Plaese to recommend a Samurai movie
LamarTinson
507 Posts
or other solid Japanese action flicks. There was a thread about this a long time ago, and I didn't pay much attention.This is a genre I'm kinda feelin' right now. Much appreciated.
Comments
As is the Zatoichi series
For crazy misogynistic over the top shit with funky soundtracks, can't miss the three Hanzo flicks:
And of course Kurosawa can't be fucked with
(inspiration for a Fistful of Dollars)
(inspiration for Magnificent 7)
Check out Seven Samurai, yojimbo, Sanjuro, Hidden Fortress, and Rashoman
I'm a big fan of Akira Kurosawa...peep the Hidden Fortress. It was definitely influential to George Lucas.
The Shogun Assassin series will probably be next.
"I've Been Known" Ladypink
In addition to the classics listed above I really enjoyed this box -
The four films are also available individually.
For some straight up Japanese exploito/gangsta shit I also recommend these -
MCF
"Lady Snowblood" will be an eye opener to anyone who saw "Kill Bill." I preferred the other Meiko Kaji movie I saw this week, "Scorpion Female Prisoner" cause it's crazier and operates in the real world and the insane cartoon world (like Kill Bill) whereas Snowblood is basically one big revenge cartoon, but they're both essential. Scorpion isn't a samurai story, by the way, but whatever.
love lady snowblood. thanks for the scorpion prisoner tip.
not samurai but for an amazing japanese ghost movie on a similar vibe check kwaidan
There's a ton of flicks to watch. A lot have been named already.
In the last few years there have been some brilliant films released. Tho, if your looking for violence, you might want to skip them. But, for really amazing films check out: *NOTE: Very little violence*
The Twilight Samurai
The Hidden Blade
When the Last Sword is Drawn
Dope.
And definitely all the other shit recommended here.
Oh, and "Yaji and Kita's Midnight Pilgrimage"
If you watch it, it'll possibly be the craziest movie you'll see this year. Not a samurai movie perse, but theres a bit of sword play, and it takes place in a Edo Period/Modern times parallel universe. Two gay dudes take off on a motorcycle from their village to go on a pilgramage to a famous shrine, in hopes of helping one of them kick their pill-popping habit. It's got hip-hop, schoolgirls, drugs, OL's, crossdressing, magic, stand-up comedy, genitalia that stretches up to 5 feet, the Bearded Courtesean, psychdelic mushroom trips, etc.
It's a little
Granted, knowing a bit of japanese culture and comedy really helps one appreciate this joint.
Peace...
FNM
Oh yes!
In addition to that, this has long been one of my favourites. Just your run of the mill existential gangster musical........
I thought it was great also. A few thought it was corny.
Which was true of Azumi 2. I don't know how they fucked that up...
Can anybody recommend any Hanzo Hattori movies?
HELL YES! Fukasaku's older Yakuza films are INCREDIBLE! The "Yakuza Papers" series is like the Godfather series of Japanese cinema. Get the series in this box set:
'Okami to buta to ningen' from '64 is Fukasaku's earliest exploration of the Yakuza genre (although it enjoys more of a neorealist aesthetic than the films of the '70s) - his fame outside of that particular theme derives from the camp 'Black Lizard' and, of course, 'Battle Royale'... The Yakuza material is unflinching and relatively unsentimental in a cloying/trite manner...