Rating: 
Summary: A good film, but...
Review: I can think of about forty or fifty Japanese films that are worthier of the "criterion" treatment than Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy. Ever since Edwin O. Reischauer described the novel as the Japanese equivalent of 'Gone With the Wind,' uninitiated Western audiences have rushed to see what all the fuss was about. The film is at times psychologically imaginative, and there are occasional cinematic flourishes. But compared with contemporary work by Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu, Naruse, et al, it is quite conventional stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent viewing.
Review: I enjoy Japanese films, and Toshiro Mifune is one of my favorite actors. Samurai I Musashi Miyamoto, the first of a trilogy by Inagaki, is an excellent example of the genre, justly winning an Academy Award for best foreign film in 1955. In color, which many of the other Japanese films in my collection are not, the cinematography is lovely. Although lacking some of the artistic panache of Kurosawa's or Kobayashi's work, Inogaki's film is not the less visually satisfying for it. Whereas both Kurosawa and Kobayashi's films seem at times too constrained with respect to set, color and special effects which at times distracts from the main theme of their story, Inagaki's Samurai I relies on the natural charms of the Japanese countryside and its national architectural style. Some of the settings are exquisite, and the buildings have an almost Frank Lloyd Wright fitness, complimenting their environment without being intrusive.The story has a dramatist's sense of character development. The growth of the central character Takezo, for instance, from a selfish unruly youth, shunned even by members of his own family, to samurai "intern" is thoroughly credible. Like the anti-hero in The Red Badge of Courage, he learns that war is anything but high drama, the mere stage upon which a young man may play out his role, earning glory and wealth in the process, and is, instead, everything about hard choices, survival, and, at times, lost causes. The real hero of the work, in my opinion, is the priest Takuan, whose own story might make a good film. It certainly made me curious. He cunningly captures the renegade wild man Takezo, depending upon a rational rather than a brute force approach. Thereafter he puts the young man first through a rough period meant to break him--much like the wild horse that Takuan himself tried to break earlier in the film--and then imprisons him with a library of books and plenty of undisturbed time in which to read them. (My one criticism would be that I find it difficult to believe that so many common people were literate at this time in Japanese history, although I admit to little knowledge of it.) The hero's friend, Matahachi, makes a perfect foil for Takezo. He has responsibilities, a place in society, and much to live for, yet throws it away to join in the dangerous pursuit of fame and glory. When confronted with temptations, he gives in, and although he chastises himself for his weakness, he doesn't learn from his mistakes. Near the end of the film he bitterly blames his wife for his disappointments, unable even as an adult to take responsibility for his own poor decisions. The film has several strong female characters. The young orphan Otsu, the heroine, is loyalty itself. When she realizes she has put the young Takezo in a very bad position by assisting in his capture and that she is herself a prisoner of her circumstances, she frees him and flees with him to the wilderness. Her own loss should he abandon her would have been immeasurable, helpless as she is without family to rely upon, yet she evinces a belief in his goodness that helps shape the new man will become. The two woman living on the battle field are powerful survivors. They do what they must to create a life for themselves, and although they later fall into a life of self indulgence, their gender and their lack of connections within traditional society leaves them few choices. They are the people that circumstances have made them, while Matahachi, who is again a perfect foil with his youth, his gender, his family ties, and his prospects, becomes the person he is by poor choices and an inability to accept responsibility for them. This is a thoroughly satisfying film, and I expect to purchase the others in the collection as I can afford to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Read the Book! Better experience.
Review: I have read Musashi by Eijo Yoshikawa, and I can safely say it is my second favorite novel behind "Old Path White Clouds". I decided to buy all three Samurai DVDs to see how they compared with the book. While the films generally capture the essence of the story, they are far too condensed to do the book justice. Where is Jotaro? Jotaro was one of the most entertaining characters in the book, and he is barely visible in the movie. Also, this is a small gripe...but could they have picked a worse actor to play Sasaki Kojiro?
Rating:
Summary: The equal of the Kurosawa films
Review: I hesitate to give very many films 5 stars, hence only 4 here, but I definitely feel that this trilogy is the equal of the fine Kurosawa Samurai films mentioned in other reviews. in fact I think they are superior to the somewhat overrated "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro". I think that the packaging of these 3 films separately is misleading, it really is a trilogy, even more so than the Star Wars trilogy - there is little point to just seeing one. The greater time and space of a triple-length feature allows the filmmaker to give greater depth of characterization, and it is used well in these films. Some of the cinematography alone makes these films well worth seeing. Admittedly, the expense of 3 unseen films is significant, so consider renting them - and then return here to add them to your collection.
Rating: 
Summary: The Book is way better
Review: I just now watched the Samurai Trilogy. This series barely even touches the book's story. It's basically covers SOME of the highlights in the book. The action is weak and Kojiro is a girly-man in this film. Plus, the film twisted some of the events around. Otsu's crying throughout the entire series almost made me commit ritual suicide. Brace up and remember this is a 1950's film. The movie's didn't move me at. It was almost boring. God bless netflix rentals, because this would've have been a disappointing buy.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie
Review: I was engrossed in this movie. It is a terrific study of Toshiro Mifune's character, Takezo, as it is developed through the characters surrounding him. Everything is very well integrated in this moving story. I can't wait to see the next two in the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: There it is
Review: I'll admit I was sceptical when I first saw this movie; I was a great fan of Yoshikawa's novel, and although I loved Inagaki's Chushingura, I feared he might not be as successful with the story of Musashi. I can say honestly I was wrong. While not as informed by Western film technique as Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (nearly contemporaneous), it is a fine movie, breaking out of the mold of Japanese cinema (which can be very staid). Of course, the great strength (as with many of Kurosawa's films) is the awesome performance by Mifune, who really came across well as Musashi. There are no poor performances in this wonderful film, which manages at a mere 93 minutes to avoid feeling too short, while packing in a great deal of action and character development. A beautiful compression of the beginning of Yoshikawa's novel, and a prize addition to any library.
Rating:
Summary: A must see for anyone with a passion for the Samurai warrior
Review: I've always had a passion for the Orient. I've been stationed over here in Japan now for the past 4 years where I study Asian Culture and especially the History of the Ancient Samurai times. So I checked out the movie,"Musashi" and I tell you it was brilliantly directed. A must see for anyone with a passion for the Samurai warrior!
Rating:
Summary: Close enough to the book
Review: If you buy this, you should get the other 2 parts -you have to. The video is a very close adaptation of Eiji Yoshikawa's 5 book series on Musashi NOT Mushashi's Book of 5 Rings. You may even want to read both.I certainly enjoyed Toshiro Mifune's acting just as in all his other samurai movies (check out Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro as well, they are all good stuff).
Rating: 
Summary: a half review
Review: in the history of filmmaking, i guess it was important. but i actually found it kind of droll
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