Results 1 to 24 of 24

Thread: Is there an epic Japanese film.

  1. #1
    Member Member theforce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
    Location
    Larnaca,none,Cyprus
    Posts
    2,287

    Default

    If they are any l dont know em. A movie ala TotalWar where clans are fightign with all those men killing in the field of battle. I can imagine my self watching it...
    "Not from there stupid you are going to get flanked"


    ------------------
    Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
    http://www.darksideshogunclan.cjb.net
    Enter the Darkside...
    I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
    http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness

  2. #2
    Member Member bokassa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Location
    Methlick, Scotland
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Kagemusha directed by Akira Kurosawa is about Takeda Shingen. I haven't seen it and I'm not sure if theres many battle sequences though.

    ------------------
    "How will we stop this man doctor?" "Oh no Sheriff he's not a man." "What is he ?" "He's evil."
    "How will we stop this man doctor?" "Oh no Sheriff he's not a man." "What is he ?" "He's evil."

  3. #3
    Southpaw Samurai Member Ii Naomasa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    Twin Cities, MN, USA
    Posts
    329

    Default

    Sadly, although Kagemusha features a lot of troops marching about and has a number of battles (including the famous 'beginning of the end' battle for Takeda at Nagashino), the majority of the combat takes place off camera, which one or more characters looking on. This is well done for artistic purposes, but, unfortunately, won't win the hearts of those who merely want to see samurai kill each other.

    Often talked about for its battle sequences, Kurosawa's later work, Ran, features only small size skirmishes, not full-on army vs. army battles. It's an excellent movie, though.

    While not of the same general high quality of Kurosawa's work, two works that have 'epic' battle sequences that can be found without too much effort in the western world. One is Heaven and Earth, or Ten to Chi to, which features the battle of 4th Kawanakajima. Take the actual details of this movie with a grain of salt, however.

    Furin kazan, more commonly known as Samurai Banners, supposedly features some decent battles. Unfortunately, despite its covering of Takeda Shingen's earlier years and co-starring Toshiro Mifune, I've actually never gotten a chance to see this one, so I'd get a second opinion before buying (renting should be sure thing, though...Mifune is rarely unenjoyable, even in his lesser movies).
    Naomasa Ii
    Vices & Virtues:
    Verbal Diarrhea: This general can't ever say or write anything in less than three paragraphs. Can't even yell 'Charge' without a soliloquy. -3 to command.

  4. #4
    Member Member theforce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
    Location
    Larnaca,none,Cyprus
    Posts
    2,287

    Default

    I m the one who likes watching samurai's killing each other

    ------------------
    Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
    http://www.darksideshogunclan.cjb.net
    Enter the Darkside...
    I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
    http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness

  5. #5

    Default

    Also try looking for the movie "sword of doom", it features great 1 on 1 battles during "tokugawa" japan..or better look for the "lone wolf and cub" series, cuz for me it has the best storyline pound for pound..alas for "braveheart" style samurai movies we still have to wait for a producer incarnate of the late akira kurosawa..but while ur waiting, play the "kessen" and "onimusha" games for the playstation2...attu gyokusai!
    In my sword; the wind, in my heart; courage, in my eyes; death...I am Minagawa

  6. #6

  7. #7
    Member Member theforce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
    Location
    Larnaca,none,Cyprus
    Posts
    2,287

    Default

    AWESOME. I will see Samurai's killing after all Thanks Itj

    ------------------
    Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
    http://www.darksideshogunclan.cjb.net
    Enter the Darkside...
    I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
    http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness

  8. #8

    Default

    That sure is great news...cant wait to hir more news about it! Attu gyokusai!
    In my sword; the wind, in my heart; courage, in my eyes; death...I am Minagawa

  9. #9
    Member Member candidgamera's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    NW PA, USA
    Posts
    864

    Default

    To Ii Naomasa or anyone:

    Know where one can get a VHS of "Heaven and Earth"? (Had it on tape from cable, accidentally got lost) remember its battle scenes as being as good or better than Ran.
    “You know the sound of thunder Mrs. Garret."
    "Ofcourse"
    "Can you imagine that sound if I asked you to?"
    "Yes I can Mr. Hickok."
    "Your husband and me had this talk, and I told him to head home to avoid a dark result. But I didn't say it in thunder. Ma'am, listen to the thunder.”

