The writerdirector steven okazaki is a fan of the late japanese actor toshiro mifune, and rightly so. A celebration of the greatest actor from the golden age of japanese cinema. The last samurai trailer chronicles incredible life of the legendary actor watch. Mifune s opening twenty minutes provide background on the 1900 to 1920s popularity of japanese lone samurai movies dubbed chanbara, because that was the sound made by. September 27, 2016 the official international trailer for mifune.
The decline of rerun houses and japanese film retrospectives may have dimmed the memory of an extraordinary actor. Doing the rounds of this years film festivals and screened at this years british film institutes london film festival is mifune. Oct 16, 2016 a celebration of the greatest actor from the golden age of japanese cinema. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including rashomon, seven samurai, hidden fortress and yojimbo. The last samurai, also known as mifune, is a 2015 biographical documentary directed by steven okazaki. After explaining mifunes importance, the movie lays out a brief history of japanese cinema, the chanbara swordplay movie in particular. Nov 25, 2016 nearly 20 years after his death and in the runup to his centenary, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema.
A galvanic performer who was as present in his roles as anyone who ever lived, the legendary japanese actor is the subject of mifune. The last samurai, which recently screened at both the venice and telluride film festivals, will arrive in theaters courtesy of strand releasing this december. The last samurai is a film about a cinematic legend that will likely connect best with those already familiar with toshiro mifune. A look at the life and art of toshiro mifune captures a japanese movie stars. As samurai films would be mifune s bread and butter, this historical lesson is more than welcome. The last samurai 2016 trailers and clips this documentary explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese. As director martin scorsese astutely noted, mifune often projected the unpredictable screen presence of a caged animal. Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking. This frustratingly thin portrait of toshiro mifune marks the first time that akira kurosawas. October 16, 2016 diverse japan leave a comment go to comments. The last samurai 2016 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Wataru akashi, kyoko kagawa, and takeshi kato mifune. Actually, its the rough synopsis for a documentary about mifunes life and career called mifune.
The last samurai 2016 is available on netflix united states. The last samurai, a documentary on the actor directed by steven okazaki and narrated by keanu reeves the script is by okazaki and stuart galbraith iv got off on a somewhat bad foot for me. The last samurai, a new documentary directed by the oscar winning director steven okazaki days of waiting, unfinished business, produced by. Steven okazaki perhaps the most illuminating passage of mifune. Nearly 20 years after his death and in the runup to his centenary, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema.
The last samurai, opens with a series of clips and photographs of toshiro mifune, the scowlingeyed japanese actor who became, in effect, the worlds first action star. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema. With wataru akashi, kyoko kagawa, takeshi kato, hisao kurosawa. The last samuai, pays tribute to legendary japanese actor toshiro mifune, whose work with akira kurosawa helped to revitalize japanese cinema in the years after world war ii. He may have been the most famous samurai actor of all time, but i think mifune would have been disappointed with this narrow look at his film career. A featurelength documentary about the life and films of legendary actor toshiro mifune, weaving together film clips, archival stills, and interviews with such luminaries as steven spielberg and martin scorsese. The last samurai, a dutiful and diverting but rather. Keanu reeves narrates the film directed by steven okazaki. Mifune was one of the greatest actors on the planet, and this documentary chooses to pigeonhole him into his admittedly profound impact as a samurai actor. A painfully safe documentary about one of cinemas most explosive stars. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including rashomon, seven samurai and yojimbo. A featurelength documentary about the life and films of legendary actor toshiro mifune. The last samurai focuses on the late japanese actor toshiro mifune. Toshiro mifune, hideko takamine, hiroshi akutagawa.
Most of the early japanese films were based on kabuki theater and samurai tales. The last samurai, starring wataru akashi and kyoko kagawa. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including. He also portrayed miyamoto musashi in hiroshi inagakis samurai trilogy and one. He was a muse for one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century, a beacon for. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the.
