Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted January 19, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 19, 2015 I defy anyone to name a film better than these - martial arts / period piece or both. You can't possibly be serious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 I defy anyone to name a film better than these - martial arts / period piece or both. You can't possibly be serious? My thoughts exactly. I could name about 300 films. I mean, no offence, I respect everyone's opinion, but I really wanna hear someone saying Rurouni Kenshin is better than Seven Samurai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member VenomsFan Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 Back to 1954?! lol. Well ok for example I really like Kung Fu Jungle and The Raid 2 from 2014 but this is superior to both of those films. The adaptation could have gone either way but they didn't take any shortcuts. Top notch production, score, direction, editing, cinematography, editing, choreography. Anticipated for a long time, we've been pining for great martial arts films. This is without question one of them. I'd be surprised if any fan of the martial arts film genre dislikes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 where can i buy me a copy of this box set on dvd thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member VenomsFan Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 Went to see Kyoto Inferno. Found it to be an instantly forgettable teen opera. Pretty idols everywhere, Kaouru and Megumi and a young Yahiko and Kenshin are the pretty idols you're talking about? Because everyone else are seasoned Japanese actors with ages of experience. uninspired action, Going with Kyoto Inferno then, what was uninspired? A wanderng samurai with a reverse blade sword that swore not to kill. He does so with deadly accuracy at Shengutsu village and you actually know what it's like to fight - and be hit - by one of those. Aoshi's fight, Cho's fight that went unarmed combat halfway throughout not to mention the live version of Shaku Arai's last sword. bland Hollywood-style score, You mean the score that has a hundred person live orchestra not resorting to digital composing? and a constant feeling that you’ve seen these scenes done so much better with real actors 40-50 years ago. 'Real actors'? Takeru Satô has had years of 'acting' expreience before this. But his adaptation to a swordsman is unrivalled. He's not a Shaw Brothers actor, or HK stuntmen yet he's swinging with the best of them. Unrivalled meaning he actually acted and learned the part of a martial artist and comes across it 100%. He's not a seasoned martial arts actor doing the same run of the mill movies year in and out - none of the actors in this movie are - now THAT is bland and what we've gotten in this genre the last couple of decades with a slight rebirth, with Ong Bak 2 then The Raid films, etc... Again you have to go back 40-50 years. But What about last 10 years? I watch them all and your review would fit Tom Yum Goong 2 ,Special ID, Wrath of Vajra, Any of the Once Upon a Times, Scott Adkins ninja movies the list goes on. If there is a better Martial Arts movie than this in the last 10 years, let's see it. I promise it will be a very small list. And it's not just the fight scenes. But also the (Japanese) martial art ideology behind the fighting and story that is represented truthfully in this trilogy. If we get into that discussion, your list of movies 'better than' will go down even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 where can i buy me a copy of this box set on dvd thanks The 3 disk box set is CRAZY expensive right now. Your looking at 90-120$ for 3 blu Rays.. Wait a few months and the price will drop lije crazy. But if it's a must have. I've seen the 3 disk box set on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 thanks for the info bro man ebay and amazon are out of control with there prices lol:tongue:am not paying $100+ for any dvd so I guees I will wait for the price to go down thanks again but I should have known that the price was going to be crazy when I saw it on yesasia for almost $200 CRAZY The 3 disk box set is CRAZY expensive right now. Your looking at 90-120$ for 3 blu Rays.. Wait a few months and the price will drop lije crazy. But if it's a must have. I've seen the 3 disk box set on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ronin Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 All of the high-priced blu-rays of these films on places like eBay and YesAsia are the Japanese editions - which don't have English subtitles. If you need English subs, then go for the Hong Kong (released by Deltamac) or UK (released by Warner Bros.) blu-rays. Those are much more reasonably priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 THANKS RONIN can you or some one please give me a link where to buy the one with English subs on dvd I cant speak Japanese so no need for the Japanese edition lol All of the high-priced blu-rays of these films on places like eBay and YesAsia are the Japanese editions - which don't have English subtitles. If you need English subs, then go for the Hong Kong (released by Deltamac) or UK (released by Warner Bros.) blu-rays. Those are much more reasonably priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ronin Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 THANKS RONIN can you or some one please give me a link where to buy the one with English subs on dvd I cant speak Japanese so no need for the Japanese edition lol DVD versions are more complicated than the blu-ray discs due to Region coding. Do you have a DVD player that can play other Region DVDs? The HK DVD is Region 3 and the UK DVD is Region 2 (and PAL format). These discs won't work on a regular USA DVD player. If you have a blu-ray player, you are good to go with either the HK or UK blu-rays (HK blu-ray is Region A [same Region as the USA] and UK blu-ray is Region Free). