More Mifune Birthday Goodness

[gurdymonkey]

Still from Mifune's first film role in Snow Trail (1947).

Clowning for the kids as Kikuchiyo in Seven Samurai (1954).

Macbeth, Japanese style, Throne of Blood (1957), with Isuzu Yamada, helping screw courage to its sticking place

Death scene from Samurai Saga, a little known adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac! Yoko Tsukasa is his Roxanne.

The 8 minute spear duel from Hidden Fortress:
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/asian-studies/projects/kurosawa/films/Hidden.html

Comments

Subtle inside joke

[bedouinchick.livejournal.com]

I caught a Japanese film last summer on one of the foreign film cable stations and it was the story of the Japanese sugar cane laborers at the turn of the 20th century. Toshiro Mifune had this teeny bit part as a theater hawker who takes some live performers out to the fields on the back of a cart to drum up interest in the upcoming show. In one scene, the cart stops and there is a brief conversation between the hawker and some of the laborers while two boys, excited about the prospect of watching a samurai movie, begin to engage in some swordplay using sticks. As the cart begins to move away, Toshiro Mifune says to the boys something along the lines of "OK, Akira and Toshiro, time to break it up now."

Lucky for me, I have Tivo cuz I replayed that scene a half dozen times just laughing my guts out.

Re: Subtle inside joke

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

That sounds like "Picture Bride" which I've only seen part of. I may have to look for it and catch the whole thing now.

Re: Subtle inside joke

[bedouinchick.livejournal.com]

I think you are right -- I could not for the life of me recall the name of the movie. I just happened to catch it on a fluke while I was home last summer recuperating. Glad I did!!!