Filmic Elements in the Movie the Last Samurai
Introduction
The Last Samurai (2003) falls under the genre type- epic drama. This film was directed and co produced by Edward Zwick along with Marshall Herskovitz and John Logan as the movie writers. The producers to this movie are Paula Wagner, Tom Cruise, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. The main actors are Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren, Tony Goldwyn as Benjamin Bagly and Ken Wanatabe as Katsumoto.
The plot of the film is inspired by the story of Joules Brunet, who was a French army captain of earlier Boshin war. He fought alongside Enomoto Takeaki. It is also inspired by the 1876 Satsuma Rebellion that was led by Saigo Takamoi. This United States film is attributed with the historical roles of the Netherlands, the British Empires and France in Japanese westernization.
The last samurai gained full acceptance by most people in the world for it doesn’t aim at duplicating history, making it to achieve worldwide box-office of $466 million. It has also been nominated for several awards such as the Golden Globes, the National Board of review and the Academy awards.
This paper will discuss the various filmic elements in the movie the Last Samurai.
Filmic Elements
Filmic elements are techniques used for making the film to be what it is. Such elements include sound design, reception, acting and cinematography. Sound design is the process and art of manipulating audio elements so as to achieve the desired effect. This movie has employed these elements just as it is employed in recorded music, live music, theater film and games in computer software. Other elements are quotes from other movies, pace of editing, camera movement, objects in the frame and all other components that the film uses.
Sound design in the film
Sound design involves the manipulation of various composed audio to fit the needs of the film production. It sometimes involves the creative composition of a totally new audio sound by a sound designer. The Last Samurai fully utilizes various designs of sounds to evoke different emotions to the viewers. Every element has alongside various sounds that denote that element. This movie has various themes like war courage, romance, humor, suspense, death, warrior hood, loyalty and honor. All these aspects are presented with various sound designs.
Suspense is achieved in the scene where a warrior in the film wants to chop off the head of the captured man-Nathan. The sound effect accompanied in this scenario instills fear to the viewers for it ends with a boom sound. This makes the viewers not to want this stop viewing for they want to know what next…is the captured warrior eventually killed? The fighting scenes have various sound effects as we can’t look away even for a second for we will miss the two killing and a half. They happen at a fast pace with each scene cut so rapidly that makes us the viewers have difficulties in keeping up with this pace. One fight sequel is at a first pace that the movie has to replay in slower motion.
The various sound tracks have also been used as sound designs in the film. The sound tracks have Japanese’s culture, western culture, warrior hood songs. As we listen to them we anticipate a very serious movie of war, determination, loyally, courage and spirituality. The sound effects are in various paces fast, slow moderate, silence loudness and simply perfect. It is true the sound effects do not let us down for in every scene, they have been utilized to enhance the theme in that scene. For example in a love scene between the main actor Nathan and a Japanese lady Taka, there is slow music, silence with no dialogue, for every feeling is conveyed in touch as the devotion and sweetness is derived from the simplification of the act. In contrast to this scene, is that of the warrior Katsumoto with his Japanese fighting techniques there is booming loud sounds as he makes an attack towards his imaginary enemy. The landscape of nature has sound design that depicts nature like sound of birds, wild animals, cool breezes and the silent sound of water flow from a distant river. They form part of environmental nature adored by Japanese culture. The sound design in the fighting scene during a rainy day evokes emotions such as fear, anxiety and sadness.
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of camera and lighting choices when producing images in a film. It is closely related to photography but in this case cinematography is applied to movies and films. Cinematography comprises of issues that arise both from elements of the scene and the camera. A scene may be in motion or may be at a still environment and is all depends on the creativity of the cinematographer.
The movie the Last Samurai has various cinematographic elements such as film stock, filters and lens (focal length and diaphragm aperture), lighting, camera movement, depth of field and focus and aspect ratio and framing.
The Cinematographer in the film the Last Samurai, John Toll has provided truly stunning images in rhyme with the needs of the story. He has worked hand in hand with the film producer Zwick Edward who has produced diverse group of movies. Edward has so much been associated with epic tales that involves warlike movies such as the Legends of the Fall and Glory. In this film he has not let the viewers down for he has made a good impression in picture production together with Toll the cinematographer. This film has made the producer to revisit the war genre with major difference from the previous ones. This film has hundreds of Samurai warriors that Zwick commands just like Akira Kurosawa. The main actor Tom Cruise has become affected by life in the army as he is placed far away from home – the American West to Japan. He gradually falls in love with the simple perfect lifestyle that he encounters among Samurai warriors who have occupied a land against the insurgent rushes of civilization. The viewers are presented with additional Japanese environment which is silent green and very fertile.