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 yes i have a all region dvd player so that will not be a problem am looking for the dvd box set not the blu ray thanks for any links on where to buy the set at DVD versions are more complicated than the blu-ray discs due to Region coding. Do you have a DVD player that can play other Region DVDs? The HK DVD is Region 3 and the UK DVD is Region 2 (and PAL format). These discs won't work on a regular USA DVD player. If you have a blu-ray player, you are good to go with either the HK or UK blu-rays (HK blu-ray is Region A [same Region as the USA] and UK blu-ray is Region Free). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ronin Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 yes i have a all region dvd player so that will not be a problem am looking for the dvd box set not the blu ray thanks for any links on where to buy the set at The only box set available right now would be the Japanese (expensive, no English subs) set. The second film will be out later this month in HK with subs - third film has not even been announced outside of Japan yet. So if you need subs, you will have a while to wait. Any versions of the second and third films with subs available now are bootlegs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 ok I guess I will wait then but just double checking but the box set is out right now on blu ray right??? I might just buy the blu ray and wait to buy a blu ray player when I get some more money BUT THANKS FOR YOUR HELP I would have probably been searching like crazy for the dvds when there not even out lol The only box set available right now would be the Japanese (expensive, no English subs) set. The second film will be out later this month in HK with subs - third film has not even been announced outside of Japan yet. So if you need subs, you will have a while to wait. Any versions of the second and third films with subs available now are bootlegs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Ronin Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 ok I guess I will wait then but just double checking but the box set is out right now on blu ray right??? I might just buy the blu ray and wait to buy a blu ray player when I get some more money BUT THANKS FOR YOUR HELP I would have probably been searching like crazy for the dvds when there not even out lol The only blu-ray box set that is out now is the Japanese version, which is crazy expensive and has no English subs. Basically, the only thing that is available with English subs right now is the first film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted January 19, 2015 Member Share Posted January 19, 2015 ok ronin thanks for clearing that up for me I guess I will buy the first one with the subs THANKS AGAIN The only blu-ray box set that is out now is the Japanese version, which is crazy expensive and has no English subs. Basically, the only thing that is available with English subs right now is the first film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted January 20, 2015 Member Share Posted January 20, 2015 Kaouru and Megumi and a young Yahiko and Kenshin are the pretty idols you're talking about? Because everyone else are seasoned Japanese actors with ages of experience. 'Real actors'? Takeru Satô has had years of 'acting' expreience before this. But his adaptation to a swordsman is unrivalled. He's not a Shaw Brothers actor, or HK stuntmen yet he's swinging with the best of them. Unrivalled meaning he actually acted and learned the part of a martial artist and comes across it 100%. He's not a seasoned martial arts actor doing the same run of the mill movies year in and out - none of the actors in this movie are - now THAT is bland and what we've gotten in this genre the last couple of decades with a slight rebirth, with Ong Bak 2 then The Raid films, etc... Yû Aoi (Megumi) is actually one of the best Japanese actresses of her generation, which is why it was so painful to see her here doing almost nothing. If you want to see some terrific performances by her, please see All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001), Hana & Alice (2004) and Don't Laugh at My Romance (2007). Takeru Satô is a big idol here (like I said, most people in the audience were girls). I was also stunned by the moves he pulled off with the sword; I never thought he'd be capable of that. To be honest he actually proved himself also in real life with the Atsuko Maeda incident a few years ago when he was photographed carrying the drunken Maeda on the street (which became a source of endless jokes... see some here. No one thought he'd be able to carry a girl). Nevertheless, he's still a pretty boy idol in my books and I find it difficult to even compare him with charismatic actors like Tomisaburo Wakayma, Yoshio Harada, Tetsuro Tamba, Shintaro Katsu etc. Emi Takei is another modern idol (as opposed to the 1980s idols, some of whom rocked). I remember her from Miike's For Love's Sake, where she was memorable for being so unmemorable But my gripe is not with her past, it's with her being so unmemorable (IMO) in Rurouni Kenshin. I really can't remember even one thing she did in any of the three movies. Ryonosuke