LAST SAMURAI (BR-DVD/WS 2.40/5.1/ENG-SDH/ENG/FR-NAR/FR/SP SUB) DVD

The Last Samurai
Edward Zwick returned to the director's chair for the first time since 1998's The Siege with this sweeping period drama set in 19th-century Japan. After centuries of relying on hired samurai for national defense, the Japanese monarchy has decided to do away with the warriors in favor of a more contemporary military. Tom Cruise stars as Nathan Algren, a veteran of the U.S. Civil War who is hired by the Emperor Meiji to train an army capable of wiping out the samurai. But when Algren is captured by the samurai and taught about their history and way of life, he finds himself conflicted over who he should be fighting alongside. Billy Connelly, Tony Goldwyn, and Ken Watanabe co-star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Cast Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren Timothy Spall as Simon Graham Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto Billy Connolly as Zebulon Gant Tony Goldwyn as Colonel Benjamin Bagley Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio Koyuki as Taka Shichinosuke Nakamura as Emperor Meiji Shun Sugata as Nakao Seizo Fukomoto as Silent Samurai Masato Harada as Omura Shin Koyamada as Nobutada

Crew Jess Gonchor - Art Director Lilly Kilvert - Art Director Kim Sinclair - Art Director Christopher Burian-Mohr - Supervising Art Director Graham J. Larson - Associate Producer Michael Doven - Associate Producer Yoko Narahashi - Associate Producer Don Coufal - Boom Operator Victoria Thomas - Casting Liz Mullane - Casting Yoko Narahashi - Casting Takeyama Yo - Consultant/advisor Mark Schilling - Consultant/advisor Blake Beely - Conductor Grace Kelly Lambert - Costume Designer Ngila Dickson - Costume Designer Natasha Walsh - Costume Designer Kendall Errair - Costume Designer Lucinda Campbell - Costume Designer Cynthia Morrill - Costume Designer Sian Evans - Costume Designer Nilo Otero - First Assistant Director Mathew Dunne - First Assistant Director Edward Zwick - Director Gary Capo - Second Unit Director Steven Rosenblum - Editor Victor DuBois - Editor Rick Soloman - Executive Producer Vincent Ward - Executive Producer Charles B. Mulvehill - Executive Producer Richard Solomon - Executive Producer Ted Field - Executive Producer Masayo Ichikawa - Hair Styles Karen Myers - Hair Styles Carol Pershing - Hair Styles Yoko Ishikawa - Hair Styles Jennifer Barrons - Hair Styles Randa Squillacote - Hair Styles Kimberly Spiteri - Hair Styles Colleen La Baff - Hair Styles Craig Argent - Hair Styles Annie Townsend - Hair Styles Richard Jr. Davis - Location Manager Charlie Harrington - Location Manager Hans Zimmer - Composer (Music Score) Suzette Moriarty - Musical Arrangement Jennifer Barrons - Makeup Michael Krehl - Makeup Perry "Mike" Germain - Makeup Greg Nelson - Makeup Kenneth Wensevic - Makeup Christina "Tina" Harrelson - Makeup Richard Snell - Makeup Maggie Elliot - Makeup Zoltan Elek - Makeup Ron Snyder - Makeup Peter McCaffrey - Camera Operator Mike Thomas - Camera Operator Calum McFarlane - Camera Operator Darrin Keough - Camera Operator Gregory Lundsgaard - Camera Operator Tommy Klines - Camera Operator Leigh Mackenzie - Camera Operator John Toll - Cinematographer Gary Capo - Cinematographer Mitsuyuki Kousaka - Production Manager Tom Cruise - Producer Scott Kroopf - Producer Paula Wagner - Producer Tom Engelman - Producer Marshall Herskovitz - Producer Edward Zwick - Producer Alan Meyerson - Recording Slamm Andrews - Recording Patte Strong-Lord - Set Designer John Perry Goldsmith - Set Designer Anthony D. Parillo - Set Designer James Bayliss - Set Designer Michael Smale - Set Designer Roy Barnes - Set Designer Adrian H. Gorton - Set Designer Ann Harris - Set Designer Samuel J. Storey - Set Designer Philip Thomas - Set Designer Joseph Livolsi - Special Effects Scott Mattson - Special Effects Jonathan