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September 24, 2012

7

Photo Play: Samurai Spy (1965)

by HELEN GEIB

This month on Photo Play: a good ninja is hard to find

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Last Week: Ninja Scroll (1993)
Coming Next: Photo Play will be on vacation until November

Read more from Helen Geib, Photo Play
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7 Comments Post a comment
  1. Nir Shalev
    Sep 24 2012

    Woohoo! Awesome film! I also love the trampoline shots in it! :OD

  2. Helen
    Sep 24 2012

    When you asked for SAMURAI SPY the first week I already had it scheduled. Our minds think alike, at least when it comes to ninja movies. :D

  3. Nir Shalev
    Sep 24 2012

    Sure do!

    Now… favourite film based on the Marvel comics universe: Blade (1998).

  4. Helen
    Sep 25 2012

    Is the Punisher a Marvel character?

  5. Nir Shalev
    Sep 25 2012

    Yes he is.

  6. Helen
    Sep 25 2012

    Then that’s my answer (the Dolph Lundgren version, not the Thomas Jane version). No contest. And funny enough… it has ninjas! :D

  7. Nir Shalev
    Sep 25 2012

    It sure does! lol

    The best film version that depicts the comics well is Punisher: War Zone (2008), although it’s not a good film by any stretch of the imagination. But the best interpretation of the character of Frank Castle, hands down, is Dolph Lundgren. And, ironically, I’d just rewatched it sometime within the past week.

    It’s going to be nearly impossible, or entirely so, to make a good Punisher film because The Punisher is a serial killer. Once he’d destroyed the mobsters that were responsible for the death of his wife and kids he’d gone on a killing rampage murdering criminals all across the globe. I’d recently read the first 60 issues of the graphic novel series Punisher: Max and it’s terrific but there’s no denying it, he is a serial murderer and a good film based on his work and his character will be very difficult adapt.

    And I’m glad that I’m not the only one that likes the Lundgren version of the Punisher film, though.