Back To The Shadows - The Ninja Genre Appreciation Thread

[DragonClaws]

 

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2022 by DragonClaws

[Secret Executioner]

So, we're not settling for Club Ninja, like the Blue Oyster Cult in me wanted ?

[DragonClaws]

That's a good idea SE, I was not aware of the song when I was thinking about a thread title.

[Secret Executioner]

That's a good idea SE, I was not aware of the song when I was thinking about a thread title.

 

Was just teasing you, but that album's title could have made for a nice thread name.

 

Figured I'd link to the Nnja-related topics I made in the video sections

Greek trailers - Ninja Masters Of Death and Jackie Chan's Armour Of God:

 

 

Godfrey Ho's Rage Of A Ninja (opening scene + trailer):

 

The Thundering Ninja trailer:

 

Clash Of The Ninjas trailer:

 

Ninja Master Of Death ending scene:

 

 

Cobra Against Ninja opening scene:

 

 

Robert Tai's Ninja The Final Duel trailer:

 

 

Ninja Destroyer trailer:

 

 

Robert Tai's Ninja Kids French trailer:

Edited November 7, 2015 by Secret Executioner
Updating the links.

[Guest Anonymous]

Great idea!! Will be participating! I have always loved ninjas an when I was younger I was obsessed with them!! Wern't we all??

I especially like historic types of ninja films where it does not try to use much magic power stuff.

Has anyone seen "The Hunted" with Christopher Lambert? It is a great film, the ninja massacre on the train was intense!

We need more ninja movies that try to be real world. But I do of course enjoy the craziness of Godfrey Ho.

[DragonClaws]

The Hunted is pretty good and Christopher Lambert is decent playing the lead. I need to dig out my DVD copy out and watch it again. The massacre on the bullitt train was really impressive the first time I watched it on T.V.

[Guest Anonymous]

The Hunted is pretty good and Christopher Lambert is decent playing the lead. I need to dig out my DVD copy out and watch it again. The massacre on the bullitt train was really impressive the first time I watched it on T.V.

What was also cool about it is that they wore white ninja clothes instead of black. I thought that was sweet because they were more like the color inside the train. I love it when ninjas are not only black colors, and the colors make sense (not bright pink or whatever, UNLESS It is GOLD from 5 Element NInja because it is symbolic and it is freaking SHAW brothers land).

[DragonClaws]

Ive spotted a few gold ninja outfits usually in the more low budget Asian films. Wu Tang VS Ninja features some colourful looking outfits if my memory of the films right. It a pretty wild Alexander Lo ninja flick that I think Secret Executioner would enjoy a lot.

[Secret Executioner]

The lead villain in Joseph Kuo's Ninja Kids AKA Venom Of The Ninja (played by none other than Lu Feng) also has a gold outfit, though I'm not sure he's really a Ninja. There are also a bunch of black Ninjas (the villain's henchmen) and a weird fighter in red with a metal mask. A nice movie that also stars Alexander Lo and Chiang Sheng.

French trailer for this one:

[DragonClaws]

The lead villain in Joseph Kuo's Ninja Kids AKA Venom Of The Ninja (played by none other than Lu Feng) also has a gold outfit, though I'm not sure he's really a Ninja. There are also a bunch of black Ninjas (the villain's henchmen) and a weird fighter in red with a metal mask. A nice movie that also stars Alexander Lo and Chiang Sheng.

French trailer for this one:

I'm sure I have that same film under the title Ninja Tiger and split its split three films. It features the same actors and costumes only its has a much longer run time. Do they keep the guy in red with the metal mask in a cage? then unleash him at certain times to deal with people?.

[Secret Executioner]

Yeah, the Ninja Kids movie is essentially the Venom Of The Ninja trilogy edited into one little film. The masked Ninja is kept in a cage and controlled through a flute (!).

[DragonClaws]

Yeah, the Ninja Kids movie is essentially the Venom Of The Ninja trilogy edited into one little film. The masked Ninja is kept in a cage and controlled through a flute (!).

Yeah its one long crazy fight fest if you ask me. Certainly a must see for Alexander Lo fans.

Has anyone here seen this Swedish produced ninja film Ninja Mission?. I used to have this on this on VHS, but there's been no official DVD or BR release up to now. The film starred mainly Polish and English actors and was filmed in Sweden & Norway.

Trailer-

[Secret Executioner]

(still on Ninja Kids/Venom Of The Ninja) I felt the edited version dragged a bit when it tried to give some background to Alexander Lo's character. But still, apparently a shit load of action (as well as exposition and some nudity) was cut out.

Nanarland briefly alludes to the longer cut and the fact it was released as a 6-episode TV series and later as a movie trilogy (under several names such as Venom Of The Ninja, Ninja Death and Ninja Kiss Of Death) in the US. I know of a R1 movie pack (The Ultimate Ninja Collection 4-DVD set) that includes the trilogy as well as Robert Tai's Ninja The Final Duel - needless to say I'm looking for this release.

