The Last Samurai

[Cmdr Powers]

We snagged sneak preview tickets for The Last Samurai tonight and traveled to New Orleans to see it.

Nope, no spoilers.

Just my opinion- This is an outstanding movie and one very much worth your ticket price. You will not be disappointed.

Uhh, one thing- it is a bit long

[Questor]

Could give an short description of the film???

It won´t be in the cinemas before 04/01/01....so I would be very thankful for any information you could give.

-Questor

[Cmdr Powers]

A very general overview of the film:

Tom Cruise plays Captain Nathan Algren- a Civil War hero and a survivor of the 7th Cavalry (Custer's unit). The traumatic events of his service have led him to drink. An old comrade convinces him to go to Japan to train the Imperial Army in modern weapons and tactics. He is captured by the rebelling Samurai and his life is changed. In the end, he helps the Samurai make their last stand against the Imperial Army.

This story is based on the historical Satsuma Rebellion. I'm not sure if Algren is historical or not. The two and a half hours this story takes to unfold is well worth it.

It's important to point out that the film is a highly fictionalized version of the actual rebellion. The names and circumstances have been changed for dramatic reasons, but the essential story is retained- the Samurai didn't like the direction the modernization was taking and rebelled. They lost the war. I have no idea if such a person as Tom Cruise's character existed, but I imagine the Japanese army would need help with its modernization and the United States had just fought the first modern war.

[Jem'hadar]

Originally posted by Cmdr Powers
[I have no idea if such a person as Tom Cruise's character existed, but I imagine the Japanese army would need help with its modernization and the United States had just fought the first modern war. [/B]

I believe that Meiji Japan's army was trained by Germans, Prussians to be exact. The Japanese were considering French training but then France lost the Franco-Prussian war. Compared to European nations, the US was not considered a world power at that time.

The samurai rebellion of the 1870s did occur & the samurai were defeated by the Imperial Army, but not w/o a heroic but ultimately futile struggle.

Most likely Tom Cruise's character was put in this film to give American audiences more interest in a film concerning Japanese history. Also, having a gaijin ("foreigner") lead in the film allows the movie to introduce Japanese culture & history to Western audiences through the eyes & experiences of an American character.

From the previews it does seem like an interesting movie & I hope to see it soon.

[D.S.McBride]

My sensei - who is very big on the history thing, especially when it comes to the Japanese angle - told me a while back that the Meiji Restoration did, in fact, hire the Americans: as trainers for the Japanese grenadiers. The Germans were hired to retrain and modernize the Army, and the British were called in to rework the Navy (natch). As a side note, many of the terms used in karate (popular for Japanese Navy men because of its usefulness in restricted spaces) are Nihongo versions of the British Navalisms. As an example, Osu, used as an affirmative in karate, is a translation of the British Navy's "Very good, sir!"

[Scottomir]

I'm excited to see this film. Like Master and Commander, this film looks to have a nice eye for historical detail, even if the story itself is not technically historical.

How very pleasant to find people already providing answers for questions I was going to ask. I had thought it was the British and French who were involved in Japan, but it makes much more sense that they called in the Germans after 1871. I'm very interested to know that historically there were some Americans involved, too (although this movie seems to be exaggerating their role a touch?). Ultimately, though, there was always some small American presence in Japan ever since Perry's 1853 expedition, so at least the basic premise of the plot is conceivable. It reminds me of Shogun: a story that did not precisely happen, but that *could* have happened and that did feature a lot of events that really happened.

[qerlin]

I was extremely common to find Americans fighting for other coutries in the late 19th century. After the Civil War, there were a buttload of soldiers and officers with no work (and with rapid deflation, no chance of one) they sold their serives around the world. The khedive of Egypt hired two dozen American officers to aid inthe subduing of the Sudan and other locations in the country (much to the dismay of Gen. 'Chinese' Gordon.) Several American fought in the 1877 Meiji Rebelion, in the various Central and South American wars (including the disastrous Walker Incident -- where an American colonel tried to take over Nicaragua [without US support].)

I'm interested in seeing this one.

[REG]

Just remember it is a historical fiction (hi-fi?) movie, just like Gladiator.

[Cmdr Powers]

Its very fictional for a film covering an actual historical incident. The Satsuma Rebellion did not have the Samurai in full regalia using only swords and bows- they used rifles and cannon like the Imperial Army and wore very little armor and did not have many horses. The film changes the name of just about everyone involved.

However, it is excellently told- excellently filmed- excellently acted. It IS a good story and well worth your attention.

It just didn't actually happen that way.

[Grimace]

Originally posted by Cmdr Powers


However, it is excellently told- excellently filmed- excellently acted. It IS a good story and well worth your attention.

It just didn't actually happen that way.

Well, a few months ago I read an historical account of the battle (before I heard of the movie being made). The final "charge" of the samurai was, indeed, with swords and armor. Other engagements of the whole conflict did include cannons and muskets, as fighting against an army armed with such weapons weilding only swords is even more suicidal than what they did. I guess we'll have to wait and see how the movie portrays the whole thing.

[Jem'hadar]

Here's an online article about the real Satsuma Rebellion:

Sunset of the Samurai
In 1877, the samurai of Satsuma province and their reluctant leader, Takamori Saigo, hurled a final challenge at Japan's westernizing government.
http://www.thehistorynet.com/mh/blsunsetofthesamurai/

[Grimace]

That's the very article I read...in the magazine. They had authentic pictures of actual samurai in the magazine as well. Pretty neat stuff.