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Namirrha
Noble Knight
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 218
Location: Utah County, Utah. |
| Your Favorite Martial Arts/Samurai Movies |
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I'm a rather big fan of Akira Kurosawa's works, and some HK and Chinese films (I have seen Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon as well). What are your favorite martial art or samurai flicks?
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Give me the shadows, shield me from the light, and I shall let nothing pass in the darkness of the night. |
Wed Jul 21, 2004 2:21 am |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
The Magnificent Butcher is my favourite old-school HK kung fu flick, and I like Iron Monkey and Mr. Vampire too. I love the action in some of Jackie Chan's old stuff (particularly Project A and Wheels on Meals) but his films are generally too goofy in the storytelling department for my liking.
Best "Samurai" film for me would be the Musashi Miyamoto trilogy (part 2 if I have to pick one  ), and I really like the recent Zatoichi movie. This isn't including Kurosawa- of his period stuff, I think Rashomon is my favourite, but I haven't yet seen a film of his that I dislike.
Overall, I'd have to say my favourite martial arts flick is Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. |
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Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:28 am |
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X-dANGEr
Unknown Destiny
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 2383
Location: The X place |
i think Shanghai knights is good.
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Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:22 am |
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Beliarsclew
Victim Of The Greed
Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 581
Location: Jordan-Middle East |
I think that ~Anna And The King~ Is the greatest, It's not all that Martial art but it's the greatest samurai And martial Art Movie!
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<Sigh>.Time.Passes.Quickly. </Sigh> |
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Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:02 am |
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RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix |
SWORD OF DOOM
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Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard |
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Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:40 am |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
I like Sword Of Doom too, not many films can make you feel sorry for a guy even though he's a total b*****d!
Since my last post here, I've seen a few more that are worth mentioning - from the "serious" samurai films, Chushingura (this one, there are loads of films with a similar title) is excellent; Three Outlaw Samurai (first film by Hideo Gosha) is very good indeed - more action-oriented than Chushingura or any of Kurosawa's stuff, but no worse off for it. I have another two films by that guy (Tenchu! and Goyokin) but haven't watched them yet.
Twilight Samurai is a brilliant movie, one of the best new films I've seen in ages, but it ain't yer typical samurai film. It's a drama/romance, with a couple of fight scenes in (which are first-class). But even if drama/romance isn't your usual cup of tea, I think this film is a must-see for anyone interested in samurai/feudal Japan.
Now for the not-so-serious stuff: a samurai action film by the guy who directed Battle Royale, called Samurai Reincarnation (but I think the literal translation is Reincarnation From Hell, which I prefer). This is total nonsense, but cool - various real-life legendary samurai warriors are brought back to life by an evil fella (himself a real historical figure who abandoned the samurai code in favour of Christianity - truly evil!  ), and the real and not-undead Yagyu Jubei must give them all a reet good kicking. Surpisingly good for a silly action film, although I didn't like the ending.
Over to China: I've seen another of Sammo Hung's old films, called The Victim. Another brilliant one; I personally still prefer Magnificent Butcher, but most people regard The Victim as superior (and perhaps Sammo's best). I never knew the films he directed (at least in the 70s and early 80s) were so good, I've seen a lot of HK kung fu films over the years, but IMO his are in a league of their own. |
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Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:02 am |
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Conan The Librarian
City Guard
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Merry Olde England |
Shrek and The Last Samurai
The Seven Samurai and Enter The Dragon.
I wanna see The Water Margin on TV again!
Preferably not at 1am the same time they put Monkey on!!! 
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The optimist sees the doughnut.
But the pessimist sees the hole. |
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Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:37 am |
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EverythingXen
Arch-villain
Joined: 01 Feb 2002
Posts: 4342
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The Matrix trilogy... though that's more anime...
I liked Crouching Tiger and I suspect I'll love Hero when I get some people together to actually get to it.
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Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
"The old world dies and with it the old ways. We will rebuild it as it should be, MUST be... Immortal!"
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Worshipper of the Written Word= |
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Wed Sep 08, 2004 1:17 pm |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
Hero's great, if you liked CTHD I think it's a safe bet you'll enjoy Hero. It is a little cold, emotionally, compared to CTHD but it doesn't suffer greatly because of that.
[edit] just remembered: Zhang Yimou's follow-up to Hero might actually be out already (for some reason, Hero's western release has been delayed for years), it's called House Of Flying Daggers. I've read mixed reviews, though, so don't get your hopes up  At any rate, Zhang Ziyi is in it, and it looks to be action-packed. [/edit]
Forgot to mention I'd also seen The Last Samurai the night before I made that last post. Really liked it for the first half, thought it slid steadily towards averageness after that, though. Still... I enjoyed it.
