Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it, yet not too original
Review: I saw an interview with the film's director, and he had, if you could not see in the film, many borrowed materials to place in the film. The cartoons, the gun up to the sink from "Branded to Kill," the books Rashomon and Hagakure, and much more. Though this is true, I still enjoyed the film. I loved to see how a gangster could become a loyal samurai...for some reason that just really allowed me to love the film. The plot was slow at times, but the story is still good. I delight for those who don't seek originality is the best way I could dubb this one, folks!

Rating:
Summary: Meditations on Life, Death, and So Much More
Review: Before anything else, I have to say that Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is definitely a love it or hate it movie. As for myself, I absolutely loved it.

Why did I love it? Well it is one thing for a movie or story to be entertaining. Schwarzenegger and Stallone entertain. But for any story, whether it be a book, movie, or what have you stand out and be truly good, (at least in my humble opinion), it must do at least one of three things; move you, make you think, or be deep enough that you find new things every time you see it. Ghost Dog does all three for me.

As for the plot, you can read about it elsewhere, and it is not the main strength of the movie, so I will summarize it quickly. Ghost Dog is a hitman who religiously follows the code of Samurai. Ghost Dog is the retainer, or follower of a Mafia capo named Louie, who saved his life years earlier. Ghost Dog has performed a number of perfect hits for Louie and his crime family, but when the latest one goes awry, he finds himself at odds with the crime family, who are now trying to find and kill the mysterious warrior.

As I mentioned, it is not the plot that is the strength of the movie, but rather the characters. Jarsmuch's writing and vision, (and Forrest Whitaker's superb performance), help create an unforgettable character and do something rarely accomplished in film which is bring true humanity to a very odd, and at times, violent man. Furthermore, this is done with a rare appreciation of subtlety and minimalism, quite rare in this day when films, books and movies prefer to hit their audiences over the head with a sledgehammer as opposed to challenging them and take the dreaded risk that they might not get it.

As for making you think, Ghost Dog is very much a story of ideas and layers that take time, (and repeated, careful viewing) to fully come to light. For example, besides the obvious revenge plot of the movie, just a few of the other themes that are explored include; the study of a man who is a killer and yet is also a person we like and respect. A look at cultures and men on the edge of extinction. The bonds of friendship, and loyalty. The meaning of honor. What it means to devote one's life and purpose to a code of behavior. The clash of ancient ways versus modern ones. A look at a profoundly world weary man. The slow death of old cultures and myths in modern America. Reality vs. artificiality. Loneliness and reaching out to others. Looking at violence as both poetic (Ghost Dog's practicing martial arts and his battle against the gangsters in Ray Vargo's house), and cold-hearted and brutal, (the Mafia's violence on innocents, Ghost Dog's assassinations). The interaction between different generations, moralities, and codes of conduct. And this is just what I can come up with off the top of my head!

Secondly, Ghost Dog is also a film of tragedy; an art too often eschewed these days for the proverbial happy ending. The tragedies too happen on many levels and come from many angles, even some from the "bad guys!" First off, Ghost dog himself is obviously a tragic figure, both in the fact that he is man following a way of life that effectively ended centuries ago and then there is his fate, which I will not spoil. There is the tragedy of Ghost Dog devoting his life to Louie, an obviously lesser man. There is the spark of nobility we see in Ray Vargo, who knows that Ghost Dog is coming to kill him, and yet meats this with a calm stoicism to match Ghost Dog's.

And yet, for all that the film gives us, it also holds key things back, leaving us with unsolvable mysterious that make us wonder and keep guessing long after we first see it. For example, what caused Ghost Dog, an obviously gentle man, to take up the code of the samurai and become a remorseless killer? Who was Ghost Dog before these events? And then there are the things that can be interpreted endlessly, like the use of the cartoons, Rashoman, certain symbolism, etc.

And while I have to apologize for the length of this (although this is one of my favorite movies, I didn't mean to go on THIS long!), I have one last thing to say, and this is aimed at the people who claimed that the movie makes no sense or isn't realistic enough. It's not meant to be. The movie is a surreal look at things, and an allegory. It's not strictly based in reality. It's a case where the message or ideas the writer is trying to convey is more important than basing all the minutia of the story completely in the real world. In other words, don't take it too literally. Instead, sit back, keep an open mind, and maybe you'll enjoy a great movie experience.

Rating:
Summary: long long long...
Review: This movie is full of clichés: all white people are racists or are being robbed; the gangster pretends to respect a samurai way of life but he's just killing, robbing, and kissing pigeons. There is nothing constructive in his movie, nor there is a real samurai philosophy.

Rating:
Summary: An Unexpected Delight
Review: Jim Jarmusch doesn't do films like anyone else and let's all say a big 'thank-you' for that. With 'Ghost Dog', he demonstrates an understanding of Japanese culture and film traditions than far exceeds the likes of Tarantino, and at the same a connection to contemporary hip-hop, the likes of which hasn't been seen in celluloid since 'Do the Right Thing'.

