Most movies based on historical events always throw in some form of fiction or exagerate to make a movie story flow, entertain, excite, and entertain, that is the american way. Based on a true history saigo became an example of the virtues of the former warriorclass that once ruled japan, and the government pardoned him posthumously in 1889. Casual readers should know right from the start that this book is an academic text with extensive annotations and a large. The only answer is no, unlike shogun by james clavell there is not the remotest similarity in the story line to suggest that the main character existed. Sakae oba was an officer of the imperial japanese army during world war ii. The last samurai is not a novel for everyoneno novel isbut it is a novel for many people. Description of how the movie the last samurai portrays. Its an account of what i have seen and heard by an edo samurai using a pseudonym. One of the aspects of japan that attracts many people is samurai. The last samurai is about the pleasure of ideas, the rich varieties of human thought, the possibilities that life offers us, and, ultimately, the balance between the structures we make of the world and the chaos that it proffers in return. Here are some of the most egregious historical errors in this movie. The films samurai leader katsumoto ken watanabe and his fictionalized rebellion are clearly based on the satsuma rebellion.
Military history magazine recently did an intriguing cover story on the events that inspired the upcoming tom cruise epic the last samurai. Lust, commerce, and corruption is the title of the annotated version. The last samurai movie is an award winning work, but it is also a bastardization of reality. It is based on, or perhaps inspired by historical events. The dramatic arc of saigo takamoris life, from his humble origins as a lowly samurai, to national leadership, to his death as a rebel leader, has captivated generations of japanese readers and now americans as well his life is the inspiration for a major hollywood film, the last samurai, starring tom cruise and ken watanabe. The author puts him in the historical context of a japan that was starting to modernise, but riddled by repeated internal conflict.
His job was to eliminate fellow warriors who supported the shogun. Time the book has been a great source of motivation for me. Tom cruise is nathan algren, a veteran of the american civil war and the campaigns against the american indians, in the course of which he served under general custer. The last samurai 2003 frequently asked questions imdb. Jan 03, 2020 the movie, the last samurai, was based on actual events. Depicting the chasm opening inside the japan of that time between their own traditions samurai, bushido and the western influence soldiers, fire weapons, etc. Meanwhile, the storyline in the film is based on a slightly later period in 1877 once the emperor was restored in japan following the fall of the shogunate. Reviewers have also mentioned the movies inclusion of the topic of suicide. The best books on samurai five books expert recommendations.
In a way i wished that the way of the samurai would win out in the end despite knowing that it hadnt been that way. After meeting his true father, ludo decides to make decisions for himself, developing an. This is a book that was very, very famous in japanese for a long time. January 23, 1828 september 24, 1877 was one of the most influential samurai in japanese history and one of the three great nobles who led the meiji restoration. In the movie, in the beginning he states he has been trying to write a book about.
Jul 28, 2019 in the true story of the last samurai, however, the samurai rebels did actually have some western garb and weaponry thanks to the westerners like brunet who had been paid to train them. Mercenaries are hired to protect a farming village from marauding bandits. Nathan algren tom cruise is an american civil war veteran who carries moral scars of his victory against the native. Jun, 2016 so if the last samurai belongs to a genre of books that perpetuate a seductive fantasy about the nature of intelligence, then its the best example of that genre ive ever seen. His name is shoji yoshihara, brother to yoshihara yoshindo. Also, there was a french soldier who fought along the samurai in an earlier battle. Come see why it is so vile in its contempt of the very. Ravinas the last samurai is an excellent study high on specifics in an academic subject which is often superficial and generalized. Manjiro, a fourteenyearold boy, is curious and eager to learn everything he can about this new culture. According to wikipedia the films plot is based on the 1877 satsuma rebellion led by saigo takamori, and also on the story of jules brunet, a french army captain who fought alongside enomoto takeaki in the earlier boshin war.
