By the time you’ve inched toward the halfway point of the first episode of Shōgun, the epic new limited series that revisits James Clavell’s 1975 doorstopper of a historical novel about early 1600s Japan, you’ve already seen an eyeful: massive schooners, flashing swords, military processions, political power plays, a father and his infant son sentenced to death, a half-dozen English prisoners awaiting their fate in a pit. And then, out of nowhere, a character rides in on horseback. He’s shot from behind, but there’s something about the way he holds himself,...
- 4/27/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
“Why is it that only those who have never fought in a battle are so eager to be in one?” Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) asks at one point in FX’s Shōgun. It’s a question that resonates not only with the show’s characters but may strike at the heart of our long-standing fascination with samurai.
Its resonance is all the more profound because Shōgun is loosely — very loosely — based on real events from the end of Japan’s Warring States period that pushed the nation into a new era. Taking historical events and crafting drama from them is something the show has in common with many Chanbara or samurai films. The riveting and often bloody history has provided fodder for countless films, including Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai trilogy, Sekigahara, Samurai Assassin, and The 47 Ronin.
However, these narrative films can obscure the complex history behind the events. Fortunately,...
Its resonance is all the more profound because Shōgun is loosely — very loosely — based on real events from the end of Japan’s Warring States period that pushed the nation into a new era. Taking historical events and crafting drama from them is something the show has in common with many Chanbara or samurai films. The riveting and often bloody history has provided fodder for countless films, including Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai trilogy, Sekigahara, Samurai Assassin, and The 47 Ronin.
However, these narrative films can obscure the complex history behind the events. Fortunately,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
UK sales outfit Protagonist Pictures has boarded Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title Sister Midnight, from director Karan Kandhari, and unveiled a first-look still.
The Mumbai-set feature, starring Radhika Apte, has been backed by Film4 and BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, and produced by the UK’s Alastair Clark for Wellington Films, Anna Griffin for Griffin Pictures, with India’s Alan McAlex.
Sweden’s Filmgate Films and Film i Väst are co-producers and India’s Suitable Pictures are associate producers.
The black comedy follows the journey of a small-town misfit in a newly-arranged marriage who attempts to navigate an awkward spouse, nosy...
The Mumbai-set feature, starring Radhika Apte, has been backed by Film4 and BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, and produced by the UK’s Alastair Clark for Wellington Films, Anna Griffin for Griffin Pictures, with India’s Alan McAlex.
Sweden’s Filmgate Films and Film i Väst are co-producers and India’s Suitable Pictures are associate producers.
The black comedy follows the journey of a small-town misfit in a newly-arranged marriage who attempts to navigate an awkward spouse, nosy...
- 4/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
One of Hollywood's most frustrating recent news stories is that Francis Ford Coppola is having trouble finding distribution for his self-funded passion project, "Megalopolis" (via The Hollywood Reporter). In a just world, making "The Godfather" would grant Coppola a lifetime blank check, but that has never been the world we've lived in.
What you may not be aware of is one of Coppola's influences for his magnum opus. Like his friend "Star Wars" director George Lucas, Coppola looked to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While Lucas took after Kurosawa's Jidaigeki (historical) films, Coppola looked to one of the director's contemporary-set films: "The Bad Sleep Well."
Released in 1960 and starring his go-to leading man Toshiro Mifune, the movie is one of Kurosawa's (comparatively) more obscure ones. It was especially overshadowed by "High and Low," the masterful kidnapping thriller that Kurosawa and Mifune released in 1963. Both movies are set in the world of...
What you may not be aware of is one of Coppola's influences for his magnum opus. Like his friend "Star Wars" director George Lucas, Coppola looked to Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. While Lucas took after Kurosawa's Jidaigeki (historical) films, Coppola looked to one of the director's contemporary-set films: "The Bad Sleep Well."
Released in 1960 and starring his go-to leading man Toshiro Mifune, the movie is one of Kurosawa's (comparatively) more obscure ones. It was especially overshadowed by "High and Low," the masterful kidnapping thriller that Kurosawa and Mifune released in 1963. Both movies are set in the world of...
- 4/15/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Ice Spice is set to appear in Spike Lee’s upcoming English-language reinterpretation of the Akira Kurosawa crime thriller “High and Low.”
“High and Low” will mark Ice Spice’s acting debut, and she’s already begun shooting for the project starring Denzel Washington.
The rapper skyrocketed to fame following the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and subsequent collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. She was nominated for four Grammys this year, including best rap song and best new artist. Ice Spice’s first studio album, “Y2K,” is due out this year.
The project is the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee, and their first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the project, which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
Apple Original Films tweeted a photo of Washington and Lee on Wednesday...
“High and Low” will mark Ice Spice’s acting debut, and she’s already begun shooting for the project starring Denzel Washington.
The rapper skyrocketed to fame following the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and subsequent collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. She was nominated for four Grammys this year, including best rap song and best new artist. Ice Spice’s first studio album, “Y2K,” is due out this year.
The project is the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee, and their first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on the project, which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
Apple Original Films tweeted a photo of Washington and Lee on Wednesday...
- 4/10/2024
- by Katcy Stephan and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Veteran Japanese character actor Tadanobu Asano is having a very overdue breakthrough moment. The chameleonic film star has been a mainstay of Japanese cinema for nearly three decades, while also regularly appearing in prominent supporting parts in big Hollywood productions. But his irresistible performance in FX’s period series Shōgun is giving him an all-new level of global recognition.
Asano co-stars in Shōgun as Kashigi Yabushige, the scheming lord of Izu, a rugged region of feudal Japan where much of the series takes place. Playing the character with lived-in swagger and a fatalistic sense of humor, Asano has become one of the show’s clear fan favorites, with Reddit and Twitter threads popping up to revel in his character’s antics. Asano announced himself early in Shōgun‘s run: As many have marveled, Yabushige makes his entrance to the show by boiling a man alive but then wins the audience...
Asano co-stars in Shōgun as Kashigi Yabushige, the scheming lord of Izu, a rugged region of feudal Japan where much of the series takes place. Playing the character with lived-in swagger and a fatalistic sense of humor, Asano has become one of the show’s clear fan favorites, with Reddit and Twitter threads popping up to revel in his character’s antics. Asano announced himself early in Shōgun‘s run: As many have marveled, Yabushige makes his entrance to the show by boiling a man alive but then wins the audience...
- 4/10/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each new episode of Shōgun raises the stakes, deepens the political intrigue, and brings us closer to the brink of war. It’s a description that, years ago, would have applied to Game of Thrones, a show to which Shōgun has been compared ad nauseam. It’s not an inappropriate comparison. Both tout sprawling casts, sweeping locations, political intrigue, backstabbing, and characters residing in moral gray areas, ready to surprise and disappoint. Though, it may be more apt to compare the show to Japan’s Chanbara or samurai films.
