Mifune

Starring:Iben Hjejle, Anders W. Berthelsen, Jesper Asholt, Emil Tarding, Anders Hove, Sofie GrÃ¥bÃ¸l, Paprika Steen, Mette Bratlann, Susanne Storm, Ellen HillingsÃ¸, Sidse Babett Knudsen, SÃ¸ren Fauli, SÃ¸ren Malling, Kjeld NÃ¸rgaard, Kirsten Vaupel, Torben Jensen (II), Klaus Bondam, Lene Laub Oksen, Line Kruse, Sofie Stougaard
Director: SÃ¸ren Kragh-Jacobsen
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

A great movie
Miracle at Midway
Weak Technically, Still Great in its Genre
Midway was the foundation for victory in the Pacific
Not what I remembered

Midway (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Charlton Heston , Edward Albert , Henry Fonda , James Coburn , and Glenn Ford
Director: Jack Smight
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

War Epics | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Tora! Tora! Tora!
In Harm's Way
Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]
The Longest Day
Patton

ASIN: B00005N5S3
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Amazon.com

Six months after the Japanese destroyed the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Americans discovered the Japanese were planning to seize the Naval base at Midway Island--a perfect staging point for invading Hawaii or the mainland. Outnumbered four to one, the Americans won a surprise victory and shattered the backbone of the Japanese Imperial Navy. This 1976 film feels more like a history lesson than a drama, but World War II buffs will appreciate the attention to historical fact (especially the way in which fate and a few bad decisions turned the tide), as well as the generous use of actual battle footage. The all-star cast includes Robert Mitchum, James Coburn, and Cliff Robertson in cameos and a whole slew of familiar TV faces in supporting roles. Hal Holbrook is fun as an oddball intelligence officer. --Geof Miller

Customer Reviews:

A great movie.......2007-07-04

I bought this movie for my parents. They lived during this time and are very interested in WWII movies.

Miracle at Midway.......2007-06-22

1976's "Midway" is very much in the tradition of other World War II movie epics such as "The Longest Day" and "A Bridge Too Far" in packing a star-studded cast around a key battle. "Midway" depicts the surprising June 1942 victory by a U.S. Naval Carrier Task Force over a far larger Japanese Fleet attempting to seize Midway Island, located north west of the Hawaiian Islands.

Henry Fonda stars as Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Nimitz. On the basis of intercepted Japanese communications, and against the advice of his staff, the soft-spoken but tough-minded Nimitz gambles his three surviving aircraft carriers on the opportunity to ambush the Japanese Fleet near Midway. Hal Holbrooke has a nice cameo as the eccentric Naval cryptographer who made the key intelligence assessment. Robert Mitchum also has a nice cameo as the famous fighting Admiral Bill Halsey, bed-ridden with a tropical skin disease, who must defer command of his carrier task force to Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance (played by veteran character actor Ed Nelson). Overall command of the U.S. force would be exercised by Admiral Jack Fletcher (a pitch-perfect performance by Glenn Ford).

The connecting thread in the long (two-plus hours) movie is fictional Navy Captain Matt Garth (played with jut-jawed determination by Charlton Heston). Garth, a fighter pilot recovering from a wound, starts the movie as Nimitz's aide, is transferred to Spruance's staff for the Midway mission, and ends up back in the cockpit of a dive bomber for the decisive air strike against the Japanese fleet. His life is complicated by a sub-plot involving the arrival in Hawaii of his estranged son (played by Edward Albert), a rookie naval aviator who is engaged to an interned Japanese-American woman. Garth's attempts to help his son make contact with his fiance draw the ire of security forces, while his request to an old friend (Cliff Robertson in a cameo) to look after his son results in the son's precipitious transfer to one of the Midway-bound carriers.

The engagement at sea interweaves movie scenes with real combat footage from the battle. The action shifts rapidly between the Commander and staff of the Japanese carrier force and the pilots of a variety of U.S. aircraft seeking and then attacking the Japanese ships. The resulting sequences may replicate some of the chaos of combat but are apt to be confusing to the average viewer. The respective fates of Garth and his son provide a poignant ending to the battle.

"Midway" does a reasonable job of narrating the story of an almost miraculous U.S. victory. The production values, in terms of authentic-looking ships, aircraft, vehicles, and uniforms, are solid. However, the insertion of "name" actors in a variety of small roles becomes almost distracting, as none of these parts get enough screen time for real character development. The edited VHS and DVD versions of the movie seem to be shorter than the original theatrical release, and to lose some story exposition in the process.

This movie is recommended to fans of the World War II movie genre, who will be able to appreciate the authenticity of the sets and who will find this an entertaining production.

Weak Technically, Still Great in its Genre.......2007-06-01

In the Genre of early post-WW2 films, this is a good Navy flick. The reason the U.S. won the Battle of Midway was because of the first deployment of the Proximity (or Variable Time) fuze in 5 inch AA shells, which is probably lesser known and less film-worth, although the History Channel has picked up on its importance. If you want to learn about it, get The Deadly Fuze, a documentary produced by WGVU in Michigan!!!

Midway was the foundation for victory in the Pacific.......2007-05-31

i was 12 when this movie came out. it was a huge blockbuster with an all-star cast led by Charlton Heston as the fictional character Captain Matt Garth. the Garth character was in the movie to add some much needed human interest. Garth was the hero we could identify with and root for. and it also allowed the movie to have Edward Albert portray his son (a fighter pilot) and show how the Japanese were rounded up and sent to internment camps.

if those elements were not in the movie, it simply would have been a documentary of probably the most compelling naval battle for the US during WW II. it was the battle that turned the tide in the US's favor and allowed us to keep the Japanese at bay till we were ready to go on the offensive.

the DVD itself is very good quality with many excellent bonus feautures. i particulary enjoyed the interviews with producer Walter Mirish and director Jack Smight and also Charlton Heston. and there is also a nice interview session with composer John Williams who did a very nice job with the score for Midway.

now let me say something about the confusion regarding the length and scope of the movie. the movie on this DVD is the original theatrical release. there was another version of this movie which was longer and showed the Battle of the Coral Sea (Mitch Ryan starred as Rear Admiral Aubrey Fitch) and also gave Heston a romantic interest with Susan Sullivan playing his girlfriend. this version was made after the fact to accommodate NBC (i believe) so it could have a long two-part movie for its popular Movie of the Week. personally, i liked this longer version better as it gave the movie a lot more meat and made it more interesting. without these additional scenes, the movie seems a bit hurried and uninspired in my opinion.

now on this DVD set they do have the 10 minutes worth of footage with Susan Sullivan in the Bonus section. but for some inexplicable reason there are no shots of the Battle of Coral Sea and that is very dissapointing.

it would have been nice if they could have released this as a 2-DVD set with the second disc containing the longer TV version.

the bottom line is that this is a good movie with a good cast and it is nice to see it with all of the extra bonus feautures as well.

