To make you better enjoy the Ghost of Tsushima experience
With the now imminent release of Ghost of Tsushima di sucker Punch, here is a list of the five films dedicated to the samurai which we highly recommend you watch before playing the PS4 exclusive wait.
Set in the 13th century in Japan, you will take on the role of Jin, a samurai torn between his honor and deviated from the samurai tradition. Like the other Sucker Punch titles, Ghost of Tsushima is an open world experience where we can roam the island of Tsushima.
However, Ghost of Tsushima also features a lot of inspiration from classic samurai movies to support a feature that allows you to play entirely in black and white for a more cinematic feel.
The seven samurai
There can't be a list of samurai movies without mentioning director Akira Kurosawa. He is one of the most influential directors in history, having directed over thirty films. Among these is "The Seven Samurai" of 1954, which follows a samurai who accepts the request for protection of a village now exhausted by the looting of brigands. To ensure that the peasants can defend themselves better, he will be helped by six other samurai. Running 207 minutes (original version) 130 minutes, the film is an epic journey to say the least. It features iconic battle scenes and best represents how violence can affect an entire community. It is such a milestone in cinema that it influenced directors and action films in the following decades, and is by far one of the most iconic and important samurai films ever made.
Hara-kiri
Next is 1962's Harakiri, directed by Masaki Kobayashi. The film follows a samurai requesting a harakiri, which is the Japanese term for a ritual suicide by gutting. After discovering that another samurai has committed harakiri in the same palace as the feudal lord, we learn how the stories of both samurai are intertwined with each other. Harakiri features fantastic fight scenes and also questions Japanese values such as honor and tradition. Some may find the pace of the film slow, but it helps create a complex and interesting atmosphere.
Three outlaw samurai
The 1964 film "Three Outlaw Samurai" was the directorial debut of Hideo Gosha. A director who deserved much more thanks to his masterful shots that exude emotion. The film follows a group of three samurai: Shiba (Tanba Tetsuro), Kikyo Einosuke (Hira Mikijiro) and Sakura (Nagato Isamu). Ronin characterized by an enormous sense of honor and their own morals, ready to betray their master, when he turns out to be in the wrong. This will lead them to fight alongside three farmers who kidnap the daughter of a magistrate to claim their rights. Like the other samurai movies on this list, the black and white image and cinematography are also great to watch. Plus, it deals with traditional samurai themes like loyalty and honor, all with amazing fight scenes. While the plot is at times simplistic, Gosha manages to deliver it masterfully, delivering a memorable samurai movie that everyone should watch.
13 Assassins
Of the five films listed, 13 Assassins of 2010 is the most recent. This version is a remake of the 1963 film of the same name directed by Eiichi Kudo. A group of 13 "unemployed" samurai follows as they are gathered to take down an evil lord. The film features a sinister villain who does unspeakable things, from killing children to torturing people. The fight scenes are incredible and the tension builds as the group searches for the evil lord.
The cursed sword
For the last samurai movie on the list, let's talk about 1966's The Sword of Doom, directed by Kihachi Okamoto. The film follows a samurai who has no moral code, kills without second thoughts and begins to be overwhelmed by madness. The film offers a unique perspective as the protagonist is a samurai who is seen as the villain and loves to cause chaos. Also, we see the views of the groups who want to kill the rogue samurai. Like the other samurai movies on the list, the action scenes are a sight to behold even if they are quite gory at times. Overall, The Cursed Sword is one of the many great samurai films that deserve to be watched carefully and makes for a great introduction to what Japanese cinema has to offer.
The last samurai (Bonus movie)
It is a 2003 drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick. Tom Cruise plays a United States Captain of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, whose personal and emotional conflicts put him in contact with samurai warriors in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in 1877th-century Japan. The film's plot was inspired by the XNUMX Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigō Takamori and the Westernization of Japan by foreign powers, although in the film the United States is represented as the main force behind the push for Westernization. He is also influenced by the stories of Jules Brunet, a French army captain who fought alongside Enomoto Takeaki in the First Boshin War and, to a lesser extent, Frederick Townsend Ward, an American mercenary who helped westernize the army. Chinese forming the ever victorious Army.
The Last Samurai grossed a total of $ 456 million at the box office and was well received by critics and audiences alike, receiving praise for its acting, writing, directing, soundtrack, visuals, costumes and messages. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including four Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and two National Board of Review Awards.
What other samurai movies would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.
We remind you that Ghost of Tsushima will be available on 17 July, exclusively on PlayStation 4. If you want to take a deeper look at the gameplay, we invite you to watch the PlayStation State of Play dedicated to the game.
