Good Japanese Films
Amor...@aol.com
couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
Films, I'm not interested.
John W.
> I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> subtitles were bad.
On this....
I got the DVD of this for Christmas. I was sooooo excited. Wanted it for
a long time.
While I still like the movie, I was pissed that no effort was made to
digitally remaster the movie. It bothered me that the subtitles were
still fairly bad (translation-wise), but the quality of the film pretty
much decided that I'm not buying any more until they release a truly
remastered set of Kurosawa films.
</rant>
John W.
mtfe...@netmapsonscape.net
> I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> Films, I'm not interested.
Totoro.
Mike
Gerry
<Amor...@aol.com> wrote:
> I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> Films, I'm not interested.
I've seen many movies that I liked by Kurosawa, Ozu, and Mizoguchi,
three of Japan's greatest film makers. And many others by
lesser-knowns. Some of them have less-than-desirable subtitles, others
are fine. If the possibility of bad subtitles is the deal-breaker I
would caution anyone to avoid foreign films. This would certainly hold
true of French, Italian and German films. But many of the world's
greatest films, I believe, were actually many outside of California.
One has to take a chance but I find that these movies are generally so
difficult to get at all, particularly in a subtitled edition that you
are virtually guaranteed and exceptional movie. At least the odds are
fastly better than whatever one blindly grabs at Blockbuster.
My favorite bad-subtitles situation is with the bedroom seen in
Godard's critical cornerstone "Breathless" White subtitles on an
overexposed scene dominated by white sheets. It's so frustrating that
it becomes funny. Not much is lost anyway. If you had no subtitles in
Antonioni's L'Aventura I think you'd miss nothing.
The same can be said for many classic Japanese movies. They're not
exactly detective movies. A word, sentence or even dialogue can be
lost without missing too much. Hopefully one doesn't have that happen
to often, but when you're whittling up the text into nuance-free
translations, it's not like you're missing poetry.
If you're just looking to explore for movies that folks think highly of
in Japanese film, I'd suggest wallowing through <http://www.facets.org>
particularly with a couple of secondary browsers open to
<http://www.allmovie.com> and <http://www.imdb.com> for additional
referential aid. You can find some fabululous movies, and then you can
rent them by mail.
If you're in the USA it's a system that works.
--
First they gerrymander us into one-party fiefs. Then they tell us they only
care about the swing districts. Then they complain about voter apathy.
-- Gail Collins
Ernest Schaal
at Amor...@aol.com wrote on 1/29/04 11:24 AM:
Some great films, in no particular order:
Stray Dog
Red Beard
Sanjiro
Seven Samurai
High and Low
Harikiki
Taxing Woman
Welcome Back Mr. McDonald
Eki
Fireworks
Any of the Torasan series
SuperOutland
> in article 9218a0e.04012...@posting.google.com, Amor...@aol.com
> at Amor...@aol.com wrote on 1/29/04 11:24 AM:
>
> > I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> > couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> > them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> > subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> > English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> > Films, I'm not interested.
> >
> Seven Samurai
no it sux
>
> Taxing Woman
no this sux too
>
If japanese movies were any good, than japanese wouldn't watch foreign
movies almost exclusively
Speck Tater
"SuperOutland" <supero...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:e91ad9af.04012...@posting.google.com...
Musashi
"Ernest Schaal" <esc...@max.hi-ho.ne.jp> wrote in message
news:BC3EF72D.14C94%esc...@max.hi-ho.ne.jp...
Amor...@aol.com
> at Amor...@aol.com wrote on 1/29/04 11:24 AM:
>
> > I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> > couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> > them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> > subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> > English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> > Films, I'm not interested.
> >
> > http://www.mjisguilty.com/
> >
> > http://www.mjisguilty.com/forum/
>
> Some great films, in no particular order:
>
> Stray Dog
Never saw it
> Red Beard
Very good..but as usual Kurosawa..too long
> Sanjiro
I liked Tsubaki Sanjuro as much as the first one, Yojimbo.
> Seven Samurai
Too long, discussed and worshipped to death by non-japanese movie lovers.
> High and Low
> Harikiki
>
Seen both too long ago to remember.
> Taxing Woman
This must be Minbou no Onna.
Not as good as Tampopo, but Miyamoto Nobuko is always great.
> Welcome Back Mr. McDonald
>
This must be "Radio Time: (Rajio no toki).
It wasn't bad. Did you catch the cameo shots with Akashiya Sanma
and Miyamoto Nobuko (as the cleaning lady)?
> Eki
Takakura Ken is always too cool for words. Literally. Wasn't bad.
> Fireworks
>
Again. highly appraised outside of Japan.
To me another Kitano Takeshi everybody-ends-up-dead-at-the-end
type of movie.
