Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai
Ghost Dog (Forrest Whitaker) is New York City's feared, and innovative, hitman. What makes him so unique is his practice of the Code of the Samurai. Although befriend by a little girl (Camille Winbush) and a French guy who sells ice cream (Issach De Bankole), he is betrayed by a mafia family after accidentally shooting a member. All that is left to do is defend himself only with the Code of the Samurai. Although Ghost Dog doesn't speak much outside of narration, you will feel how he does in every moment as Wu-Tang member, and producer RZA, scores the entire film.
--A.D. Tandy, Resident Scholar
Ghostdog is a strict believer in the samurai way of life. One day he is beaten up and a man stops the beating. When a deed like this is done for a samurai, he must return the favor. He becomes a hit man for the mob as gratitude. The accurately explains the life of a samurai. The director of the movie, Jim Jarmusch, is from Akron, Ohio. I live in Ohio. An Ohioian at the helm of Ghostdog is an added bonus.
--Kelly Alleman, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 30% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1980's-1999
Crime & Police Story?
Yes
Crime story:
- vigilante hunting down criminal(s)
Combat acrobatics/martial arts?
Yes
Criminal enemy is...
- Mafia conflict
If this is a criminal POV story...
- criminals killing each other
- one man's rise in a criminal organization
Kind of movie
- traditional karate
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- killer
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
- short/standard curly (man)
Body type
- average (man)
- fat (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- sensitive
- cynical
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- bulging muscles
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- white/grey
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average build (man)
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- a criminal organization
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
- 80%
Hair color
- white
Body type
- average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
Intelligence
- Dumb
Physique
- average physique
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
- resort/hotel
- building
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- non-gory references to death/punishment
- moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel...
- excited
How many deaths in film?
- 3-4
- 4-8
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- mental battles
- hand to hand
- guns
Unusual forms of death
- fright
- perforation--bullets
Any profanity?
- A lot of foul language
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Rap/hip-hop
