DVD: Daisuke Kato ...     DVD:       Seven Samurai - 3 Disc Remastered Edition (Criterion Collection Spine # 2)457 reviews Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune Criterion, 2006 The Peasant and the Sword Words fail to praise the action-packed period film that Akira Kurosawa created in 1954 Japan. Two years after the allies released the Japanese from occupation, Kurosawa directed the best film ever, in my opinion, for those that desire evil to be overthrown and justice to prevail. The plight of the peasants is graphically detailed in breath-taking scenes of beauty and poise. Coming to their aid is ...             Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa (Remastered Edition) - Subtitled - 195114 reviews Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo Triad Productions LLC, 2008 IMDB Review To have a film that holds the coveted title of being the reason that the "Best Foreign Film" category was created for the Oscars is one thing, but to be able to back up that myth with a powerful film that speaks both about humanity and the strength of truth is a whole new angle. Often we witness powerful foreign films that slip through the lines of cinema, regarded by so many as valuable assets ...             Ran - Criterion Collection211 reviews Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao Criterion Collection, 2005 Ran Means Chaos Ran is Kurosawa's final masterpiece and my favorite Kurosawa movie. For me, Ran is more of an experience than a movie. It just seems so "real" to me. Directed when he was 75, the master director presents a cast of thousands and renders a mortal struggle of good and evil, fealty and betrayal, cruelty and kindness, & greed and generosity. An old man who has achieved power through war and ...             Yojimbo - Remastered Edition (Criterion Collection Spine #52)126 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai Criterion, 2007 Japanese Samurai and American Western Send-Up Yojimbo is Kurosawa's most popular movie both at home and in the West & it is easy to see why. First and foremost, it's just fun. Combining cool, dry wit, black humor and rousing action; even those who don't "get" the mocking of Westerns or Samurai movies will find plenty to enjoy. Shorter than Ran and Seven Samurai, more accessible than Rashomon or Throne of Blood and more exciting than Ikiru ...             Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection17 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tono Criterion, 2007 "Thirty-Year Old, Going On ..." Timeless! These are the films that made Kurosawa loved in the West. Buy this along with "Seven Samurai", and you've got the best of Kurosawa's popular work. Fun, funny, smart, genre-breaking, and genre-making! Fascinating to watch, filled with unfortgettable characters, and all starring Toshiro Mifune! There will be tons of positive reviews, because, throughout time, there will be people discovering ...             Samurai Trilogy Box Set - Criterion Collection58 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada Criterion, 2004 The way of the samurai This is a harrowing, breathtaking saga of the legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto. It captures some of his trials and tribulations as he embarks on his spiritual quest in the early 17th century. He was an unmatched master with the blade, but a priest tries to teach him wisdom and virtue. To know awe and fear God. To learn chivalry and tone down his brutal nature. To walk the Samurai path. ...             An Autumn Afternoon - Criterion Collection11 reviews Shima Iwashita, Daisuke Kato Criterion Collection, 2008 The Taste of an Autumn Mackerel........ This was Yasujiro Ozu's final film. Is it phenomenally different than other Ozu works? Is it a film that takes Ozu in a radically different direction? No. It's just the final chapter in one of the most unique filmographies in cinema history. It's like all his other films, in that it's contemplative, beautiful, moving, serene, and simple, yet, it feels new and unique. Ozu's films, if taken ...             Chushingura31 reviews Koshiro Matsumoto, Yuzo Kayama Image Entertainment, 2001 Inagaki's Chushingura Japan loves the story of the loyal 47 ronin, who avenge the wrongful forced-seppuku death of their master. It's been told like a bazillion times before, and illustrated, and there are plays, too! Of films, I count at least 27 different versions. I like Mizoguchi's version in two parts for its aesthetic. But, this Inagaki version is really a lot of Hollywood-style fun. Color, for one thing, ...             Rashomon - Criterion Collection142 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô Criterion, 2002 A Watershed Moment in the History of Cinema Rashomon was the first Japanese movie widely distributed in the West. Fair to say, it was probably the first Asian movie almost all of it's Western audience had ever seen. This masterpiece introduced the filmgoing world to one of the greatest writer/director/editors ever (Kurosawa), one of the greatest actors ever (Mifune), a great actor (Takashi Shimura) one of the greatest cinematographers ...             Rashomon1 review Toshiro Mifune, Fumiko Homma Criterion Collection, 2008 What happened -- and what didn't A man is dead, a woman was raped, and that's all that can be definitely said. Somebody has committed murder, but nobody knows whodunnit. And that's the basic plot of Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon," a hauntingly pessimistic look at how the "truth" can be warped and changed by different people's perspectives. It's a magnificently eerie piece of work, filled with suspense and some really astounding ...             