GHOST WARRIOR: Easily the best out of all the other Empire Pictures flicks.

[Chris K.]

After looking around at my local Mom and Pop video store, I just happen to find the film GHOST WARRIOR, or known in Great Britian as SWORDKILL. It was indeed one of the many Charles Band/Empire Pictures flicks that I needed to see. So I plunked down my $1.00 to rent the film. And after watching GHOST WARRIOR, all I have to say is that it is definately the best out of all the other Empire Pictures films.

Simple plot: In 1552 Japan, well-known samurai Yoshi (Hiroshi Fujioka) falls into a river of ice after his wife is murdered. Jumping to present day, Yoshi's body is found and taken to America to be revived! After Yoshi is awakened from his years long sleep, he becomes involved with street gangs, scientists, and the local ploice.

Out of all the many actors and actresses in GHOST WARRIOR, Hiroshi Fujioka is the one who displays some great acting even though he only speaks Japanese with no subtitles to provide for us. Does it matter? No, because whatever situation he gets into we can definatley tell what his emotions are without him speaking one word of English! And the interesting aspect of the film is that as much as Fujioka's character has been placed in modern times, he is still faced with the same opposing forces that he has been faced with in 1552 Japan. Elemental theme of "Present is as the same as the past." Could be.

Add to this Mac Ahlberg's wonderful low key cinematography, interesting script, and impressive stage fights that are not exagerated like in today's features and you have and excellent feature that surpasses it's B-movie budget. Also, the Japanese-orchestral music score by Richard Band is, dare I say it, SUPERB! Next to Bernard Herrmann, Richard Band is the real musician. Richard's original score beats that of James Horner or any other musician of today!

GHOST WARRIOR is easily the best of the Empire Pictures films. Next to RE-ANIMATOR of course.

[Lee]

I love this flick!! The character Yoshi was really well done, thanks in large part to Fujioka's dead on acting. And I totally agree, the fight scenes are really well done, none of that wire-fu and cgi bull @!#$ that's all over the place these days. This flick gets my recommendation. So if you guys happen to see it at the video store snatch it up and run to the front!

For more frozen in time martial arts madness check out Iceman Cometh with Yuen Biao and the vicious Yuen Wah.

[mr. henry]

poor yoshi wouldn't have had such a hard time if only ONE person involved with studying him SPOKE JAPANESE! the woman is supposed to be an expert on japanese culture and she doesn't know how to speak the language.

...oh wait...that's right...we like bad movies here.

i like the street thug whos hand gets chopped off.

-mr. henry

[Flangepart]

I remember this flick. I think Joe Bob Briggs played it once, if i'm correct. He also had a high opinion of it. Cool lead, great fight scenes.

[yaddo42]

It was a lot better than most of the Empire Pictures flicks my local Fox affiliate used to play late at night. This was their fill-in flick on late nights and weekends when they needed to burn up 90 minutes (this was before rampant all night infomercialfests).

I've seen ICEMAN COMETH, it reminded me of the first HIGHLANDER flick, but it was enjoyable.

[Jim H]

The best part is the film stars Segata Sanshiro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQEdv99gkhs
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[Hammock Rider]

I hear Tom Cruise is re-making this.

[Joe]

you lucky dog! i wish all the mom and pop stores around here were still in business.