The film centres around the eponymous hero, a black hitman, or 'retainer' as he puts it, for a local mafia clan, who follows the Samurai code, meditating and practising his swordplay in his modest rooftop hut which he shares only with his pigeons. In this role, Forest Whitaker puts in an outstanding performance full of understated power and pathos, at once bulky and balletic, that emphasises how criminally neglected he is, and indeed black actors are more generally (Washington and Berry's Oscars notwithstanding), by Hollywood.

Ghost Dog is estranged from the city as he struggles to follow his archaic code of honour, his only human connections made to a Haitian ice-cream vendor who speaks only French, and a little girl who loves reading. They aren't the only ones: coping with the absurdity of the uncaring city, its bleakness, poverty, lonelines and racism is a key theme in 'Ghost Dog'; those who survive need something to connect them to the real and to the transcendent: at one point, Ghost Dog and his Haitian friend come across a Hispanic man building a full-sized boat on a nearby roof-top, a labour of love that has no practical use.

The film is infused with genuine but very edgy humour: Ghost Dog's almost empathic understanding with the ice-cream vendor somehow transcends their mutual linguisitc imcomprehension is joyous and affecting. There are some genuine moments of slapstick and absurdity from the outdated, incompetant and decidely dishonourable mafia men who give Ghost Dog his orders and eventually decide to have him eliminated, in particular their leader's bizarre love of Public Enemy's Flavor Flav, and their inability to cope with Ghost Dog's carrier pigeons.

The sound-track by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA is a far more complex jazz-inflected hip-hop confection than you might have hoped for, meshing perfectly with the moodily-filmed cityscpes, and he also makes a very brief - but perfectly judged - cameo appearance!

Occasionally you stumble across a film that turns out to be an unexpected delight. 'Ghost Dog' is one of them.

Rating:
Summary: Not Up to the Usual Jarmusch Standard
Review: Anyone who cares about the way movies are made, what it takes to make the magic happen, has to admire writer/director Jim Jarmusch. A pioneer and one of the driving forces within the new wave of independent filmmakers since the early '80s, he's an artist who is not afraid to take a chance and is constantly exploring new terrain. When it comes to the arts, however, that adventurous spirit can also be a double-edged sword, and as another great artist, writer Ray Bradbury, will tell you, not every idea works; occasionally, what is created in the mind simply does not translate to the written page, nor to film, and for any number of reasons. Which is seemingly the case with "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai," written and directed by Jarmusch, the premise of which is powerful and engaging, but which simply does not materialize on the screen.

Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a hit man for the mob, loyal to and working directly for a man named Louie (John Tormey), who had befriended him some years earlier at a critical juncture in Ghost Dog's life. Now, however, circumstances have changed, and the mob bosses want Ghost Dog removed. Permanently. They are about to discover, though, that getting rid of Ghost Dog will be no easy task, as he lives a reclusive existence and follows the code of the ancient Samurai warriors. And one of the tenets of that code prescribes viewing life as a dream, which is exactly the way Ghost Dog lives his life. And this is "his" dream; and to effect their goal, the mob will have to negotiate Ghost Dog's terrain on his terms. He may be only one man, but as they are about to learn, this one man is a formidable opponent.

Jarmusch has crafted and delivered a film that is part philosophical character study, part action/drama, that comes across much as if Ingmar Bergman had directed "Goodfellas." And actually, the philosophical ruminations and Ghost Dog's meditations work fairly well, presented as they are in ethereal terms that tend to be wistful and transporting in themselves. In retrospect, what really does in Jarmusch and his efforts here is very simply a case of-- except for Whitaker-- extraordinarily bad acting. The members of his "mob" are incredibly ineffective and unconvincing; what Jarmusch badly needed was a Pesci, a Joe Viterelli or even a Mike Starr to give some substance to his gang. Unfortunately, he was stuck with the "B" team, and not even the brief presence of Henry Silva (as Ray Vargo) is enough to salvage much good from the results. And it's a shame, because Jarmusch does have his moments here, and there is a powerful film hidden within, desperately attempting to break through. But in the end, it never does, and the promise Jarmusch tenders remains uncharacteristically unfulfilled.

The saving grace of the project is the performance by Forest Whitaker, who successfully immerses himself in the role of Ghost Dog and creates a believable, convincing character. With an introspective approach, he credibly attains that level of detachment that defines the code by which Ghost Dog lives, that sense of living life as if it's a dream, which ultimately enables him to play it all out as a character of his own design and within the parameters of his own reality, which is far removed from that of the rest of the world and those who dwell within it. Purely as a character study, in fact, this film is riveting at times, and can be thoroughly intriguing. And for that, Jarmusch, of course, deserves credit; it's Whitaker's work, however, that brings it to fruition.

The only other performance of note is turned in by Isaach De Bankole as Ghost Dog's friend, Raymond. The fact that Raymond speaks and understands only French makes for some of the most engaging moments in the film, in fact, since Ghost Dog neither speaks nor understands French, but only English. It's a novel touch that is so Jarmusch; and it's an indication of what this film could have been had Jarmusch moved more in that direction rather than toward the more questionable path upon which he ended up.

