Recommendations: Samurai, Japanese culture in Feudal times, Bushido, etc?
 

I have been captivated by The Last Samuria, more-so with each passing day as I read more and more about Bushido (code of the warrior) and feudal times of Japan.

Although it has only been a few days, I can already tell my studies of this period will greatly influence my own life; of particular interest is that I have never been a person who allowed philosophy or religion to influence the way I lived. I have found a cathartic outlet and a new sense of purpose, all due to a movie.

Well, I've gone off on a tangent long enough, so can I draw on the expertise of Dvdtalk to recommend some really great films about the Samuria way and olden day Japanese culture? Are there any specific directors I should keep an eye out for? A name often mentioned is Akira Kurosawa. I am lead to believe he is to Samurai movie what Scorcese is to gangster/mobster movies, if so, what among his titles are must haves?

Thanks in advance,

I would start with these Kurosawa:
Seven Samurai
Rashoman
Throne of Blood
Yojimbo
Ran

And then there's the Zatiochi or the Baby Cart series - but I think there is only one of the latter currently available on DVD.

shogun (mini series)?

:)

I'm a huge Kurosawa fan and recommend his films highly, but they aren't focused on the samurai as the historical figures they actually were, but rather as a vehicle to explore modern subjects (especially the potential of the individual). A more historical representation of the samurai can be found in Kenji Mizoguchi's 47 Ronin and Hiroshi Inagaki'sChushingura


A far more accurate understanding of Samurai and the Edo period are available from books from that period. I'd recommend starting with either Bushido: The Way of the Samurai or Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinsu.

If you like that then try either of the following:

The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master

The Book of Five Rings : Miyamoto Musashi.

Editted to recommend a better translation of "The Book of the Five Rings."

just read musashi's book of 5 rings and you get an idea of what it means to be a samurai.

most movies tend to glorify the samurai but the book of 5 rings gets to what it really meant.

You're asking about good films, and so this topic belongs in Movie Talk. Moving thread.

I highly recommend The Twilight Samurai. It's a recent Japanese movie that definitely will show you some aspects of the class system that was in place at the time. Very very good movie.

I'd recommend the miniseries SHOGUN also.

Well worth the time spent watching it.

-eek- No one has mentioned the Samurai trilogy yet?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047444/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048579/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049710/

There is also the Zatoichi series which I don't have much knowledge of so I won't comment further.

Rurouni Kenshin OVA aka "Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal"

A few more are:

Zatoichi (11 are out on DVD, all of the movies are good, some are oustanding)

Lone Wolf and Cub (2 are out on DVD, both are excellent)

The Hidden Fortress (a Kurosawa classic)

Heaven and Earth (An incredible film by Haruki Kadokawa only available on VHS)

While the Zatoichi series is indeed fun and has lots of sword play the films don't deal much with Bushido. Ronin008 indicate he was interested in the code aspect. To that end I would recommend :
Chushingura (The 47 Ronin story)
The Musashi story done by Inagaki: Samurai I, II, III
Samurai Rebellion
Seven Samurai

Then go for the Kurosawa "westerns" Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Hidden Fortress. Then Ran and Throne of Blood. Then Lone Wolf and Cub and Zatoichi. Order IFC and watch Samurai Saturday every Saturday morning if you want a preview before buying.

MIght I recommend Samurai Fiction just for fun? It's really a great Samurai story...

What a great thread! I got a few new recommendations for my collection as well...

Thank you, guys. I have ordered Seven Samurai, 47 Samurai thus far. I hope to explore the other suggestions when my finances permit. So far, those two seem to be the most reverred choices.

Thanks again and happy new year!

Regarding Chushingura, I think it was the DVD Savant that suggests watching it in two nights. Blossoms the first night and Snow: part 2 the second. It will probably take a couple of viewings to get the characters straight.

Seven Samurai is very watchable in one sitting even though it's almost 3.5 hours long.


Enjoy!