thumbs up or down??

A must own if you have any interest in the genre. After Seven Samurai, it's my favorite Mifune performance. You get to watch the character grow over the 3 films & watching Mifune perform this is just amazing & what an ending. I don't think the DVDs have any extras, but you probably will not find a better transfer of the movies right now.

thank you sir

I'm going to have to give them a thumbs down.

Don't expect a technical review about the cinamatography, character development, directing or anything like that.

I simply couldn't get into them. I think I made it through about 1/2 the second DVD before giving up.

Perhaps if I made it all the way through, I would have had a better reaction.

This is exactly what happened to me, I barely finished the second film. I would recommend that you rent them if you have NetFlix. Otherwise, try to do some more research before you invest in them.

I loved it. It does get a little slow at spots, but it is well worth watching.

I liked them, but I'm a fan of Samurai films... Not quite Kurosawa Samurai quality, but worth a watch.

Also this needs moved to the MOIVE TALK forum.

One other thing I want to say besides my glowing review of the DVDs/movies, since some negative onces popped up.

The movie is a pure, foreign, samurai movie w/ brilliant performances, brilliant duels, & a tremendous story. But it is not modern in any way & does not contain a lot of the contemporary themes that Kurosawa samurai movies do. So if you are not a fan of samurai movies & don't like foreign movies, this movie will not change your mind.

And I don't see why this needs to be moves to the movie forum, when the thead about Ed Norton in Frida does not. I commented on the DVD itself.

If you are into the genre (or Mifune) you'll probably like them. If you are so-so about samurai movies I suggest renting them first (I'm pretty sure Netflix has them). They can be slow at times but overall I found them to be enjoyable.

Same here. I love Kurosawa films and I consider myself a Mufune fan, but I just couldn't get into these at all. We actually both gave up at about the same point.

These aren't bad films, but I would definitely rent first. These were a blind buy for me since I was 99% sure I'd love them... but they've found their way into the eBay pile...

Oh really? I'd be willing to buy...off ebay

Read the book, then you'll love the trilogy.

Inagaki's SAMURAI TRILOGY is good but for my taste a bit too long. His SAMURAI BANNERS and CHUSHINGURA are both superior to the trilogy -- more focused efforts with a tighter dramatic structure. BANNERS is one of the best chambara films ever made, imho.

The second film of the TRILOGY can be particularly difficult since it essentially involves the Mifune character repeatedly getting duped and frustrated. BTW: I recommend NOT watching them in close succession. Take anywhere from a day to a week (or more) between each of the three films.

Nevertheless the TRILOGY has its rewards. It features some of Mifune's very best work (especially in the opening film). And, like all Inagaki's films, they feature some absolutely stunning color visuals. If you're a big fan of either Mifune or the chambara genre, these films are a must-see -- even though they require some patience.

I give them and a big recomendation

Even if you end up not liking the films you will be happy you saw them, because of the beautiful technicolor. Since so many samuai flicks were b&w it's great to see one that exploits all the color of the scenery and the detailed kimonos.

I suggest people stick with the trilogy because, unlike the trend in many American film trilogies, the third installment is quite possibly the best.

Your attbi e-mail address is refusing e-mail from my Yahoo address.

My messages are bouncing back with "does not like recipient" and "not our customer" errors... if you have an alternate e-mail, just send me a note. Thanks!

Mifune is wicked - and so is this series. Thumbs up I say

This is a good film series, but don't expect an "action series" just because it's about Samurai. My advice is to rent it first.

In my opinion, this is the best samuraii movie series out there on the market on DVD. If you like Kurosawa and Mifune this is a hands down must buy. These 3 DVD's are 3 of the most treasured DVD's in my collection.

What does liking Kurosawa, have anything to do w/ liking the Samurai Trilogy?

Where can I get a copy of SAMURAI BANNERS?

I agree. I don't think one has anything to do with the other. I love Kurosawa, I don't like the Samurai Trilogy at all.

Wow, I am really suprised by the negative reviews. I LOVED them. I saw all three in three days, and was wishing there was a fourth at the end.

-Videophile

I've got it on LASERDISC!!! The folks at AnimEgo released it, so hopefully they'll eventually put it out on DVD!

LOL, I meant to say Inagaki... sorry I have Kurosawa on the brain. If he has seen Chushingura it would help his decision.

My bad

So how does the Crietrion edition compare to the cheaper now out of print version from Taiwan?