Given Shōgun’s intensity and cliffhangers, waiting a week between episodes is excruciating. Digging back into Game of Thrones or even House of the Dragon might not scratch that Shōgun itch in the long days between installments.
Instead, let’s dive into samurai epics in and around the Edo period when Ieyasu Tokugawa unified Japan and built a shogunate that ruled for more than two centuries,...
Given Shōgun’s intensity and cliffhangers, waiting a week between episodes is excruciating. Digging back into Game of Thrones or even House of the Dragon might not scratch that Shōgun itch in the long days between installments.
Instead, let’s dive into samurai epics in and around the Edo period when Ieyasu Tokugawa unified Japan and built a shogunate that ruled for more than two centuries,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Since its premiere on February 27, FX on Hulu’s “Shōgun” has become one of the most popular limited series of this Emmy cycle. Based on James Clavell’s 1975 titular novel, the historical series created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks revolves around an English sailor (Cosmo Jarvis) shipwrecked in Japan at the start of the 17th century in the midst of political upheaval surrounding a powerful daimyō (Hiroyuki Sanada) and a samurai (Anna Sawai) torn between her loyalty and faith. With the series already midway through its run and receiving critical acclaim and awards attention, let’s re-examine NBC’s original 1980 miniseries — which garnered 14 Emmy nominations and three wins –- to determine potential categories for the current program.
Here are the 1981 Emmy nominations and wins for the first “Shōgun” television adaptation:
Best Limited Series (Won)
James Clavell, Executive Producer
Eric Bercovici, Producer
Best Movie/Limited Actor
Richard Chamberlain as John...
Here are the 1981 Emmy nominations and wins for the first “Shōgun” television adaptation:
Best Limited Series (Won)
James Clavell, Executive Producer
Eric Bercovici, Producer
Best Movie/Limited Actor
Richard Chamberlain as John...
- 3/19/2024
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
Japanese actress Anna Sawai’s career was already on a steady ascent in recent years, but FX’s epic samurai series Shōgun has undoubtedly become her breakthrough.
Since appearing in Universal’s F9 (2021) in an ass-kicking supporting part, Sawai has co-starred in a string of big-budget series, including Apple TV+’s Pachinko (2022-) and the Godzilla spinoff Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023). Now, Shōgun has been hailed as both her biggest hit and most dynamic dramatic performance to date. The first episode of the lavish period epic racked up 9 million streaming views globally on Disney+ and Hulu when it premiered last month, topping the latest season premieres of The Bear and Fargo — and the buzz has only grown since.
A second TV adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 best-selling historical novel of the same name — following the popular 1980 miniseries version starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune — Shōgun‘s story follows the intertwined plights of three principal characters,...
Since appearing in Universal’s F9 (2021) in an ass-kicking supporting part, Sawai has co-starred in a string of big-budget series, including Apple TV+’s Pachinko (2022-) and the Godzilla spinoff Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023). Now, Shōgun has been hailed as both her biggest hit and most dynamic dramatic performance to date. The first episode of the lavish period epic racked up 9 million streaming views globally on Disney+ and Hulu when it premiered last month, topping the latest season premieres of The Bear and Fargo — and the buzz has only grown since.
A second TV adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 best-selling historical novel of the same name — following the popular 1980 miniseries version starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune — Shōgun‘s story follows the intertwined plights of three principal characters,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Watch too many movies and chances are you can predict the outcome within the opening minutes. Wuxia can feel often feel like this and so the enjoyment comes in the journey and not always the destination, as satisfying that inevitable confrontation might be. “The Swordsman of all Swordsmen” thus comes as a surprise with a twist in the expectations that focuses on the honor and chivalry as much as the notions of revenge. It's a perfect opportunity to revisit it with Eureka Entertainment releasing a restored version onto Blu-ray.
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
As a young boy, Tsai Ying-jie (Tien Peng) witnesses the slaughter of his family by Yun Chun-chung (Tsao Tsien) and his accomplices in search or the Spirit Chasing Sword. Growing up into a swordsman in his own right, he seeks to exact revenge from those responsible. An encounter with Flying...
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
As a young boy, Tsai Ying-jie (Tien Peng) witnesses the slaughter of his family by Yun Chun-chung (Tsao Tsien) and his accomplices in search or the Spirit Chasing Sword. Growing up into a swordsman in his own right, he seeks to exact revenge from those responsible. An encounter with Flying...
- 3/18/2024
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
Shogun, the new show from FX, has already become one of the biggest hits of the year, and the first season is yet to conclude. The premiere ratcheted up over 9 million views, and its popularity is only going up. With Hiroyuki Sanada playing one of the key characters on the show, Disney has hit the jackpot.
As the audience is taken on a journey that sees three plots eventually converge, it has been hailed as the new Game of Thrones. There is a good reason for the comparison too, since it boasts of a rich world filled with political intrigue and thrill with a smattering of gore.
Sanada’s Shogun is a critical success (Source: FX)
The creators of Shogun believe in the show they have created
Based on the historical novel written by James Clavell in 1975, this is only the second time that the book has been adapted into a television series.
As the audience is taken on a journey that sees three plots eventually converge, it has been hailed as the new Game of Thrones. There is a good reason for the comparison too, since it boasts of a rich world filled with political intrigue and thrill with a smattering of gore.
Sanada’s Shogun is a critical success (Source: FX)
The creators of Shogun believe in the show they have created
Based on the historical novel written by James Clavell in 1975, this is only the second time that the book has been adapted into a television series.
- 3/17/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
With the FX limited series Shogun, Disney might just have its biggest worldwide streaming hit to date. The first episode of the lavish period epic racked up 9 million streaming views globally, topping the latest season premieres of The Bear and Fargo, and the buzz around the show has only grown since. Shogun has been especially praised — in Japan as well as the U.S. — for the cultural accuracy and ravishing detail of its world-building, taking viewers into an alluring and reasonably convincing version of 17th century feudal Japan.
It’s a big win for a pricey project that took nearly 10 years to bring to fruition and often looked like a very uncertain bet. After Shogun went through years of abortive efforts to get into production at FX, husband and wife Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick) and Rachel Kondo (previously a fiction writer) boarded the project in 2018 as the new co-creators and executive producers,...
It’s a big win for a pricey project that took nearly 10 years to bring to fruition and often looked like a very uncertain bet. After Shogun went through years of abortive efforts to get into production at FX, husband and wife Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick) and Rachel Kondo (previously a fiction writer) boarded the project in 2018 as the new co-creators and executive producers,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Legendary actor Hiroyuki Sanada has played roles in some of the biggest films of the past few years. The Japanese actor has been acting since the age of six and has made a mark in both the Japanese film industry and Hollywood with films such as The Last Samurai, Sunshine, The Wolverine, and John Wick: Chapter 4.