They also mention the releases of the movie (as usual) and while they only mention the French releases, they praise Bach Films for the DVD release of this one cause the DVD should be easier to find than the VHS. Been looking for the movie for a couple of years before finally finding it - on VHS first (for the crazy price of 0.5€) and on DVD a couple of months later. Only found this film once on each media, and I picked it up both times.

French VHS:

French Bach Films DVD:

[DragonClaws]

(still on Ninja Kids/Venom Of The Ninja) I felt the edited version dragged a bit when it tried to give some background to Alexander Lo's character. But still, apparently a shit load of action (as well as exposition and some nudity) was cut out.

Nanarland briefly alludes to the longer cut and the fact it was released as a 6-episode TV series and later as a movie trilogy (under several names such as Venom Of The Ninja, Ninja Death and Ninja Kiss Of Death) in the US. I know of a R1 movie pack (The Ultimate Ninja Collection 4-DVD set) that includes the trilogy as well as Robert Tai's Ninja The Final Duel - needless to say I'm looking for this release.

They also mention the releases of the movie (as usual) and while they only mention the French releases, they praise Bach Films for the DVD release of this one cause the DVD should be easier to find than the VHS. Been looking for the movie for a couple of years before finally finding it - on VHS first (for the crazy price of 0.5€) and on DVD a couple of months later. Only found this film once on each media, and I picked it up both times.

French VHS:

French Bach Films DVD:

The version I have was released by Hollywood East under the title Ninja Tiger Parts 1,2,3. Even the longer version drags in parts but you will still enjoy it. Each part has a run time of about an hour and twenty minutes on those versions.

[Superfly]

I saw Shinobi no Mono 1 & 2 last spring at a film festival. It was being credited as one of the very first Ninja films ever made. While not very exciting by today's standards it was a treat to watch due to its fine acting and Historical relevance.

[DragonClaws]

I saw Shinobi no Mono 1 & 2 last spring at a film festival. It was being credited as one of the very first Ninja films ever made. While not very exciting by today's standards it was a treat to watch due to its fine acting and Historical relevance.

I'd like to see that one Superfly, especially if its an early example of the genre. Ive yet to see any of the old pre 1970's ninja movies.

[Superfly]

There are 5 or 6 films in the series but they only showed the first 2 at the festival

[DragonClaws]

Are there any DVD releases for these films?. There's some Martial Arts films that get re-issued over and over again. While other titles just don't get a single official release.

[Tosh]

There are 5 or 6 films in the series but they only showed the first 2 at the festival

There are 8, and a 9th one Shinobi no Shu  aka Mission Castle but I think it's separate from the series made after Raizo's passing

 

 

[Tosh]

Are there any DVD releases for these films?. There's some Martial Arts films that get re-issued over and over again. While other titles just don't get a single official release.

Yes, animeigo released a boxset can't remember if they released the whole series, you can get it fansubbed too, I'd do a search in the forum I'm sure there's a thread dedicated for the series.

 

Ive yet to see any of the old pre 1970's ninja movies.

 

My favorites are the b/w's from the 60's, I was a big fan of the Kosugi movies growing up but watching the old Japanese classics blew me away, everything is top notch, production, acting ect, usually plotted around a real life historicall figure they're took seriously and are absolute classics!

 

There are also Chiba's insanely entertaining Kage No Gundan aka Shadow Warriors tv series made in the 80's.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Tosh

[SteyrAUG]

I saw Shinobi no Mono 1 & 2 last spring at a film festival. It was being credited as one of the very first Ninja films ever made. While not very exciting by today's standards it was a treat to watch due to its fine acting and Historical relevance.

Looks like the first ones were actually Koga Unōn Ninjutsu Kogaryū (1916, possibly the first ever ninja film) and many others, such as the series Genkotsu to Ninjutsu (1920–21), four movies titled Sarutobi Sasuke (1918–1922), and the films Gotō Matabei Ninjutsu Yaburi (1921), Hotaiko Gozen no Nînjutsu Kurabe (1920), Ninjutsu Chōji (1917), Ninjutsu Daisūke (1922), Ninjutsu Jîrai (1921), Ninjutsu Jūyushi (1917 and 1923), Ninjutsu Kirigakure Sen'emon (1922), Ninjutsu Sanyushi (1922), Nyō Ninjutsu (1917), and Sarutobi no Ninjutsu (1924).

 

Ninja Boy Fireball: An Episode in Edo (Ninjutsu Hinotama Kozo: Edo no Maki) (1935)

Kirigakure Ninjutsu Tabi (1935)

Jiraiya (1937): Also known as Ninjutsu Sanyō Den.

