MY TOP SAMURAI movies...

[AsahinaKimi]

In Japan they are called "Jidaigeki", period pieces. This is my list incase you ever
wanted to watch some great action films featuring sword play, Samurai style. These
are not in order of best to least. (They can be found on Amazon.com or Yesasia.com and
have english subtitles.) Just my list of suggested films:



SAMURAI BANNERS (stars Toshiro Mifune)
WHEN THE LAST SWORD IS DRAWN (Film by by Yojiro Takita)
RED LION (starring Toshiro Mifune- directed by Okamoto Kihachi)
DORA HEITA (starring Koji Yakusho directed by Kon Ichikawa)
INCIDENT AT BLOOD PASS (Starring Toshiro Mifune and Shintaro Katsu)
SAMURAI REBELLION (starring Torshiro Mifune- film by Masaki Kobayashi)
KILL! (Film by Kihachi Okamoto) **This is actually a dark comedy**
SWORD OF THE BEASTS (A.K.A Samurai Gold Seekers- starring Mikijiro Hira-film by Hideo Gosha)
RONIN GAI (film by Kazuo Kuroki)
HIDDEN BLADE (2004)
RAN (Akira Kurosawa's film starring Tatsuya Nakadai)
SAMURAI SPY (Film by Masahiro Shinoda)
RASHOMON (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
YOJIMBO (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
SANJURO (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
SAMURAI: MUSASHI MIYAMOTO (film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshiro Mifune)
SAMURAI-2: DUEL AT ICHIJOJI TEMPLE (film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshiro Mifune)
SAMURAI-3: DUEL AT GANRYU ISLAND (film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshiro Mifune)
SWORD OF DOOM (Film by Kihachi Okamoto staring Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai)

THRONE OF BLOOD (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
KAGEMUSHA (Film by Akira Kurosawa)
HARAKIRAI (Film by Masaki Kobayashi starring Tatsuya Nakadai)
SEVEN SAMURAI (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (Film by Akira Kurosawa starring Toshiro Mifune)
WICKED PRIEST a.k.a Gokuaku Bozu (starring Wakayama Tomisaburo)



**American films**
RED SUN (stars Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Alain Delon and Toshiro Mifune)
THE BUSHIDO BLADE (stars James Earl Jones, Sonny Chiba, Richard Boone and Toshiro Mifune)



**JAPANESE SERIES**
HANZO THE RAZOR (starring Shintaro Katsu)
BAIAN THE ASSASSIN (starring Ken Watanabe)
ZATOICHI SERIES (starring Shintaro Katsu)
LONE WOLF AND CUB (starring Wakayama Tomisaburo)
SHADOW WARRIORS a.k.a. Kage no Gundan (starring Sonny Chiba )



*Recent Films*
ZATOICHI (starring Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Ookusu)
AZUMI (starring Aya Ueto)
AZUMI 2 (starring Aya Ueto)
PRINCESS BLADE A.KA SHURA YUKIHIME (starring Yumiko Shaku)
SHINOBI (Starring Yukie Nakama, Erika Sawajiri, Jo Odagiri and Tomoka Kurotani )



My dad introduced many of these films to me. Most of the upper section were his favorites. I have
since added some on my own. My favorite is the old Zatoichi series staring Shintaro Katsu. (Do a Youtube search for him, you will be amazed!)

Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRNXrKiQRvQ&feature=related

[Wetzelbill]

1. Great list, I can't say I argue with your picks at all.

I will say that Kurosawa did not direct Musashi Miyamoto it was Hiroshi Inagaki.

But just to note a few things, The Samurai Trilogy is outstanding, great choice. All of the Kurosawa films, Ran, Rashomon, Sanjuro, Yojimbo etc, all fantastic, you can't go wrong with Kurosawa and his collaborators Mifune and Nakadai. I also loved "Sword of Doom" truly an amazing film, the ending blew me away. And the lead character was so richly developed, wonderfully done.

It's different, doesn't totally fit in with what you're talking about, but I loved "The Last Samurai." Edward Zwick is an amazing director.

I have also enjoyed films influenced by the Samurai movies. Like the Western genre. Obviously The Magnificent Seven and A Fistful of Dollars were essentially remakes of Kurosawa films. I think Eastwood's portrayal of several loner type characters over the decades is definitely Samurai influenced. Star Wars is in many ways a remake of Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress.

