• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Pick the Samurai Movie I watch Tonight!

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Az987

all good things
So I've recently started trying to collect every good Samurai film available on DVD and have yet to watch any yet and now I dont know where to begin ! So its up to you GAF! Help me decide!

Here are my choices:

Yojimbo, also have Sanjuro but can't watch that til after this.
0780022513.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1056486511_.jpg


Rashomon
B00003CXC6.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1056662433_.jpg


Ran
B000BB14YY.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1126832469_.jpg


Zatoichi Watched Sonatine though, awesome movie :D
B0002W4TOO.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1094140354_.jpg


Samurai Fiction
B00009V7OB.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZSCLZZZZZZZ_V1057254590_.jpg


When the Last Sword is Drawn
B000BQ5J18.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1129820782_.jpg


The Hidden Blade Need to pick up The Twilight Samurai, but the region 1 version is rather rare it seems, tons of 0 regions on ebay though.
B000FS9FIK.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V63003132_.jpg
 
I'd tell you to watch the Kurasawa films in sequence (so go wit Rashomon) and squeeze in Zatoichi when you want something lighter.
 
Yeah, I'd go with the older stuff first like Yojimbo.

Though it should be noted that Yojimbo is revisionist in the same way A Fist Full of Dollars was.

It might be in your best interest to watch the more traditional classics, so that the ones that subvert the genre can do their job.
 
Oh God not versus again :lol

any of those but the Zatoichi...i love Takeshi Kitano but i was disappointed by the zatoichi update i just like the older ones i guess.
 
DonasaurusRex said:
Oh God not versus again :lol

any of those but the Zatoichi...i live Takeshi Kitano but i was disappointed by the zatoichi update i just like the older ones i guess.
Click to expand...

What are some other good Takeshi Kitano films?

I really enjoyed Sonatine
 
Brother is a nice yakuza film staring Him and Omar Epps

Also he plays a nutcase teacher in Battle Royale

Tokyo Eyes

and Kikujiro is another great one
 
Az987 said:
Quick question, is Rashomon really a samurai film ?
Click to expand...
Its got samurai in it, but it isn't really a samurai film. Its still pretty dang ace though.
Az987 said:
What are some other good Takeshi Kitano films?

I really enjoyed Sonatine
Click to expand...
Kikujiro is great. A better question would have been are there any bad Kitano directed films, to which I would answer, none that I've seen.

And while we're on the topic of kinda-samurai flicks, check out the American remake of Zatoichi, which is a really-good 80's style B flick (from the director of Patriot Games, Dead Calm comes... Blind Fury
B00004RERE.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1056667157_.jpg


The other film is a sci-fi remake of Yojimbo, don't ever watch it, it sucks.
 
I'm all for Kurosawa flicks, but something in me says to go for Zatoichi today.

Any samurai movie that ends with a rhythmic dance sequence at the end is okay in my books. :p
 
The King Lear addaptation is great, I would go with Ran tonight.
Kurosawa's shakespear films are the best addaptaions IMO, check out Throne Of Blood if you like Macbeth.
 
Is 'when the last sword is drawn' any good? like in leauge with the other films in this thread? expect Azumi cus it's shit.
 
Az987 said:
So I've recently started trying to collect every good Samurai film available on DVD and have yet to watch any yet and now I dont know where to begin ! So its up to you GAF! Help me decide!

Here are my choices:
-snip-
Click to expand...

Rashomon isn't a samurai movie, though it is one of the finest movies ever made.

From that list here's what you should watch, in order of quality:

1) Yojimbo
2) Ran
3) The Hidden Blade (before or after you see this you need to watch the director's previous movie even though it's not a sequel, Twilight Samurai. Beware of the R1 dvd however)
4) Zatoichi (I would highly recommend not seeing this until you seen at least a few of the far superior original movies, though)
5) When the Last Sword of Drawn
6) Samurai Fiction
 
When the Last Sword is Drawn
B000BQ5J18.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1129820782_.jpg


Ahhhhh... I saw that one on the plane to Japan, it's a good drama flick (sometimes a bit too dramatic). By the end of it I had watery eyes >_<
 
If you watched Yojimbo, try to follow it up with:

sanjuro.gif


Its Mifune playing the same guy only in a different situation, and its an AWESOME movie
 
Sanjuro is fantastic. Really funny, too.

