Rating: 
Summary: Gorgeous, but.....
Review: Exactly who is this Colonel Covington?As a decade-long resident of Colorado and reenactor, I can't believe such a beautiful book as this would seemingly slip as to give a name to a person who never existed.
I am familiar with Col. John M. Chivington, the Butcher of Sand Creek, and his bloody troop. It is hard to NOT know of this fiend who used his faith to justify outright slaughter. Wars need to be fought among soldiers, not towards innocents. Ah, but I digress. I would have much wished that the folks at Time Inc. had caught this typo before these books were sent to press. It would have made all the difference to preserve the integrity of this book.
At least from a historical perspective. My view is petty in light of this book's appeal. Forgive my mentioning the point but it is the only thing that marred my looking through it and savoring its images and glimpse into the film.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Companion Guide to the Movie
Review: I believe this film was highly underated and didnt get the recoqnition it deserved. The book was magnificent. Great color pictures and photo shots from the movie. Great behind the scenes look at the making of the movie and the history of the Samurai class in feudal Japan. Buy the book if you liked the Movie...I sure did.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Coffee Table Book
Review: The book not a technically accurate in some instances, but a good introduction to a culture and civilization which is often unnecessarily portrayed as inscrutible. Some military misconceptions: bushido is portrayed as a tangible code of rules instead of an ambiguous warrior ethic. They say that the Way of archery (kyudo) was Japan's first martial art and that it existed before the Way of the spear (yarido), which in turn existed before the Way of the sword (kendo), but the Way refers to peaceful applications of deadly arts, which are more accurately (though not universally) referred to as kyujutsu, yarijutsu, and kenjutsu. In another instance, it says, "ashigaru," which means foot soldier, practiced the specialty of "The Way of the Bow and the Horse." There are excerpts from the screenplay, but they are far from complete and are used basically as side bars to David James's photographs which are stunning. Something that could have truly added to the book is a listing of credits. On the positive side, the book does a good job of explaining Algren's flashbacks to the Sand Creek massacre, the production of costumes, set, weapons and armor. And of particular note is the training of horses for the film. Beautiful pictures and insights into the movie, but almost as much, and in some instances, more can be found at its website - www.lastsamurai.com. Don't use this as a reference book. It was designed as a coffee table companion to a movie which Zwick, the director, himself describes as "literary fancy." Almost forgot! Go see the movie. Nick Jamilla, author of Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting.
Rating:
Summary: Putting things in perspective
Review: The movie The Last Samurai as a history is problematic. the movie places a white man -- in this case, an american -- at the center of a rather significant period in Japanese history -- the Meiji era. In reality, the americans did not figure that signficantly -- at that time -- in altering Japanese history and there was no "Dances with Wolves" type scenario and the Emperor never received audiences as per the movie. This illustrated "making of" is valuable in that it situates the historical "realities" as per the movie and sets things in perspective. In particular, the section on Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma Rebellion (34-5) and codification of the Bushido (60-61) show a more concrete Japan sans the exotic. What both the movie and the book fail to explore is the Iwakura Mission of 1871 where Prince Iwakura Tomomi sets out to learn from the best of the best all over the world in an effort to stave of being the meal rather than the guest to the colonial banquet. As a commentary to the movie it is excellent. A great coffee table book and a step in the right direction. Miguel Llora
Rating:
Summary: Putting things in perspective
Review: The movie The Last Samurai as a history is problematic. the movie places a white man -- in this case, an american -- at the center of a rather significant period in Japanese history -- the Meiji era. In reality, the americans did not figure that signficantly -- at that time -- in altering Japanese history and there was no "Dances with Wolves" type scenario and the Emperor never received audiences as per the movie. This illustrated "making of" is valuable in that it situates the historical "realities" as per the movie and sets things in perspective. In particular, the section on Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma Rebellion (34-5) and codification of the Bushido (60-61) show a more concrete Japan sans the exotic. What both the movie and the book fail to explore is the Iwakura Mission of 1871 where Prince Iwakura Tomomi sets out to learn from the best of the best all over the world in an effort to stave of being the meal rather than the guest to the colonial banquet. As a commentary to the movie it is excellent. A great coffee table book and a step in the right direction. Miguel Llora
Rating:
Summary: Movie of the Year
Review: There is always a critic about certain movies,but this movie is to much of a masterpiece to be bad mouthing about. I seen this movie twice and to tell you the truth I was amazed again. The picture is this movie is beautiful. Also the way of the Samurai and the japanese culture in addition will leave you in awh. You will walk out of the theater a nem person and you will eventually learn from this movie as I did. All the actors in this movie were faboulus,they all did great. MUST SEE MOVIE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND YEARS TO COME. I CANT WAIT TO IT COMES OUT ON DVD...
Rating:
Summary: Movie of the Year
Review: There is always a critic about certain movies,but this movie is to much of a masterpiece to be bad mouthing about. I seen this movie twice and to tell you the truth I was amazed again. The picture is this movie is beautiful. Also the way of the Samurai and the japanese culture in addition will leave you in awh. You will walk out of the theater a nem person and you will eventually learn from this movie as I did. All the actors in this movie were faboulus,they all did great. MUST SEE MOVIE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND YEARS TO COME. I CANT WAIT TO IT COMES OUT ON DVD...
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece just like the movie.
Review: This book is filled with magnificent photographs and information of history contained throughout the film, along with behind the scenes info. The book also contains segments of the movie script.
An excellent companion to the outstanding movie.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific, colorful top notch book
Review: While visiting the magazine section of our local supermarket there on the shelf was THE LAST SAMURAI a book that certainly should be at the very, very top of everyones Christmas list. This 160 page paperback is in full color with outstanding photography from the film and a layout that should win a top book award. It includes the screenplay, behind the scenes articles, the history of the Samurai, and is a real knockout. Order it now. It's the perfect gift for that Samurai on your shopping list!
Rating:
Summary: Terrific, colorful top notch book
Review: While visiting the magazine section of our local supermarket there on the shelf was THE LAST SAMURAI a book that certainly should be at the very, very top of everyones Christmas list. This 160 page paperback is in full color with outstanding photography from the film and a layout that should win a top book award. It includes the screenplay, behind the scenes articles, the history of the Samurai, and is a real knockout. Order it now. It's the perfect gift for that Samurai on your shopping list!
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