> Any of the Torasan series
>
They are very enjoyable.
tna...@no-more-virii-please.direct.ca
> The worst ones are Japanese porn.
It's the digital mosaicking of the good bits, isn't it? ;-)
tna...@no-more-virii-please.direct.ca
> If japanese movies were any good, than japanese wouldn't watch foreign
> movies almost exclusively
How about "Shall We Dance"? It's been remade as a J. Lo vehicle to be
released this year.
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Speck Tater
<tna...@no-more-virii-please.direct.ca> wrote in message
news:WzbSb.32961$A7.5231@edtnps84...
Gerry
<Miya...@Hosokawa.co.jp> wrote:
> > Seven Samurai
>
> Too long, discussed and worshipped to death by non-japanese movie lovers.
I love the thing. This "too long" complaint seems a very personal
choice, but I like long movies. Japanese have traditionally been great
believers in long performance too as witness their 8 hour kabuki and
bunraku peformances. Indian's listen to music performances that last 4
and 6 hours too. And much of their art, look at their fiction, is
considered "slow" by western standards.
Anyway, the implication that somehow Seven Samurai is a non-Japanese
obsession doesn't seem to have much credibility. It's true that the
movies of Bergman, Antonioni and Kurasawa weren't as highly regarded by
ANYONE when they were made as the guns-and-titties movies of their
time, this time, any time. That's popular taste (or popular marketing)
for you.
But I think we view these filmmakers as artists instead of volume
entertainment producers. In any case if it's guns-and-titties that are
important I'd go straight for whatever Blockbuster had on their "now
showing" roster and forget foreign (non-Unitedstatesian) films
altogether. They won't be "too slow", more than likely.
Generally what films are successful enough in their home country, get
the necessary universal acclaim, are exported and prepped and
eventually make it to your local video store will rarely be
garden-variety pop fluff. The USA is already awash in this stuff,
without the extra cost of subtitling, international paper-jockeying,
etc.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
SuperOutland
> > Red Beard
>
> Very good..but as usual Kurosawa..too long
>
ah, so you enjoy kurosawa movies. i heard they were unpopular in
japan but once it was acclaimed outside japan japanese all wathced
them to reverse-mimic americans
Stop being such an ape. ont everything americans do should be
imitated!
Musashi
As usual you have no idea what you are babbling about.
Go wipe your enormous ass before you post anything.
Ernest Schaal
supero...@aol.com wrote on 1/29/04 11:44 PM:
Okay, of MattOutland changed his name, but not his propensity to troll.
Maybe things will get better when he finally graduates from grade school.
Ernest Schaal
tna...@no-more-virii-please.direct.ca at
tna...@no-more-virii-please.direct.ca wrote on 1/30/04 2:41 AM:
> SuperOutland wrote:
>
>> If japanese movies were any good, than japanese wouldn't watch foreign
>> movies almost exclusively
>
> How about "Shall We Dance"? It's been remade as a J. Lo vehicle to be
> released this year.
I agree with your choice.
Haluk Skywalker
news:WzbSb.32961$A7.5231@edtnps84...
> Speck Tater wrote:
>
> > The worst ones are Japanese porn.
>
> It's the digital mosaicking of the good bits, isn't it? ;-)
When I was working in a Holiday Inn in Osaka, I had to deal with at least
one complaint every other day regarding pay TV not working properly. Because
gaigin click on pay button on clicker, assuming mosaics would disappear. But
it didn't work that way.
It is dumb to have porn with mosaics. I imagine Japanese boys think asoko is
all blurred until they finally see it on a foreign porn site. I think this
country could use a Larry Flint or two.
Adriaan Tijsseling
> Are there any other good ones available
"SM" aka "Samehada Otoko to Momojiri Onna" was pretty good, IMHO.
Dick Muhfukkin Bagswing
>
> > Taxing Woman
>
> This must be Minbou no Onna.
> Not as good as Tampopo, but Miyamoto Nobuko is always great.
>
Taxing and Minbou are two completely different movies. I liked both but
preferred Minbou.
Brian
Ernest Schaal
la...@my.nuts.wouldja? wrote on 1/30/04 9:06 AM:
They are "A Taxing Woman" (1987) and "Taxing Woman's Return" (1988). Minbo
was good, but I liked the Taxing Woman movie better.
Musashi
"Dick Muhfukkin Bagswing" <la...@my.nuts.wouldja?> wrote in message
news:bvc6tb$1e1$1...@nn-tk106.ocn.ad.jp...
Ah ok then..Taxing Woman must be "Marusa no Onna"???
SuperOutland
> SuperOutland wrote:
>
> > If japanese movies were any good, than japanese wouldn't watch foreign
> > movies almost exclusively
>
> How about "Shall We Dance"? It's been remade as a J. Lo vehicle to be
> released this year.
