Comments on: My obsession with Asian cinema http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/ Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:34:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Joel http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-303 Joel Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:10:18 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-303 I'm not a big film-goer, but I liked the Kurosawa films I've seen (7 Samurai; Ran). I’m not a big film-goer, but I liked the Kurosawa films I’ve seen (7 Samurai; Ran).

]]> By: GoldenAppleCorp http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-304 GoldenAppleCorp Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:01:18 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-304 We loved 7 Samurai and have seen many of Kurosawa's other films, but I just couldn't sit through Ran. The only way you could really tell the two fighting factions apart was that one was dressed in red, the other yellow. This resulted in AT and I calling them Mustard vs. Ketchup. Ya can't really take a movie seriously that way. We loved 7 Samurai and have seen many of Kurosawa’s other films, but I just couldn’t sit through Ran. The only way you could really tell the two fighting factions apart was that one was dressed in red, the other yellow. This resulted in AT and I calling them Mustard vs. Ketchup. Ya can’t really take a movie seriously that way.

]]> By: Joel http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-305 Joel Thu, 15 Jun 2006 01:31:29 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-305 "Ran" is King Lear. Read your Shakespeare. “Ran” is King Lear. Read your Shakespeare.

]]> By: Atomictumor http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-312 Atomictumor Thu, 15 Jun 2006 09:25:05 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-312 Ran is King Lear? Really?? REALLY!!!! OH MY GOD, we can't call King Lear Mustard and Ketchup, and it makes SO MUCH more sense now! AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! We knew that, man. Ran is King Lear? Really?? REALLY!!!!
OH MY GOD, we can’t call King Lear Mustard and Ketchup, and it makes SO MUCH more sense now!
AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

We knew that, man.

]]> By: Joel http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-314 Joel Thu, 15 Jun 2006 10:01:16 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-314 Well, I thought it made the film easier to follow knowing that. Your mileage, apparently, differed. Whatever. Well, I thought it made the film easier to follow knowing that. Your mileage, apparently, differed. Whatever.

]]> By: Atomictumor http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-315 Atomictumor Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:05:13 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-315 I just thought I'd be a dick. I just thought I’d be a dick.

]]> By: Joe P. http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-316 Joe P. Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:45:29 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-316 Thanks MUCH for the connection of yer cinema thoughts and my humble self. I've wondered how it was I got so hooked onto Asian cinema and I only know it started a long time ago. And yes I never tire of Seven Samurai, or Yojimbo. Toshiro Mifune rules. I do think he recent rise in so-called J-Horror is astonishing and am anxiously awaing the arrival of Volcano High here at the house. Rcently watched High and Low, a Mifune-Kurosawa crime thriller from the 50s, and also awaiting Only The Bad Sleep Well - i think both are based on Ed McBain books. If I had to pick some recent favorites, Pulse, Audition, 3-Iron would be in there, but I've also gotten deeply addicted to anime like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost In The Shell, not to mention the still amazing Akira. I can eat my weight in sushi and sake, and watch Asian cinema all the day long. Have you seen Gozu?? Imagine a Yakuza Meets Eraserhead movie, truly odd. Oh another recent fave is House of Flying Daggers - highly recommend that one too! Thanks MUCH for the connection of yer cinema thoughts and my humble self.
I’ve wondered how it was I got so hooked onto Asian cinema and I only know it
started a long time ago. And yes I never tire of Seven Samurai, or Yojimbo. Toshiro
Mifune rules.
I do think he recent rise in so-called J-Horror is astonishing and am anxiously awaing
the arrival of Volcano High here at the house.
Rcently watched High and Low, a Mifune-Kurosawa crime thriller from the 50s, and also
awaiting Only The Bad Sleep Well - i think both are based on Ed McBain books.
If I had to pick some recent favorites, Pulse, Audition, 3-Iron would be in there, but I’ve
also gotten deeply addicted to anime like Cowboy Bebop and Ghost In The Shell, not
to mention the still amazing Akira.
I can eat my weight in sushi and sake, and watch Asian cinema all the day long.
Have you seen Gozu?? Imagine a Yakuza Meets Eraserhead movie, truly odd.
Oh another recent fave is House of Flying Daggers - highly recommend that one too!

