I think somewhere in the annals of AP lies a thread I made for this movie when it was announced.
Anyway, I'm a Miike fanboy so anything he does has my attention, but this just seems far too good to be true now seeing it in action.
This is going to be awesome.
Oh finally!! So I guess it's going to be in english?
Funny, it looks a lot more past paced than standard Miike fare.
First time I've heard of this, and that trailer blew me away! I wanna see this!
(That wasn't Quentin Tarantino I saw, was it?)
It was indeed. He has a a cameo as the only caucasian in the film. I love how it's all in English with actors (most anyway) that can't speak English.
I can't fucking understand them, I could only catch a few words. We better get english subs with this. XD I know usually dubbing for live action films look awkward, but I think this movie will need it.
Dude… That looks really badass. The fact that it's a Western (wow, a bit ironic) makes it even better looking.
Personally, I think it's high time for the rebirth of western movies. As in flooding. I sadly haven't seen many western movies, and I need to slap myself for that.
Ok, I need to watch this. It looks better than I expected.
Hmmm… I'm kinda tempted to dig up my dvd of the original Django. Haven't watched it in about forever.
How is the original Django? Like I've said I've sadly haven't seen many westerns.
I think somewhere in the annals of AP lies a thread I made for this movie when it was announced.
I have whined about this few times already but search function isn't nearly as good as it could be and as we are getting bigger (again) it is starting to show. Sometimes it takes forever to find whatever you are looking for. Perhaps it's time for a new reset~
But this movie looks… peculiar. Really Miike-like.
We don't need a reset. While I admit it's sometimes hard to find what you're looking for, but that is due to usually different spelling.
How is the original Django? Like I've said I've sadly haven't seen many westerns.
Well…. I don't know quite how to describe it. It's a spaghetti western so you have to expect certain things (anti-hero lead, bad voice over, the hyper-reverb sound effects, more style than quality acting, lotsa shooting) but I don't think it stands up to the Sergio Leone trilogy (which I highly recommend). Leone just got it al right. Django's not that it's bad, though, it's just after watching the best it doesn't quite stack up. But it's a cult classic for a reason (and not because it's terrible). I suggest watching the best spaghetti before trying Django. Or wait for the Sukiyaki and then going back to the original for comparison (heh, they're going to be very different movies).
I'll just try watching any western movies which happen to come on TV. XD
but I don't think it stands up to the Sergio Leone trilogy
Which actually wasn't a trilogy.
They were just three different movies with the same actor.
This looks good, but probably not as good as Mac and Me.
The only western I've ever watched the whole way through is The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and I liked it a lot.
I couldn't stand Mac and Me, especially that final scene where they got US citizenship.
I couldn't stand Mac and Me, especially that final scene where they got US citizenship.
I haven't seen Mac and Me since I was a kid, so I don't remember that part. But it was probably good.
Well, you were a kid.
Tho I don't remember such a movie…but when I looked at that image I feel nostalgic...and no, I'm not thinking of E.T....which I'm gonna take a wild guess that movie was a parody of.
The only film I think that stands up to TGTBATU is Once Upon a Time in the West.
Granted I haven't seen a LOT of Westerns, but from what I've seen, it's easily up there with what I consider the best.
The only film I think that stands up to TGTBATU is Once Upon a Time in the West.
I actually have that on DVD (well, actually my brother does) but I haven't watched it yet.
Tho I don't remember such a movie…but when I looked at that image I feel nostalgic...and no, I'm not thinking of E.T....which I'm gonna take a wild guess that movie was a parody of.
We should probably discuss Mac and Me, in the Mac and Me thread.
Funny that everytime I see a Miike flick I walk away saying to myself, "That's the strangest thing I've ever seen."
This was no different. But not in the best way.
In many ways, for a Miike film, this is very controlled. That's not to say it doesn't have a woman dance around a bar twisting and turning in all dircetions while licking her thumb only to collapse on the floor and pull a string of bells out of her mouth. Because yeah, that's in there. But it tells a story and no wonder Tarantino has a rather large cameo/role in the film because like his genre-combining efforts, this is a huge mish-mash of most Western films out there with the core being Japanese history.
Somehow….Tarantino steals the screen. His trippy 'prologue' to the story is an interesting but seemingly unecessary venture, only to come back later as a terribly important role that not only pulls the story together, but makes it interesting and saves it from being a borefest.