This movie however greatly emphasizes on war and the intense sense of tradition and dedication depicted by the Samurai worriers. Due to this fascination the cinematography of the films greatly dwells on the battle sequences which have been so detailed and well elaborate military confrontations that started after the Kurosawa’s rain.
The main actor Tom Cruse as Nathan Algren is present in every scene. He is the viewer’s ears and eyes as he reveals to us the Samurai culture. It is also through his plight and our attraction to him that the movie fails or succeeds. The battle sequence he participates in captures the viewer’s attention as we learn of the affectedly talented craftsmanship in battle field that are acted deep in the forest. The lighting in such scenes are made darker than those done on bright morning time. At these battle scene in the forest, shaft of light backlight the Samurai which makes them to appear like dreamlike creatures and mythical. As they ride forward on their steeds, what we see is there appearances becoming monstrous. The cinematographer gloriously shows the viewer the shades of Japan of green and grey, rain and the fight scene done in mud.
Other aspects that John Toll has portrayed are the stunning images of the crowded Japanese street, the American frontier town and the secluded Samurai village. This gorgeous movie present Tom Cruse best performance he makes us understand him as Algren through his intense feelings of self hated through his cynicism. therefore as viewer we come to like t his man and appreciate his regeneration.
Acting
The Tom Cruise presets a fantastic performance as Nathan Algren. This performance is one of his best after several years of try various roles in many nmovies. This movie opens as he sells himself to the highest bidder as he relives his night mare memories of Custer Last stand. he is later offered the job of training a newly formed group of Japanese militia men which makes him end up in a strange land and a stranger in it.
It is later that we find another actor Ken Watanabe playing as Katsumoto. He is also superhero in his role his role is extraordinarily memorable. He introduces Algren to the recruited young militia of young emperor.
Algren meets a widowed sister of Katsumoto after he was kidnapped and wounded. She heals his wounds. Algren meets her family including her two sons although Algren was responsible for the death of their father. This union between the women her sons and Katsumoto heals his would, soul and addiction to alcohol. This is a delirium tremens tat is symbolic of Cruise becoming realistic and believable. The casting of every actor truly fits into the story. The Japanese characters and the European characters denote the settings which the different scenes have been acted.
Musical score
The musical; score in this movie is perfect it keeps viewers attention as they are retained in their seats. Somber music is played making the viewers want to listen to the complete score to this credited movie.
Costumes
Every costume use by the actors is in rhyme with the cultural background depicted in movie. We see all types of Japanese clothing worn by the Japanese actors such as obi, kimono, jinbei , hanten, hakama, fudoski and yukata. Battle costumes such as helmet swords, as the knight armor such as breastplates, chainmaille. They all depict the ancient battles that the film is inspired by. These costumes also create the realism of this movie. Other costumes vary from modest huts in the village to those of imperial place.
Reception
The reception of this movie is utterly perfect. Tomono Katsuta the Mainichi Shinbun ha credited this movie for its vast improvement best from previous American moves to portray Japan. The producer of this movie Zwick is well conversant with Japanese history and had perfect cast of Japanese actors. In speech the director consulted with dialogue coaches to help him not to confuse formal categories and casual categories of Japanese speech.
Conclusion
the Last Samurai is a lesson movie that we learn of historical elements of Japanese struggle to become part of the modern world. It also portrays forces that try to influence this struggle. The main actors Watanabe and Cruise are symbolic representation so f the western world and the Japan world. Though the ending of this movie was predictable it is all the same the ending that doesn’t leave the viewers disappointed for that end was expected.
Reference
Warner Bros entertainment inc (2003) The last Samurai – official website. Retrieved
from.
www.warnerbros.com
on 26th March, 2010
Internet database (2010) the last Samurai. Retrieved from
www.imdb.com/title/tt0325710/combined
on 26th March 2010
jack cabbage (2010) lighting: selected reading. Retrieved from
www. Lifact.com
on 26th March 2010
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