In that film, there is a fictional samurai called katsumoto, but he is loosely based on saigo takamori and this book explores saigos life and ideas. Samurai joe has hosted 400 times for leading companies. Focuses mainly on a samurai and ninja show at your banquet. The story of jules brunet, who inspired the character of nathan algren, played by tom cruise in the 2003 movie the last samurai. Amusingly, neither of the people tom cruises last samurai character was based on frederick townsend ward and jules brunet were ever made samurai. Oct 31, 2003 the dramatic arc of saigo takamoris life, from his humble origins as a lowly samurai, to national leadership, to his death as a rebel leader, has captivated generations of japanese readers and now americans as well his life is the inspiration for a major hollywood film, the last samurai, starring tom cruise and ken watanabe. Its crew is forced to swim to a small, unknown island, where they are rescued by a passing american ship.
It had been seventeen months since her agent had indicated she would be able to get an advance based on the first six chapters of the manuscriptwhich, in the. The last samurai blends several rebellions that occurred over many years into one. Aug 27, 2003 military history magazine recently did an intriguing cover story on the events that inspired the upcoming tom cruise epic the last samurai. The last samurai facts 20 amazing facts about the last. The last samurai by helen dewitt 2002, paperback for. There are also true accounts of westerners who became samurais, like jules brunet. For instance, there was a samurai rebellion in the late 1800s. Beppu complied, and afterwards, he and the 40 surviving samurai, raised theirs swords and charged downhill to meet their end. In this vibrant new biography, mark ravina, professor of history. We managed to include the latest new english war movies and the ones coming out this year as well. Samurai is very compassionate and they humbly express that emotion. The film was inspired by an earlier film, also titled the last samurai 1990, although the stories are not related to each other. In the film, watanabes character katsumoto falls and in reality, so did takamori.
Perhaps the most important trait of the samurai, is discipline. The wars are well and truly over, but algren is still haunted by what he has seen, and done, and scrounges out drinking money to sustain his. Mar 31, 2018 saigo takamori of japan is known as the last samurai, who lived from 1828 to 1877 and is remembered to this day as the epitome of bushido, the samurai code. Tom cruise, ken watanabe period of history in focus. Although much of his history has been lost, recent scholars have discovered clues to the true nature of this illustrious warrior and diplomat. When i first saw the comercials for the movie i laughed saying ha, tom cruise, a white guy as the last samurai. Established 2010, elite soundtracks grew into one of the most dedicated uk based movie soundtrack dealers. Hollywood snapped up the rights to caleb carrs the devil soldier almost as soon as the book. Sure, the supplements arent as informative and extensive as in the lord of the rings 4disc sets or even the black hawk down deluxe edition, but this is a wellrounded package that presents the film in its best possible light. Nathan algren tom cruise is an american civil war veteran who carries moral scars of his victory against the native indians. Analysis of the last samurai film based on postmodern theory. Saigo was born in 1832, long after the last real samurai wars, a time when samurai were landowners rather than warriors. Saigo takamori, the real last samurai with a fascinating.
The last samurai is a 2003 american period action drama film directed and coproduced by edward zwick, who also cowrote the screenplay with john logan and marshall herskovitz. The movie the last samurai, featuring tom cruise and ken watanabe, which portrayed fictional events inspired in the meiji restoration, and the satsuma rebellion, took saigos last stand as the main inspiration. From the opening voiceover and title to the final scene, the last samurai is an historical disaster. Its a beautiful story of courage, truth and justice in a world of greed and corruption. Jules brunet and the true story behind the last samurai. It blurs the line between biological kinship and intellectual mentorship in a way that feels. It was sold in more than a dozen countries, with 100,000 copies sold in english. Inspired by the plot of the seven samurai, the elevenyearold tests various men for paternal suitability after learning the identity of, and being thoroughly disappointed by, his biological father. Aug 14, 2015 braveheart is a horribly inaccurate movie, and i hope no one thinks that this one is representative of any kind of truth. Katsumoto is based on real life samurai saigo takamori.
