Groups | Search | Server Info | Login | Register

Groups > comp.sys.dec > #4177

Download Film Samurai

Show all headers | View raw

<div>The film depicts seven ronin (masterless samurai) as they band together to protect a beleaguered farming community from repeated attacks by marauding bandits. The epic three-and-a-half-hour runtime, on-location shooting, and use of multiple camera set-ups for its action scenes made this release from the Toho studio the most expensive Japanese production of its day.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Despite the early modern-era setting, the film contains many of the same tropes of earlier samurai films (albeit with a lot more bloodletting), most notably another Koike adaptation that preceded it, the seven-film Lone Wolf and Cub (1972-74) series.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>download film samurai</div><div></div><div>Download Zip: https://t.co/nlSup4JsSa </div><div></div><div></div><div>I suspect everybody reading this is at least aware of Seven Samurai, and probably seen it at least once, so I'll keep the plot description brief. But for this film in particular, I recommend watching it right away before reading this review. Not because of spoilers, but just because it's such a classic and I don't want to "contaminate" your first viewing.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The plot is that every year, bandits raid a small village (not specified exactly when but I would guess around 16th-17th century - there are 3 rifles that play a key plot point), so the farmers get the idea to hire rogue samurai to protect them. They don't have any money and not much food to pay, but they eventually gather a team of seven samurai who are willing to help them for, basically, the fun of it. The first half of the film is gathering the team and learning about each character, and the second half is preparing for battle, and the long battle itself.</div><div></div><div></div><div>It is the longest of Kurosawa's films, at nearly 3 1/2 hours including a 5 minute intermission (I love movies with intermissions!). While it does feel long, it doesn't drag and doesn't feel as long as it is. It really is an action film - prototypical in many ways. Ocean's Eleven comes to mind (and I've heard A Bug's Life mentioned as well) where the first half is building a team and learning about each character and their characteristics, and the films inspired by the battle itself are too numerous to mention, and its influence is so pervasive it would be like trying to count the guitar players influenced by Jimi Hendrix. However, obvious examples of clear inspiration/copying are Star Wars, Magnificent Seven, and countless TV episodes including many Westerns and a Mandalorian episode from Season 1. This article says:</div><div></div><div></div><div>Richie explains that chambara is the term used to describe the typical sword-fight films of the time, but Kurosawa wanted to make a real jidai-geki (period-film) that was meaningful. He would reuse this framework for The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjuro.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Watching this right after Ikiru, it is striking how different the two Shimura roles are - it hardly seems like the same actor playing the hunched-over, sick bureaucrat, and the stoic samurai leader. It really speaks to his flexibility as an actor and it's surprising he's not as well known as Mifune. Mifune, too, has great screen presence and is very animalistic, like he was in Rashomon, and the upcoming Yojimbo and Sanjuro.</div><div></div><div></div><div>I think Seven Samurai may be the most accessible Kurosawa film, even though it's so long and is in black and white. So far in this project, my wife either hasn't watched or has half-watched 12/13 films so far (I insisted she watch Rashomon since it's such a classic), but once I put this on she paid full attention for the whole length and enjoyed it. She is usually critical of Kurosawa because every movie either has loudly crying women or horses getting hurt (she loves horses and the first Kurosawa movie I had her watch was Kagemusha - I told her they were all stunt horses). There were both loudly crying women and horses getting hurt in Seven Samurai but she enjoyed it nonetheless.</div><div></div><div></div><div>I believe that a study of the Japanese samurai genre at this point in my blog can do nothing but benefit my readers. The purpose is two-fold: 1) it will introduce them even earlier to foreign-language cinema, and 2) it will collaborate and complement their understanding of the significance of the Western.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The cowboy and the samurai are idealists and loners. They fight against an oncoming incursion of a new world order by fighting for the traditions of the past. They are national symbols of a founding myth: one based on agrarianism, loyalty, patriotism, and spirituality.