Description: Capturing the samurai warrior spirit in all its glory, Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy is a monumental epic relating the exploits of Musashi Miyamoto, the most famous of all Japanese swordsmen. Similar to American Westerns in story and structure, the Samurai Trilogy has been critically acclaimed for its exciting action/battle sequences and stunning color photography.
Amazon.com: Toshirô Mifune is confidence supreme and humility incarnate as the mature samurai master Musashi Miyamoto in the final film of Inagaki's sprawling trilogy. Now a legendary swordsman whose latest quest is to save an isolated village from rampaging brigands (shades of Seven Samurai), he remains haunted by the memory of Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa). Meanwhile the ruthless and increasingly jealous Kojiro Sasaki (Koji Tsuruta) plots his battle royal with Musashi to prove who is the finest fencer in Japan. Inagaki weaves the web of subplots into a series of grand confrontations, among them the most exciting battles of the trilogy: Musashi's skirmish with the army of cutthroats while the village erupts in a fiery inferno around him, and the sunset duel between Musashi and Kojiro on an isolated beach, the two warriors taking on mythic dimensions silhouetted against the sun setting over the surf. Inagaki's delicate use of color throughout the series becomes most pronounced in this final sequence, where the glow of orange and red adds dramatic flourish to the twilight battle. Inagaki's reserved, restrained style and Mifune's melancholy performance--his granite face and stocky stance the very essence of somber wisdom and sad assurance--bring a gravity and seriousness to the drama that ultimately illuminates the personal cost of Musashi's supreme skill as his story ends on an elegiac but hopeful note. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - samurai trilogy
this movie is very good. i have seen movies of samurai when i was young but this one is great.
Rating: - Don't expect this to be exactly like the book
if you're like me then you've read Musashi "nice jobt man". Well after reading the book you where probably like "now i will buy and watch the movies". Well tlet me tell ya that only the First movie goes along with the books storyline 100 percent. so the first movie rocks and i'm not gonna talk about it so let me got right into movie number 2
before we go on i'm gonna tell you that i will probaly miss spell alot of the characters names
Now i know that all of you want to see the probably to see Musashi beat the hell out of the yoshiakaws students. well that can ... Read More
Rating: - The way of the samurai
This is a harrowing, breathtaking saga of the legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto. It captures some of his trials and tribulations as he embarks on his spiritual quest in the early 17th century. He was an unmatched master with the blade, but a priest tries to teach him wisdom and virtue. To know awe and fear God. To learn chivalry and tone down his brutal nature. To walk the Samurai path.
There is lots of action with some romantic subplots. Initially Musashi seems to love himself and his warrior spirit more than he ever could any woman. The first of this trilogy is my favorite. Although ... Read More
Rating: - Poor video quality detracts from the enjoyment.
Out of the 3 discs, why is this one so poor in transfer quality in comparison to the other 2? I suppose Criterion could not find the original film masters from which to make a proper digital transfer? This one is a poor, low-grade VHS-era transfer slapped onto the DVD. The first 2 episodes were great, I was able to really see the depth in the colours as well as the quality of the cinematography. I was truly disappointed that this 3rd disc came from some poor tv/video transfer and nothing was done to it. May be the original negs were no longer available?
Rating: - Second Rate Soap...but good cinematography
Some movies stand the test of time. Not this one...Samurai Trilogy. The movie may very well be a big deal 40 years ago. Not now.
Moreover, the movie changed the life story of Miyamoto Musashi. For those who are interested, read his book, "A Book of Five Ring." Want to see a true samurai movie? Get "Samurai Rebellion."
- 
- 
- 