Kombrinck - Special Effects Geoff Curtis - Special Effects Dean Bushby - Special Effects Brent Herrmann - Special Effects Phil McLaren - Special Effects John Fagan - Special Effects Guy Menanno - Special Effects Rick Peterson - Special Effects Ken Rudell - Special Effects Kim Derry - Special Effects Scott Garcia - Special Effects Scott Harens - Special Effects Paul Verrall - Special Effects Jeremy Hays - Special Effects Karl Chisholm - Special Effects Michael Todd - Special Effects Charles Schmitz - Special Effects Duane Russel - Special Effects Doug Falconer - Special Effects Daniel Gilmore - Special Effects Dominic Taylor - Special Effects Thomas H. Brown - Special Effects William Wallace - Special Effects Warwick Yin - Special Effects Peter Zivkovic - Special Effects Dean Clarke - Special Effects Joel Blanchard - Special Effects Alistair Anderson - Special Effects Darian Lumsden - Special Effects Thomas "Mike" Craven - Special Effects Lenny Dalrymple - Special Effects Ron Matthews - Special Effects Oliver Gee - Special Effects Guy Feldman - Special Effects Iain Hutton - Special Effects Mike McDonald - Special Effects Terry Erickson - Special Effects John Mowat - Special Effects Steven Dearth - Special Effects Dean Powell - Special Effects Peter Cleveland - Special Effects Dave Booth - Special Effects David Peterson - Special Effects Shigemori Shigeta - Special Effects Yukiyoshi Shimizu - Special Effects Eduardo Lozano - Special Effects Jim Fredburg - Special Effects Michael Kamper - Sound/Sound Designer Jon Title - Sound/Sound Designer Alan Rankin - Sound Editor Christopher Assells - Sound Editor Dino Dimruo - Sound Editor Ben Wilkins - Sound Editor Bruce Tannis - Sound Editor Kenji Sato - Stunts Ryoichi Murakami - Stunts Kenji Tominaga - Stunts Eugenio Yenes - Stunts Jesus Riaran Torres - Stunts Pedro Garcia Garcia - Stunts Dean Caulfield - Stunts Motoki Kawana - Stunts Yoshio Miyaki - Stunts Duncan McNaughton - Stunts Lani Jackson - Stunts Kiwa Halley - Stunts Tasho Ihara - Stunts Daisuke Amano - Stunts Ken Hasegawa - Stunts Takahiro Kudo - Stunts Takashi Sakamoto - Stunts Taketo Nakamura - Stunts Christine Davis - Stunts Kazuki Tsujimoto - Stunts Sarah Davis - Stunts Alaynna Davis - Stunts Atsushi Morita - Stunts Spencer Sano - Stunts Al Goto - Stunts Phil Chong - Stunts Shawn Orr - Stunts Herman Ortiz - Stunts Stephen Dunham - Stunts Peter Miles - Stunts Noroa Poa - Stunts Alejandro Garcia - Stunts Ricardo Cruz - Stunts Steven Ho - Stunts Shogo Ikegami - Stunts Willie Leong - Stunts Tadahiro Shimizu - Stunts James Lew - Stunts Joel Kramer - Stunts Geraldine Jacobsen - Stunts Mike Ching - Stunts Paul Wu - Stunts Masato Kobayashi - Stunts Yoshio Iizuka - Stunts Casey O'Neill - Stunts Tad Griffith - Stunts Hiro Asari - Stunts Zokir Sultanov - Stunts Steve Ito - Stunts Danny Baldwin - Stunts Brian Imada - Stunts Tadahiro Nakamura - Stunts Akira Sugihara - Stunts Patrick Shining Elk - Stunts Al Eisenmann - Stunts Marcus Young - Stunts Michael Li - Stunts Ava Strong - Stunts Jonathan Costello - Stunts Keiya Tabuchi - Stunts Albert Heimuli - Stunts Shoji Sakai - Stunts Lin Oeding - Stunts Peng Zhang - Stunts Danny Le Boyer - Stunts Alan Poppleton - Stunts Mick Corrigan - Stunts Koji Nakamura - Stunts Tadashi Oiwa - Stunts Brent A. Chan - Stunts Paul Shapcott - Stunts Tsuyoshi Abe - Stunts Dave Foreman - Stunts Jackie Old Coyote - Stunts Xuyen Sam Vadivia - Stunts Moritaka Yoshida - Stunts Jean-Jacques Desplanque - Stunts Larry "Warlock" Lam - Stunts Kimio Yamada - Stunts Jon Sakata - Stunts Kraig Kishi - Stunts Yoshiyuki Kubo - Stunts Hiroki Takano - Stunts Nobuyuki Obikane - Stunts Jon Kishi - Stunts Akira Kamito - Stunts Nicholas Powell - Stunts Coordinator Danielle King - Technical Advisor George Tsukahira - Technical Advisor Charles B. Mulvehill - Unit Production Manager Kevin de la Noy - Unit Production Manager Ray