*** Official THE LAST SAMURAI Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Richard Gilmore]

Maybe I'll hear some of the Soundtrack on XM radio in the next few days (probably missed it so far). Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon should have opened up a few doors for exclusively native dramas but Cruise has an undeniable box office draw. Simple reality.

 

[JonZ]

There was a review at Dark horizons last week that gave it a glowing recommendation

 

[Edwin-S]

Fish out of water scenarios can make for good conflict between the principal characters. The tribulations of an outsider trying to adapt to another culture has more possibilities of entertaining conflict than the same scenario using someone familiar with the culture. It doesn't surprise me that these types of movies keep getting made.

From watching the trailers the movie looks promising. While I'm not sure that Cruise is the best selection to play the lead, they could have chosen worse. For example, they could have tried to sign Keanu Reeves.

 

[Bill J]

For example, they could have tried to sign Keanu Reeves.

It's funny that you said that, because I just read that Keanu is replacing Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's upcoming epic film Tripoli.

 

[Kristoffer]

Have anyone seen the beatiful VR tours that are up the official site! It looks very nice, plus you can hear parts of Hans Zimmers score as well.http://www.movingimage.us/last_samurai/index.html

 

[Richard Gilmore]

Finally caught a good bit of the score on XM and it really sounded good.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Saw it tonight. Aside from a few noticably slow stretches in the first 45 minutes, I thought it was damn good.

There's a series of battle sequences in Act III that will blow your socks off.

Odds are, if you're already psyched for this one...you'll dig it. If you're not so interested in it...you'd probably dig it anyway.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

(And to answer a question posed earlier...the movie takes place in 1876 and 1877.)

Character actor fans take note: William Atherton is in it!

 

[Chris Atkins]

Hmmm....sounds like a five star could be in Scott's future...

Great news. I am eagerly looking forward to this one.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Hmm, a good review from Scoot. That's a good sign.

 

[Matt_P]

Reviews are coming in, and they look great. Ebert and Roeper gave it two big thumbs up, and I read Oprah devoted a whole show to the film (and Tom Cruise's cooking), if that's any indication. She usually doesn't go for the films involving war.

There is a sneak preview in select cities this Saturday (11/29). I may try to catch it early.

Tracksounds now has a review of the soundtrack.

 

[Edwin-S]

Oh, Oh! Oprah likes it. Now you have me worried.

 

[Matt_P]

It got me concerned, as well....

 

[JohnE]

Oh, Oh! Oprah likes it. Now you have me worried.

Lucky for me Scott also seems to like it. And since I almost always seem to agree with his reviews, I'm feeling pretty good about it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "The Last Samurai" please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "The Last Samurai" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.


Crawdaddy

 

[Arman]

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[Phil Florian]

I saw this at a preview audience last week and while I enjoyed it, I was let down by the predictable storytelling. Dances with Wolves is evident but so is Witness (with even a "oops, you caught me bathing" scene for good measure) and of course, Braveheart (even a strategy or two is "adopted" from that film). Still, it was an entertaining couple hours and, most positive, it made me want to REALLY learn the history of Japan between 1865-1885. Like everything in Hollywood Movie History, Big Things Happen because the USA gets involved (paging U-571) even though I think it was the Dutch who did the majority of arms sales to the Japanese during this period (though the US did have a piece of it).

Though I love big battles, the last one was too long and it made its point early on...people don't kill people, guns do. I almost expected the same sort of ending from Zwick's better movie, "Glory" with similar metaphors involving the various combatants but it didn't happen. Instead of a nice ambiguous ending where we are left to decide if Japan was better for moving into the modern age (through bloodshed) or not, we get a seemingly tacked on epilogue with cheesy and preachy diaglogue. They even forgot all the rules they hammered away at earlier in the movie (when the Emporer stands, people get on their knees, etc...done in the first part, seemingly forgotten by the end).

Still, Ken Watanabe needs to do more movies for us to see over here! He was great to watch and listen to. Here is hoping this is the vehicle for his move into wider audiences. I am sure it will smoke at the Oscars since it has "epic" and "Cruise" in its byline. The academy is suckers for big and good looking films and this is both, even if there isn't much under the hood. I enjoyed it for what it really was, which is an action movie with some brains but not as an historical epic of Kurosawa proportions. I will go to the original for that.


Phil

 

[Arman]

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[Edwin-S]

IIRC, it was Americans that forced Japan into trading with the West: ending hundreds of years of isolation. I believe it was also the beginning of the end of the Shogunate. Who was the leader of the Naval expidition again? Perry?

 

[Paul_Sjordal]

I dunno about this one. It reminds me too much of "Shogun," which was unintentionally funny. I think I'll wait for video.