Not what I remembered.......2007-05-20

I watched Midway at least five times in the theater as a kid and I have fond memories of this movie. The DVD is a much shorter version of the original, why they cut out the Coral Sea portion of the movie is beyond me and very dissapointing. I was also dissapointed when I realized that Charleton Heston's son takes off from his aircraft carrier in an F4F Wildcat but returns after the battle and crashes in a F6F Hellcat. This movie will remain for me a classic war movie but I can see why this DVD is hard to find.

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition

Average customer rating:

spectacular and incomparable.....
A must see
The Seven Samurai
Fantastic...
3 and 1/2 hours of pleasure

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
Starring: Takashi Shimura , Toshirô Mifune , Yoshio Inaba , Seiji Miyaguchi , and Minoru Chiaki
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection
Ran - Criterion Collection
Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Yojimbo - Criterion Collection
Playtime - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000G8NXYG
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Amazon.com essential video

Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the greatest of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village are seeking protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal.

Kurosawa masterfully composed his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion. While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of character development, requiring all of its 2-hour, 37-minute running time to illuminate every essential detail of villagers and samurai alike, including an abundance of humor as Kambei's defense plan unfolds. In terms of its overall impact, Seven Samurai spawned dozens of copycat films (notably the American Western remake The Magnificent Seven) and cannot be adequately summarized by even the most comprehensive synopsis; it must be seen to be fully appreciated, and the Criterion Collection's 2006 DVD reissue is an essential addition to any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
According to the accompanying booklet, "the picture has been slightly window-boxed (in correct original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors." The two-disc format was necessary "to maintain optimal image quality throughout the compression process," with dual-layered DVD-9's encoded "at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included." The picture and sound quality are simply amazing compared to Criterion's one-disc release from 1998. The all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfer takes full advantage of HD's clarity and crispness, resulting in picture detail far surpassing the previous DVD. This also applies to the soundtrack, presented in optional Dolby surround in addition to the remastered original mono track. The new transfer "was mastered in 2k resolution from a duplicate negative created with wetgate processing from the original fine-grain master positive" (the film's original negative is no longer available), and "several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratch, and grain management."

The complete 207-minute film is accompanied by two full-length commentary tracks, including a new track combining the critical insights of film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Price (author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa), Tony Rayns, and the dean of Japanese film experts, Donald Richie (author of The Films of Akira Kurosawa). Each scholar is given approximately 40 minutes of film-time, and their commentaries represent a unique opportunity to appreciate Seven Samurai from distinct yet complementary critical perspectives. The commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck (from Criterion's original 1988 laserdisc release) remains useful as a thorough analysis of Seven Samurai, primarily in terms of visual composition.

The 50-minute "making of" documentary, from Japan's 2002 Toho Masterworks TV series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create emphasizes Kurosawa's collaboration with co-screenwriters Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, including production footage, crewmember interviews, and a reverent visit to the rural inn where Seven Samurai was written over a six-week period of intense seclusion. The two-hour "My Life in Cinema" interview with Kurosawa was recorded in 1993, with fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima serving as a gentle admirer, colleague, and well-informed historian of Kurosawa's career. "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences" is a richly informative documentary that places Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context, examining its place in the jidai-gecki (swordplay) genre, its accurate depiction of samurai codes and traditions, and its stature as the prototype for many films that followed. The lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet includes eight brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, each written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet). Also included is a reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a conversation recorded in 1993. Taken as a whole, the remastered three-disc Seven Samurai ranks as one of the finest DVD sets ever released. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

spectacular and incomparable............2007-06-30

I finally did it. I watched SEVEN SAMURAI, directed by Akira Kurosawa. The first thing that came to my mind after viewing the film was, "Why did I wait so long?" For me, I have no argument with any of the past critics (Pauline Kael, Siskel & Ebert, or the slew of consumers on Amazon). There is a reason that this magnificent film, by Kurosawa, has been given such high praise, dating all the way back to its release in 1954, when it rightfully received the Venice Film Festival Silver Lion, and was later voted One of the Top Ten Best Films of All Time in the 1992 Sight and Sound International Film Directors' Poll. Gene Siskel calls it "One of the greatest films ever made. The film that was transformed into the popular western The Magnificent Seven." [That's another film I have waited far too long to watch!]

SEVEN SAMURAI truly has something for everyone, and in its full 208 minutes of glory, the scenes fly by way too quickly. This remarkable story, based on Japanese history, depicts 16th century Japan, in the wake of a very turbulent chapter in the nation's past. Peasants and farmers are starving at the hand of ruthless bandits, who are raping and pillaging their rice fields (as well as their people). Who can save them, but a group of seven bold men [the title's samurai] leading a group of locals into battle, to take on these evil men. There are moments that are laugh out loud hilarious, followed by great dramatic and action-packed scenes (yes, this is a violent film--but, I am sure, judging from the title, that doesn't surprise you), and even some romance. The dazzling cast includes Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune (YOJIMBO), as well as Takashi Shimura (IKIRU).

What makes this film stand out so much (aside from the wonderful acting and engaging story) is the innovation in cinematography that was incredibly progressive for the time that it was made (the 1950s). This includes bold use of slow motion, a rapid moving camera and long-lens photography. When my mom was looking over my shoulder, ever so often, she remarked that she could have sworn that this film was shot in color. I can see why she thought that. The beautiful attention to light and shadow make you feel the color that the actors and crew must have seen, when they made this. I saw shades of gold, blue, and red (what with all the bloodshed) as I was watching this. You just have to watch the film to understand what I'm talking about. I really don't want to ruin the experience for you. I hope to see the DVD transfer of this, because I have heard it is far superior to the VHS version. That's hard to even imagine, for me, because this film sparkles on videotape! Please watch this and don't wait as long as I did to enjoy SEVEN SAMURAI for the exceptional film that it is. [As a note to all people weary of subtitles: You won't even notice them! This film will make you feel like you understand Japanese, almost. Visually, this is a film that has the power to transcend all cultural and language boundaries.]

