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Samurai Assassin Director: Kihachi Okamoto Number of Items: 1 Format: Color Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: AnimEigo Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-02-08 Buy from Amazon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 "Toshiro Mifune in a fantastic film." This a wonderful movie with an intricate plot and storytelling. Not only is Toshiro Mifune great in this film but so is the rest of the cast. Great film work and an excellently filmed sword battle scene as a finale. This ranks as one of the top samurai films I have seen. A must see for anyone who doesn't mind following subtitles. The plot in this movie gets involved so you have to pay attention. It isn't hard to do though because this is a gripping powerful movie. "NOT Lone Wolf and His Cub, Go Elsewhere for Them" AnimEigo, the primary outlet for Japanese animation has dug up a series of wonderful 1960s and 70s swordfight films. Most of the American viewers seem to know only Lone Wolf and His Cub, but this series has unearthed unexpected gems such as LADY SNOWBLOOD, RED LION and SAMURAI ASSASSIN, with remarkably pristine prints, widescreen presentation and extremely well-done subtitles (which come in dual colors of yellow and green to indicate ongoing conversations)which actually take care to explain historical backgrounds of these feudal dramas. SAMURAI ASSASSIN, penned by Hashimoto Shinobu, co-screenwriter of all of Kurosawa-Mifune Toshiro collaborations (except for RED BEARD)and the author of the incredible HARAKIRI, may well be the best period piece directed by Okamoto Kihachi, a John Sturges/Robert Aldrich of Japan. Mifune Toshiro plays a masterless samurai who wants to make it big by joining a band of Loyalist assassins, plotting to kill the arch-conservative Shogunate official, Ii Naosuke, circa 1860. Hashimoto and Okamoto portrays Mifune's character as a tragic anti-hero, and the band of assassins, who in real history are given the status of heroic figures comparable to the patriots in the American Revolution, are depicted here as political terrorists of the worst sort, led by a serpentine conspirator, who is the very personification of cold-blooded calculation. (Supremely played by Ito Yunosuke) SAMURAI ASSASSIN is actually a complicated political thriller and you wouldn't enjoy it at all if you don't like following subtitles closely. Those who are expecting body parts flying and blood gushing every five minutes will be sorely disappointed. However, because of the tight storytelling, when the violence does come it is jolting, savage and tragic. The very last sequence, as assassins rushing to attack Ii's palanquin and entourage as snowstorm rages, is one of the most incredible swordfight scenes ever filmed, and the last, insane, triumphant soliloquy of Mifune will remain etched in your memory. I do wish this excellent movie gets released in DVD (AnimEigo apparently will discontinue the release of non-animation output on VHS format) but I also hope that AnimEigo, Home Visions or some other specialty agencies release all of Okamoto's non-samurai films, including his outrageous, controversial and madly entertaining DESPERADO OUTPOST films. "A harrowing tale of political intrigue that asks...." how far will a man go to succeed in life? This film delves more deeply into the samurai/ronin/political psyche than any other film I have seen! It is a brutal, violent and at the same time beautiful film. The cinematography is flawless. The music is haunting. I usually don't like narration but the narrator in this film takes your breath away! Everything about this film is powerful. Mifune's portrayal of Niiro is fascinating! His is a dark portrait of a very complex man driven to self-loathing and murder by his own ambition. The story jumps through time at a frantic pace yet the film is so well done that you are never confused. The final confrontation in the snowstorm is incredible! There are two rather talkie scenes but these do not diminish the power of the rest of the film. At the end of two very intense hours we are left wondering what might have happened if the truth had been revealed! "This is the one you shouldnt let get away...." I saw this movie a few weeks ago on a Japanese Channel. The superb job of the writer of this timeless movie really knew what he was doing. The Narration towards the end of the film is so classic....it makes me sick. Steven Spielberg couldnt direct as good of a movie. Although you may not like it with poor quality sound and video from a VHS... the minute this sucker comes out on DVD is when you should grab it up. I dont want to spoil the plot, so i'll just say this. Don't buy this movie if you're not a fan of old Samurai films. trust me... you'll hate it, i tried ti make my friends watch one of them, and they didn't appreciate how great it was...they couldnt get passed the fact that the movie is older than they are and is such a poor quality... anyways. Enjoy it! "A Samurai Film That Stings Emotionally" I've never been as emotionally affected by a samurai film as Samurai Assassin! The reason? The director made the right decision to take his time and allow character development! That's not all that common within this genre... Philosophically, there is no right and wrong; these are just men with conflicting ideas as to the right road for Japan's future. The snowy fight scenes in the final moments of the film are well choreographed... [Bravo!!!] If you find yourself thinking of William Shakespeare, with regards to poetic irony, then you'll surely understand why I used the phrase, "Stings Emotionally". Mifune is in top form!! You'll watch this one more than twice! I assure you......