movies

[TimeForGuinness]

Rashomon is the one that has underwhelmed me. I need to see it again, as it was only the second Kurosawa film I watched and it came immediately after Seven Samurai.

I like Sanjuro mainly because it's hilarious. Overall, though, I think I'd rank it a notch below Yojimbo.

I was surprised how much I like Ran. Didn't think color Kurosawa would do it for me but it's great.

Looking at the trailer for Ran, it looks like it takes place in the same castle as Throne of Blood.

Funny when both have roots in Shakespeare: Ran (King Lear), Throne of Blood (Macbeth)

[The Third Man]

Rashomon is the one that has underwhelmed me. I need to see it again, as it was only the second Kurosawa film I watched and it came immediately after Seven Samurai.

I like Sanjuro mainly because it's hilarious. Overall, though, I think I'd rank it a notch below Yojimbo.

I was surprised how much I like Ran. Didn't think color Kurosawa would do it for me but it's great.

Rashomon is hitting blu-ray later this year, I believe, so you may as well wait till then.

I agree regarding Yojimbo/Sanjuro.

I looooove Ran. The color in that movie is astounding. I've always been interested in B&W directors who make the switch (e.g. Kurosawa, Bergman).

I think he was in Yojimbo?

I'll check it out...I'm working through Kurosawa this year, so it might have to wait a few months.

Yeah, he's probably the biggest name in samurai films after Mifune so he's popped up in a bunch of Kurosawa. He's the lead in Ran. Also the lead in the 9+ hour Human Condition trilogy, by the same guy (Kobayashi) who did Harakiri. Great actor.

[JL21]

Rashomon is the one that has underwhelmed me.

I kind of feel the same way about Seven Samurai. Although "underwhelmed" is a relative term when talking about Kurosawa. Basically, I thought it was awesome, but didn't like it nearly as much as the others above it.

If we're talking Japanese actors, I'll take Takashi Shimura for the block.

[The Third Man]

For me, Ikiru is the one with the biggest gap between expectations and reality. Not that it's not really good - like you said, it's relative - but I wouldn't put it anywhere close to his best. The way the second half is structured, with those histrionic businessmen narrating the story, hurts it for me.

[TimeForGuinness]

Rashomon is the one that has underwhelmed me.

I kind of feel the same way about Seven Samurai. Although "underwhelmed" is a relative term when talking about Kurosawa. Basically, I thought it was awesome, but didn't like it nearly as much as the others above it.

I wouldn't say "underwhelmed" for me, I very much enjoyed it...but since I saw The Magnificent Seven and Bugs Life before Seven Samurai, I sorta knew what was going to happen...so that sucked a bit...took a bit of the magic out of it.

I really liked the characters Mifune and Shimura played in Seven Samurai, though.

[Vidor]

So I'm watching the 1997 cinematic milestone "Bean", which, as you film aesthetes know, was the film debut of Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean character. Anyway, there's this one scene where Bean is in a bar, and there's a baseball game on TV, and the baseball announcer is--Jack Buck's "Go crazy!" call. As re-recorded by an actor.

I know. Great story.

[Vidor]

Tony Scott jumped off a bridge.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/829 ... tony-scott

It's funny, when the dude was alive it seemed like the word most associated with him was "hack", but he croaks and there are pieces on his "legacy". I wonder what folks will write about Michael Bay when he dies.

[TimeForGuinness]

Tony Scott jumped off a bridge.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/829 ... tony-scott

It's funny, when the dude was alive it seemed like the word most associated with him was "hack", but he croaks and there are pieces on his "legacy". I wonder what folks will write about Michael Bay when he dies.

I just hope the priest walks away slowly from the explosions going off as his coffin is lowered into a rocket that will be shot at an asteroid with Aerosmith blaring in the background.

"Don't want to close my eyes...."

Yeah, I just got that song stuck in your head.

[JL21]

When Terrence Malick dies, there will be five minute tribute videos featuring nothing but sobbing monkeys.

[Vidor]

When Terrence Malick dies, there will be five minute tribute videos featuring nothing but sobbing monkeys.

And sunlight through trees, right? And an A-list actor staring out at nothing?