A must see.......2007-06-27

Personally, I'm not a fan of b&w films, but this one is by far one of my favorites. Though it is long, it's well worth the time spent watching it, in my humble opinion.

The Seven Samurai.......2007-06-26

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Kurosawa's brutal, invigorating martial classic concerns the all-important code of honor among feudal Japan's warrior caste. Both Shimura and Kurosawa regular Mifune, playing a loudmouth rube posing as a member of the elite military class, give towering performances among a robust cast. As in John Ford's Westerns, Kurosawa carefully delineates each of his characters before unleashing the lurid battle sequences, the likes of which have yet to be equaled on-screen: the town raid, ferocious clashes on horseback, and barbaric hand-to-hand melees. Few films have even a fraction of the fluid visual power and visceral intensity of "Samurai," truly an essential work of cinema history.

Fantastic..........2007-05-29

I'm hooked on this director right now. I watched The Hidden Fortress first and decided to buy Seven Samurai after being blown away by the directing of the movie.

Seven Samurai is all it is blown up to be. The detail of character development was right on. The story was simple and yet it kept you interested and excited for the full 3+hours that it lasted. The fight scenes weren't as violent as i expected it to be, but the skills were all there. fantastic cast. I'm going to get more of this directors movies now. Red Beard has caught my eye...

3 and 1/2 hours of pleasure.......2007-05-13

This film is an acknowledged masterpiece. Kurosawa is a genius of the first magnitude. I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than by watching it. The characters interact flawlessly and you are transferred to a land of ronin and bandits. The characters are human and their lives are interesting. You wonder what happens to the remaining three characters. You know the farmers will always be farmers.

Average customer rating:

Great nostalgic series
James Clavell's Shogun
James Clavell's Shogun
Shogun Review
Shogun Review

James Clavell's Shogun
Starring: Richard Chamberlain , Toshirô Mifune , Yôko Shimada , Frankie Sakai , and Alan Badel
Director: Jerry London
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Thorn Birds
Tai Pan
The Thorn Birds Collector's Edition (The Thorn Birds / The Thorn Birds 2 - The Missing Years)
The Winds of War
Shogun

ASIN: B0000A2ZNX
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com essential video

What better way to escape from the onslaught of so-called reality television than to sail away with Richard Chamberlain to "the Japans" for a little samurai action and some discreet "pillowing"? From the golden age of the miniseries comes this television benchmark, the 10-hour, Golden Globe-winning saga based on James Clavell's bestselling epic. In his award-winning performance, Chamberlain stars as John Blackthorne, the 17th-century English navigator on a Dutch trading ship. A storm runs the ship aground off the coast of Japan, a "torn and cruelly divided country" locked in a power struggle between Toranaga (the venerable Toshiro Mifune) and Ishido, two warlords who would be Shogun. Blackthorne gets over his initial culture shock ("I piss on you and your country," he defiantly proclaims to his samurai captors, which to his humiliation turns out to be an unfortunate choice of words) to become a trusted ally of Toranaga and the lover of the beautiful interpreter Lady Mariko (Yoko Shimada). Their forbidden, ill-fated romance--and Blackthorne's total assimilation into Japanese culture--is set against political intrigue as Toranaga prepares for the inevitable showdown with Ishido, and Blackthorne's growing influence threatens the local Jesuits who had built up a lucrative trade monopoly. Shogun was a production blessed with good karma, and it remains an awesome achievement from a bygone era when the miniseries was king. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Great nostalgic series.......2007-06-28

We truly enjoyed this set from the series we had seen so many years ago. A good enactment of the book.

James Clavell's Shogun.......2007-06-26

Excellent movie for its time. Very few TV mini-series (if any) come close to its grandeur today.

James Clavell's Shogun.......2007-06-14

It still holds up after all these years. Better than Memoirs of a Geisha and waaay better than The Last Samurai (which probably would have been better without Tom Cruise). Would love to see what HBO would have done with it now days.

Shogun Review.......2007-06-02

I have been waiting for many years for the mini-series to become available on DVD, as it is one of my favorite movies. Even though the tale is fiction, being somewhat of a history buff, I captured by the story and enthralled by the beautiful scenery of the island of Japan.

Shogun Review.......2007-06-02

About 3/4 of the way into the first disk the movie just froze. That is, the image displayed was static. There was of course no sound. I could not fast forward.

By returning to the main menu and selecting a scene subsequent to the scene that froze I was able to see the remainder of disk #1.

Average customer rating:

Grand Prix 1966 ( Two - Disc Special Edition )
Fascinating in car footage, otherwise it's 1960s kitsch.
Spectacular footage
It will never be surpassed. The best race movie ever.
The best auto racing movie ever.

Grand Prix (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: James Garner , Eva Marie Saint , Yves Montand , Toshirô Mifune , and Brian Bedford
Director: John Frankenheimer
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Sports | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Auto Sports | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Le Mans
Winning
The Making of "Grand Prix"
Bullitt
The World's Fastest Indian

ASIN: B000FFJYCU
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Amazon.com essential video

Light on story, this 1966 spectacle directed by John Frankenheimer was shot in 70 millimeter, with a cinematically enthralling emphasis on unique, visceral new ways of capturing the sensations of a car race. James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, and Toshiro Mifune are part of the stellar, international cast whose characters plod through assorted relationship and business conflicts. But the film's real hook is the thrilling and inventive means by which Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) brings an urgency to the drama happening on the racetrack. A true master of the plastic techniques of obtaining and cutting kinetic footage, Frankenheimer offers more than a joyride to viewers: he makes action part of the compelling language of stories. Cameras are strapped to vehicles as they round the track, shots are taken from a helicopter, the screen is split between angles for maximum impact--even if Grand Prix doesn't rank among the director's best character-driven stories, it is certainly driven on its own terms. --Tom Keogh