Because this movie goes from crazy to boring really, really fast.
Despite starting VERY strong with a great cast of characters seemingly ripped straight from the pages of a comic, the story grows stale fast and gets lost in Miike's 'strandard' world very quickly. That being good for his films like Izo or Gozu where it's the point, but I went in expecting a gun busting Western and Miike's 'standard' style raising it's ugly head was more annoying than effective here.
But after Tarantino appears again and not only delivers some of the funniest lines/moments of the film, but also ties it together with his role, things get interesting and stay that way until the credits role.
The film's biggest problem is....the dialogue. He went for an entirely English film (except for some GREAT moments) as spoken by Japanese-speaking thesps.
90% of the cast can't speak English for shyt and it makes for some awful noise on the ears. At some points I gave up listening and went for the Japanese subs instead which were fa easier to understand. It's clear in some scenes that they obviously dubbed their lines. Of course....the question is whether or not Miike intended it to be that way, in defiance of the Spaghetti Western with Italian thesps having their lines dubbed over afterwards. Speaking of which, this is the definition of Western stereotype. Lines like, "Some men got a reason to keep on livin' ", fly fast and furious and it seems they were intended to be funny considering the juxstaposition of the setting, period and actors spouting them. I was cracking up with my girlfriend while the rest of the audience 'didn't get it' but whatever.
Anyway, it's nowhere near his best work and it's nowhere near being a great Western but I think it's possibly the first great Eastern.
Yeah, I wrote this review just for that sentence.
Ah that's disappointing. I was wondering how Miike's style would lend itself to such a genre. I'll still see it anyway.
Fuck. this looked soooo badass… That and the world needs more Westerns anyway...
This "Miike's style" I've been hearing so much about has me interested…I've never seen any of his movies I believe. What do you recommend?
Don't let my comments get anyone down. When the movie is good, it's great. Benkei and Yoichi are particularly awesome. And in more ways than one it actually 'ties' into the original Django story. It just kinda loses itself until a little past half through where it finds a strong center. You'll know what I mean when you see it. Plus you've gotten love a historical Japanese clan leader that quotes Shakespeare and insists his subordinates call him Henry.
Hmmm, for a taste of what Miike can do?
Izo is a start.
Either that or rent Audition without looking at the box or reading any description of it whatsoever.
This "Miike's style" I've been hearing so much about has me interested…I've never seen any of his movies I believe. What do you recommend?
The Miike style can range from light hearted children's movies to hyper gory yakuza films. If you're new to Miike, give The Happiness of the Katakuris, Dead or Alive or City of Lost Souls a chance.
Sounds like foreign rights have been purchased and it will be crossing overseas soon…..minus 25 minutes.
As bad as that sounds, it may actually help the pacing complaints I had. Just so long as they're included in the DVD.
What I don't really dig about this 'Miike-style' is that his endings for his movies tends to make very little sense to me. Or perhaps it's just a part Asian story telling tradition (because I get that alot with Japanese movies, games and cartoons) and it's just beyond my limited Western taste. I even liked Audition alot until…
Anyway, how does Miike's movies fare in theaters in Japan? I have no idea of what sells there. Well, probably flicks like Harry Potter and Titatic and Spiderman are big there too but how domestic movies do against foreign blockbusters?
Anyway, how does Miike's movies fare in theaters in Japan? I have no idea of what sells there. Well, probably flicks like Harry Potter and Titatic and Spiderman are big there too but how domestic movies do against foreign blockbusters?
If you ask around, it's unlikely many people know his name. However, they probably know his work one way or another. By this point the guy has literally made something for everyone.
Domestic films tend to do quite well depending who is in them. However, domestic films foreigners like myself tend to praise get little attention from Japanese audiences and vice-versa. Of course there are exceptions but for example I doubt many people abroad are crazy about Uchoten Hotel or Always Sanchome no Yuuhi.
Major bump.
So I am seeing the movie tonight. It is part of the NYAFF (New York Asian Film Festival). Sold out and free beer. Should be fun. It is also 98 mins. I know Greg said it would be crossing overseas minus 25 minutes, so this may be it?
My friends and I may make an attempt later at posting our thoughts of those who haven't really seen any Miike films… don't expect anything special writing wise.