Kamiki is another pretty boy who is often cast in order to appeal to teen girls. You could call him a seasoned actor because he's was a popular child actor before, but I hated him in Kenshin just like I hated him in As God's Will. He often plays ikemen (beautiful man) bad guys these days. I have to admit it though, he was good in The Kirishima Thing. And Ryosuke Miura (the white haired boy)... I though he was even worse than Kamiki. Tatsuya Fujiwara is another pretty boy who is widely considered one of the worst actors in Japan. Sometimes that actually works to his benefit, e.g. Death Note somehow got more enjoyable thanks to him. An interesting choise to have him play a scarred villain, though. I suppose he's trying to prove himself as a real actor. Actually he wasn't so bad although I still had some difficulties buying his villain act. Of course, they may match the original manga characters well (I don't know, I haven't read it) but then again, that's not gonna make it any more enjoyable in my books. Going with Kyoto Inferno then, what was uninspired? A wanderng samurai with a reverse blade sword that swore not to kill. He does so with deadly accuracy at Shengutsu village and you actually know what it's like to fight - and be hit - by one of those. Aoshi's fight, Cho's fight that went unarmed combat halfway throughout not to mention the live version of Shaku Arai's last sword. The only thing I can remember about the fights is that I wasn't impressed by any of them. I'm sorry I can't elaborate in more detail, but it's been a good while since I saw the film and I simply can't remember a single fight from the movie. The first and the third film, on the other hand, had some excellent wire work. You mean the score that has a hundred person live orchestra not resorting to digital composing? If volume equalled to quality, then Michael Bay would be the best filmmaker in the world. I don't think having a hundred person live orchestra automatically makes a score great. Again you have to go back 40-50 years. But What about last 10 years? I watch them all and your review would fit Tom Yum Goong 2 ,Special ID, Wrath of Vajra, Any of the Once Upon a Times, Scott Adkins ninja movies the list goes on. If there is a better Martial Arts movie than this in the last 10 years, let's see it. I promise it will be a very small list. I don't see a problem going back 40-50 years. Most movies I watch, both theatrically and at home, are from 30-45 years ago. The last 10 martial arts movies I've seen in theatre are Kyoto Inferno (2014), The Raid 2 (2014), Goyokin (1969), Three Outlaw Samurai (1964), Ninja's Mark (1968), Samurai Reincarnation (1981), Karate Bullfighter (1975), Wolfguy: Enranged Lycanthrope (1975), The Street Figher (1974), and The Defensive Power of Aikido (1975). Kenshin has hard time trying to compete in that company. edit: forgot High Kick Angels (2014) from the list. Yeah, Kenshin beats that one hands down It's true that the martial arts genre sucks nowadays, and when the first Rurouni Kenshin came out I actually said it feels like a bit of fresh air. But that charm wore off in the sequels which, IMO, were inferior. With hundreds and hundreds of great films from "40-50 years" ago, I don't think we desperately needs to seek for good modern martial arts films. I think it's pointless to start listing movies. Obviously we have quite different opinions here. I rated the first film 3/5 and the other two 2/5. And it's not just the fight scenes. But also the (Japanese) martial art ideology behind the fighting and story that is represented truthfully in this trilogy. If we get into that discussion, your list of movies 'better than' will go down even more. What exactly is the martial art ideology you are referring to? If it has something to do with refraining from violence, I would like to remind you that the excessively choreographed and long fight scenes in the film are the exact opposite of that (a typical contradiction in action movies which try to make a moral point yet entertain the audience at the same time). Kenshin doesn't want to fight, but the audience is dying to see him fight. Also, I don't see why would that make the list shorter? I don't think depicting a certain type of philosophy should automatically make a movie better. My main problems with the second and third film are: - Most of the characters and actors look like they came from the pages of a fashion magazine or from a beauty contest. Well, they did come from the pages of a manga, but I still much prefer my swordsmen looking dirty and charismatic, like they did in the films of Hideo Gosha, Kazuo Ikehiro, Masaki Kobayashi etc. or something written by Kazuo Koike if you prefer a manga origin. Just my opinion. - I think the overall execution is quite bland an uninspired. The music sounds the same as any big budget Hollywood epic, the cinematography is functional but nothing special, and there's some sub-par CGI. Compare it to something like Goyokin which features some stunning framing, a truly beautiful score, unforgettable winter setting (Toshiro Mifune quit because he couldn't stand the cold) and one of the best actors of all time (Tatsuya Nakadai)... - The storyline in the 2nd and 3rd film is really predictable. A hero trying to refrain from violence? Kenshin discovering what he's missing before he can beat the enemy. An innocemt girl falling in love with him and getting in trouble. An old man putting his life on the line even though we know he's no match for the young warriors. The list is endless. The action cliches wouldn't really matter if the execution was something