On the DVD
The much-anticipated release on DVD does not disappoint, with a pristine restored print and upgraded 5.1 Dolby sound. Of course, the Cinerama film can only be fully appreciated if you sit very close to your screen. The absence of a commentary track is forgivable, since director John Frankenheimer died in 2002. "Pushing the Limit" is your standard 30-minute retrospective with many new interviews with the stars and drivers. The universal opinion is that the film caught Formula One at the exact right time when the beauty of the sport was about to be changed in favor of safety and commercialism. There are some fascinating stories on how they were able to use real race footage so seamlessly. "Flat Out" continues the vibe of what racing was like in the '60s with more interviews from the real racers. "The Style and Sound of Speed" talks about designer Saul Bass and how he created the film's different approaches to each race and the cutting-edge use of montages and multiple screens. The vintage doc is kitschy but allows us to see the filming in action (the footage is used extensively in the new featurettes). --Doug Thomas

Description

Nine races. One champion. James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford and Antonio Sabato portray Formula I drivers competing to be the best in this slam-you-into-the-driver's seat tale of speed, spectacle and intertwined personal lives. Eva Marie Saint and Toshiro Mifune also star. John Frankenheimer (who 32 years later would again stomp the pedal to the metal for the car chases of Ronin) directs this winner of 3 Academy Awards?,* crafting split-screen images to capture the overlapping drama and orchestrating you-are-there POV camerawork to intensify the hard-driving thrills. Nearly 30 top drivers take part in the excitement, so buckle up, movie fans. Race with the best to the head of the pack.

DVD Features:
Theatrical Trailer
Documentaries
Featurette

Customer Reviews:

Grand Prix 1966 ( Two - Disc Special Edition ).......2007-07-05

All the glamour and greatness of the World's most exciting drama of speed and spectacle .Nine races . One Champion . James Garner (1928 - ) . Yves Montand (1921-1991) . Brian Bedford (1935 - ) and Antonio Sabáto (1943 - ) Portray Formula I drivers competing to the best in this slam-you-into-the-driver's-seat tale of speed spetacle and intertwined personal lives . Eva Marie Saint (1924 - ) and Toshiro Mifune (1920 - 1997) also Stars . John Frankheimer (1930-2002) (who 32 years later again stomp the pedal to the metal for the car chases of * Ronin *) Directs this winner of 3 Academy Awards . Crafting split-screen images to capture the overlapping drama and orchestring you-are there POV camerawork to intensify the hard-driving thrills . Nearly 30 top drivers take part in the exitiment , so buckle up , movie fans . Race with the best to the head of the pack . Many Special Features . High Quality Transfer . Recommended .

Fascinating in car footage, otherwise it's 1960s kitsch........2007-06-26

Being an afficiando of vintage racing I was intrigued to finally see this film on DVD. It started off well, with views of mid 1960s Monaco, and in car footage that will have race fans glued to the screen. The next HOUR or so was frankly a chore to sit through. After half an hour I was thinking "Come on, get on with a story" and glancing at my watch. But it seemed to be composed largely of poor soap opera love interest stories done 1960s style. The acting is generally poor, replete with painfully forced laughter and smiling. And although it was good to see some real drivers mingling with the actors- well, they're drivers not actors.Some of the scenes have dated very badly too (especially the "groovy" party scene with young people shaking their heads to some 60s pop song-that was hilarious) delegating a large chunk of the movie firmly into the realms of kitsch. My patience was rewarded after an hour with footage of Spa.

It also has the worst soundtrack to a major film that I ever heard. The 5 minute "Overture" prior to the films commencement is one of the most hilariously poor mismatches between visuals and audio that I've encountered.

I don't mind a bit of retro nostalgia, but I wasn't expecting, or wanting it in a film like Grand Prix.

Spectacular footage.......2007-05-17

In hollywood today, this movie would have been made with big-budget visual effects, computer generated racing cars, fake scenery, etc. Watching this movie, I couldn't help but be in total awe of the racing footage captured. It's all real...no computer graphics. This is one amazing picture. I wish more movies were made this way rather than entirely in the computer.

It will never be surpassed. The best race movie ever........2007-05-16

This is one of those mysteries in the history of filmaking... However talented John Frankenheimer and the actors involved were / are, how could someone have imagined that a racing car movie made in 1966, I REPEAT, 1966, would still be, in 2007, head and shoulders bette than all the race movies ever made, before or after!!

Because "Grand Prix" is a master-piece. I will not talk about the amzaing camera angles, the perfect edition, the fact that the actor themselves drive the cars (F3 cars, it's true...), makin a montage with the actual race, the fact that the plot, altough simple, is engaging and makes you cheer for each one of the drivers.

No. I'll talk about the "feel" of the movie. It flows effortlessly, with class, energy, everything.

The best auto racing movie ever........2007-05-12

I first saw this movie in original release on the BIG screen. Since the invention of the DVD I have been waiting for Grand Prix.
The wait is finally over, and it was worth it.
Beautiful cinematography, a great score, and the cars, oh the cars.

Average customer rating:

"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell"
Not a "whodunnit"
A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history
Required viewing at most film schools
The Worst Movie I've Ever Seen

Rashomon - Criterion Collection
Starring: Minoru Chiaki , Fumiko Homma , Daisuke Kato , Machiko Kyo , and Toshiro Mifune
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Crime & Criminals | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

International | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
Ran - Criterion Collection
Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection
Ikiru - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00003CXC6
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com essential video

This 1950 film by Akira Kurosawa is more than a classic: it's a cinematic archetype that has served as a template for many a film since. (Its most direct influence was on a Western remake, The Outrage, starring Paul Newman and directed by Martin Ritt.) In essence, the facts surrounding a rape and murder are told from four different and contradictory points of view, suggesting the nature of truth is something less than absolute. The cast, headed by Kurosawa's favorite actor, Toshiro Mifune, is superb. --Tom Keogh

Description

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, Rashomon is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife. Toshiro Mifune gives another commanding performance in the eloquent masterwork that revolutionized film language and introduced Japanese cinema to the world.

Customer Reviews:

"If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell".......2007-06-05

I usually watch many kinds of different movies, but I wasn't a fan of old Asian movies, at least not until a friend lent me this beautiful classic, directed by Akira Kurosawa. Now I know what I was missing...

"Rashomon" (1950), shot in black and white, is nothing short of stunning. The first scenes show us a priest and a woodcutter taking refuge in an old temple, in order to escape from the heavy rain. A third man shows up, and they start talking about a recent crime that troubles them. Despite the fact that these men were at the trial in which those involved were judged, they don't have a clue regarding what happened, due to the fact that they hear very different versions of the events that took place that fateful day. Will the truth ever be found out? And is there such a thing as truth, or an objective point of view?