Quinlan - Unit Production Manager John Logan - Screen Story Edward Zwick - Screenwriter Marshall Herskovitz - Screenwriter Marc Siegel - Production Assistant Stacy Solomon - Production Assistant Joey Cruz Manalang - Production Assistant Taka "Bart" Kawatsu - Production Assistant Shikiho Yanagida - Production Assistant Daryl Habraken - Production Assistant Phillip Shaw - Production Assistant Minori James - Production Assistant Pippa Radka Illovska - Production Assistant Nicky Laguna - Production Assistant Christopher Toll - Production Assistant Miwako Morita - Production Assistant Kristian Eek - Production Assistant Jeffrey A. Okun - Visual Effects Supervisor Tim Crosbie - Visual Effects Supervisor William Mesa - Visual Effects Supervisor Raymond McIntyre Jr. - Visual Effects Supervisor John P. Mesa - Visual Effects Supervisor Bridget Brewer - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Eileen Gopperth - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Sharon Bardsley - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Graeme Andrews - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Tracey Vickers - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Duncan McNaughton - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Graham Dolan - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Karen Kemsley - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Jacquilyn Penn - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Peter White - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Phil Smith - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Mathew Ward - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Rosie Miles - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Melvin Mete - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Doug Katau - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Jasmin Vette - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Tracey Weaver - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Lynley Schollum - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Lindsay Tapp - Animal Trainer/Wrangler Thomas Blake - Model Effects Andrew Hunt - Model Effects Giacomo Iovino - Model Effects Duncan Jarman - Model Effects Cynthia Thornton - Associate Editor Michael Fauntleroy - First Assistant Camera Christopher Toll - First Assistant Camera Brett Matthews - First Assistant Camera Phil Smith - First Assistant Camera Tov Belling - First Assistant Camera Richard Lacy - First Assistant Camera R. Michael Dechellis - Gaffer Gary Hill - Gaffer Mick Morris - Gaffer Paul Reddin - Grip David Nichols - Key Grip Terry Fraser - Key Grip Al Laverde - Key Grip John Coats - Matte Painting Supervisor Marc Streitenfeld - Music Editor Emil Richards - Musical Performer June Kuramoto - Musical Performer Dolores Clay - Musical Performer Craig Eastman - Musical Performer Fred Selden - Musical Performer Benjamin Hale - Musical Performer Steve Erdody - Musical Performer Bill Shozan Schultz - Musical Performer Geoff Pattison - Post Production Coordinator Graham J. Larson - Post Production Supervisor Arwen Munro - Production Coordinator Lisa Matsukawa - Production Coordinator Page Rosenberg-Marvin - Production Coordinator Lil Heyman - Production Coordinator Mitchell Dauterive - Production Supervisor Kyoko Kageyama - Production Supervisor Anne Bruening - Production Supervisor Oda Shinobu - Properties Master Yashuo Kamata - Properties Master Matthew Smith - Prosthetic Makeup Effects Martha Fein - Prosthetic Makeup Effects Anna Behlmer - Re-Recording Mixer Andy Nelson - Re-Recording Mixer Jane-Ann Tenggren - Script Supervisor Lisa Vick - Script Supervisor Allen Kupetsky - Second Assistant Director Paul Sullivan - Second Assistant Director Gregory Lundsgaard - Steadicam Operator Peter McCaffrey - Steadicam Operator Tommy Klines - Steadicam Operator David James - Still Photographer Tim Everitt - Supervising