yup
Shogun Assassin.
The Seven Samurai – one of the very few instances where the most popular of choices is also the best.
Le Samourai
Second: Yojimbo & Sanjuro [I consider them the same work]
Possibly: Collateral
I think Seven Samurai should be excluded from this question, it’d be more interesting that way. After 7S I’d probably go with one of the Lone Wolf & Cub films, probably the third (outside of Kurosawa, I’ve yet to educate myself in great samurai films, it’s on my to-do list, though).
Matthias, may I ask which one you preferred out of Yojimbo & Sanjuro? Personally I much preferred Sanjuro.
Tough Call. As close as it is, I’m going to have to say Yojimbo particularly because I’m fascinated by the idea of the masterless samurai. However, I’m far more inclined to actually watch Sanjuro over Yojimbo because it’s so funny.
Eli Lamb,
I considered excluding Seven Samurai, and I think it’s a good idea. I approve,
That film with Seven in it – Magnificent Seven I think it was. Apparently, it was a tribute to one of those foreign movies from Japan, I believe. My guess from the Hollywood version, the original must have been damn good!
“Kill Bill”. Yes, it’s a Samurai film.
Ahh Bob you jokey jokester!
Taboo. haha.
Lachlan Foley, uncool man, uncool.
Sorry, that’s my last post in this thread…for a while.
Le Samurai is not a Samurai movie, Mathias Galvin. Only in title.
Seven Samurai is in a class of itself, more art than straight up Samurai.
I liken The Lone Wolf and Cub series. Now that’s badass Samurai action, Yojimbo was good too. For more serious approach to it’s subject, check out Sword of Doom.
Please take out Kill Bill from the list. It’s a pastiche of lesser known but better made influences, more exploitation film than samurai film. I fucking hate that movie, and Tarantino too.
Throne of Blood. I would say Seven Samurai if they cut out the first hour.
Sanjuro and Kill Bill (except that this samurai refrains from using brain)
Minus Seven Samurai, for me its Harakiri.
“Please take out Kill Bill from the list. It’s a pastiche of lesser known but better made influences, more exploitation film than samurai film. I fucking hate that movie, and Tarantino too.”
Tsk tsk tsk. Hate it, love it: it’s still a Samurai movie. I want proof that it isn’t. kthx
Ghost Dog
what about the tom cruise “samuri” movie
Harakiri by Kobayshi is one of the best, I think, aside from the Kurosawa films. Sword of Doom is really good as well.
Nobody has said RASHOMON? Wow.
It does to the Samurai movie what UNFORGIVEN does to the western.
Sword of Doom
Nobody mentioned the Inagaki Mushashi triology and Kojiro?
Try Kobayashi’s “Hara-Kiri” sometime. Masterpiece.
yeah ghost dog … kurosawa’s samurai movies are all great …. what about the fortress?
is that a samurai movie?
Throne of Blood
Aside from Seven and Yojimbo (let’s face it, that’s almost given, deservingly)
I love them samurai dramas, (action movies are dime-a-dozen) where all start slowly, then everything build up to a boiling point and finally BOOM heads are flying!
Sword of Doom
Samurai Rebellion
Seppuku – One of a kind – I only saw this once in a theatre, but I’m sure this is Hara-Kiri, right?
Kill!
Incident at Blood Pass
Samurai Assassins
Gohatto(Oshima)
Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman – Yes, the “Beat” Takeshi one!
Hey folks, now that we’re on the subject, could anybody tell me which movie this is –
I stumbled on this movie on cable at 2AM years ago, it has a pretty ridiculous plot (but funnier than Last Samurai) and it stars the who’s who of Japanese cinema like Mifune, Sonny Chiba and Tetsuro Tamba, plus old Richard Boone (yes, the cowboy on tv) as Commodore Perry, Mako as a fisherman and that girl from Emmanuelle as a lady samurai – I couldn’t fuckin’ believe it but I thought it was entertaining. Ooops, and it also has James Earl Jones as a shipwrecked sailor. Anybody?
For a fairly new (at least to me it’s fairly new) samurai film watch Samurai Fiction. It came out in 2001. It’s nothing great, but entertaining.
George Jones
My vote is for Seven Samurai.