***CIRCLE OF IRON***

[Trapper]

Sorry Stone, doesn't ring any bells.

F&F, I wrote pretty much all I could remember about the film.

Apart from Cord's relentless dedication to making sure that people knew what his name was before he kicked seven shades of **** out of them, all I can really remember about it is heat-shimmer on desert sands, and something about an arena or ampitheatre. That, and the fact that I enjoyed it so much at the time that I remembered the name of the movie 20 years later.

The only sex I remember from The Ninja is Yukio and Nick (I think that was the heroes name?) on the train north to confront Sato(?). And the sex that happened after Nick lost.

*shudders*

I think the moment that I realised that young Eric had some problems wasn't when he had his hero (Ronin in the Sunset Warrior) kill his warrior lover only to find out that she was his long-lost sister.

It was more the whole hero-undergoes-transformation-into-killing-machine-climbs-mountain-meets-beautiful-blacksmith-who-makes-him-a-kick-ass-sword-boffs-blacksmith-then-runs-her-through-with-the-sword-she-made-him thing.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picarism

[Fist and Faith]

Nice summation.

Nick and Justine also had some good action!

You should definitely watch Circle again. Some aspects of your memories will surprise you. But if you remember it as well as you do, no reason not to watch again!

[Fist and Faith]

Well, Metal-Demon isn't around much, and probably didn't find this movie anyway. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[Montresor]

Circle of Iron is also known under the title of The Silent Flute, which is the title I know it under. I've seen it a few times over the years. It's certainly quite original in tone, and I've always enjoyed it. For some reason, the scene with the man trying to reach enlightenment in a big metal bowl has always been the one which has stuck with me.

Worth checking out, for sure.

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, it's very difficult to forget Eli Wallach in the pot of oil!

[matrixman]

I was just talking to MM about it in the chatroom, and he didn't know anything about it.

We used to chat? Who knew?

No, I still haven't seen this movie.

I think the sex in the The Ninja was great!

Yeah, I think Lustbader (I guess Eric van Sexmachine would've been too obvious?) wrote that book really for the sex, and just threw in some ninjas for the hell of it. Not that I minded too much. I read the book, too, but I honestly don't remember one bit of it. Not even the sex. It must have been a totally shallow story, or totally shallow writing, for me to have so completely forgotten it.

Sorry, what were we talking about? Circle of Iron?

Uh, nope, still haven't seen it.

[Montresor]

Yeah, it's very difficult to forget Eli Wallach in the pot of oil!

Haha!

Never realised until you pointed it out that it was Eli Wallach! Awesome.

[Fist and Faith]

MM, I'll quote myself from when I replied to you long ago about The Ninja.

Although I think going past three was unnecessary, The Ninja, The Miko, and White Ninja are great! The first goes pretty deep into bushido, and the Japanese view in general. The way he weaves Musashi's Book of Five Rings throughout it is amazing. And I think Saigo's magic, the kobudera, is maybe the best I've seen anyone put magic into the "real world." (As opposed to things like Buffy and Charmed, where every street corner has a hugely powerful witch, demon, vampire, or god performing acts of great power.)

The second is a very good sequel. The third deals a lot with his mother's father, and the magic of China. Great depth to the characters too.

However, Montresor knows tons more about Japanese culture than I do, so, if he's read it, he can tell us if Lustbader actually does do a good job with the Japanese view in general. As opposed to my impression of the Japanese view.

[Montresor]

I've never read any Lustbader, though my mother has. I couldn't say for sure but, from what she's told me, it sounded like a '70s Sonny Chiba-inspired rendition of Ninja mythology... I really wouldn't know about Lustbader's books, though...but, when you get culturally very well-versed writers like James Clavell depicting ninjas as black-clad cliches, I'm not sure I hold much hope for the Eric Lustbaders of the world.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't most of Lustbader's books in a contemporary setting? If so, then their characters behaving like romantic ideals of Japanese warriors and assassins can't be faulted too much. After all, they would be looking back with rose-coloured glasses, as most of us tend to do. Sort of like the main Japanese character in Paul Schrader's Yakuza, I suppose.

It's important to keep in mind that people like Musashi and Tsunetomo wrote their guidebooks because they felt the world they wished for was dead, if indeed it ever existed. No-one writes a guidebook if everybody is already behaving as you want them to, after all.

[The Laughing Man]

Yeah, it's very difficult to forget Eli Wallach in the pot of oil!

haha! I was just referencing that scene in a conversation with my brother the other day!

[finn]

Montresor, I was not aware of Musashi's guides; I only know his story through Eiji Yoshikawa's book.

I felt from that that Musashi's quest was a personal one to live up to the values of the past as learned after his impisonment hanging in the tree, rather than an accumulation of wisdom to then teach.

His need to master and thus purify himself through the total mastery of his sword technique did not (as far as I knew) result in a style or school of which he had any involvement.

If you know of such works can you let me know?

[Montresor]

Montresor, I was not aware of Musashi's guides; I only know his story through Eiji Yoshikawa's book.

I felt from that that Musashi's quest was a personal one to live up to the values of the past as learned after his impisonment hanging in the tree, rather than an accumulation of wisdom to then teach.

His need to master and thus purify himself through the total mastery of his sword technique did not (as far as I knew) result in a style or school of which he had any involvement.

If you know of such works can you let me know?

He authored the Book of the Five Rings, one of the most famous of the samurai texts. And yes, though he had a personal quest, he was one of the samurai who railed against the lack of skill and devotion in those around him. Musashi is an interesting contradiction himself, of course, once one gets past the romantic histories of the man.

[finn]

Of course he did I had quite forgotten. I have a copy tho' its been many years since I read it.

Yes he was a an interesting character and I'm guessing many of the adventures were exaggerated and passed into folklore. But there is a theme of dogged determination and single-mindedness that is the real legend, such commitment creates the legend, the sword was but the conduit.