Japanese movies from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

[Hecker]

I recently saw Kobayashi's Hara Kiri (aka Seppuku) and was amazed. I still haven't gotten around to seeing Seijun Suzuki's Fighting Elegy. GK made a great post about it and was wondering if anyone had other Jap movie recommendations from those eras.

 

[Zenimus]

Well, if you haven't seen any of Akira Kurosawa's movies, you're in for a treat.

Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Seven Samurai

Also, there's a cheesy '70s Sonny Chiba movie I saw recently, called "Sister Street Fighter". It may have been a little corny, but it was actually a very entertaining martial arts movie. You should check it out.

 

[slerch666]

Lone Wolf and Cub kicks all sorts of ass. What's better than a father and son living as "demons?"

Don't forget the blind swordsman, Zatoichi.

Red Lion with Mifune Toshiro is excellent.

You can't go wrong with Seven Samurai, easily one of Kurosawa's best, and the basis for the Western, The Magnificent Seven.

Not a Samurai/Yakuza film, Ikiru is a great look at life.

Red Beard is yet another great Kurosawa film.

And don't forget Rashomon. An interesting look at the many sides of truth.

 

[Devine Orochi]

Samurai Trilogy
Lone Wolf and Cub
Tokyo Drifter
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Sword of Doom
Yakuza Papers
Zatoichi series
Lady Snowblood
Branded to Kill
Seven Samurai
Rashomon

 

[aria]

I recently saw Kobayashi's Hara Kiri (aka Seppuku) and was amazed. I still haven't gotten around to seeing Seijun Suzuki's Fighting Elegy. GK made a great post about it and was wondering if anyone had other Jap movie recommendations from those eras.

I also love Japanese movies from that period.

I haven't seen either of the two you've mentioned, but those Criterions are on my list of purchases.

I recommend Seijun Suzuki's "Youth of the Beast" and "Branded to Kill", though I was bored by "Tokyo Drifter."

Kurosawa's more famous Samurai movies are musts, of course, but I also recommend the two of his non-Samurai flicks that I've seen: "High & Low" and "Stray Dog". Kurosawa's "Kagemusha" is also rich in samurai history, but it assumes you know a lot Japanese history and you'll probably be best served watching it with and without the commentary --also, "Red Beard" may be his best movie, although "Ran" comes close.

Ichikawa's "Tokyo Olympiad" is one of my favorite documentaries, but it isn't so much a "Japanese" film.

Shohei Imamura's "The Pornographers" felt like a waste of time. The first half is good, the last half is just a mess.

You can't go wrong with the Samurai Trilogy. Somewhat related, Kihachi Okamoto's "Sword of Doom" is a little disappointing because it was supposed to be the first part of a series (based on a popular novel) and it ends at a really awkward spot --awaiting a sequel(s) that never comes.

I've only seen Ozu's "Good Morning", but it had a very pleasent subtly to the story. Nothing mind-blowing, but you can see how he's considered the more "Japanese" filmmaker than Kurosawa.

EDIT: As for Lone Wolf and Cub, do what I did: read the manga series. I can't watch the movies now because I know there's no way they could capture the manga (at least without spending a lot or turning it into a cartoon)

 

[norton9478]

Roshomon, 7 samz and Yojimbo probably have Greatly affected American Cinema.

 

[aria]

Roshomon, 7 samz and Yojimbo probably have Greatly affected American Cinema.

But they haven't done a damn thing for your spelling

 

[norton9478]

But they haven't done a damn thing for your spelling

Install a Spell Checker into the BBS........

I need one...

And Don't Pick on me.

I'm Learing Disabled.

 

[Eric]

The Hidden Fortress

Another Kurosawa film.

Supposedly a major influence on Star Wars (too lazy to find any links, so assume I'm right)

I also enjoyed Three Outlaw Samurai when I saw it on TV.

It may not be Japanese but this thread makes me want to finally watch my copy of The Magnificent Seven.

 

[Hecker]

Nice, thanks guys. I've seen all the Kurosawa movies mentioned except for Stray Dogs, which I'm dying for a chance to see. High and Low might be my favorite Kurosawa movie so I'm sure I'd love Stray Dogs. I'm not much of a materialist but I'd kill for a complete criterion collection.

 

[evil wasabi]

this is a topic that I think Bobak and Merc should discuss...

 

[Mike Shagohod]

Some good flicks you should check out then...

Sword of Doom
Tokyo Drifter
Branded To Kill
Lady SnowBlood (#2 sucks)
Violent Classroom
Gendai Yakuza (Modern Yakuza) film series.
{there were 6 in the series but only #6 has
been released w. Eng Subs originally called
Gendai Yakuza: Shamless Outlaw's Sacrifice
to simply "STREET MOBSTER"}

Sympathy for the Underdog
Kanto Wanderer
Damn The Villians!: Office 23!
BlackMail Is My Life
Female Prisoner Scorpion (series)
Bad Reputation (series)
Abashiri Prison (series)
{there's like 20 entries but only #1, - #8 are worth a damn}

Jingi Naki Tatakai
"Battles Without Honor & Humanity" (series)
1-5 are the true flicks but it went up to 9 films.
#5 was supposed to end it all though, which is why
HVE only subbed the first 5.

Jingi No Hakaba (Graveyard of Honor)
AKA: "Psycho Junkie" AKA: "Loyalty Onto Death"
AKA: "Death of Honor"
---Probably the greatest gangster film (stand alone)
ever made from Japan or Fukasaku.

...that's all that comes to mind right now.