Movie Review

[chinadave2001]

Hi all,

This is really not as off-topic as you might think at first. Last night, I went to see the new Tom Cruise movie, "The Last Samurai." It was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. Not only is the scenery incredible, but the depiction of the conflict between Eastern and Western cultures, between traditional Japan and Modern America, and all of its complexities, was just so incredible. At the end of the movie I just sat there, stunned and wishing for more.....Even though the story is not a Chinese one, there are so many parallels for those who have traveled to Asia to see.....I just can't say enough good things about this movie. If you have the chance, I would definately go see it. In several ways this movie reminded me of "Dances with Wolves", except much better.

Two thumbs up!

"Chinadave"

[keelec]

Chinadave,

 

Thanks for the movie suggestion.

 

It was quite a powerful movie with some very beautiful scenery. Perhaps a little too much blood too.

 

Sometimes I wonder if mondernization is right for every culture. I am sure that Japan gained a tremoendous benefit from embracing industrialization. However, I can't imagine what they lost.

 

----- Clifford ------

[Mick]

Chinadave,

 

Thanks for the movie suggestion.

 

It was quite a powerful movie with some very beautiful scenery.  Perhaps a little too much blood too.

 

Sometimes I wonder if mondernization is right for every culture.  I am sure that Japan gained a tremoendous benefit from embracing industrialization.  However, I can't imagine what they lost.

 

----- Clifford ------

Read Shogun. Great book, much better than the movie. Might give some idea of what they lost and what they have gained. Looking forward to seeing the Last Samuri soon.

[Guest blsqueaky]

Now I thought Shogun was quite the movie, the full 10 hour version, especially conisidering when it was made, and I enjoyed alot of the scenery.

 

I will be seeing Tom Cruises new one when I return. Can not wait. Hopefully in VHS or DVD soon

[chinadave2001]

Chinadave,

 

Thanks for the movie suggestion.

 

It was quite a powerful movie with some very beautiful scenery.  Perhaps a little too much blood too.

 

Sometimes I wonder if mondernization is right for every culture.  I am sure that Japan gained a tremoendous benefit from embracing industrialization.  However, I can't imagine what they lost.

 

----- Clifford ------

Them movie reminds me a lot of the complexity of modernization efforts everywhere, from China today - is anything left that is still traditional? to our efforts in places like Afghanistan and Iraq to give them our "values"....in the late 18th century we forced Japan to open up to trade, then helped them modernize to protect themselves from being colonized by European powers, only to witness Japan itself then become a Imperial country....Napoleon tried to "enlighten" Europe but this only gave rise to nationalism...

dave

[keelec]

Perhaps I will have to track down a copy of Shogun, the book. I saw the movie, but it was many years ago..

 

One thing that I was thinking about was the differences in portrayals of the Samurai. Some movies depict them as extremely disciplined heroes. Others depict hem as Fat Leaches on society with nothing better to do than sit and watch the peasants work hard. Bullies that can take anything they want.

 

One of the themes in this movie was the unification of Japan…… With warring clans somewhat like the warring clans of the American Indians of the time.

 

 

---- CK -----

[warpedbored]

Perhaps I will have to track down a copy of Shogun, the book.  I saw the movie, but it was many years ago..

 

One thing that I was thinking about was the differences in portrayals of the Samurai.  Some movies depict them as extremely disciplined heroes.  Others depict hem as Fat Leaches on society with nothing better to do than sit and watch the peasants work hard.  Bullies that can take anything they want.

 

One of the themes in this movie was the unification of Japan……  With warring clans somewhat like the warring clans of the American Indians of the time. 

 

 

---- CK -----

I think the first shogun was Hideyoshi but it was Ieyasu Togugawa who united the country and started the Tokugawa era. The Tokugawa shogunate was the longest period of uninterrupted peace Japan ever enjoyed. The brilliant and ruthless administration of the Tokugawa military administration combined with the rigid seclusion of the country allowed for the flowering of Japanese culture in an unprecedented way. Before Tokugawa Japan was in a constant state of war between rival fiefedoms. (daimyos) It lasted from the turn of the 16th century unitl 1868 when the Meji era started. As I recall from my history lessons Tokugawa saw what was going on in China with the missionarys and European expansion into asia during the 16th century and slammed the door shut for nearly 300 years. Pretty much hunted down all the missionarys and killed them. Brutal but effective in saving Japan from western exploitation. Other than the dutch outpost there was no western contact and the dutch were kind of the shoguns eyes to the outside world. They didn't reopen to the west until the Meji era when Perry brought the black ships to Japan and demanded access.

