Japanese Cinema

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 01:50 AM

Ret's talk Japanese Cinema!!! ;)

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 01:53 AM

Did you ever get round to seeing Tasogare Seibei (Twilight Samurai) Jaimoe? I remember we talked about it many moons ago.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0351817/

I saw it a couple of weeks back, highly recommended!

Coincidentally, we just got the original Japanese version of Shall We Dansu? from our DVD rental delivery...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117615/

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 02:01 AM

I haven't seen The Twilight Samurai yet because the current region 1 DVD isn't very good.

Have you seen any films by real maverick Seijun Suzuki?

http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=B119458

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:08 AM

EDIT: Sorry Jaimoe, I started writing this reply about 1hr ago but my wife distracted me mid-post.

My copy of Twilight Samurai is Region2.

Didn't recognise the name (Seijun Suzuki) but I checked his filmography & have heard of some of the films (Branded To Kill)

Can you suggest a good movie to start with?

ManNamedTruth · Nov 23, 2008, 03:08 AM

I saw Sukiyaki Western Django the other day. A Japanese film but they speak english, didn't see that one coming.

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:11 AM

QuoteI saw Sukiyaki Western Django the other day. A Japanese film but they speak english, didn't see that one coming.

Is that the one 'presented' by Quentin Tarantino?

What does that even mean? He just puts his name by the title to up the sales, right? ;)

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:17 AM

QuoteI saw Sukiyaki Western Django the other day. A Japanese film but they speak english, didn't see that one coming.

Just checked on IMDB, didn't realise that this is a Takashi Miike movie. I don't think I've seen any of his films.

Ichi the Killer is supposed to be pretty brutal:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0296042/

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 03:28 AM

Quote
QuoteI saw Sukiyaki Western Django the other day. A Japanese film but they speak english, didn't see that one coming.
Just checked on IMDB, didn't realise that this is a Takashi Miike movie. I don't think I've seen any of his films.

Ichi the Killer is supposed to be pretty brutal:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0296042/

I'm a big western fan and love the way traditional Japanese samurai films are in essence classic westerns.

I'm leary of Miike (due to his penchant for extreme and sickeningly graphic violence), but I will check his crazy take on the western genre. It got huge fan praise at this year's Toronto International Film Festival even though the reviews have been fairly mediocre.

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 03:33 AM

QuoteEDIT: Sorry Jaimoe, I started writing this reply about 1hr ago but my wife distracted me mid-post.

My copy of Twilight Samurai is Region2.

Didn't recognise the name (Seijun Suzuki) but I checked his filmography & have heard of some of the films (Branded To Kill)

Can you suggest a good movie to start with?

Just read some of the reviews of his better rated films on the AMG link I posted above. I've seen both Dressed To Kill and Tokyo Drifter. I liked them; they are ultra cool style-wise, with strange Japanese comic elements that seem to creep up in most great films I've seen from Kurosawa to Beat Takeshi.

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:37 AM

I know you're a Takeshi Kitano fan Jaimoe, what's your fav movie?

1) Hanabi
2) Kikujirô/Sonatine
4) Zatôichi...still not too sure what to make of that ending though! ;)

Violent Cop & Boiling Point are good, I was disappointed with Brother & Getting Any was just plain silly.

Haven't seen Dolls...

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:39 AM

QuoteJust read some of the reviews of his better rated films on the AMG link I posted above. I've seen both Dressed To Kill and Tokyo Drifter. I liked them; they are ultra cool style-wise, with strange Japanese comic elements that seem to creep up in most great films I've seen from Kurosawa to Beat Takeshi.

I just checked & the 2 that you mentioned (Branded to Kill?) are part of the Criterion Collection. I'll look out for those...

