Top 10 SAMURAI Movies Of All Tme

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Ok here they are I included Some Movie Series as one:

!. Zatoichi (all except Kitano version)
2. Seven Samurai
3. Sword Of Doom
4. Twilight Samurai
5. When The Last Sword Is Drawn
6. Yojimbo / Sanjuro
7. Samurai Fiction
8. The Hidden Blade
9. Gojoe
10. Kill

P.S. These are not in any preticular order as They are all top of my list.:thumbsup:

[Yas Kassana]

A man after my own heart. I too love everything you have in your list.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

A man after my own heart. I too love everything you have in your list.
Any great one's to add?:)

[Super Trooper]

You didn't like Kitano's take on the franchise?

I thought it was rather refreshing.

So, how great was The Hidden Blade(I thnk it just came out, didn't it?)?
I loved Twilight Samurai. Yoji Yamada rules!

You've pretty much cornered the best of the best.

Some others worth checking out would be:

Kurasawa's "The Hidden Fortress" and "Throne of Blood"

Mizoguchi's "The 47 Ronin" - personal fav

Toshiro Mifune in the "Samurai" (1,2,3) Trilogy - classic

Shintaro Katsu's "Razor" trilogy - He had his hand in the Zatoichi series

And of course, one of my favs, the "Lonewolf and Cub" movies.

That's all I can think of at the moment.


http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/owen/trooper.gif Troop

[The Machinist]

Toshiro Mifune in the "Samurai" (1,2,3) Trilogy - classic

HELL YES

[volcano]

Harakiri (Seppuka)

[MojoTrancer]

Ran (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089881/) should be on this list IMHO. Incredible samurai epic.

And honorable mention to Heaven and Earth (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099753/)for some of its visuals.

[spidey]

well being from that area in of cinema i enjoy most heres my list

1 Seven Samurai
2 Yojimbo
3 Lone Wolf and Cub Saga
4 Ran
5 Samurai Fiction
6 Zatoichi
7 Samurai Trilogy
8 Sword of Doom
9 Hidden Fortress
10 Twilight Samurai

Azumi 2 versus are also favs.... there are more but i think i love those the best.

[The Machinist]

I'll toss Kagemusha out there.

[spidey]

good movie.

[Huy Vu]

well being from that area in of cinema i enjoy most heres my list

1 Seven Samurai
2 Yojimbo
3 Lone Wolf and Cub Saga
4 Ran
5 Samurai Fiction
6 Zatoichi
7 Samurai Trilogy
8 Sword of Doom
9 Hidden Fortress
10 Twilight Samurai

Azumi 2 versus are also favs.... there are more but i think i love those the best.

I was really disappointed with Zatoichi after seeing it. I thought the fight choreography was really poorly done and edited. Much of the fight scenes consisted of people taking out their swords, a few quick angle cuts, then someone falls to the ground, the end. Even the final fight was edited in this manner which was really a letdown considering the film really went out of its way to hype it up. The story was slow moving, with too many unnecessary side characters that don't add anything to the film (what was up with that kid who runs around with a samuirai sword in his underwear?).

Azumi 2 and Versus suffer from this problem as well--too much flash, not enough substance. Versus was a particularly big disappointment; there are some cool moments here and there but it gets boring fast when the director keeps inserting about 50 "build up" shots of the combatants looking menacingly at each other and have the fight itself lasts but a few seconds.

[spidey]

maybe boring but thats the wave of new japanese cinema. ryuhei kitmura likes to be flashy and it works.... but substance not, for fun yea.

[Huy Vu]

Thanks for mentioning that. That is how actual samurai warriors fight.. I need to see the Versus now... Do you know any more boring samurai movies like that?

Realistic doesn't equal interesting, but if you like that style then watch Azumi 1 & 2. Both excellent examples of over produced but under executed action film.

[-zach-]

We need a top ten Yakuza movies list... Miike is the man.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

You didn't like Kitano's take on the franchise?

I thought it was rather refreshing.