Sanada will be seen in the Hulu/FX series Shogun, in which he plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga, the first shogun (military dictator) of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The legendary star also produced the show and reportedly gave his all. The actor mentioned that he would be the first person to be on set and continuously shoot for his films while making sure he gave time for Shogun.
Hiroyuki Sanada’s Commitment Towards Shogun Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun | Credits: FX
Actor Hiroyuki Sanada reportedly became a producer on the Hulu/FX series Shogun to be...
Sanada will be seen in the Hulu/FX series Shogun, in which he plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga, the first shogun (military dictator) of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The legendary star also produced the show and reportedly gave his all. The actor mentioned that he would be the first person to be on set and continuously shoot for his films while making sure he gave time for Shogun.
Hiroyuki Sanada’s Commitment Towards Shogun Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun | Credits: FX
Actor Hiroyuki Sanada reportedly became a producer on the Hulu/FX series Shogun to be...
- 2/28/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
This article contains details from history that could spoil upcoming episodes of Shogun.
FX’s extravagant miniseries Shōgun brings a very old story to modern audiences.
Starring Hiroyuki Sanada (who also serves as one of the producers), Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai, this 10-part limited series is based on the 1975 James Clavell novel, Shōgun, which follows John Blackthorne. A 17th century English pilot-major, Blackthorne becomes stranded off the coast of Japan, ends up captured by samurai, is forced to assimilate into Japanese life, and is thrust into the center of a political battle between those vying to claim the coveted position of military ruler, or shogun, including Lord Yoshii Toranaga.
Among the executive producers are Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo (who together wrote the first two episodes), as well as Clavell’s daughter Michaela. Before you gear up for this tale of sailors, warriors, and a lust for power, let...
FX’s extravagant miniseries Shōgun brings a very old story to modern audiences.
Starring Hiroyuki Sanada (who also serves as one of the producers), Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai, this 10-part limited series is based on the 1975 James Clavell novel, Shōgun, which follows John Blackthorne. A 17th century English pilot-major, Blackthorne becomes stranded off the coast of Japan, ends up captured by samurai, is forced to assimilate into Japanese life, and is thrust into the center of a political battle between those vying to claim the coveted position of military ruler, or shogun, including Lord Yoshii Toranaga.
Among the executive producers are Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo (who together wrote the first two episodes), as well as Clavell’s daughter Michaela. Before you gear up for this tale of sailors, warriors, and a lust for power, let...
- 2/27/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
James Clavell’s historical epic novel Shōgun was first adapted for television back in 1980. It starred Richard Chamberlain as John Blackthorne, an English sailor who gets caught up in a Japanese civil war in the early 1600s, and Japanese cinema legend Toshirô Mifune as Toranaga, a feudal lord at odds with the rest of his country’s ruling class. This NBC version did not feature subtitles, so the Japanese dialogue was only translated in scenes where bilingual characters were interpreting for Blackthorne. The producers defended this as a creative choice,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Of all the shows that have sought or earned comparisons to “Game of Thrones,” most have emulated its genre conventions. From “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” to “Foundation,” fantasy and science fiction series have thrived in recent years, riding on the momentum of a blockbuster hit that proved lore and maps weren’t just for fan conventions. But in writing “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the source material for the HBO drama, author George R.R. Martin was inspired as much by the Wars of the Roses, the real-life conflicts that wracked 15th-century England, as by Middle-earth. Before dragons and ice zombies entered the picture, “Game of Thrones” was built on the stuff of actual history: political alliances, fractured families and massive armies marching on foot.
“Shōgun,” the nearly 1,200-page tome published by James Clavell in 1975, is a work of fiction, but one faithful to the...
“Shōgun,” the nearly 1,200-page tome published by James Clavell in 1975, is a work of fiction, but one faithful to the...
- 2/26/2024
- by Alison Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Even by Peak TV standards, where TV shows routinely look every bit as good as big-budget blockbusters, FX’s Shōgun is flat-out breathtaking. Admirably ambitious and epic in scope, the limited series set in feudal Japan (premiering next Tuesday at 10/9c; I’ve seen the first four episodes) boasts exquisite period detail and grandly staged action sequences that are so stunning, it’s almost worth watching just to lay eyes on them. But the story it tells is less impressive, bogged down by too many plotlines and an unconvincing central romance. Shōgun is still a worthwhile watch, all things considered,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
When James Clavell’s historical fiction novel Shōgun was first adapted into a television miniseries in 1980, the Emmy-winning series was considered ahead of its time, especially when it came to cultural sensitivity. It was the first American show to be completely filmed in Japan with the Japanese characters being portrayed by Japanese actors — a far cry from the yellowface treatment in The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu and Flash Gordon, both released the same year.
Set in feudal Japan in the 1600s, Shōgun was told through the eyes of English navigator John Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) and his interactions with Lord Toranaga (the legendary Toshiro Mifune) before the Battle of Sekigahara. The series was predominantly in Japanese with no English subtitles, depending on Blackthorne’s interpreter Mariko (Yoko Shimada) to provide viewers an insight into this world.
Set in feudal Japan in the 1600s, Shōgun was told through the eyes of English navigator John Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) and his interactions with Lord Toranaga (the legendary Toshiro Mifune) before the Battle of Sekigahara. The series was predominantly in Japanese with no English subtitles, depending on Blackthorne’s interpreter Mariko (Yoko Shimada) to provide viewers an insight into this world.
- 2/15/2024
- by Laura Sirikul
- Primetimer
Actor Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee announced they are joining forces once more, the first time in 18 years, for a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller “High and Low.” The duo have collaborated four times previously, on “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” “He Got Game,” and, most recently, “Inside Man.”
“High and Low” was originally based on the novel “King’s Ransom” by the prolific American author Ed McBain. McBain was a nom de plume for Evan Hunter, who also wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” (adapted to a popular film with a significant early turn by Sidney Poitier) and was a co-screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
The original “High and Low” starred Toshiro Mifune as an executive who faces a moral crisis during a pivotal moment of his career—just as he had intended to move a vast amount of his personal wealth for business reasons, his son...
“High and Low” was originally based on the novel “King’s Ransom” by the prolific American author Ed McBain. McBain was a nom de plume for Evan Hunter, who also wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” (adapted to a popular film with a significant early turn by Sidney Poitier) and was a co-screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
The original “High and Low” starred Toshiro Mifune as an executive who faces a moral crisis during a pivotal moment of his career—just as he had intended to move a vast amount of his personal wealth for business reasons, his son...
- 2/9/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Spike Lee & Denzel Washington Reteam On Remake Of Akira Kurosawa’s Kidnapping Classic ‘High And Low’
18 years after their last collaboration, director Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, one of the legendary filmmaker/lead actor duos, are teaming up again. This time, it’s for a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic crime thriller, the 1963 Japanese police procedural crime “High And Low,” which originally starred Toshiro Mifune.