Make sure you don't buy these Yojimbo and Sanjuro dvds though. Like Seven Samurai, these two will be re-released in much better editions by Criterion shortly.
 
Az987 said:
Quick question, is Rashomon really a samurai film ?
Click to expand...
no.

it's a mastepiece regardless though, and my favorite kurosawa film. i'd watch this first. great for a rainy day. spicy food. beer. rashomon. oh yeah.

you probably should start with yojimbo, but it doesnt matter if you watch sanjuro first either, in fact sanjuro is more fast paced and accessible.
 
Brobzoid said:
Is 'when the last sword is drawn' any good? like in leauge with the other films in this thread? expect Azumi cus it's shit.
Click to expand...
well said. azumi is a complete piece of shit. its garbage.
 
jetpacks was yes said:
Sanjuro is fantastic. Really funny, too.

Make sure you don't buy these Yojimbo and Sanjuro dvds though. Like Seven Samurai, these two will be re-released in much better editions by Criterion shortly.
Click to expand...

Yea I wish I would have known that last year when I bought the Akira Kurosawa collection offered by Criterion.

Anyways, I ended up watching Yojimbo, great flick, Toshiro Mifune never disappoints :D
 
ChennehCis said:
When the Last Sword is Drawn
B000BQ5J18.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1129820782_.jpg


Ahhhhh... I saw that one on the plane to Japan, it's a good drama flick (sometimes a bit too dramatic). By the end of it I had watery eyes >_<
Click to expand...
you should watch the NHK Taiga drama Shinsengumi!
if you enjoyed When the Last Sword is Drawn you will love it
 
FTWer said:
all those are good just as long as you seen:
0780020685.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1056486503_.jpg


the mack daddy of all samurai films
Click to expand...

Yes, that got me into samurai films :)

I caught the begining of it on TV one night and fell in love and purchased the Kurosawa box set soon after.
 
Seven Samurai.... never heard of it....


Actually the Criterion three disk edition comes out a week from today!
 
how could i forgot seven samurai... but go with yojimbo anyways (if not too late)

this one is great too

sword%20of%20doom.jpg


edit: kabuki!!!!!!
 
Sword of Doom is amazing, but it has no ending. It's all build-up to something climactic but it ends without the climax actually happening (since it was supposed to be the first in a series of movies).
 
DON'T watch:

-Anything by Ryuhei Kitamura

-Kitano's Zatoichi remake (cg fights and crossdressing in-between zz)

-Samurai Fiction (yuck)


___


Besides those, most of the recommendations are sound ;b
 
I love Kurosawa, especially older Kurosawa, so Yojimbo. Wasn't a big fan of Rashomon though, probably my least favourite of Kurosawa's samurai flicks. Ran was fantastic however, especially the scale.

edit:
Zatoichi was a snorefest, didn't see the rest.
 
Ran. Ran is fantastic.

Also I sort of agree about Sword of Doom, but I don't think the problem was that it had no climax - the problem was that it ended right in the middle of the climax for no apparent reason.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Poll
Would you rather watch another C. Nolan "movie" - or kill yourself?
2
56
251
bitbydeath replied
Do you prefer reading books after watching the movie/TV series?
19
191
IDKFA replied
Samurai Champloo live-action adaptation is in development
5
343
IAmRei replied
A Django/Zorro Crossover Movie is in The Works
25
443
jason10mm replied
Last Samurai Standing (Netflix samurai battle royale movie)
37
2K
Donald mac Ronald replied
Top Bottom