Force Material Episode II: Three Outlaw Samurai
Grab your s'mores, because we're off to Rian Johnson's film camp in the second episode of the Force Material podcast!
Our weekly deep dive into the influences and inspirations behind the Star Wars saga continues with an examination of director Hideo Gosha's pulpy 1964 classic, Three Outlaw Samurai.
This was one of a number of films that director Rian Johnson required the cast and crew of The Last Jedi to watch as part of his 'film camp' before production began.
In the lead-up to December, we'll be discussing each of these films, breaking down what makes them special, and taking a few educated guesses at how they might influence The Last Jedi.
This episode, we're taking a look at the cultural influences that have made Star Wars 'big in Japan'; how the swordplay of Three Outlaw Samurai could inspire all-in brawls with the Knights of Ren and the Praetorian Guard in The Last Jedi; why Obi-Wan's duel with Darth Vader in A New Hope is actually awesome; and whether or not the cynicism of Three Outlaw Samurai is compatible with Star Wars.
Three Outlaw Samurai is available as part of the Criterion Collection here (but please note that, if you live outside North America, you'll need a multi-region Blu-Ray player to watch the film).
Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.
