"The Last Samurai"

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Mon May 10, 2004 16:28 -0700

What did everyone think of this movie? I enjoyed watching it. I understand that it lacked in historical accuracy, but it was a fun movie. I loved the backgrounds, costumes, etc.

ziritrion · Post by **ziritrion** » Mon May 10, 2004 17:24 -0700

It was ok. The first half was awesome: the movie starts great and the whole period that Cruise's character spends in the Japanese town learning all about the samurai was really cool. However, once the true plot starts kicking in the movie becomes too predictable. And the final battle was just boring. The whole movie feels like "Dance with wolves", but with samurai instead of native-Americans (you can also throw a little "Braveheart" into the mix). Anyway, if you're not tired of that kind of movies, then it's a good watch (some of my friends absolutely loved the film). As you said, the costumes, the backgrounds (even though it was mostly filmed it New Zealand) and the whole look and feel of the movie is great, but the movie doesn't really have anything new at all.

The movie I'm waiting for is "Twilight Samurai". And the "Zatoichi" DVD, of course

. And Kill Bill 2, but it opens in July around here

.

Leonardo-san · Post by **Leonardo-san** » Mon May 10, 2004 22:08 -0700

I thought it was pretty good, not great.

SPOILERS (just in case!0

I have to admit, I am not much of Cruise fan, but thought he did okay.
I was afraid the story was going to be total cliche, but when it turned out Cruise's character wasn't The Last Samurai, just part of the battle....
And when he didn't end up in a full-out love scene during that armoring sequence, which would have been "typical hollywood" but would have been so wrong for the characters at that point....
Also, that he didn't end up "teaching the noble savages the right stuff" as so many movies go....

The fighting was very good. Especially being involved in iado, it was interesting and fun to see things I wouldn't have really noticed two years ago. I got some laughs at parts the rest of the crowd at the movie didn't "get", and I appreciate the effort the cast and crew put into the movie. Ngila, who did the costumes for Lord of the Rings, did the Last Samurai costumes. I got the fun opportunity to see Oscar movie costumes on display in LA a couple months ago, including Last Samurai. Very cool.
I also liked Ken Watanabe's work in the movie, he was very enjoyable to watch.

But I don't think I loved it enough to go out and buy it.

Pekass · Post by **Pekass** » Tue May 11, 2004 9:37 -0700

I just saw the fim a week ago and i enjoyed it. It was interesting, not a cult-movie but ok. Im not also a Cruise fan but he did it ok. The only thing wich i didnt like was: How did he could learn to be a good samurai in just a winter time?

takematsu · Post by **takematsu** » Tue May 11, 2004 14:22 -0700

How did he could learn to be a good samurai in just a winter time?

He didn't because they killed him!

*pant pant pant*

Sorry, I thought I'd gotten over that. Somewhere deep under this thread there's a pretty big discussion which started well before the movie's release, where many opinions are revealed. I'm on an authenticity-seeking mailing list of medieval recreationists who do Japanese stuff, and this question has just come up there; the consensus is roughly: "Fun, good costumes, lousy history, and rather unrealistic as far as Western Guy being so thoroughly adopted." If you've got high Cruise tolerance and understand it's quite loosely based on historical events, it's not bad.

ziritrion · Post by **ziritrion** » Tue May 11, 2004 16:15 -0700

takematsu wrote:
How did he could learn to be a good samurai in just a winter time?
He didn't because they killed him!

Dude, you have no clue! What you didn't see in the movie is that Tom Cruise was actually a ninja! He was using his mad skillz to deceive Matsumoto and learn everything about him (his enemy)! Besides, Cruise is also an American soldier, and America always saves the world , defeats the bad guys and kicks some serious BADWORD, so American soldier + Ninja = Absolute Ruler of the Solar System (and Japan too, because we all know that Japan is way too cool to be part of it)!!!

Man, letting your imagination flow the night before a critical exam sure is relaxing

.

Perfect... the flowers... are... perfect...

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Wed May 12, 2004 18:55 -0700

It's a good movie, especially the American Ninja scene... Cruise is much better than Dudikoff (sp), I got the DVD, but I am enjoying the SHOGUN DVD set much more. Yeah!! But I do have a question for other Shogun DVD owners... did you notice any scenes that were cut from this release? Just curious. Seems like there are some.

steven hubbell · Post by **steven hubbell** » Thu May 13, 2004 11:22 -0700

I have not seen the DVD version of Shogun, but I have heard / read that there are scenes included in the 2-hour version of Shogun which are not in the 8-hour mini-series version.

takematsu · Post by **takematsu** » Thu May 13, 2004 15:35 -0700

Dude, you have no clue! ...using his mad skillz ... American soldier + Ninja = Absolute Ruler of the Solar System ...

*SNERT!* <suppresses laughter, pauses, crams eyeball back into socket>

Cruise is much better than Dudikoff (sp)...

OK, even I can't argue that one.

but I am enjoying the SHOGUN DVD set much more. ... did you notice any scenes that were cut from this release?

I can't say that I did, but since my history with the movie is-- seen full length in original 1980 release, seen in 1996 on stubby VHS, seen last christmas in glistening DVD-- I may be forgetting something. What do you think is missing?

ziritrion · Post by **ziritrion** » Thu May 13, 2004 17:00 -0700

Everyone I know that has seen Shogun always speak wonders of the show. I wanna watch it badly. Too bad that the DVD set hasn't come out here yet.

Post by **Todd Shogun** » Fri May 14, 2004 7:14 -0700

I'll get back to you on what may be missing...still need to finish the DVDs...then I'll dig up my old VHS tapes and see what might be missing.

Usagi · Post by **Usagi** » Tue May 18, 2004 14:38 -0700

I loved it! It was one of thebest I think ^^ And Ken Watanabe was Awsome ^^ *giggles*- - But one thing that buged me was the Nylon umbrellas..

Was there Nylon Umbrellas then, Im Japan?

ziritrion · Post by **ziritrion** » Tue May 18, 2004 17:43 -0700

Nylon umbrellas? Really? I didn't notice, but if they were using nylon umbrellas, it was a great mistake: nylon is an artificial fiber invented in the early 20th century, so historically it's not possible

.

Usagi · Post by **Usagi** » Tue May 18, 2004 20:28 -0700

Yea when Tom and somoe men were getting off the shopis they showed you know the sceen of them walking around the city, and you seen wemon with nylon umbrellas ^^ - My firend pointed thatout tome and I was laughing my butt off every time I saw it-

And I think he said somethingother about the differentces btwn muskets then ..Im not to sure what he said now- and the American flad has all 50 states on it ^^

jei61x · Post by **jei61x** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:07 -0700

It sounds like it's a Japanese-themed Gladiator, to me...

I'll be over here, watching Kurosawa DVDs, thanks