I don't think I ever saw the Water Margin.  I used to watch Monkey and Kung Fu when I was a kid (and recently, when they've been repeated), they were great. Hey Conan, I forgot until you mentioned it, but apparently Sammo Hung is in Enter The Dragon - never spotted him before, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled next time I see it. |
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Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:19 am |
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Jaz
Late Night Spook
Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot |
My recent favorite is - indeed - Kung Pow: Enter the Fist.
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Jaz |
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Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:28 am |
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Neo_Genesis
The Assassin
Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 3050
Location: The Netherlands |
for me the two best are The Last Samurai and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
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Always wondering how it would be... |
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Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:32 am |
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Conan The Librarian
City Guard
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 144
Location: Merry Olde England |
@Piln I think Jackie Chan is in it as well as hapless guard 6. The Water Margin was sort of Chinese version of Robin Hood. Thankfully, without the dubbed "The Sopranos" accents.
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The optimist sees the doughnut.
But the pessimist sees the hole. |
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Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:28 am |
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titus
Survivor of Hell
Joined: 03 Aug 2003
Posts: 778
Location: Standing at the Hell mouth |
The last samurai, maybe one of the few samurai movies I have seen, but dam that movie made me cry almost and that doesn't happen often with a movie 
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Want to become a vampire? a warrior in the battle between vampires and werewolves?
http://monstersgame.nl/?ac=vid&vid=12007139 |
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Fri Sep 10, 2004 3:48 pm |
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Evil Ash
Village Dweller
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 15
Location: Canada |
Ong Bak is the best martial arts film on the face of the planet. It's Muay Thai boxing, and what makes it so amazing is, well... the people actually hit eachother. Of course it's a damn fine movie all around, but it is just unbelievable. No wires are used for any of the stunts (done by people, but they are used once during a taxi chase scene, on a taxi... I think) and it's just... mind blowing. This movie is THE martial arts film to see. If you havn't, you are not a martial arts fan. All must witness its glory.
IMDB info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368909/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/jp/quicktime/trailers/gaga/mach_large.html
And Akira Kurosawa wins for best samurai movie. They're all awesome.
Honorable mention goes to Azumi.
But moving on... wa? Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? Hero? Shanghai Knights? The MATRIX? You people need to expand your movie databases. I'm not saying they're bad films, but nowhere near the best. Best you've seen, yes... but that's why you must see more. MORE I TELL YOU.
*flies away*
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Mon Sep 13, 2004 9:46 pm |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
Hmmm, sounds like a conversation I've had many times before. Say you like CTHD, and someone will assume you're unaware of the hordes of similar films. But that's not always true - in fact, I've seen dozens of wuxia flicks, but not one that comes close to CTHD, IMO. Of course, it depends what you want from a martial arts film - if you want a dazzling showcase of moves, styles & stunts, then I'll be the first to admit that CTHD ain't the best, but that's not what interests me - I want to see martial arts movies that are good films first and foremost, ie, that have a good script, direction and acting, and a story I give a hoot about, before I even consider how good the fight scenes are. There aren't many that are made that way. That's why I like CTHD, because it's a proper film that happens to be in the wuxia genre and has some cool fight scenes. Haven't seen any other wuxia that I can say this about, although I do have a couple of King Hu's old classics on order, so this may change (I hope it does!)
Having said that, I do get a kick out of old-fashioned martial arts films - you know, paper-thin plot, dodgy acting, laboured comedy, but absolutely jaw-dropping fighting feats. I saw another two of Sammo Hung's old(ish) films, Pedicab Driver and Knockabout. Both pretty good, but I still like Magnificent Butcher best. Pedicab Driver is fairly modern in setting and has a really good story, but is let down by one-dimensional villains and poor use of secondary characters. The final showdown is impressive, but it could have come straight out of almost any Jackie Chan film. Knockabout is better, and has little wrong with it (the oh-so-serious lead actor from The Victim plays comic relief here, and is very good at it!), my only complaint is that the training scenes that are done so well in Magnificent Butcher are overlong here, bordering on fetishistic (in several scenes, we're not really being told a great deal about any characters' growth, but we still have to watch Yuen Biao flex his muscles and jump about repetitively for several minutes). Still good, though. Once more, Knockabout has a story that isn't quite as straightforward as you might expect from 70's HK kung fu films.
Thanks for reminding me about Ong Bak, Evil Ash. I was trying to track it down a while ago, and inexplicably forgot. I must resume my efforts. I saw a few clips of it a while back and it looks great.
Oh, and for the Samurai fans - I've just ordered a film that is, apparently, of a similar standard and style to Twilight Samurai, but "more robust," ie, there's more than two fights in it! I'm quite looking forward to it, and will let yous guys know what I think when it arrives. It's called something like "Til the Last Sword is Drawn" (I'm pretty sure it's "Mibu Gishi Den" in Japanese). |
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Sat Sep 18, 2004 12:23 am |
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