An outstanding list, and thank you for posting!

[AsahinaKimi]

2. OH thanks...Arigatou!

I will correct it. I would have mentioned THE LAST SAMURAI ...but I think everyone
knows it and has seen it.

[Wetzelbill]

3. no problem

That's an easy one to mix up, it won the Academy Award plus it stars Mifune, it's almost weird that AK didn't direct it, lol. Beautiful film though. I first watched it about 5 years ago and I went on a Samurai film watching rampage, lol.

[Submariner]

4. You forgot the classic.....Kill Bill

:o

[AsahinaKimi]

5. I love Kill Bill

However it takes place in the modern era. The other films take place in the distant
past, with one exception, which is "Princess Blade" which takes place in the distant future.

Here is the movie trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzO_6UehzIM&feature=related


Azumi is another favorites of mine..(directed by Ryuhei Kitamura)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE6Gy73Mo4o

[aka-chmeee]

6. Thanks

I haven't seen all of these, and rely on IFC's Samurai Saturday for most of them. Love them all...especially the Zatoichi series, Samurai 1,2,3 and 47 Ronin even though it is very grim.

[martymar64]

7. Check out Samurai Fiction

It's a very interesting take on the samurai genre. I also recommend Lady Snowblood. It's basically the story that Tarentino swiped for Kill Bill.

I'm with you on the Zatoichi series. I own about 8 of them myself, including the recent Beat Takeshi version.

[AsahinaKimi]

8. A friend of mine..

asked me to post his favorites as well.
I haven't seen all of these,(with the exception of Ladysnowblood movies) but they are probably really good.

Shingo's Challenge ( OKAWA Hashizo, OKA Satomi, OTOMO Ryutaro, OKOCHI Denjiro
Directed by: MATSUDA Sadatsugu)

Three Generations of the Yagyu Sword (AOI: TOKUGAWA THREE GENERATIONS
( starring Tsugawa Masahiko, Nishida Toshiyuki)

Yagyu Conspiracies:Yagyu ichizoku no inbo
(stars Sonny Chiba, Kinnosuke Nakamura)

Samurai Wolf a.k.a Kiba okaminosuke (directed by Hideo Gosha, stars Isao Natsuyagi)

Sorekara No Musashi (directed by Sai Osu, Masatsuga Sawajima)

Mute Samurai(starring Wakayama Tomisaburo /Shintaro Katsu)

Shinsengumi **J-dorama series (Katori Shingo, Yamamoto Koji,Fujiwara Tatsuya
Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Odagiri Joe)

Tokugawa Buraicho (starring Sonny Chiba)

Lady Snowblood a.k.a Shurayukihime (starring Meiko Kaji)
Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (1974) (Shurayukihime: Urami Renga) (director: Toshiya Fujita)

[pa28]

9. Yes! The Zatoichi series.

They are tough to come by but I've seen almost all of them. I especially like the one where he cuts through the loaded dice - can't remember which one it was as they do tend to blend in with one another after a while.

Also recommend Kagemusha which I see you noted. One of Kurusawa's lesser known films but a really great period piece.

[sakabatou]

15. The one where he knows there's loaded dice is the latest one

[I814U]

10. I love samurai films

They are perhaps forumlaic but it is a forula that is sadly lacking in many cultures, particularly the US: selfless sacrifice through seemingly insurmountable and terrifying odds, often frustrated but never abandoned.

*sigh*

I'm too much of a romantic.

[Aragorn]

11. great list

Especially the Samurai trilogy and the Zatoichi series.

How about 2 others of note, not necessarily "best ever" which Kill Bill seems to be influenced by? Sister Street Fighter and Black Mask.

[Aragorn]

12. showtime extreme

is showing Black Mask and Sister street Fighter tonight at 12:30 EST.

[sakabatou]

13. I love them too, plus Mifune shares my birthdy (4/1)

[Lance31]

14. SHINOBI is awful

[mackerel]

16. For me you just can't top Seven Samurai.

[Howardx]

17. i just got "incident at blood pass"

dug it considerably

[AsahinaKimi]

18. sugoi ne!!

Wonderful!
Glad you enjoyed it!!