This is the first film by Kurosawa I have watched, but it won't be my last. Highly recommended ! And... thanks, Rubén :)

- Belen Alcat, June 2007 -

Not a "whodunnit".......2007-05-19

Kurosawa's use of multiple points of view allows him to highlight the interpretive agendas of the various "tellers" of the story. There is no one "true" version that the viewer is supposed to be able piece together from the narratives. Rather, the story is about the way in which no one interpretation will explain the events adequately. The meta-narrative of the story is what's at stake for each of the tellers that make them tell differently.

Tojomaru, the bandit. All at stake for him is his reputation as a bad guy. He knows he's doomed, and that he'll probably be executed, so his story embellishes his reputation. He says he fights, subdues and rapes the wife, then fights and kills the husband because the wife demands it. He fights fairly, and, in spite of the wife's role in urging him on, only because he wants to. In his version, he must kill the husband, but is then betrayed by the wife, so in some sense he has been wronged.

Masago, the wife. She has two interconnected motives: she needs revenge and appeasement of guilt. As a victim of a rape, she was shamed before both her husband and the bandit. She must try to exact revenge on the bandit, yet her husband spurns her as she tries to seek this revenge. In order to receive satisfaction, she must incite the fight (as she is reported doing in every version). It is important that in her version, the two men aren't actually seen fighting, because her agenda is to take the blame for the death of her husband away from herself. She deals with this by simply losing consciousness, then waking and finding her husband dead and the bandit gone.

Takehiro, the husband. This one is primarily driven by his culpability. He got himself tied up and then killed. He has to explain it somehow in honorable terms. It's very important that his story does not include a fight with the bandit. The husband was vain and proud, and losing the fight would be quite dishonorable. His version ends in suicide, as he owns up to his failures - but only after rejecting his wife (by not running after her), who "let herself get raped."

The woodcutter. Although his version is the most complex, having elements of all the others, his main motive is simple: to avoid being asked where the knife is (he denies having seen it at the inquest). Yet he is torn, repeatedly saying "That's a lie" to all the other stories. When he finally does tell his whole version, he describes the players as being full of pity, regret, fear and horror: all emotions that he must have gone through while watching the encounter. Further, his story must include a fight between the two men (which is disorganized and messy, concluding with "I don't want to die!"), because the husband must die by a sword wound and not a dagger. At the end, the wanderer gets the woodcutter to all but confess to having taken the dagger. Whether he took it from the husband's chest or picked it up from the ground is not known, but watch Takashi Shimura's face at the moment the medium speaks of having the dagger pulled out. The expression is one of horror, but is it horror over his own actions?

The woodcutter has both the most and the least to hide. His "crime" was being a witness, and then stealing evidence; he may be impeding justice by more or less corroborating the bandit's story - i.e., a "non-dagger death." Yet this impediment might not be that significant, considering Tajomaru's reputation and likely fate anyway. He must hide the fact that he's a thief, yet we can believe that he'd put the money gotten from the theft to good use. After all, he has six mouths to feed. I guess I distrust him the least, and believe that his lie hurts the fewest people. I suppose I'm highlighting what I value in the character (and in life) by making this interpretive decision. And that's why I also don't mind the ending (which some have felt is sentimental or out of step with the tenor of the film). In taking the abandoned child home, the woodcutter is compensating for his ill-gotten gains, and thus restoring balance to his karma.

But just maybe the woodcutter saw nothing (as in his first telling), and his second version was a fantasy of his own creation, made to appease the enormous guilt he feels at stealing the dagger. As the wanderer says, "We all want to forget something, so we create stories. It's easier that way."

A movie that truly belongs to world cinema's history.......2007-04-11

Sometime during the 12th century in Japan, three men, a woodcutter, a commoner and a priest, find themselves under the ruin of the Rashomon as they seek shelter from the heavy rain. As they wait for a break in the weather, they discuss the trial of the bandit Tajomaru, accused of killing the samurai Takehiro after having raped his wife. But was it what truely happened? The more we listen to the witnesses, the further we seem to drift away from the truth....

As I read reviews here and there, I quickly realized that there were basically two sides: the enthusiasts (the majority), some of which almost implying that there just can't be anything to complain about since this movie is widely considered as one of the most important in cinema history. And then there are those who are quick to argue that this movie is overrated, even boring. So, are the former just name-droppers in select parties, hoping to pass for the artsy-witsy type? Or are the latter either ignorant or trying to be hipper than hip by going against the greater number's judgement?

I think the main issue here is that those two sides just aren't talking about the same aspects of the movie. If there's one thing that's undeniable about Rashomon, the movie that truely revealed its director to the world, earning him a Golden Lion in 1951 at the Venice Film Festial and a honorary award at the Oscars, is that at the time of its release, this movie broke grounds both technically and in terms of story-telling. Maybe the most famous of those technical "innovations" is the pointing of the camera directly at the sun: to us now, it may comes as completely anticlimatic, but this was breaking one of the biggest taboos at the time

But maybe the one aspect of this movie that immediatly impressed the most was the storytelling, this presentation of several perceptions on what happened that fateful day, leading us only to accept in the end that the factual truth, because we couldn't experience the events first hand but only through the eyes of the various witnesses who all played a part in them, is forever lost to us. Such use of subjectivity to present a singular fact to the audience, therefore shaking their confidence in what they have actually seen, continues to this day to influence movies. Surely, if Rashomon hadn't been made, another director would have done just the same, but the first happens to be Kurosawa, and whatever one's appreciation of this movie is, the fact remains that, for those reasons alone, it deserves our utmost respect

But does it deserve our love? Now that's the hard one. It is certainly not an emotionally engaging movie: you're never really brought to care for the characters, which is probably the one reason why I couldn't give it 5 stars, no matter how much of a piece of history that movie is: I just need to emotionally connect with a movie at some level to be fully engrossed in it, and Rashomon just doesn't do that for me. However, it definitely is an intellectually engaging movie, and relatively short. The multiple layers in the visual, the acting, the philosophical statements all almost make up completely for it, and it ends before the lack of emotional ties leads you to lose interest in the story

Also, if you are after a Kurosawa movie which will entertain you from the word go, you would be far better off watching "Seven Samurai" or even "The Hidden Fortress". Rashomon lacks this fun factor - on the surface: dwelve on it some and the irony of the woodcutter's second tale, between Tajomaru's child-like glances and the swordfight's parody, which come in direct contrast with the others' tales, and in particular Tajomaru's own, can definitely qualify as funny, although it is much more likely to bring a soft chuckle rather than an outright loud laugh out of you