[warpedbored]

The Tokugawa era was called the Edo period Edo was the city where the shoguns castle was and his seat of power before the Emporeer moved the capital there from Kyoto during the meiji period and it was renamed Tokyo. Tokyo literaly means new capital.

[tonado]

I just saw that movie last night. Great movie. Tom Cruise was great.

[warpedbored]

I'm not a huge Tom Cruise fan but I think I may see this one before it comes out on video.

[natrigon]

I just saw the movie last night. I thought the beggining and the middle was good but the story line of the second half became very predictable. I ended up leaving before the actual end of the movie. After the major final scene.... well I won't go into it. Still I thought the movie was pretty decent.

 

Louis

[chinadave2001]

I just saw the movie last night.  I thought the beggining and the middle was good but the story line of the second half became very predictable.  I ended up leaving before the actual end of the movie.  After the major final scene.... well I won't go into it.  Still I thought the movie was pretty decent.

 

Louis

You left before the end? wow. I sat there and wished it would continue for another hour.

I think that by its very nature the ending is predictable. It's a given that the Samurai way of life has to go- as it should have. But one can't help but lament the loss of a system of honor and conduct , "The Bushido." Even though the story is fictional, we lost something I think when war became impersonal and random. Same thing happened in WWI in Europe - the machines of war took over. For centuries war had been governed by chivalry and other codes that protected the innocent and governed the conduct of war. Nowadays we simply regret the loss of life on innocents as "collateral damage." There seems to be few rules and even less honor.

Chinadave

[Bobby]

I saw it on Friday.. I actually enjoyed it. Tom Cruise has been doing a lot of odd stuff lately, but this seems to be a little more on-track..

 

The part of the movie that touched closest to home was watching him adjust to the ways of the household. Especially the looks he received from the woman (can't remember her name) he was living with. It reminded me that though my fiancee is pretty forward-thinking and 'hip' with the culture, she still has certain cultural traits and habits ingrained. She often calls me her 'open' guy, as she believes my willingness to talk about anything and ability to be perfectly comfortable with strangers is almost frightening (I've been scolded on many occasions for trusting people too much, even my friends). On the other hand, the things she doesn't know or isn't willing to discuss openly scare the hell out of me and it surprises me that a society can survive in that way.

 

I don't want to drive these things out of her, and I'm hoping she doesn't want to change me (even though I have to admit that most girls consider their guy a 'work in progress' ). But I do want to seek a harmony between our cultures and beliefs (where they differ) and I hope together we can have a really great life.

 

But, as I said, all-in-all, its a pretty good movie. Even the end.. yeah, its kind of formulaic, but its hard to be totally original -- even in 'historical fiction'. I'll probably be buying the DVD when it comes out and I'll have to go watch The Seven Samurai again ..

[natrigon]

I just saw the movie last night.  I thought the beggining and the middle was good but the story line of the second half became very predictable.  I ended up leaving before the actual end of the movie.  After the major final scene.... well I won't go into it.  Still I thought the movie was pretty decent.

 

Louis

You left before the end? wow. ....

Ya I did. If you did not see the movie do not read below.

 

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Near the final scene when the 300-400 samuri charged I find it unfeasonable that only the two stars remained alive. Reminded me of a stalone movie when he avoids 300,000 rounds of ammo, jumps off a skyscraper, lands in a puddle of water and kills the bad guy with one bullet at 2,000 yards, blindfolded. I just thought the closer to the end the worse the movie got. But I did enjoy the beggining and the middle of the movie.

[keelec]

I was doing a little research today and found several references to what may have been the Samurai's Last Stand.

 

Sorry, I will have to dig deeper to find anything about American Heros.

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The Meiji Restoration begain in 1869 with the end of the Shogun period and the beginning of the imperial rule.

 

One of the biggest tests of the Meiji Emperial rule came with The Satsuma Rebellion (Kagoshima Rebellion) and the Battle of Shiroyama in the fall of 1877. (I forgot the time setting of the movie, but that sounds about right).

 

There are many interesting parallels between that time and the movie. For example, the wearing of swords was made illegal in 1877 (which became a prominent issue in the movie).

 

I am seeing a couple of estimates of the numbers forces, but what is clear is that the final battle had HUGE armies. Although neither side fought to the "Last Man Standing", both sides took heavy losses.

 

The samurai leader of the rebellion, Saigo Takamori (Takamori Saigo) was wounded in the last battle, and committed suicide in his defeat.