This film creeps up on you- upon seeing it at the cinema I said "that could have been one of the best films I've ever seen". Though I left it a few years before seeing again- now I think it's a classic and one of my fave films. Not that Jarmusch has ever made a terrible film ('Night on Earth' & 'The Year of the Horse' were a bit so-so)- but this could be better than 'Stranger Than Paradise', 'Down By Law', 'Mystery Tarin' & 'Dead Man' (all classics).
The film does have slow moments- the ADD-afflicted nature of audiences these days may be the reason people found this 'boring'...The film's that this closest resembles are 'Leon' (though that was slightly OTT), Boorman's 'Point Blank' (the unstoppable hitman out for revenge)and Kitano's 'Sonatine' (the hitman waiting for that inevitable death). There are also aspects close to Schrader's 'Mishima' (the Samurai code), Kurosawa's 'Stray Dog' (and a nod to the source book of 'Rashomon'), the boat on a roof is not unlike the ship in a tree in Herzog's 'Aguire,Wrath of God'- though the major influence (referenced in the end credits) is Jean-Pierre Melville's 'Le Samourai'. I also think the influence of early Godard is present (A Bout de Souffle, Pierret Le Fou, Bande a Part and Alphaville)- especially in the deconstruction of convention or the end shoot out like a Western...Nice cameo from Gary Farmer, reprising his Native-American role from 'Dead Man', complete with his killer line @stupid f***ing white man"- though the theme of death and transcendence is also continued from Jarmusch's great Western. The RZA's score is excellent, as effective as Neil Young's in 'Dead Man'- and along with the Wu-Tang work on 'Black & White' their most satisfying material this side of ODB's 'Nigga Please!'. The original of 'Armigideon Time' is wonderful to hear...
The camerawork by Robby Muller (24 Hour Party People,Until the End of the World) is great- the exposed film that leaves traces on-screen, the tunnel scene extending on the city imagery of 'Blade Runner' or the constant dissolves and cuts that show the same shot as if it were many (this seems to stem from the walk Travis Bickle does near the start of 'Taxi Driver', where he's just got off work and takes a drink from a brown paper bag).
*SPOILERS* There is much humour- the best friend French ice cream salesman (Roger from ER) gives us the best subtitle gags since 'Annie Hall', while the shooting of Louie in the same arm is great. Ditto the Public Enemy loving Mafioso or the old man mugged while shopping. Plus the scenes between the little girl and the ice cream salesman and Ghost Dog are very touching.
'Ghost Dog-The Way of the Samurai' is a great film- not a dumb movie but a film; perhaps people who like films are becoming an arachaic tardition and everything is changing to suit the idiotic ('Attack of the Clones' or the existence of 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' or 'Coyote Ugly' prove this). This is one for film lovers- 10/10.
The film does have slow moments- the ADD-afflicted nature of audiences these days may be the reason people found this 'boring'...The film's that this closest resembles are 'Leon' (though that was slightly OTT), Boorman's 'Point Blank' (the unstoppable hitman out for revenge)and Kitano's 'Sonatine' (the hitman waiting for that inevitable death). There are also aspects close to Schrader's 'Mishima' (the Samurai code), Kurosawa's 'Stray Dog' (and a nod to the source book of 'Rashomon'), the boat on a roof is not unlike the ship in a tree in Herzog's 'Aguire,Wrath of God'- though the major influence (referenced in the end credits) is Jean-Pierre Melville's 'Le Samourai'. I also think the influence of early Godard is present (A Bout de Souffle, Pierret Le Fou, Bande a Part and Alphaville)- especially in the deconstruction of convention or the end shoot out like a Western...Nice cameo from Gary Farmer, reprising his Native-American role from 'Dead Man', complete with his killer line @stupid f***ing white man"- though the theme of death and transcendence is also continued from Jarmusch's great Western. The RZA's score is excellent, as effective as Neil Young's in 'Dead Man'- and along with the Wu-Tang work on 'Black & White' their most satisfying material this side of ODB's 'Nigga Please!'. The original of 'Armigideon Time' is wonderful to hear...
The camerawork by Robby Muller (24 Hour Party People,Until the End of the World) is great- the exposed film that leaves traces on-screen, the tunnel scene extending on the city imagery of 'Blade Runner' or the constant dissolves and cuts that show the same shot as if it were many (this seems to stem from the walk Travis Bickle does near the start of 'Taxi Driver', where he's just got off work and takes a drink from a brown paper bag).
*SPOILERS* There is much humour- the best friend French ice cream salesman (Roger from ER) gives us the best subtitle gags since 'Annie Hall', while the shooting of Louie in the same arm is great. Ditto the Public Enemy loving Mafioso or the old man mugged while shopping. Plus the scenes between the little girl and the ice cream salesman and Ghost Dog are very touching.
'Ghost Dog-The Way of the Samurai' is a great film- not a dumb movie but a film; perhaps people who like films are becoming an arachaic tardition and everything is changing to suit the idiotic ('Attack of the Clones' or the existence of 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' or 'Coyote Ugly' prove this). This is one for film lovers- 10/10.