The last samurai is a celebration of the originality and influence of the japanese star toshiro mifune 19201997, shown as a rare actor capable of. There is a long and rich tradition of these films in japan, and director okazaki is. Nearly 20 years after his death, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema. Now his life and career is being chronicled and celebrated in steven okazakis new documentary, mifune. The last samurai 2016 starring keanu reeves and martin scorsese on dvd and bluray. Apr, 2017 mifunes opening twenty minutes provide background on the 1900 to 1920s popularity of japanese lonesamurai movies dubbed chanbara, because that was the sound made by ronins clashing. The last samurai boasts a contextual understanding of mifunes appeal and success, though approaches his twilight as something of a footnote. The last samurai cowritten by dvd talks own stuart galbraith iv pays tribute to the late actor, combining the words of friends, relatives, and contemporaries with a generous assortment of popular and littleseen film and tv clips that feature the actor doing what he does best. The last samurai begins by giving us a brief history of japanese cinema until around wwii. The last samurai is the first ever highprofile documentary that focuses on the actor in great.
Its hard to forget the first time you see toshiro mifune in akira kurosawas seven samurai. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the. The last samurai drama 2016 kdrama romance drama mystery drama online free. The last samurai 2016 trailers and clips moviefone. The last samurai, starring wataru akashi and kyoko kagawa mifune. Mifune, le dernier des samourais film 2016 allocine. The last samurai is a perfectly serviceable documentary on the great japanese actor toshir mifune if you arent looking for any information you couldnt find on the mans wikipedia page. The last samurai is a celebration of the originality and influence of the japanese star toshiro mifune 19201997, shown as a rare actor capable of the subtlest stoicism and the. He prowls and prances like a demented street urchin, giggling with sick glee in some moments and screaming with fury in others. Rich with archive footage and personal reminiscences from family and.
The last samuai, pays tribute to legendary japanese actor toshiro mifune, whose work with akira kurosawa helped to revitalize. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Okazaki cleverly kept his camera on mifune as samurai, the last samurai, which is slightly misleading. Okazaki has been nominated for four oscars, winning one for his short documentary days of waiting in 1991. Nov 25, 2016 over the course of his legendary acting career, toshiro mifune was a samurai, a stray dog, and a shoe tycoon. Okazakis doc is an effortless, dutifully drawn picture, but it never becomes much more than a birthtodeath story. The last samurai is a documentary that vainly searches for and never apprehends the ineffable. Capturing the breadth of toshiro mifunes storied career, if not fully reckoning with the depth of the man, the last samurai is a compelling celebration of one of cinemas greatest stars. But he, like any serious devotee of a movie star, wants to know what made the man shine on celluloid.
Explaining mifune s place in the firmament of pop culture, the narration says of his collaborations with director akira kurosawa, without them there would have been no. The last samurai, a smart and thoughtful examination of who the man was. Although fans like me will likely be the first in line to see it. Directed by steven okazaki and narrated by none other than keanu reeves, mifune is an indepth look at the actor who exploded onto the japanese film scene and wound up energizing everyone and everything around him. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film. The last samurai stars keanu reeves, steven spielberg, martin scorsese the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 20 min, and received a score of out of 100 on. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven. He is best known for his 16film collaboration 194865 with akira kurosawa in such works as rashomon, seven samurai, the hidden fortress, throne of blood, and yojimbo. Akira kurosawa seven samurai shichinin no samurai 1954.
Mifune officially opened on november 25, 2016 at the ifc center in new york city, over a year after its premiere at the venice film festival in september 2015. The last samurai reveals him as a formidable and mercurial talent, both onscreen and off, and offers rare insights into his background that draw intriguing parallels with lee marvin. It chronicles the life of toshiro mifune, a japanese actor and international star most noted for playing samurai characters in films by akira kurosawa. Classic scenes from rashomon, the seven samurai, throne of blood, and yojimbo are shown, but many of kurosawas finest with mifune are skipped over entirely, including two majestic noirs, stray dog and high and low. The last samurai pays tribute to an electrifying actor. Samurai jack season 5 teaser reveals the return of the. The last samurai official trailer 1 2016 documentary this story revolves around a japanese samurai known as mifune. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the true giants of. The last samurai steven okazakis documentary about legendary japanese actor. The last samurai is as much a documentary about the golden age of japanese cinema as it is a tribute to its most celebrated star.
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