Film: Ghost Dog - Way Of The Samurai

[tambourine-man]

What..!!! No thread for Ghost Dog...????

Fat-arse Forest Whittaker might not strike you as the perfect candidate to play a modern-day samurai, but his characteristic warmth and character make up for his obvious deficit in martial arts proficiency.

Whittaker plays an assassin with something of a difference. Having been rescued at an earlier age by a mafia wiseguy, Ghost Dog dedicates his life to living by the warrior code - learning it's philosphies and techniques - and, in turn, dedicates his life to that of his mafia saviour and newfound master... just as the ancient Japanese doctrine demands.

His simple way of life is altered by a series of events that he cannot have forseen. On discovery of these acts, Ghost Dog seeks vengeance - a retribution only tempered by the influence of two women who periodically enter his life.

In this way, the film has shades of Leon: a socially-ostracised hitman, living in near-squalour, adherence to a set of 'principles' and a code of honour that serve him in both ethical practice and in clinical efficiency, an obscure professional relationship with his clients, and the effect of meeting a young woman who enters briefly into his life.

But that's where the similarity ends. It's nowhere near as stylised as Leon is, instead being set in the grimy suburbs and ghettos of what is presumed to be Los Angeles. Thumping soundtrack as well.

Opinions please...

 

[dapurpman]

cool flick even cooler soundtrack by RZA

 

[skywise]

I love both the movie and the soundtrack. Jim Jarmusch is one of my favorite screen-writer/directors.

I think the movie is very stylized though. Ghost Dog waves his gun like a samarai sword before putting it in his holster for cryin' out loud.

 

[basix]

I saw this a long long time ago and remember thinking it was the worst movie I'd ever seen. I think I'll watch it again to see if my opinions changed because I don't remember much of the details of it.

 

[L2R]

Nice selection TM. I thoroughly enjoy this film. Jarmusch quirkiness with an interesting plot, unlike his horrifically boring broken flowers.

 

[tambourine-man]

I think the movie is very stylized though. Ghost Dog waves his gun like a samarai sword before putting it in his holster for cryin' out loud.

LOL! :D

Yeah, I suppose I was talking more about the cinematography, the use of colours etc, that's Luc Besson trademark. I guess I was making the suggestion that in comparison, Ghost Dog looks remarkably bare. But yeah, that gun hostering is funny as fuck.

Does anyone know what the relevence of the cartoons is? Cartoon violence? I noticed that the cartoon clips reflected what was going on in the film, becoming progressively more obvious as the film went on.

 

[Seiky]

My favourite Jarmusch film. Wait, maybe dead man.. I dunno, they're both great and idealise certain ethos that I feel I can relate to.

 

[TheLoveBandit]

Well, I'd been wanting to see this for a bit, finally did. I would have picked up on it myself, but the comments here about the sword-like-gun-waving really irked me as silly. It was weird for me watching this as I respect FW quite a bit, and I recognize this movie came out after some other quality work of his, and this just felt like he had either signed on as a pet interest of his or he was roped into a contract before he knew what he was signing up for. I think he did a pretty good job with his role, but the film overall was like a B movie with a bit too much quirkiness to realize it was a B move with a good actor pulling it above straight-to-video status, IMO.

spoiler:

NSFW:

Not sure if this is spoiler material or not, but here goes -

I did, in fact, like the 'Best Friend' who stays on the same level of understanding without a word being understood between them, I assume that was some reference to people being pure of mind, heart, and understanding of things leading them to be in tune with one another beyond simple language? I dunno - I liked that part, but it felt like an undeveloped aspect of the flick.

I can see the girl as setting the foundation for a sequel later, ala Leon, but it still felt pretty weak, IMO. The 'Best Friend' had already established FW's humanity and continued connection to others, that he isn't an ice cold killer devoid of emotion. So was the little girl necessary beyond setting up a sequel?

The mafia....puhleazee..... THAT was probably the major reason I felt like this was such a B movie. They were just too stereotypical - and not just of mafia, but of B movie mafia. Even FW's handler was too goofy to pretend I believed in his character in the film I'll admit, however, I was particularly screwed up by his role because I have a very good friend who looks A LOT like that actor, and I had trouble reconciling this similarity in my head, as it felt like my friend was playing the role.....and he would play it about that badly. So I couldn't tell how much of it was my projection of my friend doing it badly, or that actor just being bad. Either way, it was bad.

Soundtrack? Really pretty good. Given the time the flick was made, and the scenes where it was applied, it worked well with the film. I'm not sure I would listen to it anywhere else, or at any other time, but it did help the film out.

I will stop with a nod to some of the imagery given, what with the birds in flight and FW's affection for them. The dog, however, just didn't quite click. So, FW is 'Ghost Dog' and he runs into this 'dog' twice....in the whole movie...twice? And he has no real connection to the dog? Wtf is the point? I did like the second time he crossed paths with the dog, and the silhouette on the wall....that felt like the director actually had something in mind and tried to communicate it, but then botched it on delivery.

Meh...wouldn't watch it again. Can't say I'd really recommend it either.

 

[tambourine-man]

Get out of my four-year old thread, Captain Buzzkill.

 

[TheLoveBandit]

Sorry, I wait for movies to get off the 'new release' area before considering renting them....

 

[theotherside]

oh yeah I loved loved loved this film back in the day. The sountrack was awesome(back when Wu-tang was stil cool). I can't believe that this is the same actor as the last king of scottland. What a versatile actor!

 

[thujone]

i think jim jarmusch makes movies that exist only in a universe of his own design, dotted with so many strange undertones that there are many layers of different overall meanings you can walk away from it with. i havent seen the film in a while now so i won't get into where i felt existentialism intersects with the samurai motif but, like limits of control, it's one of those films where you really have to pay attention to the way in which the protagonist deals with life and those he meets in order to just get an idea of what he [jarmusch] is trying to say about society.

 

[TheDeceased]

One of Jarmusch's finest IMO. I'm not usually a big fan. He gets a bit repetitive. His most recent film 'The Limits of Control' seemed like a less successful rehashing of some similar ideas. But then most of his films are like that. Sometimes it gets a bit much. Too much self referencing, too many in jokes. But Ghost Dog is great.

 

[rant*N*rave]

I had never heard of this movie, and I just saw it at a friend's house the other day. I will say that it was "interesting" with all of the connotations that come therewith, both positive and negative. I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone except Jarmusch fans - it was just too deliberately symbolic and weird.

 

[debaser]

I just saw an episode of The Shield in which Forest Whitaker makes a few samurai moves. That's a cool little tribute to this film I have yet to discover.