zatoichi

jorvik · Post by **jorvik** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:37 pm

I don't know if anyone is a fan of Japanese Cinema but this is the latest offering in the vane of seven samurai..the trailer was brilliant .but the film I'm undecided on

...........I watched it right after "The Last Samurai".........which I wasn't to taken with and in comparison I thought this far better,like "Kagemusha".there are bits that are really cool

.............a bit like your favourite record, or the one that you play the most.oftentimes you don't even like it when you first play it

.then you do..it's a bit like that,to me anyway

.I think that I may watch this again.

druid · Post by **druid** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:47 am

I watched Zatoichi. But I saw it in version from 2003. This is a remake of a former movie. I Must say, Takeshi Kitano is really gut japanese director. I wached a couple of movies of them. He makes very gut movies about japanese Yakuza.
If I must compare zatoichi and Last Samurai certainly I would point a Zaotoichi as a better movie. For me, Cruise as a Samurai is a little bit pathetic. But, of course, maybe my way of judging movies is too european

P.S. Did you guys in England have Zatoichi played in cinemas?

jorvik · Post by **jorvik** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:06 pm

Hi Druid,
No it just went straight onto DVD.i think it might of been shown in some "fringe" Cinemas.

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:38 pm

The original "Zatoichi" came out in 1963 ( http://imdb.com/title/tt0057714/ ). I don't know if the new one is a strict remake or just loosely based on the concept of the original.

jorvik · Post by **jorvik** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:44 pm

It's a remake of Zatoichi, Takeshi Kitano was asked to do it by a famous actress, because it's such a Japanese institution.so he did a new version, he dyed his hair blonde ..to give it a surreal quality.but I think it stayed pretty close to the original..blind Massuer,expert swordfighter

..if you get the DVD watch the theatrical trailer first.....it will get you into the spirit of the thing.
I liked it because it was so different from US or UK films.it had a strange feel to it...........also do you remember "Blind Fury" with Rutger Hauer.that was a western version of Zaitoshi..I think a lot of MA's will like this film.although the fight scenes are a bit Gross

( blood and hacked limbs strewn everywhere)

Victor · Post by **Victor** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:09 am

Earlier in August the Independent Film Channel was showing several of the original Zatoishi movies, as well as plugging the release of the new one.

I think IFC focuses on Japanese Movies on Saturday afternoons.

The Original Zatoishi is so good.

Victor Smith
bushi no te isshinryu