You may be put off by other details: the lack of dialogues for one. I would however argue that more dialogues wouldn't have been necessary, nor would they have shed anymore light on the case. What the director wants us to know without being put into words transpires through clever camera work, precise use of space and of the elements the environment provides (weather conditions, light, shadows of the foliage, etc). What may also grate on your nerves is what may pass as overacting (in particular in Mifune's and Machiko Kyo's cases): that being said, for one, acting standards in Japan are slightly different from those in the West. What I mean by that is that what they consider good acting may often be considered as unnatural and overacting by us. There's also another explanation: we aren't witnessing the facts as they actually happened. In a sense, the characters involved in this deadly affair are all, as they testify, performing, hoping to convincingly present the events in a way that will best serve their interests and, in the words of the others, they are but mere puppets who are made acting to suit their needs. No wonder therefore that a sense of surreality permeates these performances

Another point that may be annoying is the lack of resolution: sure, the image the woodcutter walking away with the baby under sun that is at last shining forth provides for a hopeful note. But the movie, through the camera angle during the testimony scenes at the court, puts you in the position of the judge, of the person who is there to seek out the truth. Yet you are forced to admit in the end that you'll never find it

But then the next question should be: do we need to know? Tajomaru, whatever the role he played, has, from what we are told, killed other women already: even if his role in this affair remains unclear, his fate, now that he is in the hands of justice, shouldn't. The samurai's wife, whether she has encouraged this violent act or not, will live a life of shame, a fate maybe worse than death. The samurai will cannot be brought back to life anyway. As for the woodcutter, even if he has taken the dagger to resale it, his generosity towards the child certainly more than redeems the theft

Interestingly enough, Kurosawa, it seems, never thought of Rashomon as of one of his best movies. And as for myself, I tend to agree with that statement, if only because it isn't too engaging on an emotional level. Still, Rashomon remains a movie that should be watched by any aspiring film-maker as well as any person more or less interested in the art of film-making in general. But I would also definitely recommend it to anyone not afraid of rather depressing yet tinted with hope, philosophical statements, and willing to spend the necessary time to reflect on it afterwards and possibly treat themselves to more than one viewing

A last word on the DVD itself: I've only watched the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, and I don't think I'll ever need another one. The restored transfer's quality is absolutely superb, even though I am tempted to say that the image faired better than the sound. The translation, from what little I can judge, is adequate; I have, however, only listened to the English dubbing for a hanful of scenes, so I can't say much, apart that it seemed terribly out of sync sometimes. The extras are all insightful, be it Robert Altman's introduction, the documentary extract on Kazuo Miyagawa, the cinematographer, or the audio commentary by Donald Richie. Also, the booklet that accompanies the single disc contains the two short stories on which the script was based, which is a most welcome addition

Required viewing at most film schools.......2007-04-10

In the Bible, Pilate asks, "What is truth?" and, as Roger Bacon puts it, "would not stay for an answer."

I felt a bit the same way after seeing this remarkable film by Japan's celebrated film maker, Akira Kurosawa. It is set in 12th century Japan, and while most viewers would say it examines the nature of truth and finds it slippery, I think it more properly examines the nature of the feudal Japanese society.

We have as representatives of that society, a priest (Minuru Chiaki) and a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) sitting out a rain storm in a place called Rashomon. It might pass for a ruined Greek temple except that its pillars and roof are made of wood. The priest and the woodcutter declare that they just can't understand it. They shake their heads and stare at the ground. Along comes a commoner (Kichijiro Uedo), a cynical man who asks what it is that they cannot understand.

They have witnessed an investigation into the death of a samurai, Takehiro (Masayuki Mori). He is in some ways the equivalent of a medieval knight. He has a horse and lady, Masako (Machiko Kyo). The accused is an infamous outlaw named Tajomaru (played brilliantly by Toshiro Mifune, who obviously had a lot of fun with the part). He tells his story. He admits to having his way with the lady, but lets the court know that she liked it so much that she began to embrace him while her husband was tied up watching. Afterwards he says that she insisted that they fight over her. Tajomaru obliges. He cuts the rope holding Takehiro and they sword fight. Tajomaru wins.

Next the wife tells her story. It is different of course. This causes the court to get a medium (Fumiko Honma) to tell the story from the point of view of the dead Takehiro. His story is different yet again. Finally the woodcutter reveals to the priest and the commoner that he saw the whole thing, and he then gives his version, again different of course.

The commoner has some terrifically cynical lines. Here are three:

"It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves."

(To the priest:) "Not another sermon! I don't mind a lie if it's interesting."

"Man just wants to forget the bad stuff, and believe in the made-up good stuff. It's easier that way."

He speaks for the natural or animalistic man.

His counterpoint, the priest, opines, "If men don't trust each other, this earth might as well be hell."

He speaks for moral man.

Near the end of the film a baby is discovered crying. The woodcutter, who has five or six children of his own, takes the baby home.

He represents civilized man.

Masako represents the samurai's view of the nature of women when she is heard to say, "A man has to make a woman his by his sword."

What impressed me most about this film is the way Kurosawa was able to create an emotional atmosphere in each of the sittings. "In the Grove" we feel the trees and the light that sparkles through the leaves, and the disturbed serenity. At Rashomon in the rain we feel the men isolated and waiting, and in the sterile court scene we feel the severity of the tragedy.

