ゴースト・ドッグ
Directed by:
Jim JarmuschScreenplay:
Jim JarmuschCinematography:
Robby MüllerComposer:
RZACast:
Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Dennis Liu, Richard Portnow, Tricia Vessey, Henry Silva, Frank Adonis, Victor Argo, Gano Grills, Chuck Jeffreys (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Jim Jarmusch combines his love for the ice-cool crime dramas of Jean-Pierre Melville and Seijun Suzuki with the philosophical dimensions of samurai mythology for an eccentrically postmodern take on the hit-man thriller. In one of his defining roles, Forest Whitaker brings a commanding serenity to his portrayal of a Zen contract killer working for a bumbling mob outfit, a modern man who adheres steadfastly to the ideals of the Japanese warrior code even as chaos and violence spiral around him. Featuring moody cinematography by the great Robby Müller, a mesmerizing score by the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, and a host of colorful character actors (including a memorably stone-faced Henry Silva), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai plays like a pop-culture-sampling cinematic mixtape built around a one-of-a-kind tragic hero. (Criterion)
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Reviews (9)
Fars recommended Ghost Dog to me and, after reading his great review, I decided to set out on the Way of the Samurai. Too bad that Fars fell asleep and didn’t watch to the end, because I think that he would have liked the movie much more. Forest Whitaker slipped hand into glove into his role and he truly is one of the most charismatic killers I have ever seen. The quotations from the code of honor were deep and I already know what I don’t ever want to be. A Samurai. It’s just not the life for me. Even though they could certainly give me a couple of tips. The picture is also full of snappy lines and also the methods of “executing contracts". Such precision is hard to find these days. Bourne would certainly be jealous.
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It’s not as solid as Dead Man, but it’s more approachable for a wider audience. Jarmusch manages to cram a lot of ideas and interesting life insights into what is essentially a simple revenge story of a professional killer who follows the samurai code, thus elevating this film above the ordinary stuff. What I also appreciate is the choice of soundtrack. In Dead Man it was Neil Young's great mimimalism, here it was RZA's hip-hop sounds, which fits the mood of the film perfectly.
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A simple story delivered in an unusual. I have never seen Whitaker so cool before and the dialogue scenes between the main characters are fantastically intense. You can see that the director is an old hand. A simple, TV-looking, yet excellently crafted piece, tailored for a narrow audience.
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For me, hands down, the best Jarmusch. If it weren't for his unearthly direction, the film would have been lumped in with dozens of others on a similar theme and in a few years no one would even remember it. But he made an almost cult-classic with a compelling story, a simple yet unique ending, and last but not least, an excellent Whitaker, who doesn't say much, but his acting mastery stands out all the more. Some of the wisecracks are disarming, the storyline with the chatty French ice-cream man is absolutely brilliant, and the strange music by RZA underscores it all beautifully. But the best is the final quote, which aptly characterized the whole film and its thinking. Or not? :) Right between four and five stars.
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A great example of how Jim Jarmusch is versatile when it comes to genre, and even though it's not a frantic action spectacle bursting with money poured into it, it's all the smarter for it. And of course, there will be action, make no mistake about it. There's a lot of shooting here, and it's quite inventive at times, you'll be surprised. Plus, it's really smart.
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