So, how great was The Hidden Blade(I thnk it just came out, didn't it?)?
I loved Twilight Samurai. Yoji Yamada rules!

You've pretty much cornered the best of the best.

Some others worth checking out would be:

Kurasawa's "The Hidden Fortress" and "Throne of Blood"

Mizoguchi's "The 47 Ronin" - personal fav

Toshiro Mifune in the "Samurai" (1,2,3) Trilogy - classic

Shintaro Katsu's "Razor" trilogy - He had his hand in the Zatoichi series

And of course, one of my favs, the "Lonewolf and Cub" movies.

That's all I can think of at the moment.


http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/owen/trooper.gif Troop

There was definitley some great fight scenes in Kitano's version. I just didn't find the movie overall very good, He seemed Overwhelmed to play the character as he should be. But his preformance was too stiff. and lacked any real human feeling. He's more suited as a villan. Which he plays well. Anyone seen Blood And Bones, One of his better preformances.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

We need a top ten Yakuza movies list... Miike is the man.
So, stop talking about it and make one. Make sure you include Deadly Outlaw Rekka, and Gozu.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Everyone else great add on's. Anyone for the Sleepy Eyes Of Death Series?

[Alex DePew]

Thanks for the lists guys. I love the few samurai movies I have seen and need to see more. Your picks will be the next movies I watch. I'm going on a samurai binge. I am almost done reading Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa so this would be the perfect time to watch these. By the way, if you haven't, read Musashi it is a great book.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Thanks for the lists guys. I love the few samurai movies I have seen and need to see more. Your picks will be the next movies I watch. I'm going on a samurai binge. I am almost done reading Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa so this would be the perfect time to watch these. By the way, if you haven't, read Musashi it is a great book.
You should def read, The Book Of Five Rings by Musashi. Glad we could help, You can't go wrong on these reccomendations.

[Hairy Lime]

Watched KAGEMUSHA last night. Not Kurosawa's best, but still a gem in many ways. But not a single sword fight so I don't know if it fits the criteria of this thread.

[spidey]

it does but it about other things....

[The Machinist]

Read up on the back story behind Kagemusha.

When you learn about where Kurosawa was in his life and career that movie takes on whole new levels.

Brilliant.

[spidey]

yea kurosawa man what a master.

[spidey]

videodrone is cool btw.

back on topic...
I really think that samurai films can be both slow and calm and action packed just depends on how you want the story... Versus is fun to watch but when watching the depth of seven samurai you understand that character is the most important thing. suffering is a great part of samurai films; the suffering that people endure and those who rise to the occasion for honor and loyality or even vengenace. Samurai films can give you all this. I think thats why i enjoy them so much.

[The Machinist]

when watching the depth of seven samurai you understand that character is the most important thing. suffering is a great part of samurai films; the suffering that people endure and those who rise to the occasion for honor and loyality or even vengenace. Samurai films can give you all this. I think thats why i enjoy them so much.

Spidey i think you hit the nail on the head.

[Hairy Lime]

Yep, the contemplative nature is what I love most about The Twighlight Samurai in particular.

[Yas Kassana]

Anyone here seen Gohatto?

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Anyone here seen Gohatto?
Yeah... I think the english title is Taboo, or was it Brokeback Samurai.:) It was well shot but the overly gay overtones from all the characters was very unrealistic especially for that period in time.

[spidey]

actually studies show a large homosexual grouping of men in japan during those times at one point men were so male dominant belief that they would give up women all together thinking they could spawn with males as well. well they were wrong.... but surprising what was thought to be power structure then.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

I have read (and don't take this personally) the Hagakure, and other such books of life and times in ancient Japan. I don't recall reading anything that would support your above statement (at least not in the context you have described). It is true that women were given a second class status just as samurai were second class status to their lords (Daimyo). Regardless if it's true or not, it's not a very interesting premise. After all Japanese (ie My wife) / asian women are so hot, for that to be true there must have been something in the water for the men not to notice.:)

