MovieChat Forums > Shogun Assassin (1980) Discussion > This movie is crap.

This movie is crap.

posted 18 years ago by drgonzo212
31 replies | jump to latest

This movie is crap. Basically a mesh of 6 really cool samurai movies mixed into one film that is utter trash and totally lacks the feel of the originals. Ignore the rave reviews of the people who just don't know any better. Robert Houston, "The director" is actually a washed up actor from the 70's. Ugh! Another example of Hollywood taking something great and regurgitating onto movie screens for retarded mass audiences to lap up. I noticed most people who remember watching this movie in the 80's are over rating this movie big time! I think perhaps they are not putting aside childhood nostalgia and voting based on that. I watched this in the 80's and I wasn't really impressed. However, when I saw the originals from the 1970's -I was blown away! That's also when I noticed that the English dubbed voices are horrid! Itto Ogami's voice/dialog in Shogun assassin is simply ridiculous. Look at the voice over cast -Sandra Bernhard??????? Jeez! What nonsense! The real voice of Tomisaburo Wakayama is powerful and his laugh is haunting and scary at the same time. I also love how the super hacks David Weisman and Robert Houston credit themselves as "writers". That makes me sick. Skip right over this mess and watch the Kozure Ôkami series instead!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] onderick 17 years ago

All of your reasons for calling this crap are the reasons why i love this film.

[–] WillDaBeeste 17 years ago

Regardless of the merits of the original films (and let's face it, the first two were the most impressive) Shogun Assassin is amazing in itself.

In fact, the music and the dubbing make it what it is - a cartoon classic which helped martial arts spread through the West. It also helped the Gza make one of the greatest hip hop albums ever. Saying it's crap shows you are as street as a hedge.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] telboyD 11 years ago

Too bleedin' right..!

[–] Trouter2000 17 years ago

Well I prefer the originals in every possible way, but a tight budget only allows a select few purchases per month, and it saves a lot to buy shogun assassin as appose to the complete Lone Wolf series.

I give it 7/10, the dubbing is horrible, and the editing is poor, but the film has some interesting plots (that really could be expanded on) and a generally fun feel to it.

If you allow yourself to bypass its extrememly flawed nature, it can be an enjoyable experience, and well worth the 10$ it'll cost to buy it.

[–] jtdam09 17 years ago

Don't they have a sequel?

[–] sevenhooks 17 years ago

I'm sorry pal, but while the orginial Ogami Itto/Lone Wolf and Cub series is no doubt classic, Shogun Assassin stands on it's own as a BRILLIANT (yes, brilliant) work, masterfully edited from the first TWO films in the series (NOT all six, at least get the facts straight) to form a cohesive, single masterwork.
The newly written narration from the perspective of young Daigoro ALONE is brilliant.
And whoever they got to voice him gave a near perfectly emoted performance.
I've been singing this films praises since I saw it as a snot nose 15 year old at The Lyric on 42nd street, and will continue to do so until my dying day.
Yes, I'll say it... the US version of a Japanese film(s) is not only brilliant on it's own, it's actually an IMPROVEMENT on many levels.
And how rare is that?

[–] WillDaBeeste 17 years ago

I agree with that. The music for starters adds a huge amount.

[–] telboyD 11 years ago

Well said..! I'm 44 now but it's also my dad's (65) fave too.

[–] adab-3 13 years ago

You are incorrect. This film is an amalgamation of the first two lone wolf and cub movies. 11 minutes of sword of vengeance and 75 minutes of baby cart at the river styx.

[–] silfag 8 years ago

Agreed.

To be fair I did not even like the original "Lone wolf and the cube" movies.

But this one is worse!

3/10

[–] Michael71 8 years ago

It was better than I was expecting. I gave it a good 7 out of 10. A decent flick which combined the moments from the 6 films very well. Could have had the torture scene in this though I thought that was the best scene of the whole 6 films!!