Animator Mark Stoeckinger - Supervising Sound Editor Lyena Nomura - Translator George Macri - Visual Effects Producer Jeffrey White - Visual Effects Producer Romulo Adreano Jr. - Visual Effects Producer Tom Boland - Visual Effects Producer Kelly Oxford - ADR Editor Michelle Pazer - ADR Editor Caitlin McKenna - ADR Editor Anna MacKenzie - ADR Editor Greg Steele - ADR Mixer Charleen Richards-Steeves - ADR Mixer Michael Miller - ADR Mixer Robert Deschane - ADR Mixer Jiro Koga - Assistant Art Director Harry E. Otto - Assistant Art Director Elizabeth Flaherty - Assistant Art Director Martha Johnston - Assistant Art Director John H.M. Berger - Assistant Art Director Tristan Paris Bourne - Assistant Art Director Erik Benstein - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician Janice Alexander - Assistant Hair Roger "Podge" Preston - Assistant Location Manager Mana Hira-Davis - Assistant Location Manager George Marino - Assistant Location Manager Ollie Chadwick - Assistant Location Manager Sala Baker - Assistant Location Manager Sharon Ninness - Assistant Location Manager John Fenton - Assistant Location Manager Kirsty Fromont - Assistant Location Manager Alan Halcombe - Assistant Location Manager Sharlene Heys - Assistant Location Manager Clayton White - Assistant Location Manager Elton Whakatutu - Assistant Location Manager Ngaia Toroa Croyden - Assistant Location Manager Richard Riwaka - Assistant Location Manager Neena Rae - Assistant Location Manager Wok O'Keeffe - Assistant Location Manager Tam Norris - Assistant Location Manager Mike McGregor - Assistant Location Manager Yukihisa Takagaki - Assistant Location Manager Rachel Bracegirdle - Assistant Location Manager Lance McCrae - Assistant Location Manager Eric Napier - Assistant Location Manager Brian Hulse - Assistant Location Manager David Cole - Assistant Location Manager Kazumasa Hayakawa - Assistant Location Manager Yoshiko Suzuki - Assistant Makeup Janice Alexander - Assistant Makeup Susan Parker - Assistant Production Coordinator Jill Soper - Assistant Production Coordinator Jennifer Webb - Assistant Production Coordinator Heather Moses - Assistant Production Coordinator Stacy Parker - Assistant Production Coordinator Michiko Inoue - Assistant Properties Eric "Fish" Fishman - Assistant Properties Kazunori Makiguchi - Assistant Properties Masayuki Tamura - Assistant Properties Parker Swanson - Assistant Properties Peter Clarke - Assistant Properties Geoff Ellis - Assistant Properties Paul Flinchbaugh - Assistant Sound Editor Andy M. Nelson - Best Boy Electric Dana Baker - Best Boy Grip Kathleen Rosen - Buyer Deirdre McKessar - Buyer Phred Palmer - Buyer Naoki Noda - Camera Loader Salvador Alvarez - Camera Loader Nicole Abellera - Casting Assistant Kim Taylor Coleman - Casting Associate Randy Woodside - Chief Lighting Technician Dave Degaetano - Construction Coordinator Takayuki Mizoguchi - Costumes Assistant Tulsi Cullen - Costumes Assistant Sophia Cook - Costumes Assistant Rachel Little - Costumes Assistant Sarah Shepherd - Costumes Assistant Mitsuru Ohtsuka - Costumes Assistant Izumi Satoh - Costumes Assistant Akira Fukuda - Costumes Supervisor Janis McEwan - Costumes Supervisor Charlene Amateau - Costumes Supervisor Alexandria Forster - Costumes Supervisor Laura R. Harris - Dialogue Editor David A. Cohen - Dialogue Editor Brett McDowell - Dolly Grip Damien Kwockson - Dolly Grip Bill Leslie - Dolly Grip Victor Shelehov - Dolly Grip Amy Pope - Extra Casting Mariann Lee - Extra Casting Kami Calevro - First Assistant Accountant Mayda Renizzi-Holt - First Assistant Accountant Alyson Dee Moore - Foley Artist Jeff Wilhoit - Foley Artist John Roesch - Foley Artist James Morriana - Foley Artist Bob Beher - Foley Editor Frank T. Smathers - Foley Editor Michael White - Greensman Mike McCombe - Greensman Jeffrey Shortt - Greensman Basil McGahan - Greensman Murray