within sword distance" in reference to the rifles instead of the howitzers.

[earl]

I was a bit let down with the final battle scene, only because it seemed a little 'standard' like Braveheart, etc. Not that it was poorly done, but I was hoping for something a bit more cinematic, in Kurosawa's style.

I'd recommend some old Akira Kurosawa movies like :

Ran
Seven Samurai
Kagumusha

It's been a while since I've seen any, and they are subtitled, so if that's not your thing, then go see Kill Bill for more katana action. But I remember them being very cool to watch, some epic battles, all very authentic feudal japan era stuff.
Seven Samurai was inspired by The Magnificent Seven...

http://www2.tky.3web.ne.jp/~adk/kurosawa/gallery/poster/ran.JPG

http://www2.tky.3web.ne.jp/~adk/kurosawa/gallery/poster/sanjuro.JPG

[Seiyuuki]

Seven Samurai was inspired by The Magnificent Seven...

"Magnificent Seven" was inspired by "Seven Samurai."

"Seven Samurai" came out around 1954, "Magnificent Seven" around 1960.

"Last Man Standing" starring Bruce Willis was based on "Yojinbo."

[Rantanplan]

"A Fistful Of Dollars" is also a Copy of "Yojimbo"

And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.

[Seraphim]

Hood, have you seen The Last Samurai in the theatre? I cant stand watching them on my monitor. I dont know why people download new movies...just my HO.

[Trigger]

And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.
13th Warrior is based on the epic poem 'Beowulf' as stated in another thread ;)

[Salty Dog]

the last samurai is amazing. it's already in my top 10 all time movie list.

[Sleeping Sun]

Here's the REAL last samurai. Takeda Sokaku. He was the last person to master all the 18 Samurai-arts.

http://www.daito-ryu.org/images/sokaku.jpg

[Kingpin]

Here's the REAL last samurai. Takeda Sokaku. He was the last person to master all the 18 Samurai-arts.

http://www.daito-ryu.org/images/sokaku.jpg
Sleeping Sun...

Do you fan of Nightwish?

[Sleeping Sun]

Here's the REAL last samurai. Takeda Sokaku. He was the last person to master all the 18 Samurai-arts.

http://www.daito-ryu.org/images/sokaku.jpg
Sleeping Sun...

Do you fan of Nightwish?

They make good music

e.g. Sleeping Sun, Sleepwalker, Walking In The Air, Swanheart, Kinslayer, Passion And The Opera

[Kingpin]

Here's the REAL last samurai. Takeda Sokaku. He was the last person to master all the 18 Samurai-arts.

http://www.daito-ryu.org/images/sokaku.jpg
Sleeping Sun...

Do you fan of Nightwish?

They make good music

e.g. Sleeping Sun, Sleepwalker, Walking In The Air, Swanheart, Kinslayer, Passion And The Opera

Don't tell me - i have all their music :)

Also i like 10th man down and Away songs very much.

[Minjin]

And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.
13th Warrior is based on the epic poem 'Beowulf' as stated in another thread ;)

All the interviews I saw around release time said that 13th Warrior was based on Eaters of the Dead. Unless there is more than one 13th Warrior, of course.....

[Beowulf]

And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.
13th Warrior is based on the epic poem 'Beowulf' as stated in another thread ;)

All the interviews I saw around release time said that 13th Warrior was based on Eaters of the Dead. Unless there is more than one 13th Warrior, of course.....

Eaters of the dead is based on beowulf
-b

[ibstolidude]

And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.
13th Warrior is based on the epic poem 'Beowulf' as stated in another thread ;)

All the interviews I saw around release time said that 13th Warrior was based on Eaters of the Dead. Unless there is more than one 13th Warrior, of course.....

Eaters of the dead is based on beowulf
-b
the autobiographical accounts of your life?

[AFACadet]

I didn't like TLS.


It was pretty historically inaccurate.

[Salty Dog]

I didn't like TLS.


It was pretty historically inaccurate.

hey, **** you buddy! p-)

[Merik]

The movie wasnt supposed to be accurate in terms of actual people, etc. Its called a historical fiction motion picture because its a fictional story based around actual historical events. In this case many things were historically accurate but the events(the exception being the slaughter of native americans depicted in the movie)surrounding Tom Cruise's character.

