Good Japanese Movies

• Seven Samurai
  In the period of Warring States (1450-1600), helpless villagers decide to hire seven samurai to defend their village.
• Rashomon
  In the time of the Onin Revolt (around 1467), three people who were involved in a murder-rape-robbery describe what actually happend, and their stories wildly contradict each other.
• Chushingura
  In 1702, fourty seven lordless samurai of the disbanded Asano clan behead Lord Kira, avenging the death of Lord Asano three years ago. This incident immediately became a popular theme in kabuki theatre and joruri puppetry theare, which then became important part of Japanese literature.
• The Gate of Hell
  In the time of the Heiji Revolt in 1159, a brave samurai Moritoh becomes obsessed with Lady Kesa, who is already married.
• Ugetsu
  Based on a Japanese classic Ugetsu Monogatari published in 1776. This is a story of a man who is enchanted by a ghost of a beautiful young lady.
• Kwaidan
  Based on a collection of Japanese ghost stories by Lafcadio Hearn, published in 1904. The movie consists of four short storis, and I recommend the third piece, Hoichi the Earless. Hoichi is a master player of biwa, and as many biwa players of the time, he is blind. One day he is invited to perform the Tale of Heike, the story of the fall of the Heike clan in 1192. But his hostss are no ordinary noblemen.
• Sansho the Bailiff
• Shall We Dance?
• Tampopo
• Minbo (the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion)
• Princess Mononoke
• Poppoya