05-26-2007, 06:43 PM
I saw this old movie recently. I must say it is now one of my favorite movies. There is action, there is plot, there are characters you can identify with. And it is cool how they show the gathering of Ronin, the training of the town, etc. I also like the slow-motion kills and bandits visible on the horizon and coming down the hill.... these things now so commonplace in modern film. It is a little long but that didn't bother me. It sends a powerful message though... neither righteous nor criminal warriors win in the end. Heihachi ket their spirits up and was killed on the raid of the bandit fort. For all Kyuzo's skill he is killed too. Kikuchiyo was perhaps the bravest in the sense he wanted to be a Samurai and was actually an orphan peasant, but he proved his worth in the killing of the Bandit King. For all their charm, skill, and courage... four of them died to gunfire and in the end the last three are 'disposed of' by the villagers who no longer need them. Katsushiro was true to Shino but was then abandoned by her... like in the end, all that is left is the mind of the leader Ronin, the courage of his second-in-command, and the heart of his young semi-disciple... the skill and charisma, other attributes of Samurai, died... but heart, courage, and mind remained, even though all warriors lose in the end.... as long as the farmers have their land, their work of life-giving... whereas warriors, in their work of life-taking, must move like the wind, cause they lose in the end... whether noble or evil
It is a sad movie in essence, because you end up rooting for the Samurai who set aside the pride they are given by their status, and as Ronin, protect the village and rally the villagers to bravery, yet in a sense their nobility is their own undoing. I think it has some important messages about martial arts. Much better to difuse a situation than have to use your martial skill, and if you must, chose your fights, since nowadays, it is nearly impossible to counter a gun.
It says a lot though, I mean when it was made the japanese had lost WW2. The producers and actors put heart and soul into this and it's better than most movies I have ever seen, its up there with my other 'favorites'
How do you guys feel about it?
It is a sad movie in essence, because you end up rooting for the Samurai who set aside the pride they are given by their status, and as Ronin, protect the village and rally the villagers to bravery, yet in a sense their nobility is their own undoing. I think it has some important messages about martial arts. Much better to difuse a situation than have to use your martial skill, and if you must, chose your fights, since nowadays, it is nearly impossible to counter a gun.
It says a lot though, I mean when it was made the japanese had lost WW2. The producers and actors put heart and soul into this and it's better than most movies I have ever seen, its up there with my other 'favorites'
How do you guys feel about it?