MovieChat Forums > Ichimei (2012) Discussion > I'm not sure how to feel about this

I'm not sure how to feel about this

posted 13 years ago by MisterWhiplash
23 replies | jump to latest

On the one hand, Miike once again proved his chops and then some with 13 Assassins, one of the best samurai films (and bloodiest, naturally) ever made. On the other hand, remaking arguably the *greatest* samurai film outside of Kurosawa... in 3D(?!)... I dunno. I might give it a shot, but it just seems strange that after making such a *beep* yeah moment with his latest film that he would try and go another step further.

Thoughts?

My official blog: http://cinetarium.blogspot.com/

[–] robadub89 13 years ago

I just saw 13 Assassins at an NYC screening with Miike doing a live Q&A from Japan, using Skype. Someone asked him about the Harakiri remake. He said that they finished shooting it and are in the middle of editing. He said that the 3D isn't gonna be used for things like blood spraying at you or stupid stuff like that.

I personally hate 3D but I will give it a chance because its Miike.

[–] MisterWhiplash 13 years ago

I was there for the same screening/Q&A too, that's how I found out about the movie. I guess that might be fine with the 3D, but then why use it if it's NOT gimmicky? That's the only kind I really find useful when it comes to action/horror stuff since in general 3D is a very hit-or-miss thing, usually miss (though if he shot it in 3D that's one thing, the 3D conversions on the other hand all suck).

My official blog: http://cinetarium.blogspot.com/

[–] robadub89 13 years ago

Thats awesome that you were there too, that was a great night. I honestly don't know what to expect of this film. I've seen a couple of Miike remakes and they are just as good as the originals so I have faith in this. I do have worries about the 3D as this film is mostly drama and half of it is set in one room, and there is only about 10 minutes of action. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

[–] millionwatts77 13 years ago

Calling the 13 Assassins remake one of the best samurai movies ever is arguably quite a bit too much praise. I enjoyed the movie, but let's keep things in perspective here.

I always try to grant people the benefit of doubt, but man, I'm really not sure that this is the right kind of movie for Miike, yet alone if there's any point to a remake of a movie that is pretty much perfect. I'm very skeptical also, it just doesn't seem right.

In the original Nakadai spends most of movie sitting in one spot, which doesn't exactly call for the use of 3D. If you then consider Miike's preferred themes, I'm starting to wonder, if he'll turn this into an action centered, loose adaption of the original classic.

EDIT: Apparently this is the official site: http://www.ichimei.jp/

The film will be screened at Cannes (in competition slot) and the Venice festivals. It's 2:06h long.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Oceans300 12 years ago

Alright, I consider Batman and Robin to be one of the best superhero movies ever made. My opinion is equal to anybody else's.

I'd def call 13 Assassins one of the best samurai movies of the new millennium; as filmmaking it's rock solid and economical but doesn't hold a candle to the best of Kurosawa and Kobayashi (in terms of depth and innovation).

[–] bruce-129 12 years ago

I want to agree with you in principle on remakes, but I think the problem with
most remakes is that they are done very poorly with gimmicks.

There is a point for some movies to be remade, and I could see Hara-Kiri as
benefiting from a facelift. To me the original is the best samurai movie I ever
saw. I looked for it for years on DVD and finally got it in PAL format even
though I could not watch it for a long time.

I'd have to see it, but the original in black and white is dated. For a minute,
looking at the trailer I was thinking that somehow they remade the original
with computers colorizing it and converting it somehow to 3D - which would
have been awesome.

I'll have to see the movie, but the original like many very older movies is made
for a simple time, with less going on. I like the more moral and clear tone of
most older movies, really have problems with the newers movies, since the
special effects have gotten more primary than the story.

Having just now watched "13 Assassins" it is really missing a sophistication
that many of the earlier samurai movies had, although it is a close approximation.

It's the audiences that have changed, what use is it to make a movie that no
one will watch?

[–] Craven1138 13 years ago

I'd actually like to see depth in those static scenes of Harakiri. It's about time to use 3D in grown up way, not gimmicky crappy way.