Read More: Spike Lee Tells Bradley Cooper Says Denzel Washington Is “Done” Directing In New 46 Minute Filmmaker Talk
The project Apple Original Films announced the project today in collaboration with A24.
Continue reading Spike Lee & Denzel Washington Reteam On Remake Of Akira Kurosawa’s Kidnapping Classic ‘High And Low’ at The Playlist.
Read More: Spike Lee Tells Bradley Cooper Says Denzel Washington Is “Done” Directing In New 46 Minute Filmmaker Talk
The project Apple Original Films announced the project today in collaboration with A24.
Continue reading Spike Lee & Denzel Washington Reteam On Remake Of Akira Kurosawa’s Kidnapping Classic ‘High And Low’ at The Playlist.
- 2/8/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
"Mo Better Blues." "Malcolm X." "He Got Game." "Inside Man." It is always an event when Spike Lee and Denzel Washington team up for a movie, and they always, always deliver. "Mo Better Blues" suffered from being Lee's follow-up to his masterpiece "Do the Right Thing," but its critical reputation has improved significantly over time. "Malcolm X" is probably the second most important (and brilliant) film about race next to "Do the Right Thing." "He Got Game" is an electric-yet-harrowing father-son drama set against the wanton corruption of college basketball. And "Inside Man" is just a plain old pip of a heist movie, one that makes you wish Lee would place his stylistic spin on more straight-up genre stories.
According to Variety, Lee is set to tackle one of the most masterfully crafted cop tales ever made, and you best believe he's re-teaming with Washington to bring it off.
The project is "High and Low,...
According to Variety, Lee is set to tackle one of the most masterfully crafted cop tales ever made, and you best believe he's re-teaming with Washington to bring it off.
The project is "High and Low,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The pair, who last worked together on 2006’s Inside Man, will reimagine the 1963 crime drama High and Low for Apple and A24
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are teaming up for the fifth time, reimagining Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime drama High and Low.
The pair, whose previous projects include Malcolm X and He Got Game, will start filming a reinterpretation in March. Based on the novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain, the original film stars Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy man in ruin after paying the ransom for a kidnapping.
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are teaming up for the fifth time, reimagining Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime drama High and Low.
The pair, whose previous projects include Malcolm X and He Got Game, will start filming a reinterpretation in March. Based on the novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain, the original film stars Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy man in ruin after paying the ransom for a kidnapping.
- 2/8/2024
- by Benjamin Lee
- The Guardian - Film News
Following Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are planning a reunion. With the director being on the longest break between narrative features since his debut in 1986, having last helmed 2020’s Da 5 Bloods, it’s now been unveiled he will direct a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low.
Variety reports that Washington will lead the project, scripted by Alan Fox and Spike Lee, and backed by Apple Original Films and A24. Based on Ed McBain’s novel King’s Ransom, the original film starred Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a ruthless kidnapper.
High and Low will also mark Lee’s second high-profile remake after his 2013 feature Oldboy. With production beginning this spring, a theatrical release has also been confirmed––which we imagine will take place in 2025––followed by an Apple TV+ global bow.
Variety reports that Washington will lead the project, scripted by Alan Fox and Spike Lee, and backed by Apple Original Films and A24. Based on Ed McBain’s novel King’s Ransom, the original film starred Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a ruthless kidnapper.
High and Low will also mark Lee’s second high-profile remake after his 2013 feature Oldboy. With production beginning this spring, a theatrical release has also been confirmed––which we imagine will take place in 2025––followed by an Apple TV+ global bow.
- 2/8/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are reuniting for their fifth film together – the first since 2006’s “Inside Man.” Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on “High and Low,” which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.
The thriller, which starts production in March, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name. The 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune was based on the Ed McBain novel “King’s Ransom,” which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, “High and Low” features a script written by Alan Fox and Spike Lee.
As Apple is a co-financier on “High and Low,” this project will not be included in a recent multi-year deal that A24 brokered with competing streaming service Max last year, sources familiar with the movie said. The...
The thriller, which starts production in March, is the English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name. The 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune was based on the Ed McBain novel “King’s Ransom,” which chronicles the ruin of a businessman following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
Developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures, “High and Low” features a script written by Alan Fox and Spike Lee.
As Apple is a co-financier on “High and Low,” this project will not be included in a recent multi-year deal that A24 brokered with competing streaming service Max last year, sources familiar with the movie said. The...
- 2/8/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
A new Spike Lee Joint is in the works that will reunite the director with Denzel Washington. Apple Original Films is partnering with A24 on “High and Low,” an English-language adaptation of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa crime film of the same name.
“High and Low” marks the first time Washington and Lee will work together since 2006’s “Inside Man.” It will be their fifth film together in addition to “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” and “He Got Game.”
The project also brings back together Washington and Todd Black, who produced “Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Equalizer” films. Washington previously starred in another Apple and A24 film, Joel Coen’s 2022 “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which netted Denzel his 10th Oscar nomination.
Production on “High and Low” will start in March. A24 plans to release the film theatrically before it streams on Apple TV+.
“High and Low” is just one of Japanese master Kurosawa’s masterpieces,...
“High and Low” marks the first time Washington and Lee will work together since 2006’s “Inside Man.” It will be their fifth film together in addition to “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” and “He Got Game.”
The project also brings back together Washington and Todd Black, who produced “Fences,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and “The Equalizer” films. Washington previously starred in another Apple and A24 film, Joel Coen’s 2022 “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which netted Denzel his 10th Oscar nomination.
Production on “High and Low” will start in March. A24 plans to release the film theatrically before it streams on Apple TV+.
“High and Low” is just one of Japanese master Kurosawa’s masterpieces,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
“High and Low” received nominations for the Golden Lion at the 24th Venice Film Festival, and the Best Foreign Film at the 21st Golden Globe Awards. It was also awarded at the Mainichi Film Awards for the Best Film, and for the Best Screenplay. Upon its release in Japan, it earned approximately $1.3 million and became the top-grossing film of 1963.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The script, written by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Eijiro Hisaita, and Ryuzo Kikushima, is loosely based on Evan Hunter's novel from 1959, “King's Ransom”. Toho, the film company that Kurosawa was working with at the time, acquired the film rights for $5,000. The first half of the story revolves around Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), a board member of a Japanese shoe company, facing a critical dilemma. He must decide whether to use his considerable wealth to secure executive control in the company or help his chauffeur,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The script, written by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Eijiro Hisaita, and Ryuzo Kikushima, is loosely based on Evan Hunter's novel from 1959, “King's Ransom”. Toho, the film company that Kurosawa was working with at the time, acquired the film rights for $5,000. The first half of the story revolves around Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), a board member of a Japanese shoe company, facing a critical dilemma. He must decide whether to use his considerable wealth to secure executive control in the company or help his chauffeur,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Tobiasz Dunin
- AsianMoviePulse
When you talk about John Sayles, do you talk about America? Watching and examining his beautiful tapestry of films, this reveals itself an easy question to ask and an easy question to answer. There may be no single filmmaker who has better captured the agony and ecstasy of the American experiment than Sayles. Yet his pictures never feel like homework. They’re funny, heartbreaking, and full of characters that are well-rounded and sharply drawn.
