bshassel

Toshiro Mifune: The Ultimate Collection or Criterions Rebel Samurai Box Set?
I am trying to decide which box set I should purchase first.

The Mifune Collection contains: Red Lion, Samurai Banners, Incident at Blood Pass, Samurai Assassin, and Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo
Criterions Rebel Samurai Box contains: Kill!, Samurai Rebellion, Samurai Spy, and Sword of the Beast

I've only seen (and currently own) Zatoichi meets Yojimbo. All the others will be blind buys.
They have the same MSRP and will cost almost the same with online discounts. Since I already own Zatoichi meets Yojimbo the 5 to 4 movies really don't account for the difference in price for me. (Although I recognize that I'll be able to sell off 1 copy).
I'm leaning a bit towards Criterions Rebel Samurai Box Set simple because I trust the Criterion label.

What are your thoughts. I'm providing a list of current movies I own and enjoy so you'll understand my tastes.

I currently own and love the following japanese films:
Seven Samurai
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Zatoichi movies 1-9, 20(Zatoichi meets Yojimbo), and TV vol.1
Onibaba
Lower Depths
Rashomon
Ugetsu
Samurai Trilogy
The Hidden Fortress
Throne of Blood
RAN

Thanks for any input you can provide

Cameron

i own all but one dvd in the mifune set....and also have the criterion box....Either way you end up with a great set of disc. You seem to have a few Mifune titles already with the criterions you own...animego is top notch when it comes to samurai films. The Zatoichi box, and lone wolf & cub disc are amazing as well....

flip a coin

chente

Other. Get the Lone Wolf and Cub box.

bshassel

Thanks for the replies. I've seen 5 out of the 6 Lone Wolf series. Pretty good stuff. I think I'm going to go ahead with the Criterion Samurai box set.

Now, I would like to turn this thread into a recommendation for Samurai/Japanese movies. Please post suggestions.

Sessa17

Cameron

gotta have the lady snowblood movies as well

flixtime

Harakiri aka Seppuku - in my opinion, the greatest samurai film ever made
Goyokin

bshassel

Twilight Samurai isn't anamorphic though, right? I'll just rent it. I've heard great things about it and the new release The Hidden Blade

TimeandTide

Ditto the Twilight Samurai recommendation. That's a must-own, IMO, and well worth tracking down the region 2 or 3 versions.

Have you seen the Lady Snowblood movies? Definitely two of my favorites. (Although not really samurai movies, the story-lines will feel framiliar to fans of samurai cinema).

Gigantopithecus

you must own Sword of Doom. its a real dark, and great movie..

bshassel

I just finished watching Takeshi Kitano's remake of Zatoichi last night. Pretty good samurai movie. I think it left some of the fun of Ichi out of it, but if you are looking for a newly made classic samurai movie with a serious tone you can't go wrong checking it out. Also really like the rythm sequences through-out the film that slowly build to the final dance number. Really fun music.

flixtime

For those who are region-free, one of my more eagerly anticipated DVD releases for this year is Director Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Hana Yori mo Naho" (2006). An English-subbed (at least for now?), R2 Japan release is slated for November 24th.

As for other recent stuff, I am still awaiting English-subbed DVD releases for both "Kita no Zeronen" (2005) and "Semishigure" (2005).........note - both already available on un-subbed R2 Japan DVD for those who might not require English subtitles.