This story has been adapted to many many tellings both on the big screen and in print (may be up to 80 movies at this point). I was surprised to see a film release from 1994 that made it to DVD, and since I gobble up what I can of Japanese Samurai flicks, I gave it a viewing.

I did enjoy seeing some of the logistical planning, moving of supplies, and working with co-consiprators in this one but I found it to not have the depth of Chusingura or quite the visceral appeal of Fall of Ako Castle. Those still seem hard to beat.

Owes a lot to Rama but I found this a much more enjoyable read. Fun stuff. The aliens really make the book.

Hands down the best films of its type out there currently. No better look at the best interceptor on the planet: the F-14 Tomcat. The new multi-role aircraft of today are really great, but there is just something about the Intruder/Tomcat pairing. I can’t think of a much more fitting fair-well to a much loved aircraft.

I rarely see any film and want to immediately watch them again. This is one of them. The editing, cinematography, and sound is just amazing. In comparison to Operation Red Flag this is much more gritty and an in the cockpit look at being a fighter pilot.

I literally cheered at parts in this movie as well as getting pretty anxious watching the two new pilots train. Being a DVD owner, I might have to go hunt for where this is playing on the big screen now. Yes, it is that good.

The book didn’t really start until about page 120. It was ok but nothing that will stay with me for very long or warrant a re-read. Mostly this is a jumble of flash-backs told by the main character. For this reason it remains hard to feel any tension or believe something important will happen in the now. As that phrase about writing goes: “Don’t tell. Show.” If you can make it through the first hundred pages and a bit there is actually a story that will take place. So far my least favorite of the Hugos I’ve read.

Portrait of Hell (Jigokuhen) – 1969

Heian era Japan is in peril. The corrupt Imperial court has let inequality and poor stewardship of the country grow to a breaking point. The common people begin to starve, crime and groups of brigands are on the rise, and all hate the Emperor/Gov. for their plight.

Korean master artist, favored by the imperial court, is set at odds with the maniacal Emperor himself. A battle of wills takes place. The challenge, since the master painter can only paint truth, and scenes he has viewed with his own eyes, can he truly paint a master work portrait of hell itself?

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I had thought the movie would be more sword and samurai mixed with horror. In truth this is good drama with a touch of horror. One might call it “The Japanese Wickerman”.

This is shot entirely in a studio, so scenery is a bit bland, but the acting mixed with old school special effects are darn good. The theatrical quality is almost as if you were watching a high quality recording of a play.

There are some amazingly powerful and horrific scenes. The ending of the movie actually suffers because the build up is far more potent. The film also has some interesting ideas about the power of painting/art and the nature of evil and will.

The shear uniqueness, combined with the drama, make this movie pretty unforgettable. Viewers who are tolerant of older foreign movies and special effects will probably be pleased. Any interest in art, b-horror movies, and old Japanese cinema will increase enjoyment too. Definitely not your standard fair.

Wow. Sad to say I think this one is over-hyped and has a major flaw. Storytellers shouldn’t make promises they don’t keep. If they do deceive, the deception must be better then the initial promise. Unfortunately “Sword of Doom” has a huge potential to make you feel cheated. Viewer be warned.

All the fans of ‘Sword of Doom’ seem to love the swordplay. Can we be honest for a second? There is a lot of sword-fighting but it isn’t very good. Maybe my threshold for desensitization is pretty low but it gets very mind numbingly repetitive. The assailants often look to be blatantly “pulling their punches” and letting themselves be killed (a common flaw in a good number of samurai movies but it is almost inexcusable in this). If your movie is going to have violence as its central theme then you ought to make me feel it a bit more.

Just how many people die by “no look kills”, charging at the backs of hero or anti-hero? I’d hazard more people meet their end due to this then straight up face to face clashes. The effect fails to impress and never seems very believable. The duels do manage to add some tension. Too bad there are only two point five of them.

If you are going to view this one, you might read the write up on the Criterion Collections page first: The Sword of Doom. It may make you feel better about the whole viewing experience. It may even convince you that the ending is how it should be or that it is ok that the story is unfinished.

Sorry, but, I’m still feeling a bit betrayed. It has no clear message and we never get the catharsis we seek. Instead the anti-hero is left, locked in a bloody killing rampage, for eternity. I for one hope he succumbs to his wounds.

While samurai in theme it comments very little on samurai, bushido, or the end of the Tokugawa shogunate time period in which it is set. This is much more a piece about karma and the capacity for humans to do violence.

There are some really memorable scenes though: a ryu tournament, a ryu challenge, one of the possible heros practicing in a dojo stabbing beams of light, and an ambush/battle in the snow. I do like the anti-hero main character story telling. It’s really too bad this movie didn’t wrap up a bit tighter or didn’t have sequels.

For a second viewing I will probably take a completely light hearted view and do a body count. I also may see if my hunch about deaths via no look kills is true. Some saki and pen and paper can’t but add to the enjoyment to be had here.

Sword of Doom enters the bottomish half of my samurai movie list. A couple stars for the memorable scenes +1 for Shinsengumi and Toshirô Mifune involvement.

I have a feeling this would be my favorite samurai flick had I seen it before Samurai Rebellion. I was completely riveted and blown away. I’ve kind of come the conclusion that I must see as many Masaki Kobayashi films as I can get a hold of. Harakiri firmly moves into my number two all time favorite on my list. I think the many vs one sword fights we end up seeing in many films must be trying to emulate this. You also just have to love how this film is constructed switching from present to story telling and back. The black and white cinematography is gorgeous as well (just as in Samurai Rebellion). Hard not to love this anti-samurai samurai movie. Oh, and not showing us some of the fights but just letting us hear them to increase tension … genius!

This one has some nice character development, action sprinkled throughout, some interesting ideas, and good political intrigue and strategy. I could have handled a little deeper treatment in any of those for-mentioned areas but the overall piece of writing was really entertaining. I devoured it.

I’m recommending it to friends and fam now.

Love this one. <3

Had a small group of friends over to watch this. I promised sushi and a smaurai flick. Most of them are used to modern film pacing, explosions, special-de-fects, and knew little about older period/samurai movies. I was on a mission of exposure though.

They were a bit impatient at first, pacing can be an issue, but I pitched it as, “An old-school western with swords”. We had a fun time laughing at the soundtrack here and there and I noticed folks started to get into it more and more.

Some weeks and days later my buddies would walk up to me and ask, “Hey, you know that movie was pretty good. What was it called again?”. Hooked.

Careful with this one. It will make you a samurai flick fan.

Next time I may have to get out the saki and try “Samurai Fiction” for a real riotous laugh fest.

Heinlein never disappoints and this is just great stuff.

It is a “Revolt in 2010” on a much grander scale. Well thought out, throughout, as a: believable, first person, memoir, of when Earth’s Lunar prison colony starts a revolution against big-bad-brother Terra.

Love the build up, the effortless political and strategy discussion. Plus, the final confrontations, when things get hot, are simply great.

Truley a master of his craft and this has his “A” game written all over it.