[spidey]

well, asian guys are very different from asian women ;-) plus i love asian women my self so dont be alarm... i learn this in a japanese studies class i had.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Lol, Spidey you don't need to defend yourself. BTW your Horror Fest stuff looks amazing, I probably won't be able to finish mine and submit it cause my wife got us tickets to her hometown in Japan I leave in two weeks and won't be back untill after Oct 1st, guess I can't have my cake and eat it too.
I'm surprised noone mentioned Samurai Rebellion, or Throne Of Blood. Also not a single, Incident At Blood Pass, mention or even an Izo.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

You didn't like Kitano's take on the franchise?

I thought it was rather refreshing.

So, how great was The Hidden Blade(I thnk it just came out, didn't it?)?
I loved Twilight Samurai. Yoji Yamada rules!

You've pretty much cornered the best of the best.

Some others worth checking out would be:

Kurasawa's "The Hidden Fortress" and "Throne of Blood"

Mizoguchi's "The 47 Ronin" - personal fav

Toshiro Mifune in the "Samurai" (1,2,3) Trilogy - classic

Shintaro Katsu's "Razor" trilogy - He had his hand in the Zatoichi series

And of course, one of my favs, the "Lonewolf and Cub" movies.

That's all I can think of at the moment.


http://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/owen/trooper.gif Troop

Sh@#, Sorry I overlooked that. Good taste BTW:)

[MOVIE STUNTS]

I'll toss Kagemusha out there.

Excellent choice.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Seen it, an excellent film. I didn't know Criterion had a release?

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Glad someone else mentioned Samurai Rebellion. Love that artwork, there are a few of those I don't own, i'll have to pick up a couple. Did you see their release of Onibaba, another masterpiece.

[spidey]

love all those films

[MOVIE STUNTS]

It starts a little slow but gradually deepens... It is a fantastic movie.

[Ogrus]

!. Zatoichi (all except Kitano version)
What?
His version Ruled!!!
I guess you didnt watch enough of "Takeshi Castle" to understand him!

[MOVIE STUNTS]

What?
His version Ruled!!!
I guess you didnt watch enough of "Takeshi Castle" to understand him!
Ho hum.. I've watched alot of Takeshi movies, his Zatoichi movie was good, but not great by any means. You should watch the original Zatoichi movies, in comparison Kitano's character is weak. You would have known my opinion on it had you read my previous posts in this thread.

[spidey]

his was supose to be weak though like an aging tihing.... anyway no i was defending earlier just stuff i read about and leanred in school

animation wise... samurai champloo is great.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

animation wise... samurai champloo is great.
Yeah it was a great series, but the end was a letdown. Hope they plan to ressurect it.

[spidey]

doubtful i like the ending though..... SW stuff is usually on 26 or so episode series and thats it. Cowboy Bebeop is pheonominal if you haven't seen it.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Am i really the only one out there who has seen the Sleepy Eyes Of Death series?

[Matthew B. Moore]

I wish I had seen this thread sooner.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

I wish I had seen this thread sooner.
What's stopping you, you can still list your favorites.

[Matthew B. Moore]

True

1. The Lone Wolf and Cub series is my all time favorite. That's 6 films right there. And 3 seasons of TV (I find that one with out the other is incomplete).
2. Samurai Champloo is my favorite animated samurai joint.
The rest can be in no order, they rule together.
3. I really like the new Zatoichi.
4. Samurai Fiction.
5. Azumi 1 and 2.
6. VS. and Arigami (if they can be counted)
7. Any combination of Kurasawa and Mifune

There are still many to see. I'm interested in Twilight Samurai and Samurai Trilogy.
Oh, and Blade...just kidding.

[Matthew B. Moore]

There are a lot of them that are out there that are total crap...the funny thing is, I end up picking them up just in the hope to find another gem.

Another oddity about the samurai flick is that I ended up liking Westerns better.

I DON"T CARE WHAT ANY ONE THINKS, I LIKED "GHOST DOG".

