10 Best Japanese Films

RCMerchant · September 12, 2023, 07:42:11 PM

What are your favorite films from the Land of the Rising Sun?

Mine-

1. GOKE- BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL (1968)
2. VAMPIRE DOLL (1970)
3. MATANGO (1963) aka ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE
4. 13 ASSASSIANS (2010)
5. GOZU (2003)
6. KWADIAN (1964)
7. ICHI THE KILLER (2001)
8. YOG- MONSTER FROM SPACE (1971)
9. WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966)
10. GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)

GOKE!

Rev. Powell · September 13, 2023, 10:08:58 AM

The Japanese are some of the best filmmakers in the world, definitely one of the top 5 movie-producing countries, probably top 3.

I might include RAN and THRONE OF BLOOD in this list, but it's been too long since I've seen them.

Seven Samurai (1954)
Spirited Away (2001)
Branded to Kill (1967)
Audition (1999)
Kwaidan (1964)
Hausu (1977)
The Woman in the Dunes (1964)
Perfect Blue (1997)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Mind Game (2004)

Honorable mentions: Rashomon (I think this might jump into the top 10, but it's been decades since I've seen it), Love Exposure, Belladonna of Sadness, Ghost in the Shell 2, 13 Assassins, Why Don't You Play in Hell?, Tokyo Drifter, Funeral Parade of Roses, Paprika, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Akira. I also like Goke and Gozu.

RCMerchant · September 14, 2023, 08:06:02 AM

^ HOUSE! I forgot HOUSE! Ok, switch YOG with HOUSE.

Rev. Powell · September 14, 2023, 08:37:12 AM

I'm surprised apparently no one else here has seen 10 Japanese movies!

Trevor · September 14, 2023, 12:04:38 PM

SEVEN SAMURAI
YOJIMBO
BROTHER
SONATINE
THE YAKUZA (1974)
DERSU UZALA
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS
GODZILLA
STREET FIGHTER
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR LAWRENCE

Ticonderoga 64 · September 14, 2023, 02:45:56 PM

1) Gojira(1954)
2) Daimajin(1966)
3) Matango(1963)
4) Goke, Bodysnatcher From Hell(1968)
5) The H-Man(1958)
6) The Vampire Doll(1970)
7) Mothra vs Godzilla(1964)
8) Atragon(1964)
9) The Invisible Man Appears(1949)
19) War Of the Gargantuas(1966)

Dr. Whom · September 14, 2023, 03:26:15 PM

In no particular order

Porco Rosso
Spirited Away
Zebraman
Versus
Grave of the Fireflies
Akira
Ghost in the Shell (the real one)
Godzilla vs King Kong (again, the original one)
Your name
Tampopo

It has been a very long time since I've seen Tampopo, so should that disappoint, I'll put in School of the Holy Beast instead

RCMerchant · September 15, 2023, 06:23:24 PM

Some more-

. DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968) By this time Japan's main exitance in Toho films was fighting countless giant monsters.
. EVIL OF DRACULA (1974)
. the H-MAN (1958)
.TETSU0-THE IRON MAN (1989) That movie is mind blowing!

Almost every Godzilla movie ever made. Not the lousy ones like Godzilla '98 and any Son of Godzilla mind rot, with brats running around who I want to get stomped on.
I'm not real fond of the new Godzilla movies. I watch them, but I don't care about character development in a Godzilla movie. Just give me an absurd story line and giant monsters kicking the s**t out of each other.

ER · September 16, 2023, 10:27:48 AM

I can't begin to name ten Japanese movies, can I just list my favorite?

5 Centimeters per Second.

M.10rda · September 16, 2023, 08:57:32 PM

I tried to limit myself to one per director, in order of title preference:

1.) A TASTE OF TEA (Ishii)
2.) HAUSU (Obayashi)
3.) HANA- BI (Kitano)
4.) AKIRA (Otomo)
5.) ICHII THE KILLER (Miike)
6.) PAPRIKA (Kon)
7.) CHARISMA (K. Kurosawa)

Then I reached the final 3 and couldn't limit myself to one Sion Sono film or one Akira Kurosawa.

Actually there could be 4 or 5 Sono films that belong on my Top 10.

I'll just give up.

bob · September 17, 2023, 09:08:48 AM

wow wow wow

ok.. only 10 - the best Japanese films

1 Seven Samurai (1954)
2 Spirited Away (2001)
3 Ran (1985)
4 Godzilla (1954)
5 Tokyo Story (1953)
6 Lady Snowblood (1973)
7 The Hidden Fortress (1968)
8 Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
9 Yojimbo (1961)
10 Rashomon (1950)

chefzombie · September 18, 2023, 12:25:43 AM

Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 14, 2023, 08:37:12 AM
I'm surprised apparently no one else here has seen 10 Japanese movies!

oh, we own far more than that, but i have to think on it, lol! it's HARD to pick only 10 best!

M.10rda · September 18, 2023, 04:20:43 PM

Quote from: chefzombie on September 18, 2023, 12:25:43 AM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 14, 2023, 08:37:12 AM
I'm surprised apparently no one else here has seen 10 Japanese movies!
oh, we own far more than that, but i have to think on it, lol! it's HARD to pick only 10 best!

Yeah... I don't do these threads a lot because, while I could tell you my 10 Best of all time (any genre/country/etc) it's weirdly hard for me to sub-categorize... hence my tapping out @ 7 above.......

RCMerchant · September 20, 2023, 08:58:07 PM

Quote from: bob on September 17, 2023, 09:08:48 AM
wow wow wow

ok.. only 10 - the best Japanese films

1 Seven Samurai (1954)
2 Spirited Away (2001)
3 Ran (1985)
4 Godzilla (1954)
5 Tokyo Story (1953)
6 Lady Snowblood (1973)
7 The Hidden Fortress (1968)
8 Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
9 Yojimbo (1961)
10 Rashomon (1950)

Yeah. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is f**ked up. Great film!

RCMerchant · September 20, 2023, 09:05:54 PM

Quote from: chefzombie on September 18, 2023, 12:25:43 AM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on September 14, 2023, 08:37:12 AM
I'm surprised apparently no one else here has seen 10 Japanese movies!
oh, we own far more than that, but i have to think on it, lol! it's HARD to pick only 10 best!

Try! It ain't hard!
Just think- "GODZILLA!" ( It works for me. I have a Godzilla movie playing in the backround when my grandson is here. He loves Godzilla!)

The thing with me and Godzilla- the first one was a horror movie. The more they made, the stupider they became. I LOVE the stupid ones. I like GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER (1971) a lot!
Dang- I got an idea for a new thread brewing...