  10. #10
    Senior Member Senior Member The Black Ship's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    Tampa, Fl.     USA
    Posts
    1,771

    Default

    Heaven and Earth is hard go get new...it always seems to be on order or backlog With Hollywood getting involved interest in the game will expand greatly! Provided they've kept the game fresh of course

    [This message has been edited by The Black Ship (edited 01-13-2001).]
    All we are saying....is give peas a chance - Jolly Green Giant

  11. #11
    Senior Member Senior Member Dark Phoenix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
    Location
    Perth, WA, Australia
    Posts
    2,749

    Default

    With Hollywood involved it will probably get turned into something that will be no where near what the historians will want. It will probably be just Gladiator in Japan.
    DP is correct - Shiro

  12. #12
    Member Member theforce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2000
    Location
    Larnaca,none,Cyprus
    Posts
    2,287

    Default

    Well l think they will use more strategy in these game. And in Gladiator Romans were throwing fireballs, flaming arrows in the forest so the lines of the enemy were fucked up.

    ------------------
    Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
    http://www.darksideshogunclan.cjb.net
    Enter the Darkside...
    I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
    http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness

  13. #13
    Member Member candidgamera's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    NW PA, USA
    Posts
    864

    Default

    Black Ship do you actually know where you
    can order h&e from?
    “You know the sound of thunder Mrs. Garret."
    "Ofcourse"
    "Can you imagine that sound if I asked you to?"
    "Yes I can Mr. Hickok."
    "Your husband and me had this talk, and I told him to head home to avoid a dark result. But I didn't say it in thunder. Ma'am, listen to the thunder.”

  14. #14
    Southpaw Samurai Member Ii Naomasa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    Twin Cities, MN, USA
    Posts
    329

    Default

    Candidgamera, I, unfortunately, do not even own a copy of H&E. I saw it once on cable and have made half-hearted attempts to procure it. As BlackShip-san points out, it isn't easy to get a copy of it. Perhaps someone will make DVD version, as there is an undeniable faction of samurai-movie-loving fans out there.

    H&E's historical accuracy is suspect without even being a Hollywood piece, as are most tales that need to be condensed and made more 'exciting'. Despite the completely new 'history' of Commodus, Gladiator wasn't that bad for a Hollywood movie. Sure, you can nitpick on things, but I'm willing to give a Hollywood movie some lee-way as long as it inspires a small part of the population to explore the history behind the fictional story.
    Naomasa Ii
    Vices & Virtues:
    Verbal Diarrhea: This general can't ever say or write anything in less than three paragraphs. Can't even yell 'Charge' without a soliloquy. -3 to command.

  15. #15
    Senior Member Senior Member The Black Ship's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    Tampa, Fl.     USA
    Posts
    1,771

    Default

    I find with Historic fiction (that's what Hollywood always creates) that if I imagine I'm watching the events from some alternate-universe, not our universe, it's easier to take. That way Rome could indeed become a Republic again

    Buy.com has H&E listed on their movie titles, but it's always on order...the damn order must never get in!

    [This message has been edited by The Black Ship (edited 01-18-2001).]
    All we are saying....is give peas a chance - Jolly Green Giant

  16. #16

    Default

    true, looking for a copy of a heaven and earth video is really hard, i am currently looking for one too, heard that it was one of the most expensive movies made in japan and that the fight scenes is very well done, good luck in your search
    In my sword; the wind, in my heart; courage, in my eyes; death...I am Minagawa

  17. #17
    Member Member candidgamera's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    NW PA, USA
    Posts
    864

    Default

    Many thanks for the feedback posts. Just got Kagemusha - a good watch even without as much Ran-like battle scenes.

    Black Ship: went to buy.com per your post, wondering if that's really "our" H&E and not
    the Oliver Stone film about Vietnam.

    Ii Naomasa: how good's the history in your estimation in Kagemusha?

    Went into a Suncoast video store looking for H&E and it came on their screen on some indefinite status in Laserdisk from IVE. Was told that IVE was bought (or is now?) Artisan Entertainment.

    Curious to know the story of why such a prominant film of the genre, relatively recent (1990) would be so unavailable.
    Wonder if its like the "Heavy Metal" story:
    unavailable for about 10 years because of legal BS.