The Film Stage got the opportunity to speak with Sayles about his 1996 masterpiece Lone Star (now available on 4K and Blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection), as well lesser-seen gems like Limbo, Go for Sisters, and Amigo.
Listen to an audio version of the interview below followed by a written version, edited for length and clarity.
The Film Stage: The reason we’re talking is because Lone Star, your great film from the mid-90s, is...
The Film Stage got the opportunity to speak with Sayles about his 1996 masterpiece Lone Star (now available on 4K and Blu-ray courtesy of the Criterion Collection), as well lesser-seen gems like Limbo, Go for Sisters, and Amigo.
Listen to an audio version of the interview below followed by a written version, edited for length and clarity.
The Film Stage: The reason we’re talking is because Lone Star, your great film from the mid-90s, is...
- 1/25/2024
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
While recently scrolling Twitter, an interesting anecdote came to my attention. In the fabled George Lucas outline for a Star Wars sequel trilogy, a treatment which the filmmaker shared with the Walt Disney Company when he sold Lucasfilm for $4 billion, Lucas apparently had a strange vision for Luke Skywalker: He wanted the older version of Skywalker to be like a character in a movie Lucas almost made before Star Wars. He wanted him to be, in essence, Marlon Brando’s Col. Kurtz from Apocalypse Now, right down to the bald head and rambling gibberish.
This detail is not new. In fact, Pablo Hidalgo first confirmed the information in Star Wars: Fascinating Facts (2020). In that book (via Total Film/GamesRadar+), Hidalgo wrote, “Although Luke Skywalker only barely appears in The Force Awakens, the concept artists had a lot to imagine based on the fragments of the story they were hearing as it developed.
This detail is not new. In fact, Pablo Hidalgo first confirmed the information in Star Wars: Fascinating Facts (2020). In that book (via Total Film/GamesRadar+), Hidalgo wrote, “Although Luke Skywalker only barely appears in The Force Awakens, the concept artists had a lot to imagine based on the fragments of the story they were hearing as it developed.
- 1/24/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.
Today we’re honored to chat with iconic director John Sayles, whose essential crime epic Lone Star is now available from The Criterion Collection in both 4K Uhd + Blu-ray.
Our B-Sides today include Limbo, Amigo, and Go For Sisters. We also discuss Sayles’ parallel careers as a screenwriter and a novelist. He talks about the work he did on the Toshirô Mifune/Scott Glenn actioner The Challenge (director John Frankenheimer asking him to write new draft over a weekend before an impending strike); he discusses what he learned working for Roger Corman early in his career; which genre he’s still itching to direct; his love of the recent Godzilla Minus One; and the slew of scripts that never got made.
Today we’re honored to chat with iconic director John Sayles, whose essential crime epic Lone Star is now available from The Criterion Collection in both 4K Uhd + Blu-ray.
Our B-Sides today include Limbo, Amigo, and Go For Sisters. We also discuss Sayles’ parallel careers as a screenwriter and a novelist. He talks about the work he did on the Toshirô Mifune/Scott Glenn actioner The Challenge (director John Frankenheimer asking him to write new draft over a weekend before an impending strike); he discusses what he learned working for Roger Corman early in his career; which genre he’s still itching to direct; his love of the recent Godzilla Minus One; and the slew of scripts that never got made.
- 1/18/2024
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
“Goyokin,” which translates to “Official God,” is perhaps Hideo Gosha's finest film. Written by Gosha and Kei Tasaka, many of the director's regular players, including Tatsuya Nakadai and Tetsuro Tamba, star here. Toshiro Mifune was initially cast as the character Samon Fujimaki. However, production difficulties resulted in him being replaced by Kinnosuke Nakamura. “Goyokin” was a critical and financial hit upon release and remains a highly regarded piece of Japanese cinema.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
In snowy feudal Japan, Sado Island is home to gold mines that provide riches offered to the Tokugawa clan via ship delivery, which can be jeopardized due to poor weather on the waters. Meanwhile, a reclusive samurai named Magobei Wakizaka wanders, clearly troubled by something. The ronin finds himself the target of an assassination attempt, which he survives. He learns this attack was orchestrated by his former clan master,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
In snowy feudal Japan, Sado Island is home to gold mines that provide riches offered to the Tokugawa clan via ship delivery, which can be jeopardized due to poor weather on the waters. Meanwhile, a reclusive samurai named Magobei Wakizaka wanders, clearly troubled by something. The ronin finds himself the target of an assassination attempt, which he survives. He learns this attack was orchestrated by his former clan master,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
There is simply no denying the filmography of this great director is filled with glorious and breathtaking moments. In “Throne of Blood”, when Lord Washizu (played by Toshiro Mifune) sees the ghost of Miki (Akira Kubo) who has been murdered by Washizu's assassins for fear of dethroning him, is one of these moments which still haunts audiences. The occasion, a dinner at Cobweb Caste, Washizu's fortress as the new lord, sets the tone for the event, as it is a festivity meant to re-affirm the former's general's status and the order within his realm. However, his expression when seeing the ghost destroys all illusion that basically anything is in order and highlights the chaos, as Washizu himself has continued to upset a much higher order and now has to pay the price.
The mastery of this scene in particular has to do with its execution, which is in stark contrast...
The mastery of this scene in particular has to do with its execution, which is in stark contrast...
- 1/14/2024
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
After the drama “I Live in Fear”, acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa would return to the jidaigeki with “Throne of Blood”, arguably one of the most popular works within his filmography. Being an adaptation of William Shakespeare's “Macbeth”, the feature follows the basic structure of the play's plot. However, Kurosawa infused the story with several elements embedded within Japanese culture, such as bushido, systems of belief and superstition. As a result, “Throne of Blood” stands out among the many adaptations of the famous drama as it stays true to its origin but at the same time explores its themes within the aforementioned cultural narratives Kurosawa has chosen for his feature.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Having successfully defeated the enemies of their lord, generals Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Miki (Akira Kubo) are on their way back to Cobweb Caste, but get lost in the maze-like forest surrounding the fortress.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Having successfully defeated the enemies of their lord, generals Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Miki (Akira Kubo) are on their way back to Cobweb Caste, but get lost in the maze-like forest surrounding the fortress.