special, but I felt all the melodrama really got tiresome and reminded me of Japanese television dramas. But I like I said, I'm not trying to change your opinion. I know many people enjoyed these films and that's perfectly fine. I also kinda liked the first film and didn't hate the 2nd and 3rd either. But I just fail to see where all the praise is coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted January 20, 2015 Member Share Posted January 20, 2015 I should add that the "idol status" of many cast members is not the problem. Some idols can act, even some of the modern ones (e.g. Atsuko Maeda has proven herself in Nobuhiro Yamashita's films), and I can understand the appeal of the beautiful looks of Takeru Sato and a few other cast members. God knows I love some of the 80s idols (though I also think some of the films and TV shows they appeared in were hell of a lot more innovative than Rurouni Kenshin). I'm just saying their act in the Rurouni Kenshin films didn't interest me much, and I was a little bit bored by some of the idol posing and melodrama, and I felt the films were lacking in excution which was solid but hardly innovative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member VenomsFan Posted January 21, 2015 Member Share Posted January 21, 2015 Takuma many thanks or the recommendations. I guess ignorance is bliss in this case. I never knew about their idol status and understand your reservations. I didn't have any expectations - how many video games/anime made into live action have actually been any good? It's like Justin Beiber starring in John Wick or something. lol no matter how good the film is, my reservations may be seated the same as yours in that regard. It still is brilliant film-making. As for ideology in part III, when Kenshin is learning the final attacks, there is a series of scenes discussing two sides to martial arts (technique vs his will to live). This is a strong basis in the martial arts ethos of the samurai - even from a few books I've been reading on the side. They really got the narration and dialogue good with this one. Been running some marathons and it is layered and they really took their time to get it right above all else which gets my praise. I don't think everyone is as crazy about it, but still. Takeru Satô transformation from wanderer to manslayer, especially in the Shishio last fight, my God he nailed it. Not just as a martial arts film, but as a tormented human being in any respect.... SHISHIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member JetKinen Posted January 24, 2015 Member Share Posted January 24, 2015 I thought the two movies were alright In one hand i can see why people thought it was too melodramatic(it was and the entire beginning of the third movie seemed to drag on forever) but i have to say that the last 40 minutes of the third movie was pretty great. Some real good action there, and the 4v1 fight is as good as a 4v1 fight could possibly be Overral i thought they did a pretty good job at adapting the series and made it pretty accessible at least action-wise to nonfans of the series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 25, 2015 Member Share Posted January 25, 2015 ok I guess I will wait then but just double checking but the box set is out right now on blu ray right??? I might just buy the blu ray and wait to buy a blu ray player when I get some more money BUT THANKS FOR YOUR HELP I would have probably been searching like crazy for the dvds when there not even out lol DDDhouse just released the 2nd film on the 22nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted February 18, 2015 Member Share Posted February 18, 2015 HK BD of the third film coming 27-02-2015 - http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14673 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member yojimbo Posted February 18, 2015 Member Share Posted February 18, 2015 Kyoto Inferno and The Legend End's definitely weren't as good as the 1st movie. They are decent movies that moved along. Both have their problems but I found them enjoyable as a fan of the anime series. I wished they would have cast someone else as Aioshi. He looked much older than Aioshi did in the anime. Also, his henchmen had to be cut out for the story but I wished they would have kept Hayanna. They took one of them and made him one of Shishio's men (The Monk fighting Sansouke). And I felt that when they did the flashback of Kenshin burying the bodies they should have kept the events leading up to that. It makes more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted February 19, 2015 Author Member Share Posted February 19, 2015 HK BD of the third film coming 27-02-2015 - http://www.dddhouse.com/v3/product_details.php?ProductID=14673 I pre-ordered it today from YesAsia.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted February 20, 2015 Member Share Posted February 20, 2015 What's the difference between the yesasia and the DDDhouse? DDD is way cheaper. Why go to yesasia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted February 20, 2015 Author Member Share Posted February 20, 2015 What's the difference between the yesasia and the DDDhouse? DDD is way cheaper. Why go to yesasia I've always been to YesAsia, so it's just a natural habit for me. Been dealing with them for over 15 years now and every time I ordered from them, I've had no problems with them. But that's okay. Maybe I'll try DDDHouse sometime this year No worries. Either way, I'm looking forward to the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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