The last samurai 2016 starring keanu reeves and martin scorsese on dvd and bluray. But he, like any serious devotee of a movie star, wants to know what made the man shine on celluloid. He was a muse for one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century, a beacon for. Okazaki cleverly kept his camera on mifune as samurai, the last samurai, which is slightly misleading. Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking. 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. Which eliminated artist was robbed of a spot in the top 9. He is easily the best japanese film actor of all time and, to many of us, arguably the greatest film actor in history. The decline of rerun houses and japanese film retrospectives may have dimmed the memory of an extraordinary actor. Hopefully, there will be a more thoughtful documentary that will illustrate that mifune was much. A whole new wave emerged with kurosawas masterpieces, rashomon and the seven samurai, in the early 1950s. September 27, 2016 the official international trailer for mifune. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one.
The last samurai focuses on the late japanese actor toshiro mifune. Nov 25, 2016 over the course of his legendary acting career, toshiro mifune was a samurai, a stray dog, and a shoe tycoon. The last samurai official trailer 1 2016 documentary this story revolves around a japanese samurai known as mifune. The writerdirector steven okazaki is a fan of the late japanese actor toshiro mifune, and rightly so. Mifune made sixteen remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including.
Through interviews with friends, family and colleagues, this film reveals the man and his influences. 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. Its hard to forget the first time you see toshiro mifune in akira kurosawas seven samurai. The last samurai stars keanu reeves, steven spielberg, martin scorsese the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 20 min, and received a. The last samurai official trailer 1 2016 documentary. The last samurai trailer chronicles incredible life of the legendary actor watch. The last samurai, starring wataru akashi and kyoko kagawa mifune. After explaining mifunes importance, the movie lays out a brief history of japanese cinema, the chanbara swordplay movie in particular. The last samurai 2016 is available on netflix united states. Yet the doc fails to provide any trenchant analysis of these seminal films. 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.
He prowls and prances like a demented street urchin, giggling with sick glee in some moments and screaming with fury in others. 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, 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 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, 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. That his closest competitor in this regard is a fictional charactergodzillais a point humorously made in mifune. The last samurai, starring wataru akashi and kyoko kagawa. Actually, its the rough synopsis for a documentary about mifunes life and career called mifune. The last samurai boasts a contextual understanding of mifunes appeal and success, though approaches his twilight as something of a footnote. Nearly 20 years after his death and in the runup to his centenary, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema. 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, opens with a series of clips and photographs of toshiro mifune, the scowlingeyed japanese actor who.
The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki. A painfully safe documentary about one of cinemas most explosive stars. A featurelength documentary about the life and films of legendary actor toshiro mifune. It chronicles the life of toshiro mifune, a japanese actor and international star most noted for playing samurai characters in films by akira kurosawa. Toshiro mifune in a scene from akira kurosawas seven samurai 1954. 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 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. Carrie fisher becomes first confirmed cast member for j. 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 new documentary directed by the oscar winning director steven okazaki days of waiting, unfinished business, produced by. Wataru akashi, kyoko kagawa, and takeshi kato mifune. 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 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, also known as mifune, is a 2015 biographical documentary directed by steven okazaki. With wataru akashi, kyoko kagawa, takeshi kato, hisao kurosawa. The last samurai renowned for his work in the films of akira kurosawa, actor toshiro mifune reigned supreme during the golden age of japanese cinema. The last samurai is a documentary on japanese actor toshiro mifune that recently played at the ifc center in new york. The last samurai is a documentary that vainly searches for and never apprehends the ineffable.
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. To fans of japanese film, mifune needs no introduction. 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. The last samurai, a new documentary by steven okazaki, oscar winner for his 1991 short days of waiting. While im hesitant to say any movie less than an hour and a half about the life of a person can tell you everything you. He may have been the most famous samurai actor of all time, but i think mifune would have been disappointed with. Over the course of his legendary acting career, toshiro mifune was a samurai, a stray dog, and a shoe tycoon.
A celebration of the greatest actor from the golden age of japanese cinema. Doing the rounds of this years film festivals and screened at this years british film institutes london film festival is mifune. 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, a new documentary by steven okazaki, is playing through dec. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age. 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. 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. 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. Explaining mifunes place in the firmament of pop culture, the narration says of his collaborations with director akira kurosawa, without them there. As director martin scorsese astutely noted, mifune often projected the unpredictable screen presence of a caged animal. The last samurai 2016 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. The last samurai drama 2016 kdrama romance drama mystery drama online free. Keanu reeves narrates the film directed by steven okazaki.
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. Dec 14, 2016 there arent many movie stars more iconic than toshiro mifune, who for most americans is japanese cinema. Included in his resume are rashomon and seven samurai two of the sixteen. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the accidental. Region 2 this dvd may not be viewable outside europe. The last samurai, the wellassembled documentary on the life of actor toshiro. 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. The last samurai explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the true g. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including rashomon, seven samurai and yojimbo. Although fans like me will likely be the first in line to see it.