Japanese ‘Unforgiven’ Teaser: Ken Watanabe Takes Over a Clint Eastwood Signature Role

Posted on Monday, December 10th, 2012 by Russ Fischer

Here’s a brief look at footage from Unforgiven (Yurusarezaru mono), aka the Japanese remake of Clint Eastwood’s 1992 western, here with Ken Watanabe in the lead role. We’re given quick glimpses of the scenery, as well as what appears to be the town to which Watanabe’s swordsman, newly out of retirement, heads to collect a bounty. We also see quick views of the major characters, and those who know the original film even in passing will likely be able to ID who’s who pretty fast. Read More »

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Ken Watanabe to Star in Japanese ‘Unforgiven’ Remake

Posted on Monday, August 20th, 2012 by Russ Fischer

The relationship between samurai films and westerns goes back many years, thanks in large part to remakes of Akria Kurosawa films; his 1954 film Seven Samurai was remade as the western The Magnificent Seven in 1960, and the defining Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood movie A Fistful of Dollars remade Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, without explicit credit given to Kurosawa.

Now there is a major western-to-samurai remake in development, and it is even another one that involves a now-classic Clint Eastwood production. Warner Japan plans to remake Clint Eastwood’s 1992 opus Unforgiven as a samurai period drama, with Ken Watanabe in a version of the central role played by Eastwood. Read More »

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