The film was inspired by an earlier film, also titled the last samurai 1990. Ward became executive producer on the film working in development on it for nearly four years and after approaching several directors francis ford coppola, peter weir, until he became interested with edward zwick. Sep 20, 2000 the last samurai is a book where youre never quite sure where youre going next and at what speed, you just realise its going to be unconventional. Saigo was born in 1832, long after the last real samurai wars, a time when samurai were. Is the film the last samurai based a book or novel. The last samurai 2000 is the first novel by american writer helen dewitt. To make sure you remain connected to the short snappy pointed tone of the main characters the writing adopts a similar style. The last samurai is a war and drama film, based on a true story depicting honour and courage. Venue is at the ninja dojo or a selected venue in downtown kyoto duration.
How true to history is tom cruises the last samurai. Jules brunet was sent to japan to train the countrys soldiers in western tactics. The story of french officer jules brunet, who inspired the character of nathan algren, played by tom cruise in the hollywood blockbuster the last samurai. The swordsmith in the village is a real swordsmith. The fictional leader katsumoto was based on the influential and honorable saigo takamori, leader of the final rebellion. The last samurai is a 2003 drama filmwar film directed and coproduced by edward zwick, who also cowrote the screenplay based on a story by john logan. Is the movie the last samurai based on a true story. The last samurai is a 2003 american film directed by edward zwick. The last samurai is a 2011 japanese world war ii pacific war drama film directed by hideyuki hirayama and based on the true story of captain sakae oba, who together with his survivors held out on the island of saipan for 512 days.
Living during the late edo and early meiji periods, he has been dubbed the last true samurai. The plot of director akira kurosawas 1954 classic, seven samurai, can be summed up in one sentence. Lets move to the last of your books, which is also written by a samurai. And let me tell you another thing i love about the last samurai. Tom cruise stars as nathan algren, a veteran of the american civil war and the campaigns against the american indians, in the course of which he served under general custer. The blending of events persists until the last battle of the film, which is a direct correlation to the final battle of the satsuma rebellion.
In the late nineties, helen dewitt, a thenunpublished writer with a ph. Is the movie the last samurai based on a true story answers. No hollywood historical epic is accurate, although almost all are based on a well known story or a particularly important period. The wars are well and truly over, but algren is still haunted by what he has seen, and done, and scrounges out drinking money to sustain his chronic. The book has been a great source of motivation for me. In true history the satsuma rebellion was finished as the remaining samurai, hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, decided to charge at the imperial army and were cut down and killed to the last man. The movie the last samurai tells the story of american civil war veteran nathan algren, played by tom cruise, who meets japanese traditionalist katsumoto, but the real last samurai who stood against the emperors quest for modernisation was takamori saigo. However, the writers based it on certain unconnected historical figures or events. Tom cruise was almost beheaded by a samurai sword while filming the last samurai.
The last samurai is an original work of brilliance about, in part, the limits of brilliance. Below is an excerpt from an article that appeared at all thats interesting. I didnt see the film, but i was pretty sure that it was at least loosely based on a book. My father says that this is ridiculous, as ludo is a fictional character. The last samurai is a 2003 american period action drama film directed and co produced by. Tom cruise plays an american who is captured by the japanese and eventually becomes part of their. During the tokugawa era in japan, the country was ruled by the shogun, or highest military official, in the name of the emperor. Set in 1876, the last samurai is about american mercenary. The wars are well and truly over, but algren is still haunted by what he has seen, and done, and scrounges out drinking money to sustain his chronic alcoholism by endorsing rifles. Ludo frequently revisits the image of a real samurai, often alluding to particular scenes from the japanese movie, seven samurai. Its not a book about generals, tactics, and weapons, but a look at an idealistic and passionate man who also happened to be a samurai. Dewitts the last samurai cultivates ambition in its readers. The film is based on an original screenplay entitled the last samurai, from a story by john logan. Under him were a number of regional lords, the daimyo, each of whom employed a contingent of samurai warriors.