The Worst Movie I've Ever Seen.......2007-04-04

The Bandit is so obinoxious, it's not even funny, the movie hardly mean't be laughable anyway

Average customer rating:

Boring, Tedious and Unfunny
second time around
Slapstick and Destruction! Wow!!
Don't judge a movie by the names on the box...
1941-Review

1941 (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Dan Aykroyd , Ned Beatty , John Belushi , Lorraine Gary , and Bobby Di Cicco
Director: Steven Spielberg
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Continental Divide
Duel (Collector's Edition)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
The Sugarland Express
Empire of the Sun

ASIN: 0783231032
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Amazon.com

Watching this director's cut, it's finally possible to see why the studio made Spielberg mercilessly hack up this comedy: it's a screaming movie (everyone screams a lot), and screaming movies do not need character development. So all those character-development scenes hit the cutting-room floor and, surprise, they were all critical to Spielberg's pace for the humor in this film. The screaming wasn't that funny then--and it still isn't--but what is funny are the reinserted development scenes, showcasing the now-evident sense of hysteria in the Los Angeles community, post-Pearl Harbor. A bunch of certified nitwits, and a few certified lunatics, act as if Tojo Hideki's entire Imperial force is just off the mainland. Actually, one Japanese submarine is, and it helps fuel the frenzy. John Belushi is Wild Bill Kelso, an insane fighter pilot, and Dan Aykroyd plays a conciliatory tank commander. Robert Stack's performance as General Stilwell, one of the best of the film, finally makes sense. Also fun for the numerous cameos, Spielberg's inside jokes, and John Williams's great score. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Boring, Tedious and Unfunny.......2007-06-20

As with another user who wrote in a review, I found this in a discount bin at Wal-Mart. I'd always been aware of the movie, at least from a musical point of view, because John Williams recorded the march and "Swing! Swing! Swing!," his Benny Goodman pastiche, when he was with the Boston Pops Orchestra. (Both are wonderful pieces of music.) But I'd never seen the film. Now I wish I hadn't.

I'm sorry, but this thing misfires in almost every gag. There are some wonderful concepts here, and some hysterical situations (in both senses of the word). And some fine slapstick visuals. But the whole thing is so incredidbly heavy-handed and forced that whatever humor should have been there is crushed to death. In his comments in the bonus material for this DVD (taken quite obviously from a laser-disc version released many years ago), even Spielberg admits that the film should have been funnier. I'll see his bet and raise it: It should have been funny.

Laurel & Hardy could have done the destruction bit in far less time and on a shoestring budget and it would have been funny. The same thing happened a few years ago with a film called MOUSE HUNT, in which an entire mansion is destroyed. Again, L&H did it better in less time. Woody Allen, I believe, once said that any comedy over 90 minutes is doomed to failure. A "comedy" like this, running two hours and 20-some minutes, is sheer torture.

second time around.......2007-06-13

First dvd we got was flawed, replacement is perfect. thanks for quick turnaround!

Slapstick and Destruction! Wow!!.......2007-06-07

I "discovered" this funny movie on theatrical cut VHS many years ago and laffed alot. The directors cut does not diminish the pace. The DVD re-issue of the old Laser Disc in widescreen is OK but Universal gave the public a non-anamorphic version for 16x9 televisions (BOO on Universal!!). This is a collectors version???? Phooey! The zoom setting on projection TVs mess with the period style photography so I watch it on the 4x3 and the picture is sharper despite the purposeful soft, foggy 60 years ago "look". Everyone in this production does a fine job, it's too bad the more positive reviews in Europe were not included.

Don't judge a movie by the names on the box..........2007-05-23

This was in the cheap bin at Wal-Mart, so I thought I'd give it a chance, seeing as how it 'featured' Dan Akroyd and John Belushi directed by Steven Spielberg. Towards the end of the movie, I found myself crying out for the pain to end. Most of the humor lies in the ridiculous slapstick category, which would make it a great children's movie if not for the constant sexual references (honestly, the funniest joke was the innuendo about the B-17). My only hope is that you see this review while trying to decide if you should purchase the DVD, and it makes you decide not to buy it. Epic Failure in the truest sense of the term.

1941-Review.......2007-05-13

Very pleased with the condition of the dvd and the timeframe that the dvd was received.
Thanks

Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

It's alright
Two prime examples of the mastery of Kurosawa in one great set!
The Incomparable Toshiro Mifune
!!!!Great Box set!!!!
Sterling Prints

Yojimbo & Sanjuro - Two Films By Akira Kurosawa - Criterion Collection
Starring: Toshirô Mifune , Tatsuya Nakadai , Keiju Kobayashi , Yuzo Kayama , and Akihiko Hirata
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( Y ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection
The Third Man - Criterion Collection (2-Disc Edition)
Army of Shadows - Criterion Collection
Burmese Harp - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000K0YM0Y
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Amazon.com

After Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo was released in 1961, the samurai film would never be the same. It's difficult for latter-day Western audiences to fully appreciate just how revolutionary Kurosawa's film was in its time; it had the same kind of popular impact that Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction had 33 years later, which is to say, it completely revolutionized its genre, and its influence continues to this day. With an emphasis on dark, delicious comedy, Kurosawa deliberately set out to overturn the conventions of chambara--or swordplay film--and he began by casting the great Toshiro Mifune in the role that would define his career. Unlike the samurai of previous films (including Kurosawa's own masterpiece, Seven Samurai), Sanjuro was an unkempt, down-and-out drifter, a masterless ronin and with time on his hands and nowhere to go. When he chances upon a corrupt, terror-stricken village where clashing merchants are engaged in a ruthless range war, Sanjuro amuses himself by playing both ends against the middle, offering his services as yojimbo (bodyguard) to both sides, then standing back to watch all hell break loose. It's a perfect game of wily deception, hugely popular with Japanese moviegoers as Mifune's performance gained iconic status. Yojimbo's international success was no less impressive; it eventually inspired two noteworthy remakes (Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western A Fistful of Dollars in 1964, and Walter Hill's mobster interpretation, Last Man Standing, in 1996), and remains one of Kurosawa's most popular classics.

A sequel was inevitable, and Kurosawa responded to public demand as only a true artist would, with the equally impressive Sanjuro, quite different from Yojimbo while allowing Mifune to reprise his signature role with a lighter comedic touch. This time, Sanjuro is recruited by a group of young, idealistic samurai to eliminate corruption in their clan, and in the process he completely subverts their overly reverent notions of "proper" samurai behavior. And while both Yojimbo and Sanjuro were milestones in movie violence (featuring the spurting geysers of arterial blood that would become a staple of chambara from this point forward), the calmer, more comically subdued Sanjuro actually boasts a higher body count, and both films rank among the finest examples of Kurosawa's peerless mastery of action.

The Criterion Collection's double-disc set is a must-have for any serious cinephile. Both films (also available separately) are presented with all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfers, representing (as in the case of Seven Samurai) a significant improvement over Criterion's previous DVD releases. Both films feature full-length commentaries by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince (with eloquent emphasis on camera movement and composition) in addition to retrospective documentaries culled from the priceless Japanese Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create, featuring illuminating interviews with many of Kurosawa's closest collaborators. Theatrical trailers and behind-the-scenes photo galleries are also included, along with new-and-improved subtitles, insightful booklet essays by critics Michael Sragow and Alexander Sesonske, and rarely seen production notes by Kurosawa and members of his casts & crew. With this two-disc reissue, Criterion's previous releases of Yojimbo and Sanjuro should now be considered officially obsolete. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

It's alright.......2007-05-02

After seeing Seven Samurai, this movie is OK, I was hoping more out of it, but it's OK.

