Film Fresh - Samurai

47 Ronin

maint — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:04:44 +0000

$19.99

The tale of the 47 RONIN is the classic true story of samurai honor. In the year 1701, a young clan lord is forced to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) after being provoked into striking a court official. His loyal followers, now "ronin" (masterless samurai), dedicate their lives to avenging him. After spending a year patiently planning their vengeance, and waiting for their target to relax his guard, they launch a furious assault on his heavily defended estate, knowing full well the penalty for failure will be the same as the reward for success - they will join their master in death! The true story is so beloved in Japan that it has been the subject of over 80 films, as well as many books, graphic novels and TV series. Now master director Kon Ichikawa presents his own unique version of this timeless epic of loyalty, honor, and vengeance, and gives a compelling vision of what it truly means to be a Samurai.

List Price: $29.98

Film details

Format:

1.85:1

Awards – Nominated:

Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Takakura), Best Cinematography, Best Lighting, Best Music Score, 1995 Awards of the Japanese Academy

Awards – Won:

Best Supporting Actor (Nakai), Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Art Direction, 1995 Awards of the Japanese Academy

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117909194.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0

Review quote:

"Good-looking, precision piece of work will appeal to Japan specialists familiar with the historical tale and interpretive subtleties." -- Variety Staff, VARIETY

Year:

1994

Length:

129min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $19.99

Full download buy counter:

Dora-Heita

maint — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:04:44 +0000

$11.99

In 1969, four of Japan's greatest directors, Akira Kurosawa, Kon Ichikawa, Keisuke Kinoshita and Masaki Kobayashi, formed the "Yonki-no-kai" (Four Musketeers) production company, only to see it close down after its first film was a commercial failure. Now Kon Ichikawa, the last surviving Musketeer, has brought their long-lost samurai classic to the screen as a tribute to his fallen comrades! Koheita (Yakusho) is a samurai with such a reputation for debauchery that his nickname is "Dora-Heita" (Alley Cat), so his appointment as magistrate of the most corrupt township in all of Japan raises a few eyebrows on both sides of the law. But little does everyone know that it's all a carefully constructed front to outwit the criminals and outfight the righteous samurai who think he's too disgraceful to live!

List Price: $14.98

Film details

Format:

1.85:1

Awards – Nominated:

Best Actor (Yakusho), Best Supporting Actor (Kataoka), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Lighting, 2001 Awards of the Japanese Academy

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117915349.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0

Review quote:

"There's plenty to enjoy in this slyly humorous film from the last surviving veteran of that era." -- David Stratton, VARIETY

Year:

2000

Length:

113min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $11.99

Full download buy counter:

Shinobi No Mono 4: Siege

maint — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:04:44 +0000

$19.99

Tokugawa leyasu is the ruler of Japan. But one last loose thread must be tied up before his domination is complete -- the destruction of the Toyotomi clan, now besieged in Osaka castle. Ieyasu's ninja are the only ones who can penetrate the fortress, but unfortunately for leyasu, Kirigakure Saizo (Raizo Ichikawa) and his fellow Toyotomi ninja can just as easily get out. As armies of samurai maneuver for battle, the fate of the nation will be decided by a desperate struggle in the dark!

List Price: $24.98

Film details

Format:

2.35:1

Year:

1964

Length:

87min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $19.99

Full download buy counter:

Sleepy Eyes of Death

maint — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:04:44 +0000

$53.99

This four-DVD box set contains the first four films in the SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH series. Edo, the capital of Japan, has degenerated into a tangled web of political intrigue and personal vice. Nemuri Kyoshiro, the half-breed son of a Japanese noblewoman raped by a Christian missionary, lives only for the moment amused by the chaos that surrounds him. But those who decide to use him for their own ends soon discover that they have made a fatal error! Kyoshiro wields the fabled Musou-Masamune blade and is master of the most subtle and deadly technique in all of swordplay, the Full Moon Cut.

List Price: $79.98

Film details

Format:

2.35:1

Collector's Set: Vol. 1

Awards – Won:

Raizo Ichikawa

Tamao Nakamura

Shinobu Araki

Saburo Date

Jun Fujikawa

http://passportcinema.com/?p=451

Review quote:

"The SLEEPY EYES series is a true indication of the [Ichikawa's] talent, of his refusal to play a straight hero and instead present viewers with someone a little off-kilter." -- A.H. Hakari, PASSPORTCINEMA.COM

Year:

1963; 1964

Length:

82min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $53.99

Full download buy counter:

The Samurai I Loved

maint — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:04:44 +0000

$19.99

Following his father's forced seppuku, Bunshiro and his mother are left with nothing but a meager income and the shame of his father's alleged treason. After years of dedicating himself to swordsmanship, and trying to forget the memory of his childhood love, Fuku, he becomes a crop inspector for the fief and finds himself ensnared by the same devious retainers that cost his father his life. When he finds that Fuku, now one of the Lord's concubines, is also an unwilling pawn in the same deadly game, Bunshiro must decide whether he will be ruled by duty, honor... or love.

