Summary
Jim Jarmusch combines his love for the ice-cool crime dramas with the philosophical dimensions of samurai mythology for an eccentrically postmodern take on the hit-man thriller. In one of his defining roles, Forest Whitaker brings a commanding serenity to his portrayal of a Zen contract killer working for a bumbling mob outfit, a modern man who adheres steadfastly to the ideals of the Japanese warrior code even as chaos and violence spiral around him.
Additional Information
| Series | Criterion collection ; 1057. |
| Subjects |
Murder for hire
-- Drama.
Bushido -- Drama. Samurai -- Conduct of life -- Drama. Gangsters -- Conduct of life -- Drama. Mafia -- United States -- Drama. Feature films. Fiction films. Gangster films. Video recordings for the hearing impaired. |
| Publisher | [Irvington, New York?] :The Criterion Collection,2020 |
| Edition | Widescreen. |
| Contributors |
Guay, Richard A.,
film producer. Jarmusch, Jim, 1953- film producer, screenwriter, film director. Whitaker, Forest, actor. Tormey, John, actor. Gorman, Cliff, actor. Silva, Henry, 1928- actor. Bankolé, Isaach de, actor. Vessey, Tricia, 1972- actor. Argo, Victor, actor. Ruffini, Gene, actor. Portnow, Richard, 1950- actor. Winbush, Camille, actor. RZA (Rapper), composer. J.V.C. Company of America, production company. Studio Canal+, production company. B.A.C. Films, production company. Pandora Film (Firm), production company. ARD Degeto Films, production company. Plywood Productions, production company. Criterion Collection (Firm), publisher. |
| Participants/Performers |
Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Henry Silva, Isaach De Bankol, Tricia Vessey, Victor Argo, Gene Ruffini, Richard Portnow, Camille Winbush. |
| Other Contributors |
Music, the RZA ; costume design, John Dunn ; production designer, Ted Berner ; edited by Jay Rabinowitz ; director of photography, Robby Müller. |
| Audience |
Rating: R; for strong violence and language. |
| Language |
English With optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired (SDH). |
| Notes |
Title from container. Originally released as a motion picture in 1999. Special features include: alternate isolated stereo music track; new Q&A with Jarmusch, in which he responds to questions sent in by fans; new conversation between Forest Whitaker and Isaach de Bankolé, moderated by film scholar Michael B. Gillespie; new interview with casting director Ellen Lewis; new interview with Shifu Shi Yan Ming, founder of the USA Shaolin Temple; Flying Birds: the music of Ghost dog, a new video essay on RZA's score by filmmaker Daniel Raim; The Odyssey: a journey into the life of a Samurai, a 2000 program on the making of the film; deleted scenes and outtakes; archival interviews; trailer. |
| System Details |
DVD; NTSC; region 1; widescreen (1.85:1) presentation; Dolby 5.1. |
| Description |
2 videodiscs (116 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in. |
| ISBN | 9781681437798 1681437791 |
| Other | Classic View |