Showing posts with label 47 Ronin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 47 Ronin. Show all posts

Keanu Reeves battles dragon, samurai warriors and demons in 47 Ronin

5:28:00 AM

Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity.

47 Ronin trailer

What was it about 47 RONIN that made you want to be a part of it?

I loved the themes of honor, revenge and sacrifice in the script as well as the tragic love story. I also liked my character, who was an outsider trying to regain honor.

How have you been involved with this project?

I watched 47 RONIN evolve and change with Carl Rinsch, who paid a lot of respect to all the elements that were inspired by Japanese folklore. Being on this journey and collaborating with Carl on the story has been a great experience.

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Speaking of Japanese folklore, were you familiar with the legend of the 47 Ronin before working on the film?

I was not familiar with the legend, but as soon as I knew about the project, I did my research and read as much as I could about it. This movie is one of those rare examples of something that comes your way and is just so exciting from the beginning.

You play the lead character of Kai. How do you see him?

I think of him as an outsider who yearns to be accepted, like an immigrant. He is honorable and a man of nature, which helps ground him. Kai is also a bit cursed, and he is aware of that.

How did you prepare for this role?

Looking at the bigger picture, I basically tried to familiarize myself with the source material and thinking about my character’s place in the story. I always thought the tale of the outsider and these Ronin becoming samurai outsiders was universal because all cities and towns and places have these kinds of events and integration problems that happen. I tried to get in touch with who Kai is and how this affected him. I wanted my character to have a dignity and respect towards the world around him and others. I also wanted him to be capable, to be a hunter and a tracker that is connected to nature.

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What kind of training did you go through for the role?

I was excited to work with the katana, the Japanese long sword. I trained a lot with the expert Tsuyoshi Abe and worked with the stunt teams. Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Ôishi, also gave me some tips. I did a lot of exercises with the sword and some dieting as well.

Can you briefly talk about the main characters in the story and their relationships with Kai, starting with Lord Asano?

Lord Asano is the ruler of Ako. He sort of takes my character under his wing after he has been abandoned and brought up by these Tengu lords, who I think of as monks. I always saw Lord Asano as an enlightened ruler and a paternal figure.

Lord Asano’s right hand is the warrior, Ôishi. How would you explain the relationship between Ôishi and your character?

Initially, Ôishi thinks Kai is some kind of a demon, and he grudgingly puts up with him. However, their relationship changes throughout the course of the story. Ôishi asks for Kai’s help to restore the honor of the house of Asano.

You are surrounded by a great Japanese cast. What can you say about Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Ôishi?

I had already seen some of Hiroyuki’s work in the past and knew a bit about him, but meeting him was special because he is such a gentlemen and a movie star on an epic level. Hiroyuki is a master actor, and it was wonderful to work with him.

You also worked with great actors like Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi among many others.

I had also seen Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi’s work before getting involved in the movie. The truth is that everyone was so excited about this story and participating in the world that Carl Rinsch was creating. We all got along very well and felt we were a part of something special.

What is Carl Rinsch like as a director?

Carl is very collaborative and passionate. He is amazing with story, but he is also a visionary with great energy and enthusiasm.

Did you enjoy the martial arts and action side of the shoot?

I love shooting action and was very excited to be in a samurai film. The fights were tough but fun to do.

Were there any bumps and bruises along the way?

As I was working with great professionals, I didn’t get beat up much, although I did hit Hiroyuki Sanada a couple of times by mistake.

The story wouldn’t work without a powerful villain. Here we have Lord Kira, who is aided by a witch and dark magic to obtain his evil goals.

Lord Kira and The Witch both made a great couple and I really thought they managed to put their performance between their teeth, as I would say. I think they are wonderful and delicious villains with even a kind of yearning to them, which made them a bit sympathetic.

In what way did you find Lord Kira and The Witch sympathetic?

Lord Kira feels underappreciated. The same thing happens to The Witch, who wants to have this earthly love that he is denying her. In a way, they are victimized by their passions. I liked that sophistication, the complexity of both of them being extroverts that go for what they want but are so wounded at the same time.

You have worked on a number of movies with groundbreaking special effects. 47 RONIN combines CGI with practical effects harbored by the detailed sets that were created for the film.

