The Challenge (1982) Samurai Film?

[Kegage]

Don't know if this is considered a samurai film, but........


The Challenge, 1982, Toshiro Mifune, Scott Glenn

American boxer gets wrapped up in a feud between two brothers over two 500 year old family heirloom katanas, and in the world of “very” traditional budo.

Wondered how many people out there may have seen it, and what they think of it?
Interesting note. The unarmed martial arts coordinator credit is for a Steve Segal, however he is not in it. I think it is one of his first screen credits.

I would think this film should resonate extremely well with JSA folks. For a film, it has some good training footage, one of the best choreographed katana fights I have ever seen on film, and one that I can only describe as “Business Office Kenjutsu.”

Kevin

[Kegage]

Oh, I knew there was something I forgot to mention. The sword and stunt coordinator was Ryu Kuze. A legend in the samurai genre.

Kevin

[evalerio]

I remember seeing this a long long time ago. I think I liked it at that time because of Toshiro Mifune.

It appears that the whole film can be seen on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFK1ZSVsVkg&feature=related

[Kegage]

Thank you very much. I have a VHS copy, but I know several people who are looking for it. I will let them know.

And yes it is one of my absolute favorite also, but is it a samuari film?

Kevin

[Kegage]

I have some favorite scenes. The dinner scene, and, of course the training and fighting sequences. There is one continuity quandry I haven't been able to solve. I call it "The Amazing Appearing Arrow". In the build up to the climatic fight Mufune's character, Yoshida, appears to leave the compound with six arrows (they are hard to count), expends four getting to the corporate HQ, and enters the building with two. He uses those two to devert the guard's attention, but after dispatching them he still has one left in his obi.
I am also not to keen on the ending. I get the whole philosophical aspects of it, but I would have liked something more definative.

Now, I am not usually to much of a continuity nut, but I am also a traditional archer, so this one bothers me bit. You can imagine what some of the Robin Hood stuff out there does for me. Please don't ask me about "Prince of Theives", you'll just get me started on a rant, but that's hollywood

Kevin

[onnamusha]

I saw this film many years ago, and the only scene I can remember is a security camera suddenly filling with the image of a screaming, sword-wielding Mifune, perhaps a corporate security guy's worst nightmare (or an absolute crack-up, depending on how you look at it). I understand it is very hard to find now. I saw it on cable back in the Dark Ages.
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[kitsuno]

[MLanteigne]

I can't find this movie on DVD anywhere. I am thinking they didn't bother to convert it. I checked Amazon, Ebay and other places and nothing.
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Matt Lanteigne

"The highway of fear leads to the road of defeat."
- From a Bazooka Joe Comic, of all things.

[onnamusha]

[kitsuno]

It's available streaming on demand on Netflix. I toyed with watching it again, since the last time I saw it was back when I was living in Japan, but the actress who kept saying the Samurai's name with "~san" at the end of it was just so, so obnoxious... "Yoshimita San! Yoshimita San!"

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Ghost_Warrior/70146977?trkid=2361637

1986 R 80 minutes
When skiers in Japan come across the frozen body of centuries-old samurai warrior Yoshimita (Hiroshi Fujioka), scientists secretly whisk the corpse to a high-tech laboratory in California, where they bring him back to life. But when Yoshimita escapes onto the mean streets of 1980s Los Angeles, his ancient and strict code of honor gets him both into and out of trouble. J. Larry Carroll directs this low-budget action fantasy.

But you know what, I might just watch this anyway. It would have been awesome if Christopher Lambert was in it.
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[MLanteigne]

Unfortunately, Netflix in Canada just isn't quite up to par with our US counterparts. Something to do with acquiring licensing and such. So we don't have quite the selection you guys do, which is unfortunate.

I also don't like the new format and interface. Not sure if it's changed for US users, but first? version was better than this one.
_________________
Matt Lanteigne

"The highway of fear leads to the road of defeat."
- From a Bazooka Joe Comic, of all things.

[kitsuno]

[MLanteigne]

What device are you using to watch it...I'm using the playstation 3 which limits it.
_________________
Matt Lanteigne

"The highway of fear leads to the road of defeat."
- From a Bazooka Joe Comic, of all things.

[kitsuno]

[SicklyBug]