- 1/5/2024
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
In the shadowy corners of the horror genre, where slashers and ghost stories reign supreme, there lurks a movie that’s been criminally overlooked. Enter Cry_Wolf, the 2005 teen thriller that cleverly played its audience like a fiddle. It’s time to rewind the tape, folks, and give this hidden gem the kudos it deserves. Though you may have missed it under the slasher ressurgence of the late 90s-early aughts, Cry_Wolf is not your run-of-the-mill post-Scream era slasher.
Cry_Wolf is a tangled web of truth, lies, and AOL Instant Messenger. The story kicks off with a group of prep school students who concoct a devious game: spreading a fake rumor about a serial killer to scare the entire student body. The game takes a dark turn when the fictional murders start happening in real life, and the game they invented is no longer in their control..
Rogue Pictures Setting the Trap:...
Cry_Wolf is a tangled web of truth, lies, and AOL Instant Messenger. The story kicks off with a group of prep school students who concoct a devious game: spreading a fake rumor about a serial killer to scare the entire student body. The game takes a dark turn when the fictional murders start happening in real life, and the game they invented is no longer in their control..
Rogue Pictures Setting the Trap:...
- 11/27/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
SEEMartin Scorsese movies: All 26 films ranked worst to best
During the Golden Age of Hollywood,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Martin Scorsese is famous for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, and the first feature-length film with all three, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” has become a critical and commercial success. It’s not unusual for a director to find a “favorite” actor and form a successful relationship. In fact, this practice goes back to the beginning of the industry.
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
In 1912, pioneering filmmaker D.W. Griffith cast 18-year-old Lillian Gish in his short film “An Unseen Enemy,” and the two worked on more than 40 short and feature-length productions over the next decade. One of the most famous scenes from the silent era is in their film “Way Down East,” in which Gish floats unconscious on an ice floe; she had lifelong nerve damage in several fingers as a result of her performance in that scene.
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, there were quite a few famous collaborations,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
FX’s long-gestating Shogun series is now targeting a February 2024 premiere on Hulu and FX. The date announcement was accompanied by the first teaser trailer for the 10-episode limited series based on James Clavell’s bestselling novel.
Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks created the series and executive produce, with Marks also guiding the series as showrunner. Additional executive producers include Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, and Michael De Luca.
Poster for FX’s Shogun
FX offered this detailed description of the plot, cast, and characters:
Shogun is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that...
Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks created the series and executive produce, with Marks also guiding the series as showrunner. Additional executive producers include Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, and Michael De Luca.
Poster for FX’s Shogun
FX offered this detailed description of the plot, cast, and characters:
Shogun is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that...
- 11/2/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
After much anticipation, FX is finally unveiling its new ‘Shōgun‘ miniseries. It’s a retelling of James Clavell’s legendary novel in a 10-episode format. Good news for streaming enthusiasts: it’s releasing on Hulu this coming February. And if you’re more into watching it the old-school way, FX’s got you covered with weekly episodes.
Diving into the story, we’re whisked back to the year 1600. Here, we meet John Blackthorne, an English sailor played by the talented Cosmo Jarvis (you might remember him from Peaky Blinders). But this isn’t a merry sea adventure; Blackthorne finds himself stranded in a Japanese fishing village during a tumultuous period. Feudal Japan is not just about tea ceremonies and cherry blossoms; it’s a time of war and intrigue.
Related: 15 Best Ninja Movies: Unveiling the Ultimate Martial Arts Epics
Enter Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a key figure embroiled in the heart of a civil war.
Diving into the story, we’re whisked back to the year 1600. Here, we meet John Blackthorne, an English sailor played by the talented Cosmo Jarvis (you might remember him from Peaky Blinders). But this isn’t a merry sea adventure; Blackthorne finds himself stranded in a Japanese fishing village during a tumultuous period. Feudal Japan is not just about tea ceremonies and cherry blossoms; it’s a time of war and intrigue.
Related: 15 Best Ninja Movies: Unveiling the Ultimate Martial Arts Epics
Enter Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a key figure embroiled in the heart of a civil war.
- 11/2/2023
- by Hrvoje Milakovic
- Fiction Horizon
After years in development, FX’s Shōgun adaptation is finally ready to go into battle.
The new 10-episode limited series based on the James Clavell bestselling novel will premiere in February on Hulu, TVLine has learned, with a linear airing on FX as well of one episode per week. FX also unveiled a new trailer for the series, which you can watch above.
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff Reunion, SNL Ratings High and MoreAmy Robach, T.J. Holmes Announce New Team-Up 9 Months After GMA3 OusterCBS Pulls Lotería Loca From Schedule - Here's What's Replacing It
Set in...
The new 10-episode limited series based on the James Clavell bestselling novel will premiere in February on Hulu, TVLine has learned, with a linear airing on FX as well of one episode per week. FX also unveiled a new trailer for the series, which you can watch above.
More from TVLineTVLine Items: Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff Reunion, SNL Ratings High and MoreAmy Robach, T.J. Holmes Announce New Team-Up 9 Months After GMA3 OusterCBS Pulls Lotería Loca From Schedule - Here's What's Replacing It
Set in...
- 11/2/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Netflix is no stranger to bringing iconic video game adaptations to its platform. The latest to join the roster is ‘Onimusha,’ based on Capcom’s legendary action video game series. This isn’t just another action-packed series; it carries the rich historical backdrop of Japan’s Warring States period. It promises to blend history, action, and a touch of the supernatural in a captivating anime rendition.
Set in an age where swordplay was as much art as it was warfare, ‘Onimusha’ tells the tale of Miyamoto Musashi. This wandering swordsman isn’t your ordinary warrior. Armed with the mythical Oni Gauntlet, Musashi embarks on a perilous mission. His objective? To confront and defeat malevolent beings known as Genma. These are no mere foes, as they wield otherworldly powers, pushing Musashi to his limits.
The teaser offered viewers a tantalizing glimpse into Musashi’s world. The focus was clear – a relentless hunter of demons,...
Set in an age where swordplay was as much art as it was warfare, ‘Onimusha’ tells the tale of Miyamoto Musashi. This wandering swordsman isn’t your ordinary warrior. Armed with the mythical Oni Gauntlet, Musashi embarks on a perilous mission. His objective? To confront and defeat malevolent beings known as Genma. These are no mere foes, as they wield otherworldly powers, pushing Musashi to his limits.
The teaser offered viewers a tantalizing glimpse into Musashi’s world. The focus was clear – a relentless hunter of demons,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Hrvoje Milakovic
- Fiction Horizon
Capcom’s “Onimusha,” the landmark survival action video game series set in Japan’s feudal Sengoku period, is being adapted into an anime series that will start streaming from Thursday, November 2, only on Netflix. Directed by Takashi Miike, this ambitious series will focus on Miyamoto Musashi, who is modeled after Toshiro Mifune, the Japanese film icon known around the globe. This is the beginning of an intense series full of realistic action in which Musashi’s blade slices through evil as he traverses a land plagued by poverty.