Yes, they built such remarkable sets that made you feel you actually were in that world. There was so much that was there! Then, the work they did with the special effects and the creature creation was awesome.

In this case, what do you believe 3D will add to it all?

The filmmakers knew they were making a 3D film from the beginning and everything was considered in that regard. I appreciated that they took the time and effort to work on it specifically. It was great to see the care they took with the story and the storytelling.

What should the audience expect from 47 RONIN?

The audience should expect a big movie with great themes. I think it is a film that is entertaining but also has an intimacy to the story and the acting that I hope people will enjoy as well. There is action, drama, love and suspense. It has it all!

“47 RONIN” released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp. Showing on January 8, 2013. Nationwide!

Rinko Kikuchi from Kaiju destroyer in ‘Pacific Rim’ to fighting Keanu Reeves in ‘47 Ronin’

12:32:00 AM

Oscar-nominated RINKO KIKUCHI has shown range and depth with every role she plays.

Landed her first professional role in the Japanese film Ikitai in 1999. Since then, she has displayed her talent as an actress, starring in critically acclaimed Japanese films such as Hole in the Sky and The Taste of Tea, and continues to gain popularity within Japan’s film industry. In Universal Pictures, Oscar®-nominated Rinko Kikuchi, who came to worldwide attention with her stunning performance in Babel and was most recently seen in Pacific Rim, discusses her exposure to the legendary tale ’47 Ronin’ : “I’ve known this story since learning about it at school, but this film will be quite different from versions Japanese audiences have seen before. The creatures, sets and characters are totally new.” Brought onto the production to play the duplicitous Witch, the actress knew there would be challenging days ahead. “My character doesn’t exist in the original version, but she adds a fantasy element to this story and I had a lot of fun with it.”

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Kikuchi was thrilled to play such a strong role. The actress sums: “It’s fun to play such a wild female. Carl told me my part would be provocative, sexy and wild. The Witch is a shape-shifter who is clairvoyant and play tricks on others, but she is not a typical witch. She has the heart of a woman, but she just follows her instincts.”

Director Carl Rinsch’s goal has been to show audiences a side to Japan none have ever seen, while simultaneously paying homage to the country’s cultural traditions. “The Japanese want to see something new, too,” Kikuchi adds. “Rather than a traditional story performed and created just by the Japanese, we would love to see this traditional story from a new angle. This film strikes a perfect balance between what is universal and something totally creative and new.”

Kikuchi was catapulted onto the international feature film scene with her Academy Award®-nominated role for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel. Playing the role of young deaf high-schooler Chieko with fervent energy and commitment, Kikuchi achieved an outstanding reputation around the world for her dramatic performance. The film garnered seven Academy Award® nominations, securing Kikuchi’s status as one of Hollywood’s leading young actresses.

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Kikuchi followed up her success with a number of highly acclaimed international films such as Rian Johnson’s The Brothers Bloom, with Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz; Isabel Coixet’s Map of the Sounds of Tokyo, with Serge Lopez; Mikael Håfström’s Shanghai, with John Cusack and Ken Watanabe; and Anh Hung Tran’s Norwegian Wood, a highly anticipated adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s international bestselling novel of the same name. Kikuchi hails from Hadano, Japan, and is a skilled sword fighter as well as an accomplished motorcyclist and horseback rider. In 2007, she was named one of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch.

‘’47 RONIN’’ is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation. Showing JANUARY 2014.

Hiroyuki Sanada from square-off ‘Wolverine’ to the leader of the ‘47 Ronin’.

12:28:00 AM

As one of Japan’s most talented and highest regarded actors of his generation, HIROYUKI SANADA has garnered the attention of American and foreign audiences with more than 50 films and a Japanese Oscar® to his name.  A staple in Japanese films who was most recently seen in the worldwide blockbuster The Wolverine, Hiroyuki Sanada has received six nominations for Japanese Academy Awards, and has won twice. For the cast and crew, the selection of Sanada as Oishi, the leader of the samurai, meant this Western twist on the story of the 47 Ronin had earned the seal of Japanese approval. Sanada bore the responsibility of making sure this new take on the beloved tale stayed true to its source, even as it introduced fresh and fantastical elements.

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What was the big draw about doing this movie?

