Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
1954 ‘Miyamoto Musashi’ Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
Synopsis
Starring Toshiro Mifune as Musashi Miyamot0, this first film in Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy won a 1956 Honorary Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Mayamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior. In the film's bracing climax, Miyamoto finally gets a chance to prove himself.
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Loved this movie from beginning to end. The only thing I knew going in was that it's part of a trilogy and is but one of over 30 films based on Musashi Miyamoto. Knowing full well how Japanese and Chinese cinema loves to sometimes tell fictional stories around real historical figures I realize that some of Musashi's story might be historically inaccurate, if not all of it.
With that said I loved the story. Not being familiar with Musashi before this film I had no idea where the plot was heading at first and enjoyed the unpredictability of it all a great deal. Because it's essentially the first of three acts there's several subplots that go unresolved by the end…
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Kurosawa has spoiled me. Samurai 1 was a let down.
Musashi Miyamoto is the first of the Samurai Trilogy. Director Hiroshi Inagaki had already created this trilogy in black and white, but I believe all copies were destroyed during the war. So he remade it in color with Mifune. Quite interesting, but the movie itself hasn't aged very well.
Mifune's character Takezo convinces a friend to leave his fiancee and go off to war. Takezo will no return until he makes a name for himself. After failing to do so in the war, they find themselves injured, soon stumbling upon a woman and daughter living alone in a house. Not too long after, Takezo and his friend are split up,…
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I didn't know what I was getting into with this film. I know it is part of a trilogy of samurai films, and to me that meant beautiful swordplay and Shakespearean situations and drama.
What I found was melodrama and atmosphere. Mifune gives an uncharacteristically introverted performance, by his standards anyway as Takezo (later Musashi Miyamoto). He is a man without any family to speak of that recruits a friend to join him in leaving the village (and the woman he loves) and fighting in the war. They loose the battle, and while injured and attempting to get home find a small country house to take shelter in. The house is inhabited by a mother and daughter. It isn't long…
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I usually prefer my Samurai films in black and white but could not help being drawn into this great colourful saga,its filled with great scenic landscapes and Toshiro Mifune was great as per usual,looking forward to the next installments
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55/100
An origin story that really does feel like a longer narrative's somewhat bloated first act, à la Fellowship of the Ring. In which case I guess I should be stoked for Samurai II. Starts out sluggish but gets more and more compelling as its ostensible hero is systematically deceived, humiliated and otherwise abused, learning the hard way that with great power comes great responsibility; or that a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack; or maybe just chill the fuck out there Slashy.
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This is a very good opener to what will probably be a grand epic of a trilogy. Great character development in this one and Mifune really channels Miyamoto/ Takezo, developing from a wild raging warrior on the run to something even more dangerous and heroic towards the end, calm and intelligent. I am eager to see the next chapter in the Miyamoto series and where Takezo's journey takes him. The film leaves the viewer very enthralled but this film does not stand alone by itself. Like The Human Condition trilogy, I can imagine this series being essentially one long film since it ends on what will be a continuation in the next film. I would rate this first part a 8/10.
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The Samurai Trilogy sets itself up as a broad canvas of one man's transformation from young brawler to dignified swordsman, presented in a gorgeous, painterly hue that sometimes gives it the look of traditional art come to life. The story will sound familiar: a wise monk, a caring love interest, looming battles, etc., but I always like to see Toshiro Mifune's huffing and puffing, and a domestic subplot offered a touch of drama you don't often see in films of this kind. I can't help but compare this to later-period samurai works I've seen before (Samurai Rebellion especially) and feel a little disappointed, but it's a fine beginning that promises the storytelling depth of great literature.
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A brilliant and engrossing film about a soldier's journey from disillusionment and desertion as he later becomes an enlightened samurai warrior that features a mesmerizing Toshiro Mifune in the lead role.
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Great movie. Director Hiroshi Inagaki shows some really beautiful landscapes from Japan.
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it was good, so were 2 and 3...
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Kurosawa has spoiled me. Samurai 1 was a let down.
Musashi Miyamoto is the first of the Samurai Trilogy. Director Hiroshi Inagaki had already created this trilogy in black and white, but I believe all copies were destroyed during the war. So he remade it in color with Mifune. Quite interesting, but the movie itself hasn't aged very well.
Mifune's character Takezo convinces a friend to leave his fiancee and go off to war. Takezo will no return until he makes a name for himself. After failing to do so in the war, they find themselves injured, soon stumbling upon a woman and daughter living alone in a house. Not too long after, Takezo and his friend are split up,…
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I usually prefer my Samurai films in black and white but could not help being drawn into this great colourful saga,its filled with great scenic landscapes and Toshiro Mifune was great as per usual,looking forward to the next installments
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I didn't know what I was getting into with this film. I know it is part of a trilogy of samurai films, and to me that meant beautiful swordplay and Shakespearean situations and drama.
What I found was melodrama and atmosphere. Mifune gives an uncharacteristically introverted performance, by his standards anyway as Takezo (later Musashi Miyamoto). He is a man without any family to speak of that recruits a friend to join him in leaving the village (and the woman he loves) and fighting in the war. They loose the battle, and while injured and attempting to get home find a small country house to take shelter in. The house is inhabited by a mother and daughter. It isn't long…
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After reading those 25+ volumes of Vagabond, nothing really shocked me about the plot, although I probably would've enjoyed it more if Takezo-san's motivation in learning the way of the sword is more fleshed out towards the end.
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The first of the Inagaki Samurai films chronicles Musashi's rise from a difficult wild man to an educated samurai.
This movie is simply wonderful to look at and quite epic in scope. The Battle of Sekigahara as depicted is quite a sight. You can feel the mud and the rain. It's very much an image you might find in a film about World War II. Inagaki also seems to have a keen eye for natural environments that provide interesting backdrops to the proceedings.
This also seems like a perfect role for Toshiro Mifune. He was always best at playing that honorable sort of character who just has way too much emotion bundled inside of him. All the supporting players are great as well. A lot happens in this first part, but it handles itself well during its 90 minutes and moves quickly.
A great beginning to a classic trilogy, and essential for samurai fans.