Saigo takamori, the actual samurai who led the satsuma rebellion, on whom katsumoto is based, was a military modernist who was almost exclusively portrayed wearing a westernstyle military uniform, and whos army was equipped with enfield rifled muskets as well as artillery. Though the list is a little short, these are the best ones that we have personally watched and loved. The last samurai is a solid example of how films should be treated on dvd, both old and new. The film stars tom cruise, who also coproduced, with timothy spall, ken watanabe, billy connolly, tony goldwyn, hiroyuki sanada, koyuki, and shin koyamada in supporting. Specifically by the intrusion of western culture and peoples into japan in the 19th century. Himura kenshin, meiji samurai is based on reallife assassin kawakami gensai. Will the last samurai find peace in his quest for redemption. But everything changed in 1853 when american naval commander matthew perry appeared in tokyos harbor with a fleet of modern ships. That said, near the end of the rebellion, the rebels did make a final. It is however based on the bakamatsu period when the tokugawa finally lost its hold on japan and the meiji period began. After the movie the last samurai, i became intrigued by the true life and history of these people.
The project itself was inspired by writer and director vincent ward. Katsumoto, a character in the last samurai, was based on a real historical figure. Japans borders remain closed to all western nations, so the crew sets off to america, learning english on the way. The last samurai is a book where youre never quite sure where youre going next and at what speed, you just realise its going to be unconventional. Noble japanese warriors wielding deadly weapons with codes of honor is a cool concept for many people. May 31, 2016 the last samurai is not a novel for everyoneno novel isbut it is a novel for many people. The tale of the 47 ronin is one of the most famous in japanese history, and it is a true story. Sep 28, 2010 the story of jules brunet, who inspired the character of nathan algren, played by tom cruise in the 2003 movie the last samurai. I must outdo ludo, because he is younger than i am but smarter than i am. Set in 1876, the last samurai is about american mercenary nathan algren cruise who goes to japan to help train and modernize the imperial army. Cruise had been involved in a project by john woo based on historian caleb carrs novel the devil soldier which was specifically about ward, however the project was abandoned in 1993. On september 25, 1877, on a rainsoaked, muddy field in kagoshima, japan, a small group of proud samurai warrior rebels prepared for one last stand. Was the movie the last samurai based on a true story. The title of the movie is the last samurai but the japanese ideograph which.
Although the blockbuster movie starring ken watanabe and tom cruise, the last samurai, was based on the true japanese figure, saigo takamori, the truth does not always live up to the visions of our minds. For the unrelated novel, see the last samurai novel. The last samurai is very loosely based on true events involving the end of the samurai, troy is based on a book detailing a fictionalised account of troys fall, troy was a real place that existed. Nick riganas set in japan during the 1870s, this movie tells the story of captain nathan algren tom cruise, a respected american military officer hired by the emperor of japan to train the countrys first army in the art of modern warfare. There is also a lecture on history, philosophy, and the way of samurai and ninja. The wars are well and truly over, but algren is still haunted by what he has seen, and done, and. The reallife counterpart to katsumoto played by ken watanabe is takamori saigo, who led a samurai rebellion in 1877. Some of the little details such as the outlaw of swords for the samurai class and outlaw of top knots were true to the period. Billy writes in, his interest piqued by the big screen version of the last samurai, looking for books about japans wandering warriors. It was based on a story by john logan, who later wrote the screenplay for the movie. In the true story of the last samurai, watanabe s character who resembles takamori leads a great and final samurai rebellion called the final battle of shiroyama.
Jan 21, 2018 these are some of the best hollywood war movies based on true stories. The last samurai by helen dewitt 2002, paperback for sale. The practice of seppuku was a rite practiced only by the elite samurai class of japan. You asked if the movie the last samurai is based on a book. Jun 10, 2016 the last samurai is fragmented and episodic, yes. It is important to remember the story takes place in the 1870s when the samurai class of japan still existed. Actually, it is based on a true story just not a true story in japan.