This is almost the most famous story – Samurai story – in Japan. But we have a lot of original stuff in the script so we changed a lot, taking it in a fantasy way. It’s a very special movie for me. Not only a Samurai thing. Not only a Hollywood fantasy. It has a very special mixture between Japanese traditional culture and Western culture for the costume, set, story. Everything. I believe it will be a very special film that no one has ever seen.

How old were you when you first heard the story of Ronin and what does it mean to you?

When I was eight or nine years old, I saw the TV version of 47 Ronin, played by Toshiro Mifune. He played Oishi. That was my first experience. I watched every week with my brother. “Who plays Oishi tonight? Who will play Kira tonight?” And we fought every week. After that, I saw a lot of 47 Ronin on the TV, in the films, and I’ve done Chushingura Gaiden Yotsuya Kaidan [Crest of Betrayal, 1994] directed by Kinji Fukasaku. So this is my second time doing 47 Ronin.

What did you think about the addition, when Oishi is traditionally the main character?

It’s a good way to make an international film. It’s only Japanese film, only Japanese cast, it’s very difficult to introduce the world to our culture. It’s a very special situation. A lot of episodes have gone from the original, but a lot new ideas have come in. So I believe because his character is there we can introduce our culture to the world. So it’s very welcome for me.

47 Ronin

You starred in The Last Samurai. How has this experience been different?

We’ve shot in Japan. I’ve done Last Samurai in Japan, in LA, in New Zealand. But we created at the whole village in New Zealand. London. Budapest. I feel like it’s the same. Even in Japan it is very hard to shoot, because there’s been so many changes. Only around a temple can we shoot. The city is completely different – too modern. So even if we made the film in Japan, we would have to create sets, like this, from the beginning. So we can do that anywhere.

Keanu has absorbed himself into the culture. What do you think of that?

He’s learned a lot, respecting the culture. I was surprised when I first met him. He knew a lot already and he learned a lot. And also he learned Japanese. It’s incredible. On the set, switching between the Japanese and English, even for us, is very hard. It’s complicated. But the first time Keanu spoke in Japanese it was a very important scene between us, and more than the dialogue’s meaning, I was moved. His energy for the film, completely perfect Japanese pronunciation. It was moving, surprising, respecting. Another emotion coming to mind. And from that moment, we were getting closer and the wall is gone. The wall meaning walls of dialogue, language, or colour, or religions, a lot of walls have gone. That is one of great part of Carl’s direction this time. I think it’s very hard to direct foreign language actors, but he found a great way. A special super visional way.

How have you found shooting in 3D?

Completely my first time. I was so excited. When i’ve done camera test, after we’ve shot and I’ve seen the monitor with the glasses (wearing a Kimono) and looking by myself in 3D. Oh my god. Especially for a Samurai film. I’ve never seen that. It’s kind of a culture shock. I was a child actor, so when I started filming when I was five years old, it was a long time ago. It was a black and white film. And then it changed to colour film, and I was surprised and culture shocked when I was six or seven years old. And then HD, then 3D now. So what’s going? What’s coming next? It’s so exciting.

Does shooting in 3D present a big challenge for the actors?

Basically the same. I thought it would take longer to shoot or be harder. But it’s completely the same. The camera is just like a normal camera for us. I feel like there’s no difference from an ordinary film. It was very smooth, more than you would imagine. How can we use 3D? The full length. Give the film more excitement. What kind of movement would work for 3D and be more exciting? Especially for the fight scenes. You know the sword coming towards the lens means the audience will feel like it will cut them.

Is there anything special about the choreography being used?

I’ve done a lot of Samurai film in Japan before, and sometimes done the choreography by myself. There’s a great choreographer on set. Sometimes it’s Hong Kong style all mixing. We tried to make a contrast between Keanu’s special skills – taught from the monsters – and traditional Samurai style. We try to make differences at the beginning.

Has anything been done to the choreography to distinguish Keanu’s style?

The peaceful period in Japan – the Edo period is so peaceful. Even the Samurai were learning sword fighting in the schools, never fighting in real-life. But Keanu’s character had to survive, had to kill someone to survive. At the beginning even the samurai have never killed anybody before in real life. We can learn from Keanu’s characters. No rules in real fights, so you have to use everything.

‘’47 RONIN’’ is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation. Showing JANUARY 2014.

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