[MOVIE STUNTS]

I haven't seen Ghost Dog yet.. I have it in my netflix queue, I have heard from many others it is good.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

6. VS. and Arigami (if they can be counted)
.
Arigami yes, VS is a toss-up:)

[The Machinist]

You cant go wrong with Jarmusch

If you're talking broken flowers then yes you can.

[The Machinist]

So Sad but So true.

[Yas Kassana]

Arigami - I can't get that in that UK!! Is it any good?

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Arigami, I think is pretty good... It's kinda slow however.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Just saw Death Trance, can't say i'd call it Samurai. I would definitly group it with VS as far as that goes.

[chromeboy007]

<----------- one damn good film

[chromeboy007]

Read up on the back story behind Kagemusha.

When you learn about where Kurosawa was in his life and career that movie takes on whole new levels.

Brilliant.


I know both Kurosawa and the Japanese history around the time pretty well... but I don't see how the 2 correlate. care to explain?

[The Machinist]

Kurosawa was just coming out of a disparaging point in his life. For more than a decade he had trouble making his films; even going to Russia because he was able to find financing there. He attempted suicide in 1970.

Kagemusha was sort of cathartic for him in this respect. His triumphant return to Japanese filmmaking.

When I watch Kagemusha i feel that Kurosawa invested some of himself into the character of the thief-doppelganger.

[chromeboy007]

When I watch Kagemusha i feel that Kurosawa invested some of himself into the character of the thief-doppelganger.


funny I feel that way about "Ran" more.... I heard that the father character in Ran was written for Mifune but i guess things didn't work out

[The Machinist]

Ran was the very next movie after Kagemusha so he was probably still working out his personal life in the characters.

But i agree i can definately see that correlation. I mean if you hit a level of depression that deep in your life i imagine it will find its way into the rest of the work you do.

It's just Kagemusha was made first so i went with that one.

[spidey]

pretty much his movies became more personal to him than cultural when he started doing kagemusha. They become more one charcter driven than multiple characters. now he displace this in all his films but the most in his later films.

[Super Trooper]

If you're talking broken flowers then yes you can.

Too true.

The first time I saw it, I convinced myself I liked it, probably out of loyalty to Jarmusch.

Upon another viewing I came clean and admited that I...I...I...didn't like it!:crybaby:

It was one of the hardest things I ever did.

BUT, at least I can look in the mirror in the morning.

That's gotta count for something, right?

[MOVIE STUNTS]

With the overwhelming response to the anime, how does everone feel about a live action Samurai Champloo?

[Super Trooper]

are you talking hypothetically, or is one already in the works?

I've seen a bit of the Samurai Champloo, and so far i really have enjoyed it.

As long as they don't stray to far from the atmosphere or character sof the show, I'd be all for a live action version.

[Hairy Lime]

If you're talking broken flowers then yes you can.
Disagree. I'm not a Jarmusch fan, but Broken Flowers is my favorite of his after Dead Man, which I love.

[The Machinist]

Disagree. I'm not a Jarmusch fan, but Broken Flowers is my favorite of his after Dead Man, which I love.

Hey all the power to you man. If you got something out of it that's great but i totally drew nothing from it. I almost walked out half way through but decided to stick to my guns in the hope it was going to go somewhere.

I still consider myself a Jarmusch fan.

[Matthew B. Moore]

Arigami - I can't get that in that UK!! Is it any good?
I loved it.

[Alan H. Chang]

All these movies are too heroic for me. Yet they teach a very valuable lesson to everybody about their culture.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

are you talking hypothetically, or is one already in the works?

I've seen a bit of the Samurai Champloo, and so far i really have enjoyed it.

As long as they don't stray to far from the atmosphere or character sof the show, I'd be all for a live action version.
Sorry as far as i know there isn't one being planned, but dammit they should and give some kinda finallity to the ending.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

All these movies are too heroic for me. Yet they teach a very valuable lesson to everybody about their culture.
Curious, what kind of culture lesson?