Last Samurai rocks!!

Just Clay · #1 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 01:36

By the end of this movie I wanted to own a sword and learn kung fu!

We have 2 suppliers who do provide accurate 1/6th gear so anyone looking to do up some Ninja killing asskicking samurai who drink saki they would be my first choice to go to.

wavehawk · #2 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 01:47

You mean that...for the first time since Top Gun...there's actually a kick-... Tom Cruise movie?

(No offence meant to the two Mission Impossible movies, tho)

Super Serg · #3 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 08:17

Clay,
I agree! I saw a press screening of this film & IT TOTALLY
ROCKED! It was like a Japanese Braveheart / Dances With
Wolves (without sucking) type epic! I can't wait to try my
hand at doing a Cruise Samurai figure!

Unfortunaltely, I read that DunkleGelb saw a scene
from the film on the History Channel & didn't find it realistic
enough.

So although MOST will simply come out of the theaters
speachless... there are some that might not like it.

*SS*

One Bravo Four · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 08:31

Personally, I loved it too. Crusie actually seemed fairly tall too!

Ha ha ha...

Wait...he's taller than me...

D'oh!

Cpl Stumps · #5 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 10:58

I took my wife, and although she doesn't like combat type movies she went in exchange for me seeing "Honey" at a later date.

I really liked the movie, as the movie ended people started clapping and my wife said that she couldn't remember the last movie she went to where people clapped. I can it was ID4.

Anyway, as we walked out I remarked that I hope Dragon or BBI comes out with some Samurai figures from the movie. To which she rolled her eyes and said that I now owed her two "Chick Flicks"

The price I pay for my hobbie.

Talon65 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 11:03

Yes, "Dances with Samurai" was pretty good! Why couldn't Dragon, BBI or Sideshow get licensing for this?

legion etrangere · #7 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 11:33

Great film and brilliant Director! I was really surprised the love interest of Tom was TALL for a Japanese female! Asian or Japanese women were usually petite. But she was beautifull

I wish they got someone else aside from pretty boy perfect teeth indestructable mission impossible Tom Cruise! Any macho star could play this role!
I have some problems with the ending too but can't discuss it yet!
And it's amazing how a hasbeen American officer who has never heard of the way of the Samurai and art of samurai sword fighting in a season in the village equally match a Master who has been doing it since his childhood and in less than a year!

Philip

mongoose · #8 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 12:26

great movie! some bs scenes, lots of cliches, but still a great movie. i'm watching it again for sure.

Miketek · #9 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 16:40

I concur! I liked the movie a lot! Sure it had it's problems, but you can't fault a movie for trying to be entertaining. I just got the head from Frontline, now if I could only make the armor.

Vapour · #10 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 17:10

...and it's filmed in lovelly scenery of New Zealand.

wavehawk · #11 (**permalink**) 12-11-2003, 23:10

One day, all of Hollywood will move to New Zealand...

DunkleGelb · #12 (**permalink**) 12-13-2003, 12:56

Really CORNY movie
but the corn moved me.

By the time Cruise is offering Kat's sword to the emperor I was ready to burst into tears! I'm not even Japanese!

There seemed to be abit of Glory, Apocalypse and Dances in it.

pukingdog · #13 (**permalink**) 12-13-2003, 15:27

Def some 'Glory', that was a Zwick film also. He has great respect for his subjects, and it shows. You have to take this movie for what it is, a really fine bit of epic, but not historically accurate. There are similarities to fact, but many dramatic changes.

I think Cruise is capable of overcoming his Hollywood image, and doing some great acting. He's done a fine job here, and that's no small feat, stacked against the actors he worked with.

And DunkleGelb, that scene with Katsumoto's sword hit me the same way. Truly done with a sense of obligation.

Havoc · #14 (**permalink**) 12-13-2003, 15:55

Now this is something that I would really love to get into. I know of the characters on Samuraicollectables.com. but does anyone know of any other characters out there? I am particularly interested in historically correct armored samurai. No Ninjas, I lived through the 80s, so I've had enough ninja to last me forever. I love the Komono wearing figures as well, but I would love to build or buy a figure with the historical armor.

pukingdog · #15 (**permalink**) 12-13-2003, 16:26

If and when fully armoured Samurai become available, they will be high-end figures, if done correctly. The intricacies of the Japanese suits outstrip European armour.

I remember all the ninja movies and "authentic" books that were published during the 70s-80s martial arts boom in the US, Havoc. I haven't yet seen a really well done, classical ninja assassin, in 1/6 yet. There are some decent books out there which explain and illustrate the complicated way of ninjitsu. They weren't all black-clad warriors, the art had much to do with manipulation from within.
It looks like a number of retainer and ronin figures are coming out, and with enough headsculpts, our posts can be filled with figures from Japanese warfare. The "grunt" ashigaru footsoldiers, warrior-monks (yamabushi), bandits, and various officials , all armed with the amazing variety of weapons would be a nearly endless source of bashups.

And that's without including the Okinawans.

FantAsiaToyz · #16 (**permalink**) 12-25-2003, 22:55

If you reversed the movie and took a Japanese guy and plopped him in the US around the same time period (let's say just a bit earlier, during the Civil War) and in the space of 6 months had him learn to be a cowboy, a master gunfighter, ride alongside Gen. Robert E. Lee and get the white woman at the end, people would laugh it off the screen...

Somehow it's a little more believable when it's a white guy.

The white man saves the day again!

abmtnbkr · #17 (**permalink**) 12-25-2003, 23:34

FantAsiaToyz...please read unforgiven5150's post about being a decent human being. I don't think the race card holds water here.