Hartley - Greensman Paula Carswell - Greensman Amy Jo Hoppenfeld - Key Costumer Mari-An Ceo - Key Costumer Terry Baliel - Key Hairstylist Kenny Myers - Key Make-up Marc Larsen - Leadman Patrick Cassidy - Leadman Trevor Barber - Leadman Ronald Denny - Leadman Jo Tack - Leadman Brendan Treacy - Leadman John Watson - Leadman Jed Hooker - Leadman Jon Bush - Leadman Nick Weir - Leadman George Ferguson - Leadman Paul Stanwyck - Lead Scenic Artist Riki Otaki - Personal Assistant Josh Gummersall - Personal Assistant E. Michael Stankevich - Personal Assistant Jason Novak - Personal Assistant Gunner Clancy - Personal Assistant Alison Haskovec - Personal Assistant Troy Putney - Personal Assistant Wonder Fortune Serra - Personal Assistant Josh Breslow - Post Production Assistant Ken Ryan - Production Accountant Raymond S. Milazzo, Jr. - Second Assistant Camera Jock Fyfe - Second Assistant Camera Nobuhiro Wakabayashi - Second Assistant Camera Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan - Second Assistant Camera Jeff Pelton - Second Assistant Camera Louise Williams - Second Assistant Camera Ullric Raymond - Second Assistant Camera Andrew Ward - Second Second Assistant Director Edward Licht - Second Second Assistant Director Frank Kostenko, Jr. - Second Second Assistant Director Jack Steinberg - Second Second Assistant Director Seiji Honjo - Set Dresser John Markovich - Set Dresser Lisa Ozanne - Set Dresser Steven Brennan - Set Dresser Mark Palmer - Set Dresser Tomofumi Nishida - Set Dresser Trevor Rudolph - Set Dresser Jim Samson - Set Dresser Gregory J. Wilkinson - Set Dresser Brock Helfer - Set Dresser Joanna Venezsky - Set Dresser Joseph Pinkos - Set Dresser Hiroki Yamaguchi - Set Dresser Casi Heath - Set Dresser Oscar Delgadillo - Set Dresser John Louis Gomez - Set Dresser Pierre Gonzalez - Set Dresser Jamie Boyce - Set Dresser Lori A. Lopes - Set Dresser William Acedo - Set Dresser Peter Angles II - Set Dresser Scott G. Jones - Set Dresser Nigel Nally - Set Production Assistant Michael Short - Set Production Assistant Will Waru - Set Production Assistant Lyena Nomura - Set Production Assistant Jessica Franks - Set Production Assistant Mikey Svitak - Set Production Assistant Ryan Quinlan - Set Production Assistant Erin Cressida Wilson - Set Production Assistant Lee Reynolds - Set Production Assistant Jason Cox - Set Production Assistant David Williams - Set Production Assistant Josh Ernstrom - Set Production Assistant Christopher Glass - Storyboard Artist Kevin MacCarthy - Storyboard Artist Peter A. Ramsey - Storyboard Artist Cesar Angebaldo - Transportation Captain Vic Cuccia - Transportation Captain Reg Gibson - Transportation Captain Michael Sean Ryan - Transportation Captain Danny Romero - Transportation Coordinator Digital Dimension - Visual Effects Vce.com - Visual Effects Flash Film Works - Visual Effects Pixel Magic - Visual Effects Gretchen Rau - Set Decorator Rin Takada - Cable Person Javier Carillo - Construction Foreman Carl Barnes - Craft Service/Catering Richard Shaw - Craft Service/Catering Michael Kehoe - Craft Service/Catering Orion Archung - Craft Service/Catering Rachel Musprave - Craft Service/Catering For Stars Catering - Craft Service/Catering Flying Trestles - Craft Service/Catering Nerses Gezalyan - Foley Mixer Mary Jo Lang - Foley Mixer Mo Henry - Negative Cutter Deborah Alleck - Production Secretary Mark Kelly - Production Secretary Emi Fukuda - Production Secretary Cindy Kahu - Production Secretary Samantha Prestron - Production Secretary Jeff Wexler - Production Sound Mixer Kinu McCarthy - Set Medic/First Aid Ayako Nakayama - Set Medic/First Aid Mari Imagawa - Set Medic/First Aid Dr. Kenji Cho - Set Medic/First Aid Yoshiko Yanase - Set Medic/First Aid Roy Irwin - Set Medic/First Aid Samuel M. Cobb - Set Medic/First Aid Madoka Mori - Set Medic/First Aid Robert Willard - Special Effects Foreman John