The Netflix Series “Onimusha” starts streaming Thursday, November 2, only on Netflix.
The Netflix Series “Onimusha” starts streaming Thursday, November 2, only on Netflix.
- 9/26/2023
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
While Konami seems to have been hogging all of the animated Netflix video game adaptations lately, Capcom has countered with a new trailer for Onimusha, which is set to start streaming on November 2. Set to “The Loneliest” by Måneskin, the trailer doesn’t get into the demon-slaying that the video games are known for just yet, but that’s quickly rectified.
Unlike the Castlevania Netflix adaptations, Onimusha instead utilizes 3D animation with a cel-shaded art style from animation studio Sublimation and director Shinya Sugai, whose work includes the CG anime adaptation of another Capcom property, Dragon’s Dogma.
Directed by Takashi Miike and featuring the voice talents of Akio Otsuka, Toshihiko Seki, Hochu Otsuka, Daiki Yamashita, Subaru Kimura and Katsuyuki Konishi, Onimusha will focus on Miyamoto Musashi, who is modeled after Japanese film icon Toshiro Mifune.
Set in the early Edo Period, a time when Japan was transitioning towards peace, and warfare was fading into history,...
Unlike the Castlevania Netflix adaptations, Onimusha instead utilizes 3D animation with a cel-shaded art style from animation studio Sublimation and director Shinya Sugai, whose work includes the CG anime adaptation of another Capcom property, Dragon’s Dogma.
Directed by Takashi Miike and featuring the voice talents of Akio Otsuka, Toshihiko Seki, Hochu Otsuka, Daiki Yamashita, Subaru Kimura and Katsuyuki Konishi, Onimusha will focus on Miyamoto Musashi, who is modeled after Japanese film icon Toshiro Mifune.
Set in the early Edo Period, a time when Japan was transitioning towards peace, and warfare was fading into history,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
There will be spoilers for "Star Wars: Ahsoka" Chapter 3 - Time to Fly
The third episode of "Ahsoka," titled "Time to Fly," begins for Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) with an extended training sequence. At first, she's drilling with the Jedi droid Huyang (David Tennant), but then Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) arrives and believes she needs something a little more difficult. That's when Ahsoka suggests a training regimen called "Zatochi."
Huyang is convinced that Sabine is clearly not ready for such an exercise, but Ahsoka is adamant. Ahsoka then puts a blast helmet on Sabine, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi does to Luke Skywalker in "A New Hope," and tells her to stretch out with her feelings and block her blows without being able to see. Just like Huyang thought, Sabine is not very good at this, but she gives it the best she has. But there's more than a "Star Wars...
The third episode of "Ahsoka," titled "Time to Fly," begins for Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) with an extended training sequence. At first, she's drilling with the Jedi droid Huyang (David Tennant), but then Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) arrives and believes she needs something a little more difficult. That's when Ahsoka suggests a training regimen called "Zatochi."
Huyang is convinced that Sabine is clearly not ready for such an exercise, but Ahsoka is adamant. Ahsoka then puts a blast helmet on Sabine, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi does to Luke Skywalker in "A New Hope," and tells her to stretch out with her feelings and block her blows without being able to see. Just like Huyang thought, Sabine is not very good at this, but she gives it the best she has. But there's more than a "Star Wars...
- 8/31/2023
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
This Star Wars: Ahsoka article contains spoilers.
So much of Ahsoka‘s third episode feels like classic Star Wars, from Sabine’s blind training nodding back to A New Hope to the space battle that combines elements from both the Original and Prequel Trilogies for one of the best dogfights ever made for Disney+. But that doesn’t mean Ahsoka has skipped out on bringing back a bunch of stuff from Rebels this time around. In fact, one major cameo allows this Disney+ series to pick up exactly where its animated predecessor left off.
Here are all the Star Wars easter eggs and callbacks we spotted in “Time to Fly”:
Evan Whitten as Jacen Syndulla
There was never any doubt that Jacen Syndulla would pop up in Ahsoka, but we definitely didn’t expect to see this little dude so soon. Introduced in the final minutes of the Rebels...
So much of Ahsoka‘s third episode feels like classic Star Wars, from Sabine’s blind training nodding back to A New Hope to the space battle that combines elements from both the Original and Prequel Trilogies for one of the best dogfights ever made for Disney+. But that doesn’t mean Ahsoka has skipped out on bringing back a bunch of stuff from Rebels this time around. In fact, one major cameo allows this Disney+ series to pick up exactly where its animated predecessor left off.
Here are all the Star Wars easter eggs and callbacks we spotted in “Time to Fly”:
Evan Whitten as Jacen Syndulla
There was never any doubt that Jacen Syndulla would pop up in Ahsoka, but we definitely didn’t expect to see this little dude so soon. Introduced in the final minutes of the Rebels...
- 8/30/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
The most rudimentary research into the creative origins of the groundbreaking 1977 sci-fi flick "Star Wars" will reveal to the reader that creator George Lucas was inspired by "Flash Gordon" serials from the 1930s, as well as Akira Kurosawa's 1958 epic "The Hidden Fortress." Kurosawa's film famously opened with two clownish characters (Kamatari Fujiwara and Minoru Chiaki) who aimed to earn their fortune as samurai. After several misadventures, the peasants unwittingly become embroiled in a much larger plot about a missing princess (Misa Uehara), a war, and a brave protective warrior (Toshiro Mifune). "Star Wars" borrowed that film's structure, introducing audiences to its sci-fi action through the eyes (lenses?) of the robotic characters C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and the non-humanoid R2-D2.
C-3Po was a prissy, fastidious droid who seemed impatient with the foibles of the organic beings he lived with, and was frequently panicked and afraid. The only time...
C-3Po was a prissy, fastidious droid who seemed impatient with the foibles of the organic beings he lived with, and was frequently panicked and afraid. The only time...
- 8/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Primetime Emmys are not necessarily known for honoring projects featuring casts that are primarily minority/people of color. The TV academy has never, for instance, given the Best Drama Series trophy to such a show. The statuette for Best Comedy Series has been won by a series featuring a largely minority cast precisely once: “The Cosby Show” in 1985. But the category of top limited/anthology/miniseries has paid golden tribute to programs with mostly minority casts a handful of times before, helping give Netflix’s “Beef” with its predominantly Asian American lineup a genuine shot to take home the biggest prize.
“Beef” tied with “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for the most nominations among all non-regular series programs with 13. It’s presently in the lead among Gold Derby voters in the limited series race with 16/5 combined odds. Its star Ali Wong is also in first place among limited lead actresses,...
“Beef” tied with “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for the most nominations among all non-regular series programs with 13. It’s presently in the lead among Gold Derby voters in the limited series race with 16/5 combined odds. Its star Ali Wong is also in first place among limited lead actresses,...
