This was on Epix (soon to be MGM+) today. It’s cold and rainy today so not much else to do. Man I love this film. Ken Takakura’s performance was incredible. I really liked him as an actor. RIP. I love the Japanese culture. Anything about feudal Japan or the Yakuza is fascinating. Anyone else fond of this film? This was back when Michael Douglas was reeling off the really great films of his career (I omit that crap with Kathleen Turner).

Epix keeps showing classic films from the 2000’s, 1990’s and 1980’s. The great thing is it’s only $5 a month and you get 4 live channels so in some ways it’s like having cable. Showtime also has 2 live channels, sho east and west. If only HBO and Starz would follow suit you could have all the movie channels, live, and I could pipe them into the Apple TV app.

"You made the rain black".

Interesting sidenote: production in Japan became so difficult and costly that Ridley Scott filmed the final scenes in Napa, CA.

Rising Sun with Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes is another film in that genre.

The movie is a bit unpalatable for me even though I'm not Japanese.

I'm posting mainly to comment that, if you like reading, there are some great period books by Yoshikawa Eiji - fictional historical novels placed during feudal times. For example: Musashi, Taiko (are translated into English). NHK also produced an excellent drama series (usually, these are 1 year series) titled Hideyoshi (main character in the Taiko book) which I think is a must know character if you appreciate feudal Japan.

The intertwined history of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa is critical to Japanese history.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Man I love this film. Ken Takakura’s performance was incredible. I really liked him as an actor. RIP. I love the Japanese culture. Anything about feudal Japan or the Yakuza is fascinating. Anyone else fond of this film?

"If you pull it, you better use it."

I didn't love the film, but am fond of it. I too am fascinated by the culture, mostly because I love anime. The film's style and plot were about as outlandish as some of the anime of that era.

quote:

(I omit that crap with Kathleen Turner).

You must be referring to the Romancing the Stone series. You didn't like The War of the Roses either?

It was Romancing the Stone I was talking about. War of the Roses was awesome.

quote:

Ken Takakura’s performance was incredible. I really liked him as an actor. RIP. I love the Japanese culture. Anything about feudal Japan or the Yakuza is fascinating.

The Yakuza with Takakura, also Robert Mitchum, is probably my favorite movie.