Actor, legend, and longtime akira kurosawa collaborator toshiro mifune is perhaps japanese cinemas bestknown international star. Quality and emotion go hand in hand at the opening gala of the 43rd film fest gent. 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. This is a pretty ordinary bio documentary, narrated by an affectless keanu reeves, and filled with film clips from the extraordinary career of japanese actor toshiro mifune, who brought the persona of the samurai to its most iconic fruition. The last samurai 2016 11252016 us documentary 1h 20m user score. 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 dutiful and diverting but rather barebones documentary portrait, opens with a series of clips and photographs of toshiro mifune, the. Through interviews with friends, family and colleagues, this film reveals the man and his influences. A featurelength documentary about the life and films of legendary actor toshiro mifune, weaving together film clips, archival stills, and interviews with such. Mifune continued to enjoy success with a range of samurai and war themed films rebellion, samurai assassin, the emperor and a general. Mifune and akira kurosawa were connected for much of the great postwwii era of japanese cinema. Seattles only movie times calendar, from the stranger. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki.
Get it today with same day delivery, order pickup or drive up. The last samurai reveals him as a formidable and mercurial talent, both onscreen and off, and an influence that still resonates through world cinema. It chronicles the life of toshiro mifune, a japanese actor and international star most noted for playing samurai characters in films by akira kurosawa. 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 is a celebration of the originality and influence of the japanese star toshiro mifune 19201997, shown as a rare actor capable of. Age of japanese cinema, including rashomon, seven samurai and. Over the course of his legendary acting career, toshiro mifune was a samurai, a stray dog, and a shoe tycoon. Nearly 20 years after his death, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema. Renowned for his work in the films of akira kurosawa, actor toshiro mifune reigned supreme during the golden age of japanese cinema.
Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of. 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. 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. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back. The last samurai 2015 full movie late night full movie 2019. Toshiro mifune, yoko tsukasa, go kato, tatsuyoshi ehara. With keanu reeves as the narrator, okazakis film features clips from kurosawa and mifunes work on movies such as seven samurai, rashomon and yojimbo.
The last samurai 2016 is a celebration of toshiro mifunes legacy and life told by those closest to him, is now out on dvd and bluray. The last samurai, also known as mifune, is a 2015 biographical. 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 often feels more like an educational film for a classroom lecture or museum orientation than an exploration of one of international cinemas. The last samurai explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema. Rich with archive footage and personal reminiscences from family and friends, this keanu reeves narrated documentary shines a light on both the man and the actor, starting with his childhood and. A painfully safe documentary about one of cinemas most explosive stars. The movie is very good at revealing and expanding upon is how this reluctant actor became such a masterful one.
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. With wataru akashi, kyoko kagawa, takeshi kato, hisao kurosawa. Yet the doc fails to provide any trenchant analysis of these seminal films. The mother of a feudal lords only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. Oscarwinning director steven okazaki pays tribute to mifune s craft and legacy in this documentary, as much a portrait of an artist as it is a history of one of japans major contributions to world cinema. Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking. 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.
After the film s release, the careers of each man took different arcs. The conversation with steven okazaki we were lucky enough to have further explores the dynamic mifune and his impact. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning. A whole new wave emerged with kurosawas masterpieces, rashomon and the seven samurai, in the early 1950s. 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, starring wataru akashi and kyoko kagawa.
The last samurai, also known as mifune, is a 2015 biographical documentary directed by steven okazaki. Mifune officially opened on november 25, 2016 at the ifc center in new york city, over a. He is best known for his 16 film collaboration 194865 with akira kurosawa in such works as rashomon, seven. The last samurai is a pretty good documentary about a truly great subject.
Oscar winner steven okazakis documentary uses film clips, new onscreen interviews with mifune collaborators and admirers, and rare behindthescene footage to tell mifune. Fans of mifunes work will glean precious little from such. First presenting a loose history of the samurai film, mifune soon dives into the personal history and public genius of the influential, ferociously charismatic actor, from humble beginnings in manchuria to raw talent and, eventually, global superstar and sex symbol. The last samurai directed by academy award winning director steven okazaki is a must see for any film buff. The last samurai, a new film by academy awardwinning filmmaker steven okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of toshiro mifune, one of the.
The last samurai 2016 san diego asian film festival. Featuring contributions from steven spielberg and martin scorsese, mifune. Streaming di film e serie complete con sottotitoli in italiano. The last samurai 2016 ntsc dvd9 documentary mifune. Steven okazaki japan, usa documentary 2016 80 mins. Okazaki utilizes archival clips, photographic stills and interviews with those who worked with mifune. Mifune is a featurelength documentary about the life and films of legendary japanese actor toshiro mifune. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director akira kurosawa during the golden age of japanese cinema, including rashomon, seven samurai and yojimbo. Explaining mifunes place in the firmament of pop culture, the narration says of his collaborations with director akira kurosawa, without them there would have been no. Samurai vendetta 1959 if john ford had ever directed a samurai movie, it might have come out looking a little bit like samurai vendetta.
Nearly 20 years after his death and in the runup to his centenary, toshiro mifune remains a true giant of japanese cinema. Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking around the mifune. The last samurai doesnt offer much new information to the actors biggest fans, but for newcomers it squeezes a good deal of information into its 80 minutes. 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. Legendary japanese actor toshiro mifune is best known for 16 films he made with director akira kurosawa during japans golden age of cinema in the 1950s.