[ShotOver]

It hasnt hit our cinemas yet, but when it oes... i'll check it out.

[AFACadet]

The movie wasnt supposed to be accurate in terms of actual people, etc. Its called a historical fiction motion picture because its a fictional story based around actual historical events. In this case many things were historically accurate but the events(the exception being the slaughter of native americans depicted in the movie)surrounding Tom Cruise's character.


There were only two things accurate about the movie

1) There were real life Samurai

2) And they got the costumes and way of doing things correct.



What they got inaccurate

1) The Samurai were the "bad guys" any way you look at them. They were the warlords of Japan and ruled with an iron fist--eg they were EXTREMELY brutal.

2) They never stated WHY Japan was trying to change. If they did, 99% of the people who saw the movie would take Japan's side

3) The American's had NOTHING to do with the situation at the time and never Helped Japan at that time with their militay. That was Prussia's job.

4) How the lower class people acted in Tokyo when they saw the Samurai was how the vast majority of people should have acted when they walked past

5) The only reason the Samurai were fighting was to keep their people repressed in the 'dark ages' so they could keep their power, much like Warlords do in war torn countries.

6) The final battle didn't go so 'well' for the Samurai. They got pretty torn up quickly

7) No gatling guns were ever used

8) and about a dozen other things


So the events were complete fiction, and the movie was revisionist history at its best.

What it did do well was show what people looked like at the time and stuff like that.

[DE_Six]

I agree with AFACadet. Romanticized Hollywood stuff. The scenes were nice to watch though. Beautiful photopgraphy. But the scenario...after an hour I was like: "Mary mother of God, make it stop!"
Shame anyone dared comparing this, even remotely so, to Kurosawa.

Besides, has anyone noticed how Cruise always play the same character; a dashing, good-looking, successful guy with an attitude problem who hits a wall and has to reconsider his whole life to overcome the obstacle.
Example:
-Days of Thunder: a champion racing driver who hits the wall (literally) and is disfigured.
-Top Gun: Ace pilot with major attitude issue (god, real pilots must love that movie) who has to deal with death of his RIO.
-The Firm; Brilliant young lawyer who gets in trouble for mingling with his boss's business.
-Few good men: Brilliant but inexperienced JAG bargaining lawyer faced with his conscience in a difficult case.
-Minority Report: successful police officer who is framed by his own system.
-Vanilla Sky: Another dashing young man framed and betrayed.
-Last Samurai: Disgruntled army officer who has to find redemption in the way of the samurai (oh boy...)
-Jerry Maguire: Successful sport agent who has to change his whole take on life when he falls in love.

You get the drift. I'm tired of this guy. And if he gets an Oscar for TLS, I just might throw a fit...

Sorry, rant over.

[Kitsune]

Beowulf wrote:

Minjin wrote:
Trigger wrote:
Quote:
And I think "The 13th Warrior" was Inspierd by "Seven Samurai" too.

13th Warrior is based on the epic poem 'Beowulf' as stated in another thread


All the interviews I saw around release time said that 13th Warrior was based on Eaters of the Dead. Unless there is more than one 13th Warrior, of course.....


Eaters of the dead is based on beowulf
-b


Just to make a "final" statement about this:

13th Warrior is based on the Crighton "novel" "Eaters of the Dead". This book is some kind of joke of Crighton...He once came up with the idea of "inventing" a historical text which could be the basis of a legend. He chose the Beowulf legend and as the histrorical document an old text of a certain Ibn Fadlan. This text is well known to histrorians as Ibn Fadlan is a 10th century Arab who encountered Vikings and wrote about them in a unusal unbiased way, making his reports unvaluable. Crighton now took his report (the first two chapters of "Eaters of the Dead") and then expanded it, writing in the same way as Fadlan. So he created a seemingly historic book which COULD have been the start of the Beowulf legend. Weird. Nonetheless, evrything about Ibn Fadlans journey to the northern lands and about the fight against the Wends is pure ficiton. The true Ibn Fadlan encountered Vikings but never travelled to the Northern Lands with them.