- 7/24/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
"I met the true assassin of my brother." This restoration and re-release of Winter Kills is presented by author/filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, a longtime fan and champion of the movie. Film Forum will play a 35mm restoration of the 70s comedy thriller Winter Kills in August. It's a spin on JFK: the younger brother of an assassinated US President is led down a rabbit hole of conspiracies and dead ends after learning of a man claiming to be the real shooter. There's also more: "the story behind Winter Kills is as convoluted, mysterious and downright incredulous as the movie itself. The two main producers went bankrupt – one was later sent to a federal prison for drug trafficking, the other tied to his bed by a creditor and shot in the head – and production was suspended for two years while" the director found more money. Camera op John Bailey, who oversaw the restoration,...
- 7/21/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The JFK assassination is parodied in 1979 black comedy “Winter Kills,” which has landed a remastered re-release presented by auteur Quentin Tarantino. IndieWire exclusively shares the trailer for the Rialo Pictures reissue here.
“Winter Kills” is a thinly veiled and hyper-paranoiac take on the JFK assassination starring Jeff Bridges as Nick Kegan, scion of a fabulously wealthy and powerful family headed by patriarch John Huston, as a character based on Joe Kennedy. Nick (Bridges) soon finds himself going down multiple rabbit holes while trying to unravel the conspiracy behind the murder of a U.S. president, his older brother.
Anthony Perkins, Dorothy Malone, Toshiro Mifune, and Elli Wallach also star, as well as an uncredited Elizabeth Taylor who plays a character inspired by JFK’s rumored-to-be mobbed-up mistress Judith Exner. “Winter Kills” is the feature debut of model and Australian actress Belinda Bauer.
A new re-issued release of “Winter Kills” by...
“Winter Kills” is a thinly veiled and hyper-paranoiac take on the JFK assassination starring Jeff Bridges as Nick Kegan, scion of a fabulously wealthy and powerful family headed by patriarch John Huston, as a character based on Joe Kennedy. Nick (Bridges) soon finds himself going down multiple rabbit holes while trying to unravel the conspiracy behind the murder of a U.S. president, his older brother.
Anthony Perkins, Dorothy Malone, Toshiro Mifune, and Elli Wallach also star, as well as an uncredited Elizabeth Taylor who plays a character inspired by JFK’s rumored-to-be mobbed-up mistress Judith Exner. “Winter Kills” is the feature debut of model and Australian actress Belinda Bauer.
A new re-issued release of “Winter Kills” by...
- 7/19/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Laird Koenig, who adapted his novel for the screenplay to the 1976 cult film The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, a controversial horror thriller starring a teenage Jodie Foster, has died. He was 95.
Koenig died June 30 of natural causes in Santa Barbara, Jamie Dixon, the son of Koenig’s frequent writing partner, Peter L. Dixon, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Koenig also received a writing credit on three films directed by Terence Young: Red Sun (1971), starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress; Bloodline (1979), starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason; and Inchon (1981), starring Gazzara, Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.
His 1970 novel The Children Are Watching, co-written with Dixon, was turned into the French film Attention Les Enfants Regardent (1978), starring Delon.
Taken from his 1974 novel — his first as a solo author — The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane starred Foster as a 13-year-old who lives...
Koenig died June 30 of natural causes in Santa Barbara, Jamie Dixon, the son of Koenig’s frequent writing partner, Peter L. Dixon, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Koenig also received a writing credit on three films directed by Terence Young: Red Sun (1971), starring Charles Bronson, Toshiro Mifune, Alain Delon and Ursula Andress; Bloodline (1979), starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason; and Inchon (1981), starring Gazzara, Laurence Olivier and Jacqueline Bisset.
His 1970 novel The Children Are Watching, co-written with Dixon, was turned into the French film Attention Les Enfants Regardent (1978), starring Delon.
Taken from his 1974 novel — his first as a solo author — The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane starred Foster as a 13-year-old who lives...
- 7/17/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“There’s nothing worse than miscasting,” casting director Laura Rosenthal told IndieWire. Not that she speaks from her own experience. As Todd Haynes’ go-to casting director since “Far from Heaven,” Rosenthal has assembled some of the most memorable casts of the last few decades, including “The Kids Are All Right,” “A Quiet Place,” “Chicago,” and “Analyze This.”
Now she and fellow acclaimed casting director Ellen Lewis — Jim Jarmusch and Martin Scorsese’s longtime casting director and the woman behind the casting of everything from “A League of Their Own” to “Killers of the Flower Moon” — are being honored by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) with the retrospective series The Craft: Casting Directors Ellen Lewis and Laura Rosenthal, running June 1–16.
The series highlights some of their most acclaimed work, as well as some films that may not be as well known. Among the offerings being screened are Scorsese’s “Goodfellas,...
Now she and fellow acclaimed casting director Ellen Lewis — Jim Jarmusch and Martin Scorsese’s longtime casting director and the woman behind the casting of everything from “A League of Their Own” to “Killers of the Flower Moon” — are being honored by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) with the retrospective series The Craft: Casting Directors Ellen Lewis and Laura Rosenthal, running June 1–16.
The series highlights some of their most acclaimed work, as well as some films that may not be as well known. Among the offerings being screened are Scorsese’s “Goodfellas,...
- 6/2/2023
- by Edward Frumkin
- Indiewire
Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 14 season finale of “The Masked Singer,” which aired May 17 on Fox.
Like a river, Bishop Briggs kept a steady flow throughout Season 9 of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” — and her perseverance was rewarded with the championship. Briggs, as Medusa, won this season’s top prize and was finally unmasked on Wednesday night’s finale, along with runner-up David Archuleta, revealed as the Macaw.
Briggs, who performed the most of any contestant this season, sealed her victory with performances of “Elastic Heart,” by Sia, and “Welcome to the Black Parade,” by My Chemical Romance. Although Briggs said singing under the Medusa costume was a challenge, she pointed out that it was nothing compared to what she did last year.
“When I was on the show, I was six months postpartum,” she said. “My most recent memory was performing at Coachella while pregnant,...
Like a river, Bishop Briggs kept a steady flow throughout Season 9 of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” — and her perseverance was rewarded with the championship. Briggs, as Medusa, won this season’s top prize and was finally unmasked on Wednesday night’s finale, along with runner-up David Archuleta, revealed as the Macaw.
Briggs, who performed the most of any contestant this season, sealed her victory with performances of “Elastic Heart,” by Sia, and “Welcome to the Black Parade,” by My Chemical Romance. Although Briggs said singing under the Medusa costume was a challenge, she pointed out that it was nothing compared to what she did last year.
“When I was on the show, I was six months postpartum,” she said. “My most recent memory was performing at Coachella while pregnant,...
- 5/18/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
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