Pug’s Place

Yesterday, Theresa and I watched The Last Samurai. Very good movie. Definitely about the end of an era and the conflict between the old and the new and the Emperor. It was exquisitely graphic, drawing the line only at watching hara-kiri from the front (No view of the belly opening up, but you do get to hear the dying moan in pain, and thus his second lops his head off to maintain his honor! Woo!). Great bokken scenes. Great battles. It’s very sad watching Gatling guns rip through the lines of honorable Samurai, but that’s the modern world for you.

I say the movie was awesome. The only thing that hurts it is the ending. It was a Hollywood ending. I’m sure most everyone who knows something of Japanese culture knows how it should have ended. I’ll give you a clue: One important character too many left Edo Castle at the end of the movie.

I’d say that if you liked old Samurai movies, definitely see this.

Just don’t listen to James who hates Tom Cruise just for his strange religion.