MFMM004

Bear in mind that moif's favourite movie moments are not in any kind of order, so being nr 4 doesn't mean that this is my fourth favourite movie moment!

The opening title sequence of 'Shôgun Iemitsu no ranshin - Gekitotsu' (Shogun's Shadow), (1989), Directed by Yasuo Furuhata and starring Ken Ogata & Sonny Chiba. I had this film on VHS for years, recorded from late night Danish TV some time during the early 90's. Until then I'd only seen a few Samurai films, and I had none on VHS, so for a long time this was my only source of visual reference. Consequently it was watched many times (I even based the second Ringworld campaign around this film), and despite being utterly ridiculous (note in this clip how the ninja's swing in from ropes suspended apparently in the thin air), or maybe because it is so ridiculous... it became a favourite. The opening sequence was of particular interest, especially the moment (at 2.00 min in the video above) where Ken Ogata drops from the rafters in obligatory slo mo and the music begins. Even today I love that entrance, and I want to be just like Ken Ogata, dropping down from the darkness and drawing out my katana with infinate menace. So cool.