However I'm not sure about how I feel about this remake. Sure 13 Assassins proven Miike's craftsmanship, but Harakiri is the best samurai movie out there. And among best movies in general. Only way I see for this one is to be as true to 1962 movie as possible. Just add color, and depth. Everything else was perfect so there should be no changes.

[–] Suzume-san 13 years ago

Someone told me recently that films are being made in 3-d just to frustrate the video pirates. I hope this is true.

[–] melinda2001 11 years ago

I am a 3D buff so I can say that static cameras in a small spaces is exactly the situation where 3D ads the most. For action movies where the camera rarely stops moving, 3D doesn't add much except for when stuff comes flying out of the screen, which is thoroughly cheesy anyway. Our normal view with just a couple inches between our eyes doesn't give us much 3D sense when stuff is far away, but within 20 or 30 feet you can feel the whole space very accurately even with no camera motion. Alfred Hitchcock filmed Dial M for Murder in 3D. Seeing it in 3D at one of the few remaining movie palaces a few years ago was perhaps my favorite movie watching experience so far.

[–] robadub89 13 years ago

I love the original Harakiri but I think I like Kobayashi's Samurai Rebellion a little better. I love that the plot of that movie is structured the same way as Mifune's fighting style.

anyway, I've read some reviews and they are pretty mixed. Most of them complain that it's not like 13 assassins weren't for the 3D. I will definitely watch this but might have to wait for a 2D version.

[–] Conspirator_Slash 13 years ago

Gods, why do people keep remaking masterpieces? I won't watch this, there's a certain level of sacrilege I just cannot.

____________________

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[–] Mod1911 13 years ago

I feel your pain! Some films are perfect and should not be touched. Harakiri (1962) is one such film.

If you are interested in this story, see Kobayashi's film Harakiri.

Blasphemy.
"Give up a dollar for Jesus!" Esa Hawks

[–] dao54 12 years ago

The remake is decent. There's a couple of nice ideas.
People who haven't seen the original will like it. For the others, it's just a curiosity, I think.

[–] MaceGriffin 12 years ago

I havent seen the original (but will now). i thought the film was a bit sad, also the fight at the end reminded me of the end bit in the film "sword of doom" (one of my all time favorites) where he fights all the men.

It was a good film though i enjoyed it, I've always been interested in that era of japanese history and especially the social standings amongst farmers, samurai, officials and such. these films provide a nice insite into that world and had me interested to find out more.

[–] MaceGriffin 12 years ago

i saw this in 2D, as to what 3D add's to this movie i dont know. puzzling to why as their are no moments in the film where you think "yeah that would benefit being in 3D"??

also on a funnier note as i was watching this my girlfriend was in and out of our front room doing stuff and each time she came in all she saw was the faces of the different samurai's committing seppeku, she didnt see the swords go in just the faces as it happend, she thought it was a film about constipation LMAO!

that would have been more like a miike film lol.

[–] nyjack 12 years ago

The movie is out now in the US and also On Demand. I thought the original better but this version is fine. In a way it is masterful in its passivity for a samurai movie, also as if to make up for the ultra-violence of 13 Assassins. Just the botched seppuku near the beginning--you just can not get that bloody with a bamboo knife, which makes the scene in a way even more emotional as the son-in-law cannot cut himself very easily. And then the big scene at the end with the large bamboo sword means the fight is more a brawl than a bloodfest. Interesting choices I thought. Miike's version is almost a stage play filmed and that makes it a fascinating work for this director.

[–] bruce-129 12 years ago

So odd ... I got interested in the Samurai movies back in the 70's when our local PBS station would hold the Japanese film festival on TV.

This was my favorite movie, by far. Oddly enough I always kind of assumed it was done by Kurosawa and starred Toshiro Mifune ... then when I got more serious about the direction and differentiated Japanese actors I found it was not.

It's been so long since I watched this that the images in color I was thinking were a colorized version of the original movie, but then they said it was in 3D and I wondered how that can be done.

Now, I see it is a remake, and it looks like just from my memory and the trailer an almost perfect reproduction of the original movie, or how I remembered it or saw it in my mind.

I have not seen 13 Assassins, but I would like to see this ... not really in 3D though.

[–] 12 years ago

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