The men with the balls to remake “Seven Samurai”
Posted on Wednesday, 23 July 2008 at 12:46 pm
Whatever happened to Nakano Hiroyuki, once a hot property after the success of his self-consciously hip “Samurai Fiction” and subsequently a pariah due to the abject failure of “Red Shadow”? Why, naturally he’s been remaking Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai”.
For a pachinko machine.
Current Kurosawa Production Co. president Kurosawa Hisao has already been vilified by some for frittering away the rights to his Dad’s films and image on sub-par remakes and canned coffee commercials, so this is hardly going to do him any favours.
That being said, just look at the talent assembled: former Kurosawa-gumi members such as costume designer Wada Emi, cinematographer Ueda Masaharu and action director Kuze Hiroshi, as well as this all-star cast:
Nagase Masatoshi as Kikuchiyo
Chiba Shinichi as Kanbei
Fukikoshi Mitsuru as Kyuzo
Musaka Naomasa as Shichiroji
Masato (pretty boy K-1 fighter who’s also in Hong Kong beat-em-up “Shamo”) as Katsushiro
Taguchi Tomorowo as Gorobei
Tanaka Yoji as Heihachi
Aso Kumiko as Shino
The official site has a bunch of clips that admittedly look quite well-realised, although that might just be thanks to “The Last Princess” lowering the bar for Kurosawa remakes to subterranean levels. This being a Nakano ‘film’, the soundtrack features the wholly appropriate musical accompaniment of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”, “Paint It Black” and “Jumping Jack Flash”.
I’m not totally down on the guy though - his video for Photek’s “Ni Ten Ichi Ryu” matches the song’s atmosphere perfectly.
pingback by The Golden Rock
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] continuing series of ridiculous product lines for pachinko machines (refer to my Japan reports), director Hiroyuki Nakano has remade Kurosawa’s Seven Samurais for a pachinko machine. It even co-stars Sonny Chiba and featuring a soundtrack of Rolling Stone songs. I have to say, [...]
comment by Chris
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
Oh sweet lord… NO!
pingback by A Japanese ‘Seven Samurai’ remake released :.: Akira Kurosawa News
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] make of this what you want. While figuring it all out, do check also ryugangi and Twitch that report on the [...]
pingback by Seven Samurai Remake mit den Rolling Stones | Affenheimtheater
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] mal nicht von einem Hollywoodstudio, sondern von Samurai Fiction Regisseur Nakano Hiroyuki. Laut ryuganji soll das ganze auch nicht in die Kinos kommen, sondern Episodenweise in japanischen Pachinko [...]
pingback by Asian Cinema Scene: ‘Seven Samurai’ Remade for Pachinko : All-Star Movie Show
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] clarify: Don Brown at ryugangi says that Hiroyuki Nakano, director of the excessively stylish Samurai Fiction and Red Shadow, has [...]
pingback by Asian Cinema Scene: ‘Seven Samurai’ Remade for Pachinko | cinematvnews.com
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] clarify: Don Brown at ryugangi says that Hiroyuki Nakano, director of the excessively stylish Samurai Fiction and Red Shadow, has [...]
pingback by Asian Cinema Scene: ‘Seven Samurai’ Remade for Pachinko | muzicfanatic.com
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] clarify: Don Brown at ryugangi says that Hiroyuki Nakano, director of the excessively stylish Samurai Fiction and Red Shadow, has [...]
pingback by Asian Cinema Scene: ‘Seven Samurai’ Remade for Pachinko | Sourfizz
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] clarify: Don Brown at ryugangi says that Hiroyuki Nakano, director of the excessively stylish Samurai Fiction and Red Shadow, has [...]
pingback by JEdutainment.com » Blog Archive » The men with the balls to remake “Seven Samurai”
posted on Wednesday, July 23 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] via http://www.ryuganji.net/2008/07/23/the-men-with-the-balls-to-remake-seven-samurai/ [...]