    Still haven't given up on finding H&E, will post anything I find out, its now a quest.
    “You know the sound of thunder Mrs. Garret."
    "Ofcourse"
    "Can you imagine that sound if I asked you to?"
    "Yes I can Mr. Hickok."
    "Your husband and me had this talk, and I told him to head home to avoid a dark result. But I didn't say it in thunder. Ma'am, listen to the thunder.”

  18. #18

    Default

    Kagemusha is ok, why dont u try watching the lone wolf and cub series, it may not be a army vs army movie but it has one of the best samurai storylines ive ever watched, as for the H&E question about its inavailability, the only copy they made was for the vhs only and no dvd's due to the fact of licensing as u said due to a company takeover, hope it helps...good luck
    In my sword; the wind, in my heart; courage, in my eyes; death...I am Minagawa

  19. #19
    Member Member candidgamera's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    NW PA, USA
    Posts
    864

    Default

    Minagawa Daimon:

    Speaking of Lone Wolf & Cub: found a site with those for sail (haven't contacted them yet) through Planet Total War site. It appears they have Samurai Banners too:
    http://www.animeigo.com/Samurai/SBANNERS.t

    On H&E, I'd be happy with VHS, as have no DVD player yet, starting to feel like the cassette-to-CD switch for music gone through about 10-12 years ago

    We all ought to flood the equivalent of the "Japanese National Film . . whatever" with email and demand they re-release it, damn the lawyers, ect! (only half serious of course).
    “You know the sound of thunder Mrs. Garret."
    "Ofcourse"
    "Can you imagine that sound if I asked you to?"
    "Yes I can Mr. Hickok."
    "Your husband and me had this talk, and I told him to head home to avoid a dark result. But I didn't say it in thunder. Ma'am, listen to the thunder.”

  20. #20
    Member Member UncleLou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    10

    Default

    And if you want to see a great movie about a black assassin in New York City who does his training with a katana on a rooftop and reads "The Way of the Samurai", watch "Ghost Dog" by Jim Jarmusch.
    But I think this isn`t quite the movie you wanted to see...

    ------------------
    CD-Recommendation:
    Miles Davis the complete live at the plugged nickel 1965
    CD-Recommendation:
    Miles Davis the complete live at the plugged nickel 1965

  21. #21

    Default

    one quick solution...have the lawyers commit seppuku, but the again they have no honor in the first place so they have nothing to redeem exept bring back H and E to the masses..as for the comparison between Lone wolf and ghost dog...Daigoro(ogami ittos son aka the cub) has more warrior spirit in him than ghost dog will ever have even if he practices his whole life,...Ghost dog is merely a modern day interpretation of Hagajure..while lone wolf and cub is bushido eternal...attu gyokusai!
    In my sword; the wind, in my heart; courage, in my eyes; death...I am Minagawa

  22. #22
    Senior Member Senior Member Kurando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 1999
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    2,175

    Default


    UncleLou;

    I'm glad someone else liked Ghost Dog too; to my mind that movie is poetry... the poetry of war...

    Modern civilization is a vast conspiracy against silence

  23. #23
    Member Member UncleLou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    10

    Default

    Kurando:
    That`s what I think!
    I knew you had taste when I saw that you posted a picture from Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and now I`ve got the final proof.

    By the way, I once saw Jim Jarmusch in Hamburg when he visited the same concert as me. Well, he`s easy to recognise, tall as he is and with his strange hair-do!

    (My final goal is to post one message I won`t have to edit because of severe spelling mistakes.)


    [This message has been edited by UncleLou (edited 01-20-2001).]
    CD-Recommendation:
    Miles Davis the complete live at the plugged nickel 1965

  24. #24
    Member Member CEWest's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    OR, USA
    Posts
    153

    Default

    You could probably consider some of the Japanese "Taiga Drama" 'epics', considering the fact that they are approximately 40 hours long, although sorely lacking in the 'big, epic battle' department.
    "I'm telling you, Kakizaki, there is a man living in my toilet!"
    "I'm sure there is, Tono, now let's go a little lighter on the sake next time, okay?"


    - Uesugi Kenshin and Kakizaki Kageie, 1578

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO