Star Wars Samurai Influence

[KyleKatarn1995]

In case you guys have already known that Star Wars shares it's influence on old movies, Jedis were actually inspired by Samurais from Akira Kurosawa's Jidaigeki films in which that case the name sounds incredibly familiar to you guys. We all know that Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers outfits are heavily inspired by Samurai Armor, I eventually think that Obi-Wan Kenobi's Jedi robe in Episode IV resembles a Hakama.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pU6B2zEFeg

[Cerez]

Hahaha! This is brilliant.

 

There is a documentary, called "Everything is a Remix" that talks exactly about this -- how when we create something, we're essentially remixing things we've seen and experienced elsewhere, but as long as the art is presented in a new light, a new mix, with a personal touch to it, we generally don't consider the work a copy or imitation.

 

I've briefly heard about Lucas and the Hidden Fortress before. Now I must watch that film. It looks like an outstanding movie -- but it doesn't have a space war, and hyperdrives, and stormtroopers, and a Millenium Falcon...

[KyleKatarn1995]

Hahaha! This is brilliant.

 

There is a documentary, called "Everything is a Remix" that talks exactly about this -- how when we create something, we're essentially remixing things we've seen and experienced elsewhere, but as long as the art is presented in a new light, a new mix, with a personal touch to it, we generally don't consider the work a copy or imitation.

 

I've briefly heard about Lucas and the Hidden Fortress before. Now I must watch that film. It looks like an outstanding movie -- but it doesn't have a space war, and hyperdrives, and stormtroopers, and a Millenium Falcon...

Wouldn't it be awesome if JKHub had Star Wars characters in Samurai Armor? We actually have a Samurai Darth Vader made by dark_apprentice if you want to use it in Jedi Academy. Here's the Download Link.

[NumberWan]

There was a collection of works, showing classic Star Wars characters in steampunk theme, and there were also Samurai-like clothing in a different set of photos too.

 

There is a documentary, called "Everything is a Remix" that talks exactly about this -- how when we create something, we're essentially remixing things we've seen and experienced elsewhere, but as long as the art is presented in a new light, a new mix, with a personal touch to it, we generally don't consider the work a copy or imitation.

There is a movie, titled "The best offer", where the main character says, that even a copy of a masterpiece can be a marvelous work of art, because when a person tries to make a copy of something, he undeniably has the desire to add something of his own into the original work, which is noticed only with a closer look. From this point a copy adds a new meaning to the original and hence is equally valuable.

 

As for the Hidden Fortress – George Lucas has always been fond of Akira Kurosawa and Japanese cinematography and culture. The very name of the Jedi can actually be derived from a Japanese language. But aside from that too many things claim to be familiar due to a natural Oriental theme. Obi Wan Kenobi himself was supposed to be played by a Japanese actor at first, that's how Lucas saw it. WE see the Jedi robe reminds us of Japanese apparel, and then again it's very simple, looking more like clothes of a peasant. It depicts greatly, what the Jedi are actually like. Their principles of life.

 

The Hidden Fortress, as far as I remember, has many similarities with The Phantom Menace. It shows the contrast, just like in Episode I: we see a group of noble people in peril, who begin their journey. On their way they come across a different world, which is unknown to the noble young lady, unfamiliar with harsh life of lower castes of society, where injustice and fear prevail.

 

Interestingly, after Episode I premiere, a major rumour from the Japanese journalists was that George Lucas planned to make Episode II very special and hire an impressive amount of Japanese actors for major roles in the new film.

 

It was said back in 1990s, I think (though countless times before and after), that Star Wars, being a space saga, touches various themes, like Father-son relations, Student-Master, Family ties, Friendship, Betrayal, Bravery and Honor, etc. This was the main reason why I consider the prequels to be respectful towards the Old Trilogy – it deals with forever relevant topics, just like OT, but also continues the line of previously undiscussed things, like slavery (Tatooine), social and cultural differences, mind and feelings issues, duty and obligations, fear of loss, love and death, etc.

 

All these have already been seen in many-many classics, be it both books or films, so in this regard Star Wars are not introducing anything really new. It's the form, that presents all these themes to us, which we might call a true achievement.

[Cerez]

And including the immortal theme that most gets to me in the Clone Wars and prequel era: the common-like, unexpected fall of a great hero -- reminding us that no matter how powerful, how skilled and experienced we are, there will always be things that are beyond our control, catching us off-guard.

 

The Seven Samurai deals with this as well... among many-many, astounding, other deep themes.

[Smoo]

Someone mentioned this to me before and it makes me realise why I love jedi and Star Wars cus I love sci fi and the samurai and ninja culture