D. Milinac - Special Effects Foreman Kerry Dean Williams - Supervising ADR Editor Byron Connew - Swing Gang David Casey - Swing Gang Alexandra Bain - Swing Gang David Topping - Swing Gang Peter Newland - Swing Gang Shane Down - Swing Gang Nathan Wipatene - Swing Gang Graeme Sang - Swing Gang Neil Testa - Swing Gang Eddie Thorne - Third Assistant Director Dan Moore - Video Assist Luis Olivares - Video Assist Michael Taylor - Video Assist Emily Wallin - Visual Effects Editor Neil Greenberg - Visual Effects Editor Lincoln Kupchak - Visual Effects Editor Ted Haigh - Graphic Design Moving Target - Title Design Cedar McClure - Art Department Coordinator Lori A. Lopes - Art Department Coordinator Kay Kimura - Art Department Coordinator Jenny Hicks - Assistant Editor Penny Lee Hallin - Assistant Editor Pablo Prietto - Assistant Editor David Ziek - Assistant Editor Del Spiva - Assistant Music Editor Lois Burwell - Department Head Makeup Todd Zongker - First Assistant Avid Editor Victor Ennis - First Assistant Sound Editor Kathy Lucas - Assistant Set Decorator Gunner Ashford - Armorer

The Last Samurai
While it certainly is not groundbreaking or original, Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai does succeed in telling a moving story in a well-crafted manner. With similarities to Dances With Wolves and Zwick's own Glory, the film also tries to capture the magic of such classic samurai films as Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai. But the skewing of the story to reflect the experience of a Western intruder/visitor unfortunately places the audience somewhat outside of the full experience of the samurais themselves. Occasional voice-overs with Tom Cruise's Algren reading out diary entries are a much too overt plot device that takes away from the film's more subtle, restrained storytelling elements. The sometimes slow pacing of the film can feel overdone at times, but it is more often very effective in creating the emotional impact of the story. Cruise acquits himself well in his role, portraying his Captain Algren passionately and showing a flare for swordplay and fighting skills in the action scenes. But off of the battlefield, Cruise never really seems to embody a character that has truly experienced what Algren has; one does not get the sense that he is a battle-worn veteran (of the Civil War and the Indian Wars in the West). This is the kind of movie that works best when its actors are able to summon the period authenticity of their characters and to disappear into their roles. Though Cruise gives the part his all and conveys emotions well, he doesn't seem to have the right presence for the part. The real stars of the film are its Japanese actors, even if it does relegate them to "supporting" roles. Ken Watanabe is stoic yet heartbreaking as the samurai leader Katsumoto, truly conjuring the essence of samurai/warrior life. Watanabe should be considered among such greats as Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura. He is incredibly effective as Katsumoto, and his are the best scenes in the film. Also impressive is Hiroyuki Sanada as a fierce and highly skilled samurai and Shin Koyamada as Katsumoto's son, Nobutada, who shows great courage and heart in one of the film's most moving scenes. Koyuki, who has the only real female role in the film, does as much as she can with her part as Taka, the widow of a samurai whom Algren has killed and the sister of Katsumoto. Taka must care for Algren and nurse him back to health after a battle injury, and Koyuki expresses a lot with few words as her character goes from feeling shamed by Algren's presence in her home to harboring a subtle affection for him. Lastly, the young child that plays the older of Taka's two sons delivers a touching performance; he develops a natural rapport with Cruise's Algren, especially in a later scene in the film in which