The supporting cast includes Camille Winbush (Pearline), Cliff Gorman (Sonny), Frank Minucci (Big Angie), Richard Portnow (Handsome Frank) and Tricia Vessey (Louise). In any given medium, the true artist dances to his own drum, and that defines Jim Jarmusch. Independent film, especially, and the cinema in general, owes a debt of gratitude to his inventiveness and creative vision, to that kind of spirit of which he is imbued, that has taken film to a higher level. "Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai" may not be his most memorable film, and is far from his greatest accomplishment, but it does demonstrate that Jim Jarmusch is alive and well as he continues to seek out new cinematic territory. And even in this film there can be found a magic that is all it's own; and in the final analysis, it's all a part of what makes up the magic of the movies.

Rating:
Summary: 'Stockholm Syndrome' for an Assassin
Review: I found this film very moving,disturbing and gently comical but most of all thought provoking. I found the story full of pathos. Two cultures collide but are,very similar. Both have their own philosophies and codes of conduct and both are ruthless.Ghost Dog, however,maintains and retains his dignity throughout, whereas the others do not.
The scene which I felt was most telling, was the man who was building a boat in the middle of the city on top of a skyscraper. I think it was a metaphor for Ghost Dog. Ghost Dog is a sympathetic character. One almost feels'The Stockholm Syndrome'taking over while you watch the film, this man is after all, an assassin. The sound track throughout adds another dimension and gives you a clue to who Ghost Dog really is. I love this film. It took me ages to find this film on DVD in the UK. However,I managed to buy a region 1 copy and sorry, but there is no way I will sell it. I really hope other people get as much out of it as I do.

Rating:
Summary: ...a simple, subtle classic...
Review: nothing over-extravagant, no million dollar special effects, no wire work...just a simple story of a modern day samurai....

...set in the streets of new york...

...with not one asian character in the story...

clint eastwood did the same thing back in the day, settin his samurai-stories within the framework of the old west...the only difference here is that 'ghostdog' retains some of the flavor that inspired it by showing and building upon it's asian influences...
be warned tho: er'body aint gonna like this...it is a bit slow moving, and if you lack the appreciation of urban culture and eccentric story-tellin, then this proly aint for you...
(if you're lookin for somethin just as original but more authentic then 'crouching tiger, hidden dragon' is an excellent movie...in fact, i'm watchin that right now for about the thousandth time on dvd!)

the one thing i got from this movie more than anything else is how much we allow our own cultural background to cloud everyone else's...like the mafia-types in this movie sitting around perplexed as to why forrest's character calls himself 'ghostdog'...they equate it with the rappers and urban culture and then they make references to how native americans named themselves 'running bear', 'black elk' and such...and then they miss the complete irony because they have names like 'sammy the snake', 'joe rags' and 'big angie'...

...funny...

anyway...i enjoy this...some of yall might too...later for yall...

Rating:
Summary: Nifty script, great performance by Forest Whitaker
Review: How can an action film be slow, yet still be immensely enjoyable? By being hypnotic and visually beautiful, at least according to the rules of the eccentric filmmaking world of director Jim Jarmusch. This is a world of contradictions and ironies where a black man can be a hit man for a seedy Mafioso gang by convincing himself that he is a samurai warrior. While this setup allows for a great deal of incisive dark humor, it also creates a sense of profound sadness. At some points, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Ghost Dog is played by Forest Whitaker. I have been a fan of his since "The Crying Game", and I think this is his finest performance to date. He creates an indelible character. What makes this all the more remarkable is that, except for the passages he recites from a samurai handbook, he has very little dialog. He conveys nearly everything through his body language.

When his life is saved by an old Mafia guy, Ghost Dog decides the man is his samurai master. That's why he volunteers to be a hit man. When a hit goes wrong, the local Don decides that Ghost Dog must die. This proves to be far easier said than done. How do you even find a man who doesn't own a phone and communicates solely through carrier pigeons?

This is an unusual movie that I found to be fascinating. Though there may be some deep hidden meaning to its story, I saw it as a brilliant satire of the crime genre. What it lacks in adrenaline-producing action it makes up for in humor and intelligence.

Rating:
Summary: one of my faves
Review: ok so it focused too much on the plot. the plot was sour but not bad.

Rating:
Summary: no invincibility worship here
Review: I really enjoyed the style (music, humor, etc.) of this film ("passenger pigeon!!"). Ghost Dog seems invincible in combat, but we are not to see his character the way we see your typical strong and silent urban warrior--the kind of character that's appropriate for adolescents to worship.

By giving a modern urban character an interest in the way of the samurai, the writer/director has given us an interesting perspective on how someone might find meaning and value in a life that may end all too abruptly in a violent death. Ghost Dog embraces his mortality and uses violence as a tool to carry out his convictions.

The economy of Ghost Dog's personal relationships (although significant to him) and the calmness with which he goes about his business, illustrate just how successful he has been at turning a life at risk into a life where, ironically, there is peace and contentment.

...