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>As a result, both the cowboy and the samurai have an intimate relationship with death. The cowboy, once his virtue is found (and in some cases, in order to find that virtue) must go down in a blaze of glory. The samurai was even more extreme, as it needed to be considering the added importance of courageous victory in their code. Each samurai carried two swords: a longsword for dueling, and a short one for harakiri. The blaze of glory for the samurai was more than just a ride into the firestorm. It was a willingness to disembowel the self rather than betray the codes of virtue.</div><div></div><div></div><div>(Note: the Film Sage has a different selection for the greatest Japanese director. That award goes to Yasujirô Ozu. However, I will uphold the decision that Kurosawa is the greatest of samurai movie makers).</div><div></div><div></div><div>There is no better way for an American movie-lover to start watching foreign films than to start with the samurai genre. The ideals of individualism, loyalty, and virtue are emboldened and accentuated in their violence, drama, and action. So much of their content touches on those principles of mythology and heroism that we love in our movies, while simultaneously engulfing us in touching dramas about human frailty and loss. I have said at many points of this blog that the world of cinema is broad and, occasionally, daunting. Just like our own world, one learns to appreciate by learning its history and visiting its beautiful places. I try, through this blog, to introduce you to the history of this world, and tell you the best I can about its landmarks. But, you have to go visit the landmarks on your own. Hopefully, this chapter will prepare you for some of those landmarks, which I will be introducing to you in a series of film reviews that are forthcoming.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Cinema has always had a fondness for the tales of samurai. Whether it's thrilling action films, heartbreaking dramas, or even love stories, filmmakers have followed these mythic characters for almost a century. While the golden era of samurai movies was during the 1950s and '60s, particularly during the time of acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa, the genre still lives on today.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Hollywood has even embraced elements of the predominately Japanese genre, with popular films such as Kill Bill and The Wolverine featuring homages to the way of the samurai. Video games have also focused on the fabled warriors, with Ghost of Tsushima and Trek to Yomi being recent examples. While the output of samurai films may have slowed down in recent decades, quality films are still being released in the genre, even without Kurosawa.</div><div></div><div></div><div>With legendary director Takeshi Kitano's latest offering, Kubi, debuting at Cannes to solid reviews, it looks set to join the ranks of great modern samurai movies once it receives an official release. Its story tells a classic samurai tale without any heroes as its characters vie for supremacy, while the battle scenes are said to evoke the style of Kurosawa, creator of some of the best samurai movies of all time.</div><div></div><div></div><div>While Zatoichi: The Last is far from the best movie based on the famous character, it still offers enough samurai thrills to entertain fans of the genre. If you are a Zatoichi fan you may want to give it a miss as it is a controversial take on the character, but those who care little for lore will not mind.</div><div></div><div></div><div>As the name implies, Punk Samurai Slash Down melds samurai action with a punk rock personality. Don't let the synopsis fool you into thinking this is your standard samurai movie, as it fires on all cylinders and incorporates elements of Fantasy into its crazy adventure. A future cult classic.</div><div></div><div></div><div>After their master commits seppuku as a result of a false accusation, his loyal samurai set out to avenge their lord by raiding the one responsible. Among them is Kai (Keanu Reeves' underrated character), a half-Japanese, half-English outcast who was adopted by the fallen lord and who seeks revenge alongside his newfound brothers.</div><div></div><div></div><div>While it can be debated that 47 Ronin does not deserve a place among good samurai movies, it is still an entertaining enough watch. The focus of a white protagonist in a Japanese story was a misstep, but its incorporation of Fantasy elements, such as witches and giants, helps give it a unique identity compared to more traditional samurai fare.</div><div></div><div> df19127ead</div>

Back to comp.sys.dec | Previous | Next | Find similar

Thread

Download Film Samurai Thi Barnacle <barnaclethi@gmail.com> - 2024-01-20 14:08 -0800

csiph-web