he reveals his emotional attachment to the American captain. The cinematography for The Last Samurai and its production design are excellent, expressing a poetic respect for the Japanese culture, land, and history. Algren's samurai training scenes and many fights are choreographed and shot with great skill and are rousing pieces of action. The battle scenes are also photographed and edited with flair; however, though they are stirring and beautifully shot, most are so heartbreaking that their effect is bittersweet. The battles seem authentic and are often bloody; special effects and stunts are worked in seamlessly, not taking away from the film's elegant style. Attempts at political explanations for the state of affairs are so-so. Masato Harada is adequate as the emperor's greedy advisor Omura, personifying the "selling out" of Japan to the West, but too much is left unsaid about how the country has gotten to this state of, essentially, civil war. It's the meeting between Katsumoto and the young emperor (Shichinosuke Nakamura) that elucidates the two men's plights and gives their standpoints a greater amount of emotional weight. Overall, The Last Samurai tells a fascinating and moving story despite its flaws. ~ Dana Rowader, All Movie Guide
 

Andy Nelson: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Sound (nominated) Anna Behlmer: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Sound (nominated) Edward Zwick: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated) Gretchen Rau: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Art Direction (nominated) Hans Zimmer: Golden Globe, Best Score (nominated) Jeff Wexler: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Sound (nominated) John Toll: American Society of Cinematographers, Best Cinematography (nominated) Ken Watanabe: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Ken Watanabe: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Ken Watanabe: Screen Actors Guild, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Lilly Kilvert: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Art Direction (nominated) Marshall Herskovitz: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated) Ngila Dickson: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Costume Design (nominated) Paula Wagner: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated) Tom Cruise: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (nominated) Tom Cruise: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated)

American Film Institute, Best Picture (winner) National Board of Review, Best Director (winner) National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French, Spanish Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo Additional Features: Commentary by director Edward Zwick Deleted scenes Edward Zwick: director's video journal The History Channel documentary History vs. Hollywood Tom Cruise: a warrior's journey Makin an Epic: a conversation with Edward Zwick and Tom Cruise A World of Detail: production design with Lilly Kilvert Silk and Armor: costume design with Ngila Dickson From Soldier to Samurai: the weapons Imperial Army basic training Japan premieres Theatrical trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1: 2.40:1 MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: Content Length: 154 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Last Samurai 1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12 13. Chapter 13 14. Chapter 14 15. Chapter 15 16. Chapter 16 17. Chapter 17 18. Chapter 18 19. Chapter 19 20. Chapter 20 21. Chapter 21 22. Chapter 22 23. Chapter 23 24. Chapter 24 25. Chapter 25 26. Chapter 26 27. Chapter 27 28. Chapter 28 29. Chapter 29 30. Chapter 30 31. Chapter 31 32. Chapter 32 33. Chapter 33 34. Chapter 34 35. Chapter 35 36. Chapter 36 37. Chapter 37 38. Chapter 38 39. Chapter 39 40. Chapter 40 41. Chapter 41