Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
1999 Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Synopsis
All assassins live beyond the law... only one follows the code
An African American mafia hit man who models himself after the samurai of old finds himself targeted for death by the mob.
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Did you just say he contacts you through a bird? Did I just hear you say that?
-Sonny ValerioWriter/director Jim Jarmusch's homage to Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï with a little of Seijun Suzuki's Branded to Kill thrown in for good measure. A lesser director would have probably made a film that came off as a bit of a Le Samouraï knockoff, but Jarmusch simply uses it as his jumping off point to create something different and entertaining.
Forest Whitaker is the title character in a role that was written for him. He's a bit of an enigma as you're never quite sure just how mentally stable he is, not because he acts crazy, but simply put he's a bit…
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"There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything."
I love that fucking quote. And I fucking loved this daringly original movie from auteur Jim Jarmusch
If a visionary's take on an African American hitman who models himself after ancient feudal Japanese samurai doesn't sound ridiculously awesome, I don't know why you are even reading this review...
The movie is incredibly entertaining and…
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Part of the Jim Jarmusch Retrospective
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is quite possibly the least Jim Jarmusch film Jarmusch ever made, but it's also one of his coolest. This may be due in part to the fact that Jarmusch is clearly remaking Le Samourai as an Urban American Crime drama rather than a French New Wave thriller.
Ghost Dog follows the same general idea of Le Samourai: A cold assassin with his own code of ethics and sparse way of life gets into trouble and has to find his way out. Typical minimalist plot from Jarmusch, although this film has more conflict than usual from the director.
Ghost Dog also trades in the beautiful Alain Delon and…
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Best relationship between a French ice-cream seller and a lazy-eyed hitman committed to celluloid.
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bajo la premisa "todo pasa por una razón", GD es una película medieval. ecos, rimas y motivos se repiten como en obra shakespeariana. acaso sus dos temas privilegiados sean el silencio y los sueños, pero la amistad (à-la-eastwood) y el legado aparecen cada tanto.
eso y que no hay película mejor para promover la lectura.
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The droll, deadpan humor of independent director Jim Jarmusch has in no small part contributed to his virtual lionization as one of the great American auteurs. Although his early films have their following, it was his moody black and white Western, Dead Man that earned him his current popularity. The film was virtually dumped by its distributor, only to then steadily develop a devoted critical and popular following. It was also the first film where Jarmusch fused his fondness for episodic tales with a more coherent narrative. Although still offbeat and experimental, it signaled Jarmusch willing to apply his idiosyncrasies to something approaching mainstream construction. It was the perfect fusion of iconoclasm and genre. Jarmusch’s next film, Ghost Dog, furthered…
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Ghost Dog is really quite good. His has constant symbolism echoing throughout it's walls of creative philosophy on the aspect of perspective. Yet, there are a few moments that contradict the overall message of Ghost Dog and although I found Jarmusch's parody of gangster films to be quite amusing, it did not suit the tone of the film. Overall, quite good.
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Best relationship between a French ice-cream seller and a lazy-eyed hitman committed to celluloid.
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Intriguing and original crime drama has Forest Whitaker as a modern-day samurai, living the bushido in modern-day New Jersey, while acting as muscle for the mob. Great performances and characters, and smoking hot soundtrack from The RZA of Wu-Tang Clan.
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Great Movie. Really loved it.
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bajo la premisa "todo pasa por una razón", GD es una película medieval. ecos, rimas y motivos se repiten como en obra shakespeariana. acaso sus dos temas privilegiados sean el silencio y los sueños, pero la amistad (à-la-eastwood) y el legado aparecen cada tanto.
eso y que no hay película mejor para promover la lectura.
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Paying homage to Melville's Le Samourai and the rich history of Japanese samurai movies, Ghost Dog is an enthralling work of art. Forrest Whitaker is outstanding in the lead role and Robby Muller's cinematography beautifully captures the gritty landscape of Jersey City.
Jarmusch depicts the mafioso as stereotypes bordering on being cartoon characters and underscores that notion by their constant viewing of cartoons from decades past. As with the samurai of old, this clan of gangsters are a dying breed.
I was also fascinated by the friendship between Ghost Dog and the ice cream vendor. Although the men spoke different languages, their ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings spoke volumes about how each one of us communicates with the people around us. For me, the communication theme was underscored by the use of carrier pigeons and the ongoing passage of books.
Enough rambling: See this movie!
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Es la primera película de Jim Jarmusch que no me aburre, eso hablá muy bien de ella (o muy mal de mí, según se vea).
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Curiously gentle assassin story, sharing themes of nature, education and friendship amidst the mob shootouts.
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Better than I remembered! Forest Whitaker is mesmerizing to watch, RZA's soundtrack matches perfectly, and the structure/motifs (especially the use of cartoons for foreshadowing) are clever. It helped to see it on the big screen, forced to accept its pace and grandiosity. It also felt funnier and more tender while watching with other people, rather than at home.
http://permanentplastichelmet.com/2013/03/25/pph-presents-ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai-how-it-went-down-in-pictures/