Two prime examples of the mastery of Kurosawa in one great set!.......2007-03-12

The Clint Eastwood western A Fistful Of Dollars is the better known version of Akira Kurosawa's wonderful Yojimbo, but no matter how familiar you think you are with the plot of the Eastwood movie, Yojimbo has several surprises and cinematic treats (and special features) in store for you. Intrigue and conspiracy are two themes of Yojimbo and Sanjuro, the sequel which is also packaged in this wonderfully produced set, but in addition to the plot twists and skullduggery, there are thrilling and lightning-fast displays of samurai swordsmanship. Like all great movies, though, both Yojimbo and Sanjuro have elements of all kinds of storytelling, and this Criterion Collection edition puts these two excellent films on DVD in an excellent transfer. Worth the money, and an excellent addition to my movie collection!

The Incomparable Toshiro Mifune.......2007-03-09

Out of all of the incomparable Toshiro Mifune's films, Yojimbo and Sanjuro are possibly the most fun. Mifune certainly seems to be enjoying himself as he glowers his way through both films. If you are a fan of any kind of Chambara films you will almost certainly have seen these films previously. However, the presentation of these new Criterion editions is superb and the extra's are first rate. Yojimbo of course is the basis for Sergio Leone's Italian Westerns with Clint Eastwood, but I perfer the Japanese original. Kurasawa's direction if first rate as usual. The set is strongly recommended for anyone who has even a passing interest in the Chambara or "samurai" type film.

!!!!Great Box set!!!!.......2007-03-09

If you are a classic samurai film and Kurosawa fan owning this set is a must!

Sterling Prints.......2007-03-09

Two of Kurosawa's best have been re-released in pristine prints that convey the genius of the director and the richness of his cinematic vision.

Average customer rating:

Throne of Blood
Great movie for a rainy night!
Outstanding Film: A Kurosawa Classic!
True Classical Shakespearian Japan Style
Absolute excellence

Throne of Blood - Criterion Collection
Starring: Toshirô Mifune , Isuzu Yamada , Takashi Shimura , Akira Kubo , and Hiroshi Tachikawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

International | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

All | Criterion Collection | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ran - Criterion Collection
Rashomon - Criterion Collection
Kagemusha - Criterion Collection
Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
The Hidden Fortress - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00008RH1H
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Amazon.com essential video

A champion of illumination and experimental shading, Kurosawa brings his unerring eye for indelible images to Shakespeare in this 1957 adaptation of Macbeth. By changing the locale from Birnam Wood to 16th-century Japan, Kurosawa makes an oddball argument for the trans-historicity of Shakespeare's narrative; and indeed, stripped to the bare mechanics of the plot, the tale of cutthroat ambition rewarded (and thwarted) feels infinitely adaptable. What's lost in the translation, of course, is the force and beauty of the language--much of the script of Throne of Blood is maddeningly repetitive or superfluous--but striking visual images (including the surreal Cobweb Forest and some extremely artful gore) replace the sublime poetry. Toshiro Mifune is theatrically intense as Washizu, the samurai fated to betray his friend and master in exchange for the prestige of nobility; he portrays the ill-fated warrior with a passion bordering on violence, and a barely concealed conviviality. Somewhat less successful is Isuzu Yamada as Washizu's scheming wife; her poise and creepy impassivity, chilling at first, soon grows tedious. Kurosawa himself is the star of the show, though, and his masterful use of black-and-white contrast-- not to mention his steady, dramatic hand with a battle scene--keeps the proceedings thrilling. A must-see for fans of Japanese cinema, as well as all you devotees of samurai weapons and armor. --Miles Bethany

Description

One of the most celebrated screen adaptations of Shakespeare into film, Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood re-imagines Macbeth in feudal Japan. Starring Kurosawa's longtime collaborator Toshiro Mifune and the legendary Isuzu Yamada as his ruthless wife, the film tells of a valiant warrior's savage rise to power and his ignominious fall. With Throne of Blood, Kurosawa fuses one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies with the formal elements of Japanese Noh theater to make a Macbeth that is all his own—a classic tale of ambition and duplicity set against a ghostly landscape of fog and inescapable doom.

Customer Reviews:

Throne of Blood.......2007-06-27

A brilliant re-imagining of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan, Kurosawa's gripping 1957 tragedy is a less frenetic, more haunting outing than previous films like "Seven Samurai." Yet it's still visually potent, containing unforgettable images of austere beauty within a persistently tense and eerie atmosphere. Yamada's character, modeled on Lady Macbeth, is sensationally chilling, while the outsize Mifune's breath-catching demise in a hail of piercing arrows is something every film lover should see more than once. For a provocative East-meets-West experience, mount "Throne of Blood."

Great movie for a rainy night!.......2007-05-21

An ambitious Japanese Lord (who is obviously on the verge of insanity) is given prophecies of greatness by a witch. When he returns home, his (also) ambitious and malicious wife stokes the coals encouraging him to treachery against his emperor.
I watch this movie whenever there is a late night thunderstorm, I don't know why, but it fits just right and greatly enhances the film.

Outstanding Film: A Kurosawa Classic!.......2006-12-06

"Throne of Blood" also known as (SPIDER WEBS CASTLE) is Kurosawa's attempt at Macbeth, only with a Japanese twist. This film is great and boasts a very strong and excellent supporting cast, including the legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune as the warrior Taketori Washizu in the lead. This is one of my favorite Kurosawa films. However it is the role of Lady Washizu (Isuzu Yamada) as the wife of Taketori which I found to be the most interesting character in the film.

In this Kurosawa version of Macbeth, we find the story taking place in medieval Japan with the samurai as the main characters. Both (Toshiro Mifune) and (Minoru Chiaki) [a great and legendary actor himself] are rewarded for putting down a rebellion. For this they are rewarded by their overlord. However, they were previously warned in the forest by an old women that Mifune would rule, but his reign will be short-lived. This film is more of a Japanese film than a Shakespeare adaptation [which is good]. The film is definetly one of the greatest of Kurosawa's f