The Last Samurai

There was nothing in our lessons asking for a discussion of the movie, "The Last Samurai" so I decided to make a brief comment.

First, it disturbs me that the films we've watched so far to illustrate cultural differences have both included massive amounts of death, blood and general violence.

In the movie, Western culture is depicted as one of greed and progress at any cost while traditional Japanese culture (and Native American culture, by reference) is poetic and contemplative. The Samurai are honorable soldiers while the American-trained troops are generally portrayed as much more callous. Western culture is very one-dimensional in the movie, whether as shown in the quest to conquer on American soil or on Japanese soil. While I would never defend our actions against the Native Americans, the movie leaves you with the impression that Nathan Algren is the only American with a conscience.

To my original comments about Japan, I found the scenery and the architecture stunning in its simplicity. I was especially taken by the scenes where Nathan was practicing in front of the sunset.