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:41 AM

2 great sites that I use for checking out Japanese movies/DVDs:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

http://www.yesasia.com/global/1003738898-0-0-0-en/list.html

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 03:45 AM

I haven't seen all the Kitano films (directing or acting) and I don't know if I want to, but here's my favourite list (so far):

1 - Battle Royale
2 - Hana-Bai (Fireworks)
3 - Violent Cop
4 - Zatoichi
5 - Sonatine (I liked it, but I wasn't in the right state of mind when I saw it or I would probably rank it higher)
6 - Boiling Point

I next want to see Beat playing a yakuza hitman in Gonin and his new film, Achilles and the Tortoise

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 03:46 AM

Quote
QuoteJust read some of the reviews of his better rated films on the AMG link I posted above. I've seen both Dressed To Kill and Tokyo Drifter. I liked them; they are ultra cool style-wise, with strange Japanese comic elements that seem to creep up in most great films I've seen from Kurosawa to Beat Takeshi.
I just checked & the 2 that you mentioned (Branded to Kill?) are part of the Criterion Collection. I'll look out for those...

Ha! I must have Sherlock Holmes or Angie Dickenson floating around in my head. Branded To Kill is excellent. I think you can only get the Criteron versions in North America region 1 (the way it should be).

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 03:55 AM

I liked Battle Royal but I have to confess that I was a little disappointed. I had a friend who went on & on for years about how amazing it was, so maybe my expectations were too high...

I want to learn more about the Japanese actor Ken Takaura:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0847264/

He was great in The Yakuza (Robert Mitchum) & the best thing about Black Rain (Michael Douglas)
I want to see Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles by Chinese director Yimou Zhang (Raise The Red Lantern, The Road Home, Not One Less, Hero etc)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437447/

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 04:18 AM

In fact, Battle Royale is one of my favourite foreign films period. I went into the film cold, knowing virtually nothing about it other than Beat Takeshi was in it, and ended up stopping it mid-way through to phone friends praising its greatness. I love the social satiric messages and the overall disturbing scenarios plus the acting is top-notch. I hope Hollywood never remakes it, but then again, fucking Hollywood is remaking Oldboy, which of course will probably suck ass - Will Smith is starring in the Spielberg remake.

I don't know the Japanese leading man you mention, but Robert Mitchum is the baddest man ever to grace the silver screen.

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 04:26 AM

I read that about Oldboy on AICN - makes me angry!

Seeing a movie blind can make a big difference. I posted in the Halloween movie thread that I saw Blair Witch blind before all the hype kicked in, made a big difference I think...

Have you seen Dare Mo Shiranai (Nobody Knows)? That's a very good movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408664/

I recently added these 2 to our rental list:

Riri Shushu no Subete (Lily-Chou-Chou):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297721/

Tampopo:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092048/

Jaimoe · Nov 23, 2008, 04:32 AM

I haven't seen Tampopo, but I like Ken Wantanabe. I've never heard of the other movies you listed. There are at least 5 incredible independent movie stores (with large foreign film sections) in Toronto that I know of, but my movie watching dips greatly duing the TV season.

I saw Blair Witch alone at night for the first (and only) time without reading too much about it and it scared the shit out of me.

I think Akira is a bit of a pain to watch, but Hayao Miyazaki is the greatest living animator bar-none.

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 04:37 AM

What about animation? I know you've seen some Miyazaki movies. I don't think anything will ever best Totoro IMO, I love that movie!

Akira was probably the first Japanese movie I saw. Have you seen Hotaru no Haka (Grave Of Fireflies)?
Very good but very sad: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/

This looks very cool, I saw some of it on TV a month or so ago:
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=U9LnbgA1K28

dragonboy · Nov 23, 2008, 04:43 AM

QuoteI haven't seen Tampopo, but I like Ken Wantanabe. I've never heard of the other movies you listed. There are at least 5 incredible independent movie stores (with large foreign film sections) in Toronto that I know of, but my movie watching dips greatly duing the TV season.

I saw Blair Witch alone at night for the first (and only) time without reading too much about it and it scared the shit out of me.

I think Akira is a bit of a pain to watch, but Hayao Miyazaki is the greatest living animator bar-none.

Haha Blair Witch scared the shit out of me too ;D

Speaking of Ken Wantanbe I still haven't seen Letters from Iwo Jima. I know I should but Japan's involvement/atrocities during WWII make me angry so maybe I should steer clear.

What are your fav Miyazaki movies? I've only seen Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke & Howls Moving Castle. My wife says Kiki's is very good...