Ghost Dog (1999) - Jim Jarmusch
Related: 1999 - American cinema
Description
Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai is a 1999 film directed by Jim Jarmusch. It takes place somewhere in the present day United States.
In the film Forest Whitaker plays an African American hitman working for the Mafia, called Ghost Dog, who follows the ancient code of the samurai as described in Yamamoto Tsunetomo's guide for a warrior, Hagakure.
The movie stresses the conflict between two codes of conduct, that of the (aging) mobsters (incapable of paying the rent of their meeting place) and the one of the samurai, chosen by Ghost Dog. However, it also mentions that both tribes of honor are dying out. There is a certain sense of inevitability in the movie, and also of honor, portrayed by Ghost Dog killing two hunters he encounters on the road with a dead bear, outside the hunting season.
Between the acts a quotation from Hagakure is screened and read by Ghost Dog.
The soundtrack was written and produced by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who also has a small role in the film. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog_-_The_Way_of_the_Samurai [Feb 2005]
Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch (born January 22, 1953 in Akron, Ohio, USA) is a noted film director.
Following artistic success and critical acclaim in the American independent film community, he achieved mainstream notoriety with his far-East philosophy-themed Western movie set in New Jersey, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, starring Forest Whitaker, which also featured a soundtrack by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA.
Before graduating from New York University's school of film, Jarmusch decided to drop out of the program and funnel his scholarship funds into his first feature. His advisor at the time, Thaddeus Sebena, helped to support the release. This resulted in his first film, Permanent Vacation, which introduced audiences to the deadpan style that he would later develop in Stranger Than Paradise and Down By Law.
Jarmusch's first major release, Stranger Than Paradise, was released to much critical acclaim. The film broke many conventions of traditional Hollywood moviemaking, and to this day is still considered a landmark work in modern independent film. --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jarmusch [Mar 2006]
Filmography as director
Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), includes the 1986 Coffee and Cigarettes, Somewhere in California, Memphis Version as segments
- Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (2002) (segment "Int. Trailer Night")
- Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai (1999)
- Year of the Horse (1997)
- Dead Man (1995)
- Coffee and Cigarettes - Somewhere in California (1993)
- Night on Earth (1991)
- Coffee and Cigarettes - Memphis Version (1989)
- Mystery Train (1989)
- Coffee and Cigarettes (1986)
- Down by Law (1986)
- Stranger Than Paradise (1983)
- The New World (1982)
- Permanent Vacation (1980) --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jarmusch [Feb 2005]
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