Ran (Masterworks Edition)211 reviews Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao Fox Lorber, 2003 Ran Means Chaos Ran is Kurosawa's final masterpiece and my favorite Kurosawa movie. For me, Ran is more of an experience than a movie. It just seems so "real" to me. Directed when he was 75, the master director presents a cast of thousands and renders a mortal struggle of good and evil, fealty and betrayal, cruelty and kindness, & greed and generosity. An old man who has achieved power through war and ...             Samurai III - Duel at Ganryu Island - Criterion Collection58 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada Criterion, 1998 The way of the samurai This is a harrowing, breathtaking saga of the legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto. It captures some of his trials and tribulations as he embarks on his spiritual quest in the early 17th century. He was an unmatched master with the blade, but a priest tries to teach him wisdom and virtue. To know awe and fear God. To learn chivalry and tone down his brutal nature. To walk the Samurai path. ...             Akira Kurosawa - 4 Samurai Classics (Seven Samurai / The Hidden Fortress / Yojimbo / Sanjuro) - Criterion ...18 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tono Criterion, 2002 Don't pass it up Kurosawa is not just considered a great japanese director - he's considered one of the best the world has known. Samurai are a passion for me anyway - however, kurosawa brings them to life like no other. I sometimes wish he were working today with the technology available, but it's not a degradation of what he did at all. Details he pays attention to are easily missed the first time ...             Ran211 reviews Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao Fox Lorber, 1998 Ran Means Chaos Ran is Kurosawa's final masterpiece and my favorite Kurosawa movie. For me, Ran is more of an experience than a movie. It just seems so "real" to me. Directed when he was 75, the master director presents a cast of thousands and renders a mortal struggle of good and evil, fealty and betrayal, cruelty and kindness, & greed and generosity. An old man who has achieved power through war and ...             Japan's Longest Day2 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Sô Yamamura Animeigo, 2006 Japan's Longest Day Woefully unheralded war classic came five years after our own "Longest Day", and matches that film in conveying all the complexities of turning the tide of war; indeed, in this case, bringing it to a deeply humiliating, almost unthinkable conclusion. Japanese soldiers had been indoctrinated to fight to the last man for the glory of the Empire, so surrender is unthinkable to many. The film's power ...             Samurai II - Duel at Ichijoji temple - Criterion Collection11 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Koji Tsuruta Criterion, 1998 Builds upon the great foundation of Part I Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, continues the journey of Musashi Miyamoto's (played by the incredible Toshiro Mifune) quest to become an enlightened samurai. This second installment is more violent than the first and includes an amazing sequence in which Musashi dispatches 80 armed samurai. The 3 films in this trilogy cannot be judged interdependently from one another-the epic story (which ...             Seven Samurai457 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura Homevision, 2000 The Peasant and the Sword Words fail to praise the action-packed period film that Akira Kurosawa created in 1954 Japan. Two years after the allies released the Japanese from occupation, Kurosawa directed the best film ever, in my opinion, for those that desire evil to be overthrown and justice to prevail. The plight of the peasants is graphically detailed in breath-taking scenes of beauty and poise. Coming to their aid is ...             The 47 Ronin: Parts 1 & 213 reviews Seizaburô Kawazu, Yoshizaburo Arashi Image Entertainment, 1999 Window on another World First, if it's Samurai action you're after - give this masterpiece a miss! What you get instead is an absorbingly quiet, thoughtful contemplation on the conflicting demands of the rules of law, society and human nature. Violence is distanced, stylised - and largely absent (amazing in a wartime propaganda work!) In pure cinematic terms "47 Ronin" is incredibly beautiful to watch, shot in immensely ...             Yojimbo (Criterion Collection Spine #52)126 reviews Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tono Criterion, 1999 Japanese Samurai and American Western Send-Up Yojimbo is Kurosawa's most popular movie both at home and in the West & it is easy to see why. First and foremost, it's just fun. Combining cool, dry wit, black humor and rousing action; even those who don't "get" the mocking of Westerns or Samurai movies will find plenty to enjoy. Shorter than Ran and Seven Samurai, more accessible than Rashomon or Throne of Blood and more exciting than Ikiru ...             When a Woman Ascends the Stairs: Criterion Collection18 reviews Hideko Takamine, Masayuki Mori Criterion, 2007 incredible movie I really enjoyed this masterpiece! What a nuanced director. I have only seen one other movie of Naruse's and it was the long 24 Eyes. I loved all the performances in this movie. Very touching. The facial expressions during the acting scenes were so subtle but very well done. If you are a fan of thoughtful Japanese film from the 1940's and 1950's, you will love this transition to ...              search for DVDs afternoon, akira, ascends, autumn, chushingura, classics, collection, criterion, edition, fortress, ganryu, hidden, ichijoji, island, japan, kurosawa, longest, masterworks, parts, rashomon, remastered, samurai, sanjuro, seven, spine, stairs, subtitled, temple, trilogy, yojimbo DVD:    Kindle - Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device This is the future of book reading. I have used it and love it! randomly chosen VHS: The Desert Song we recommend The Peasant and the Sword leave a comment home  impressum - about us