Guest limubai2000 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 I just watched this last night with my girlfriend and we both liked it alot! I normally find Japanese films flat and bland but enjoy the action scenes (Gojoe, Owl's Castle)... but this one stood out for me. I didn't care for Versus at all (so sue me) but the director redeemed himself in my eyes. I was alittle let down in the beginning of Azumi cuz the village slaughter scene had some sloppy swordplay in it ... but the later fights improved consistently. I like the villian in the white robes with sword with no defense guard (I can't remember his name at this moment). Oh yeah I'm gonna pick up the soundtrack when I to Osaka in May! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lunamask Posted January 28, 2004 Share Posted January 28, 2004 I feel the same way as you, Disliked Versus liked Azumi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DoubleM Posted January 31, 2004 Share Posted January 31, 2004 feel the same way as you, Disliked Versus liked Azumi! Same here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pressureworld Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 I almost feel the same way i disliked Versus and im on the fence about Azumi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jirpy100 Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Haven't seen Versus, but thought Azumi was one the best new-age action films in a long time! Really enjoyed it -- for what it was! Many people get stuck on the pretty like girl being unbelievable, what can I say? It's suppose to be live anime and it fits in perfectly! Plus, it's nice to see some high-budget looking stuff when you've watched so many HK films...and then some still call this low budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Grape Snapple Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 The psycho in white is Jo Odagiri. Such a fun character. I'm a fan of Versus and love Ishii's Gojoe, but this film was a miss for me. It's uneven and the dialogue is fluff -- though, it worked for Versus. Azumi felt more like a choppy weekly tv series than a feature film. In fact, it's very reminiscent of those old japanese tv series (be it chanbara or tokusatsu) with fight scenes by Sonny Chiba's action club. Kitamura, the director, has a talent for shooting interesting scenes, but it all falls apart in the end with the finished product. There's so much potential in his works. Here's hoping he matures somewhat...but not too much! Oh, and I'm fed up with glorified death scenes! I don't care if it's a requirement for samurai flicks -- I can't take it anymore!! F u!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chiba2000 Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 he he then you must love the end in Last Samurai. :lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DragonfighterX Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 I-love-Versus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest limubai2000 Posted February 6, 2004 Share Posted February 6, 2004 That is a pretty good description of the film. I do like that at least they kept the wire work down to a minimum, that gave the film extra staying power in my book. And the name of the character in white is Bijomaru Mogami at least that's what my subs say! I pretty happy that he is directing the next Godzilla flick (the 50th Anniversay flick)... at least that's the rumor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Akahige Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 Okay, I finally broke down and watched Azumi last night (it seemed pretty stupid based on the descriptions I'd read in the past). I have to say that film had a few strengths despite all of it's weaknesses. The costumes, music, camera work, and lighting made me really feel like I was watching an anime. With certain scenes though it seemed like the director was really shooting for a more melodramatic chambara styled film. Where this film failed miserably though is in it's editing, more specifically it's fear of leaving anything sitting on the cutting room floor. Thirty minutes plus could've been cut from this film, and if that had happened maybe the director would have commited to one genre or the other (anime adaptation or chambara). I think such a commitment would've meant success, especially if he cut out all that crappy CGI and wire work. I gotta admit though, when Azumi takes on those two hundred punks at end I was giggling with glee. Unfortunately the ending was ruined by the obviously studio-forced insertion of a hollywood ending. I just didn't buy Azumi swimming twenty miles after a ship, popping thirty feet out of the water, and floating back in time to meet up with her one surviving comrade. What made this pick-up so obviously not part of the original script (besides it's obvious exclusion from the rest of the plot) is that when Azumi is going over who still needs to be killed, her back is oh-so-convienently turned to the camera, allowing for a rather easy and seemingly flawless over-dub. Don't you think they would've shown Azumi's face while saying the ending lines if they could have? I gotta admit something pretty sick on my part though, I'm starting to find women with other people's blood on their face pretty sexy (Kunoichi, Lady Snowblood, and the Bride). If you dig the anime-adaptation feeling and want to see it successfully done, check out "Kunoichi: Lady Ninja." Nipple Shockwaves, monk slaughter-fests, and a dude boning a chick while cutting down flying arrows! What more could you want!? Peep my review at Netflix if you're interested and don't know anything about it. Thanks