]]> By: GoldenAppleCorp http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-317 GoldenAppleCorp Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:08:54 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-317 AT and I got into Asian cinema via anime. I was very spoiled, though. The first anime I saw (I think) was Ghost in the Shell. It was practically downhill from there. I'll mention some of my other favorites in a future post, perhaps. Totally agree on the Toshiro Mifune thing. Despite being easily recognizable, he was able to blend into every character flawlessly. We saw one of Kurosawa's detective movies starring Mifune, but I can't remember which one it was. I got Pulse last night, per your recommendation. I'm eagerly awaiting that one. Maybe tonight. Gozu will have to be added to my list. I love Yakuza and David Lynch. And House of Flying Daggers was beautiful. Not to mention the lead guy. ;) AT and I got into Asian cinema via anime. I was very spoiled, though. The first anime I saw (I think) was Ghost in the Shell. It was practically downhill from there. I’ll mention some of my other favorites in a future post, perhaps.
Totally agree on the Toshiro Mifune thing. Despite being easily recognizable, he was able to blend into every character flawlessly. We saw one of Kurosawa’s detective movies starring Mifune, but I can’t remember which one it was.
I got Pulse last night, per your recommendation. I’m eagerly awaiting that one. Maybe tonight.
Gozu will have to be added to my list. I love Yakuza and David Lynch. And House of Flying Daggers was beautiful. Not to mention the lead guy. ;)

]]> By: Joe P. http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-319 Joe P. Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:20:28 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-319 Gotta watch that one in the a dark room and turn up the sound - even though ya still gotta read it! I think the subtitles are a little wonky cause the Weinstein's wanted to keep it seldom seen til there remake hits the screens, which i think is next month, though i like the way asian and american cinema feeds off each other. House of Flying Daggers was such a great visualization of relationships - loved the way the roles kept changing for the genders. 'course my eye was not on the lead guy. ;) Happiness of the Katurkuris was like Bollywood and MGM or something, very strange. Since you mention Ghost, both series made after the movie are damned fine work. Have just discovered a 1967 French film called Le Samouri with Alain Delon as samuari-like hitman, so I'll have to check that out. Another film to take the samurai idea which i really liked was Ghost Dog, a Jim Jarmusch movie about Forrest Whittaker as a samurai hit man working with the New Jersey mob - it is both amazing and hilarious, a little gem of a movie. Told someone recently I was ruined for life when I was taken to see a Bruce Lee triple feature at the drive-in one summer when I was about 16 - man, i still wanna be Bruce. Another friend asked me what was at the heart of Asian or samurai movies and after some thought i said - it's what happens between the action - the pausing, the posturing, the assessment of strategies, but it all happens in like a little frozen moment. But the action rocks too!!! Shutting up, I could write a dang book on this topic. Thanks again! Gotta watch that one in the a dark room and turn up the sound - even though ya still
gotta read it! I think the subtitles are a little wonky cause the Weinstein’s wanted to keep
it seldom seen til there remake hits the screens, which i think is next month, though i like
the way asian and american cinema feeds off each other.
House of Flying Daggers was such a great visualization of relationships - loved the way
the roles kept changing for the genders. ‘course my eye was not on the lead guy. ;)

Happiness of the Katurkuris was like Bollywood and MGM or something, very strange.
Since you mention Ghost, both series made after the movie are damned fine work.

Have just discovered a 1967 French film called Le Samouri with Alain Delon as samuari-like
hitman, so I’ll have to check that out. Another film to take the samurai idea which i really
liked was Ghost Dog, a Jim Jarmusch movie about Forrest Whittaker as a samurai hit man
working with the New Jersey mob - it is both amazing and hilarious, a little gem of a movie.

Told someone recently I was ruined for life when I was taken to see a Bruce Lee triple feature
at the drive-in one summer when I was about 16 - man, i still wanna be Bruce.
Another friend asked me what was at the heart of Asian or samurai movies and after some
thought i said - it’s what happens between the action - the pausing, the posturing, the
assessment of strategies, but it all happens in like a little frozen moment. But the action
rocks too!!!
Shutting up, I could write a dang book on this topic. Thanks again!

]]> By: GoldenAppleCorp http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-321 GoldenAppleCorp Fri, 16 Jun 2006 16:56:19 +0000 http://www.atomictumor.com/2006/06/14/my-obsession-with-asian-cinema/#comment-321 I haven't seen the French movie you mentioned, Joe, but I did see Ghost Dog when it came out on video. I don't remember all the ins and outs, but I did enjoy and have been meaning to see it again. Is it horrible that I love Asian films but have never seen a Bruce Lee movie? I agree with you on the heart of samurai movies... They resemble chess matches. There much planning and thinking. No move is taken without much forethought. It's really a beautiful thing. I haven’t seen the French movie you mentioned, Joe, but I did see Ghost Dog when it came out on video. I don’t remember all the ins and outs, but I did enjoy and have been meaning to see it again.
Is it horrible that I love Asian films but have never seen a Bruce Lee movie?
I agree with you on the heart of samurai movies… They resemble chess matches. There much planning and thinking. No move is taken without much forethought. It’s really a beautiful thing.

]]>