Recent Samurai Movies

[GDomino]

After doing my annual summertime anime marathon (I saw for the first time Vandread 1&2, Dai-guard, and Full Metal Panic 1, all within the past two weeks); I realized that I didn't get as much enjoyment from these highly recommended shows as I usually get from watching any mech series (maybe I'm just burnt out from the repetitiveness of mechas, the seizure inducing colors, and the whole big eyes thing heh heh ). So, I've decided to take a break from anime and in the meantime explore the live action side of Japanese films, preferably Samurai movies. I've done the Akira Kurosawa type oldies years ago so I'm looking at the more recent movies. I just bought "Azumi" and "Twilight Samurai" to start things off. These sounded good from their eBay descriptions but I'm wondering about which movies are definite "must sees".

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 17, 2004 by GDomino

[Opus]

Although not very recent I'm a big fan of the Japan Action Club movies from the 70's and 80's like "Shogun's Ninja" and "Legend of the 8 Samurai". They're super cheesy with ninjas flying all over the place but to me that's thier charm.

[Pat S]

Awesome movie with a serious tone...

http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/2004/04/feature/03.php

Edit: Nevermind, I didn't know that this was also called Twighlight Samurai which you mentioned above.

Edited July 17, 2004 by Pat S

[Hubert]

It s not recent, it s from the 70s : the 6 movies of Baby Cart, they re very good !!

[Lindem Herz]

Zatoichi

A Takeshi Kitano movie.

Probably the coolest thing I've seen in my life. Funny lines and situations without being too corny within a plot that isn't any less serious by the comedic tone. Also, the best realistic sword fight scenes EVER, and Kitano is a BADASS!

Only thing that I didn't enjoy as much was the Stomp-y dance sequence at the very end, although I must say it was an amusing sight.

[Pat S]

If you can handle the alternative lifestyle stuff going on, this flick was pretty good.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213682/

[GDomino]

Thanks for those suggestions guys. For anyone interested, here is an intereting webpage that has reviews of some of the recent JP movies, Samurai, Action, Drama, etc...

I think I'll be checking out "Zatoichi", "Samurai Fiction", and "Red Shadow" ( a ninja movie!!) next.

edit: BTW, isn't (this comedic) "Zatoichi" a remake of the old "Blind swordsman" movies?

Edited July 18, 2004 by GDomino

[peter]

If you can handle the alternative lifestyle stuff going on, this flick was pretty good.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213682/

I watched that movie....a few scenes horrified me, the but rest of it was great. Interesting perspective on Shinsengumi uniforms. I have b/w photos of some of the real members and their uniforms actually look more like the ones portrayed in Kenshin.

Anyway, good fight scenes.

[Seven]

Pretty much anything with Toshiro Mifune or directed by Kurosawa are definite must see, but you did mention that you watched some Kurosawa films already. There is an older movie called Heaven and Earth directed by Haruki Kadokawa, with huge battle scenes like Ran.

I think any of the Zatoichi (Blind Swordsman) films are also enjoyable but don't feel as epic as any Kurosawa films. I do like them since it looks more into the Yakuza lifestyle than focusing on bushido or samurai, and usually has a few comedic scenes. I didn't enjoy the Kitano Zatoichi movie at all, maybe because I didn't thing Kitano had any charisma as Zatoichi and the bad CG work with CG swords impaled through people and CG blood didn't do it any favors. I'm probably just biased though.

Twilight Samurai was excellent and Hiroyuki Sanada should be more remembered for this movie than the other crapfest "The Last Samurai" that he also starred in.