List Price: $24.98

Film details

Format:

1.85:1

Awards – Nominated:

Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, 2008 Awards of the Japanese Academy

Awards – Won:

Best Actor (Ichikawa), 2005 Hochi Film Awards

Year:

2005

Length:

131min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $19.99

Full download buy counter:

Kill Bill Volume 2

maint — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:26:59 +0000

$11.99

With this thrilling, must-see movie event, writer and director Quentin Tarantino completes the action-packed quest for revenge begun by The Bride (Thurman) in KILL BILL VOL. 1! Having already crossed two names from her Death List, The Bride is back with a vengeance and taking aim at Budd (Madsen) and Elle Driver (Hannah), the only survivors from the squad of assassins who betrayed her four years earlier. It's all leading up to the ultimate confrontation with Bill (Carradine), The Bride's former master and the man who ordered her execution!

List Price: $14.99

Film details

Format:

Widescreen

Awards – Nominated:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama (Thurman), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Carradine),2005 Golden Globes

Awards – Won:

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film, Best Supporting Actor (Carradine), Best Supporting Actress (Hannah), 2005 Saturn Awards

Best Fight, 2005 MTV Movie Awards

http://movies.nytimes.com/2004/04/16/movies/16KILL.html?ex=1258866000&en=23e0133...

Review quote:

"It is rich, substantial and sustained, yet also greasy kids' stuff, a wrapper filled with an extra large order of chili fries, stained with ketchup, salt and cheese." -- Elvis Mitchell, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Year:

2004

Length:

137min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $11.99

Full download buy counter:

Kill Bill Volume 1

maint — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:26:57 +0000

$11.99

The acclaimed fourth film from groundbreaking writer and director Quentin Tarantino, KILL BILL VOLUME 1 stars Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu and Vivica A. Fox in an astonishing, action-packed thriller about brutal betrayal and an epic vendetta! Four years ater taking a bullet in the head at her own wedding, The Bride (Thurman) emerges from a coma and decides it's time for payback... with a vengeance! Having been gunned down by her former boss (Carradine) and his deadly squad of intenational assassins, it's a kill-or-be killed fights she doesn't start but is determined to fishish! Loaded with explosive action and outrageous humor, it's a must-see motion picture that has critics everywhere raving!

List Price: $14.99

Film details

Format:

Widescreen

Awards – Nominated:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama (Thurman), 2004 Golden Globes

Awards – Won:

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film, Best Actress (Thurman), 2004 Saturn Awards

Best Director, Best Actress (Thurman), 2004 Empire Awards

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947809/review/5947810/kill_bill_vol_1

Review quote:

"Tarantino brings delicious sin back to movies -- the thrill you get from something down, dirty and dangerous." -- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

Year:

2003

Length:

111min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $11.99

Full download buy counter:

Live Evil

maint — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:31 +0000

$24.95

A cowboy-hat-wearing samurai-sword-wielding Priest is on a quest for vampire blood. He's out for revenge on a clique of four vampires who are traveling across country in search of pure blood. The human blood stream has become polluted by drugs, alcohol, & AIDS. LIVE EVIL is what is written on playing cards left behind on the bodies of dead vampires that this mysterious Priest/Hunter leaves in his wake. The Leader of the group of Vampires is Benedict, who is out to protect his small family of vampires. He's also in love with one of the two females in his group, Sydney. This clique is constantly trying to find pure blood for food and also to escape from the Priest who stalks them as they travel to Los Angeles to find a Blood Dealer, Max, a man who pushes blood stolen from hospitals to vampire clients.

List Price: $24.95

Film details

Format:

Widescreen

http://fangoria.com/reviews/2-film/3718-live-evil-film-review.html

Review quote:

"There's a great vintage feel to the film, a cool twist on vampires, and a pretty damn stimulating twist to cap off an already morbidly embraceable film." -- Matt Molgaard, FANGORIA

Year:

2009

Length:

92min

Price: $24.95

Full download buy counter:

OVS Content ID:

a:2:{i:0;s:7:"1211485";i:4;s:0:"";}

The Last Samurai

maint — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:46:50 +0000

$11.99

Tom Cruise plays Civil War hero Capt. Nathan Algren, who comes to Japan to fight the Samurai and ends up pledging himself to their cause. Ken Watanabe (Academy Award nominee) plays Katsumoto, a Samurai leader facing a vanishing way of life, whose destiny becomes intertwined with that of the American captain. Edward Zwick (winner of the National Board of Review's Best Director Award) directs this sweeping and emotional epic tale of the birth of modern Japan.

List Price: $12.97

Film details

Format:

Widescreen

2-Disc Edition

Awards – Nominated:

Best Actor in a Suporting Role (Watanabe), Best Sound Mixing, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, 2004 Academy Awards

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (Cruise), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Watanabe), Best Original Score - Motion Picture, 2004 Golden Globes

Awards – Won:

Best Director, 2003 National Board of Review Awards

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1006392,00.html

Review quote:

"Amovie that demands our surrender--to its energy, to its bold-stroke moviemaking, to its acting and, above all, to its romantic vision of a lost world." -- Richard Schickel, TIME

Year:

2003

Length:

154min

DVD buy counter:

Price: $11.99

Full download buy counter:

OVS Content ID:

a:1:{i:0;s:7:"1208506";}