Ninjutsu Sekigahara Sarutobi Sasuke (1938)

Kakute Ninjutsu Eiga wa Owarinu (1948)

Sarutobi Sasuke: Senjogadake no Himatsuri (1950)

Sarutobi Sasuke (1955)

Ninja's Weapon (Yōja no Maden) (1956)

Torawakamaru the Koga Ninja (Ninjutsu Gozen Shiai) (1957)

Ninjutsu Suikoden Inazuma Kotengu (1958)

Onmitsu Henge (1959)

Hibari Torimonocho: Furisode Koban (1959)

Hakuba Doji Nanbanji no Kettō Kanketsu Hen (1960)

Ninjutsu Musha Shugyo (1960)

Strike of the Jaguma (Kaijū Jaguma no Mōshū) (1961)

The Red Shadow (Akai Kagebōshi) (1961)

Umon Torimonocho: Nanbanzame (1961)

 

Of course "Castle of Owls" (1963), and to a certain extent the Shinobi series, can be considered the first "modern" ninja films.

[SteyrAUG]

There are 5 or 6 films in the series but they only showed the first 2 at the festival

 

There are actually 9 films in the series if you count "Mission Iron Castle" (1966).

 

Ooops Tosh beat me to it.

Edited October 1, 2015 by SteyrAUG

[DragonClaws]

 

Yes, animeigo released a boxset can't remember if they released the whole series, you can get it fansubbed too, I'd do a search in the forum I'm sure there's a thread dedicated for the series.

 

My favorites are the b/w's from the 60's, I was a big fan of the Kosugi movies growing up but watching the old Japanese classics blew me away, everything is top notch, production, acting ect, usually plotted around a real life historicall figure they're took seriously and are absolute classics!

 

There are also Chiba's insanely entertaining Kage No Gundan aka Shadow Warriors tv series made in the 80's.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, Ill do  search on the forums to see what comes up.

[Tosh]

 

Looks like the first ones were actually Koga Unōn Ninjutsu Kogaryū (1916, possibly the first ever ninja film) and many others, such as the series Genkotsu to Ninjutsu (1920–21), four movies titled Sarutobi Sasuke (1918–1922), and the films Gotō Matabei Ninjutsu Yaburi (1921), Hotaiko Gozen no Nînjutsu Kurabe (1920), Ninjutsu Chōji (1917), Ninjutsu Daisūke (1922), Ninjutsu Jîrai (1921), Ninjutsu Jūyushi (1917 and 1923), Ninjutsu Kirigakure Sen'emon (1922), Ninjutsu Sanyushi (1922), Nyō Ninjutsu (1917), and Sarutobi no Ninjutsu (1924).

 

Ninja Boy Fireball: An Episode in Edo (Ninjutsu Hinotama Kozo: Edo no Maki) (1935)

Kirigakure Ninjutsu Tabi (1935)

Jiraiya (1937): Also known as Ninjutsu Sanyō Den.

Ninjutsu Sekigahara Sarutobi Sasuke (1938)

Kakute Ninjutsu Eiga wa Owarinu (1948)

Sarutobi Sasuke: Senjogadake no Himatsuri (1950)

Sarutobi Sasuke (1955)

Ninja's Weapon (Yōja no Maden) (1956)

Torawakamaru the Koga Ninja (Ninjutsu Gozen Shiai) (1957)

Ninjutsu Suikoden Inazuma Kotengu (1958)

Onmitsu Henge (1959)

Hibari Torimonocho: Furisode Koban (1959)

Hakuba Doji Nanbanji no Kettō Kanketsu Hen (1960)

Ninjutsu Musha Shugyo (1960)

Strike of the Jaguma (Kaijū Jaguma no Mōshū) (1961)

The Red Shadow (Akai Kagebōshi) (1961)

Umon Torimonocho: Nanbanzame (1961)

 

Of course "Castle of Owls" (1963), and to a certain extent the Shinobi series, can be considered the first "modern" ninja films.

I've seen a couple of those older movies, seems like they had more in common with the 80's ninja flicks where people disappeared in and out of places/scenes and flew around, more like magic/fanasy. The Shinobi  movies brought in a more accurate portrayal of a ninja, even if they did still use wires time to time. The classic authentic scene in Shinobi No Mono for me is the dropping poison down the thread into the guys mouth, now that's how you assassinate someone!

[SteyrAUG]

I've seen a couple of those older movies, seems like they had more in common with the 80's ninja flicks where people disappeared in and out of places/scenes and flew around, more like magic/fanasy. The Shinobi  movies brought in a more accurate portrayal of a ninja, even if they did still use wires time to time. The classic authentic scene in Shinobi No Mono for me is the dropping poison down the thread into the guys mouth, now that's how you assassinate someone!

That is actually a recreation of an original assassination attempt by a famous ninja, whose name escapes me at the moment.

 

For me "Castle of Owls" was the first real ninja film with Hatsumi Sensei serving as adviser. I did enjoy the Shinobi series and my favorite with the unlocking of joints to slip being tied up.