[Salty Dog]

I agree with AFACadet. Romanticized Hollywood stuff. The scenes were nice to watch though. Beautiful photopgraphy. But the scenario...after an hour I was like: "Mary mother of God, make it stop!"
Shame anyone dared comparing this, even remotely so, to Kurosawa.

Besides, has anyone noticed how Cruise always play the same character; a dashing, good-looking, successful guy with an attitude problem who hits a wall and has to reconsider his whole life to overcome the obstacle.
Example:
-Days of Thunder: a champion racing driver who hits the wall (literally) and is disfigured.
-Top Gun: Ace pilot with major attitude issue (god, real pilots must love that movie) who has to deal with death of his RIO.
-The Firm; Brilliant young lawyer who gets in trouble for mingling with his boss's business.
-Few good men: Brilliant but inexperienced JAG bargaining lawyer faced with his conscience in a difficult case.
-Minority Report: successful police officer who is framed by his own system.
-Vanilla Sky: Another dashing young man framed and betrayed.
-Last Samurai: Disgruntled army officer who has to find redemption in the way of the samurai (oh boy...)
-Jerry Maguire: Successful sport agent who has to change his whole take on life when he falls in love.

You get the drift. I'm tired of this guy. And if he gets an Oscar for TLS, I just might throw a fit...

Sorry, rant over.

jealous much? :P

[Kitsune]

As for "Last Samurai":

AFAcadet wrote:

3) The American's had NOTHING to do with the situation at the time and never Helped Japan at that time with their militay. That was Prussia's job.


Yeah that surprised me that they changed this. They missed a golden opportunity to have Germans as evil guys AGAIN. And an American helping the nice Samurais fighting against these and their fascist infected Japanese lackeys....hmmm. Astounding.

But ok. Since I a fan of anything connected to Old Japan I could not miss "Last Samurai", of course. The movie is, in my opinion, not bad. But not too good either. The acting is well done, there are many beautiful pictures in it and one sees (next to T. Cruise) some very good Japanese actors with high Charisma score ( :lol: ). Down points: History is shamelessly distorted (something becoming more and more usual with Hollywood today...I bet we will see the day when we have a movie showing how the US Army toppled the Roman Empire :roll: ), Samurai were depicted in a very one-sided and superficial way (OK...to be fair, it is difficult to do it in one movie, perhaps impossible). Real downpoint: Those battlescenes at the end...emotionally overcharged, over-heroized, over-hollywoodized...(Cruise's character is the only survivor of the lot, don't you believe it).
Those scenes pushed it down in my opinion...its a pity, could have been a much better movie. The problem with Hollywood is that they usually try to make a movie who pleases all (there are some notable exceptions !!!) and that often downgrades the result.

[Durandal]

I have to be honest, while I loved the fight scenes, I thought the movie was rather poor in quality.

I also hated how it portrayed the Samurai as the honorable class, when in reality, they were just as corrupt and tyrinnical as the Nationalists.

It was VERY pretty and I enjoyed the cinemaphotography and over all I did find it entertaining.

I have to be honest though, I am a SUPER huge fan of Kurosawa films, and this could not hold a candle to any of his samurai films...

[DE_Six]

jealous much? :P

Hell yeah! He hit Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz...bastard... :P

[Seiyuuki]

What they got inaccurate

1) The Samurai were the "bad guys" any way you look at them. They were the warlords of Japan and ruled with an iron fist--eg they were EXTREMELY brutal.


I also hated how it portrayed the Samurai as the honorable class, when in reality, they were just as corrupt and tyrinnical as the Nationalists.

PLEASE, DON'T GENERALIZE!!!

[AFACadet]

huh?

[Durandal]

PLEASE, DON'T GENERALIZE!!!

Ummm, I didn't. I said the Samurai were JUST as corrupt as their Nationalist counterparts.

So where is the generalization?

[Seiyuuki]

Never mind, you can't understand.

[Durandal]

Never mind, you can't understand.

An idiot's argument.

[kinghk]

Stupid ending, but a nice movie after all.