I dont know if this movie was popular, but it was DEFINITELY geared
towards pseudo-westerners. I swear, i didnt see a single japanes
ething in this movie other than the writing and the people. while I
liked the main character, this movie as shit. Its like, theyw ere "i
wish i were and englishman so i could be big and sexy like white
people and I can say "shall we dance" like a bunch of teenage losers"
Terrible movie. I give it a 2 out of ten, the only reaso its getting
that much because the main character (jappie chan) wasnt too terrible
SuperOutland
> > Seven Samurai
>
> Too long, discussed and worshipped to death by non-japanese movie lovers.
so the copycat is being a hypocritical racist
>
>
> > Eki
>
> Takakura Ken is always too cool for words. Literally. Wasn't bad.
HAHAHAAH a japanese person being cool? In american schools japs get
bullied cause their short, skinny dorks. I have never heard of ANYONE
thinknig a japabese person is cool, celebrity or otherwise. The men
in particular are ugly dorks
>
> > Fireworks
> >
> Again. highly appraised outside of Japan.
> To me another Kitano Takeshi everybody-ends-up-dead-at-the-end
> type of movie.
NEver heard of it, but you can tell yourself this racist remark if u
wish
> > Any of the Torasan series
> >
> They are very enjoyable.
Whats this?
Raj Feridun
wrote:
>>
>> They are "A Taxing Woman" (1987) and "Taxing Woman's Return" (1988). Minbo
>> was good, but I liked the Taxing Woman movie better.
>taxing woman was crapola. Its better than what japan has been
>producing in the last ten years but its stil a crappy movie
Cmon, even trolls can try to be a little original every now and again?
Don't YOU get bored with yourself??
Ernest Schaal
supero...@aol.com wrote on 1/31/04 11:49 AM:
>>> Any of the Torasan series
>>>
>> They are very enjoyable.
>
> Whats this?
Well, we now know one thing about the troll using the handle SuperOutland.
He knows little about Japan, otherwise he would have known about the world's
longest series of movies, stretching over much of the last half of the
twentieth century.
Raj Feridun
wrote:
>>
>> They are "A Taxing Woman" (1987) and "Taxing Woman's Return" (1988). Minbo
>> was good, but I liked the Taxing Woman movie better.
>taxing woman was crapola. Its better than what japan has been
Dick Muhfukkin Bagswing
>
> Ah ok then..Taxing Woman must be "Marusa no Onna"???
>
>
Yep!
Brian
Hoshisato
> I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> Films, I'm not interested.
I always liked 'Ganbatte Ikimasshoi' by Itsumichi Isomura and with the
very cute Rena Tanaka in the main role. I caught it on a Virgin
Atlantic flight from London to Tokyo and watched it several times that
flight. Bought the DVD in Japan which has English subtitles.
Here is some good info:
http://www.geocities.com/seriallain/Ganbatte/
SuperOutland
> Well, we now know one thing about the troll using the handle SuperOutland.
> He knows little about Japan, otherwise he would have known about the world's
> longest series of movies, stretching over much of the last half of the
> twentieth century.
I know that japs are :
racist
I know that japs are:
copycats
Sometimes they will not be racist against those who they copy.
Musashi mimics americans, but is racist against koreans and not
americans
SuperOutland
> Cmon, even trolls can try to be a little original every now and again?
> Don't YOU get bored with yourself??
i troll because im bored with myself, not in spite of it
SuperOutland
> I always liked 'Ganbatte Ikimasshoi' by Itsumichi Isomura and with the
> very cute Rena Tanaka in the main role. I caught it on a Virgin
> Atlantic flight from London to Tokyo and watched it several times that
> flight. Bought the DVD in Japan which has English subtitles.
>
why do japanese make movies if all they watch is american/european movies?
Raj Feridun
wrote:
>i troll because im bored with myself
Is it any wonder?
mukade
> I thought Violent Cop and Tampopo were great films. I also liked a
> couple Akira Kurosawa film, but I don't remember the names of any of
> them. I never saw The Seven Samurai because it was really long and the
> subtitles were bad. Are there any other good ones available with
> English subtitles. If they have blurred subtitles like those Hong Kong
> Films, I'm not interested.
>
>
> http://www.mjisguilty.com/forum/
I am jumping in a little late here, but take a look at:
http://www.midnighteye.com/index.php
It is one of the most comprehensive sites I have seen about Japanese movies.
Mukade
richard
films are :
Brother (Takeshi) - although mot strictly japanese, is a stylish fillm from
a master film-maker
Audition - the only japanese film to make me squirm. especially the
leg/wiresaw scene.
Battle Royale - Takeshi again, but sometimes through this film , I wondered
what would've happened if Hollywood made this?
Rich