for putting up with my rambling, I had to warn people about his flick though... Oh yeah, if he takes on the next Godzilla flick, he better work on his editing or I'll never forgive the injustices he may commit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tengumusha Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 I thought Azumi had some rough spots, but overall a good movie. The thing I liked best were the quirky characters such as the dog ninja. One of the hardest things for me to accept was the character Azumi herself, she is quite lovely, but a little on the delicate side to pull off that role convincingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Michael L. Posted February 12, 2011 Member Share Posted February 12, 2011 I finally saw Azumi the other day... now, I'm less mad at Ryuhei Kitamura about Godzilla: Final Wars 'cause of the body count in this movie. It wasn't great but it was fun. Is the second worth watching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Arthur Posted February 28, 2011 Member Share Posted February 28, 2011 I found the second movie a bit more goofier, probably more anime influence. Just don't expect it to be as good as the first Azumi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Michael L. Posted March 1, 2011 Member Share Posted March 1, 2011 As it turns out, it is by a different director... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Athena Posted March 7, 2011 Member Share Posted March 7, 2011 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/da/Azumi2poster.jpg/220px-Azumi2poster.jpgI like Azumi & Azumi II ! But it really all comes down to IF you like that kind of "Modern Japanese Action " or not ... If you can view it & forgive it for not being JAPANESE CLASSIC ACTION CINEMA then some of these movies are not bad !! I really like the "ultra modern styled' SHINOBI for the same reason .. But I dislike LEGEND OF THE 7 MONKS (!) since it was to "dumb" (to me) & totally underused the 2 actually stars (Kurata & Ciba ) ... Azumi II is a almost as good as the first but it basically has a different theme than the first .. I think it is good ( for the kind of movie it is !!) !! Regards, Athena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Yang Wu Liang Posted March 14, 2011 Member Share Posted March 14, 2011 Second one is worth watching but it's a mere shadow of the first one imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Cat Posted January 5, 2012 Member Share Posted January 5, 2012 Does anyone happen to know the correct runtime for the Director's Cut of Azumi? I have seen a few different times listed from multiple sources (137mins and 142mins). The director's cut was only released in Japan, which has been OOP for a very longtime now. However, there appears to be an Taiwanese bluray that might also contain the director's cut. I know that the Taiwan bluray is only supposed to be an upscale and not from a true hd source. However, if this is the director's cut, I would still be willing to purchase the disc as it is the only version still in print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted January 5, 2012 Member Share Posted January 5, 2012 From what I have read, the Taiwanese Blu-Ray is not the director's cut. It's some sort of strange custom cut based on the director's cut, but missing certain scenes. It's also missing the end credits. I'll check the DC run time from my dvd after work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted January 5, 2012 Member Share Posted January 5, 2012 My R2J runs 143:02. The Japanese Standard Edition dvd has never been out of print. Only the Deluxe Edition is OOP, but widely available in Japanese second hand stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Cat Posted January 6, 2012 Member Share Posted January 6, 2012 I appreciate the confirmation. Looks like I will be skipping the Taiwanese bluray. I will have to look for the japanese release elsewhere, other than my usual places of purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member daisho2004 Posted June 21, 2012 Member Share Posted June 21, 2012 OK I had originally posted this in the wrong section so I posted here now. I want to buy the Blu-Ray of Azumi 1&2 from a seller on eBay he has the Taiwanese version not the Japanese version he said there similar he wants $50 for both. I love the 1st movie and there hasn't been any announcement for a US Blu-Ray release. What do you Guys think? The seller claims that only the Taiwanese is on BR and he said it was really good, what do you Guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Takuma Posted November 1, 2015 Member Share Posted November 1, 2015 Azumi will always have a special place in my heart as it made me fall in love with Aya Ueto for quite a few years, collect just about anything related to her, and probably influenced they way I grew up to be and where I ended up as well. I've been hesitant to watch it again in the fear or ruining those memories.Now, a more than decade later, a lot of the film's appeal is indeed gone. For starters, the film could lose more than 50 minutes of its 142 minute running time as much of the drama is utterly uninspired and predictable. The stylized action works at times - the vertically spinning camera at the end is still fantastic - but there's a bit too much posing and one does wish Aya was a little faster. On the positive side the film lacks some of the caveats that would plague similar films made a few years later: the CGI is relatively minimal, and the movie looks fine for being shot on film.And, at least the film remains a dozen times better movie than Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.