# Tom Cruise Goes Japanese! OR: "THE LAST SAMURAI" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-goes-japanese-or-the-last-samurai/203946 "2003-09-26T12:03:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-goes-japanese-or-the-last-samurai/203946/21 "2003-09-26T23:02:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Equipoise \* > **I don’t have a cite but I thought it was based on, or at least, inspired by, a true story…? I don’t know where I might have gotten that. Perhaps the story in _Premiere_, which I can’t find now. In any case, I get the impression that Cruise’s character learns from the Samurai, not the other way around.** The longer trailer i saw it looked like Cruise shows up, teaches the Gov’t to use guns, then the Samurai guy captures him, and Cruise learns honor or whatnot and leads the Samurai army. I tired looking online for if it was real (several movie sites claimed it was with no backing up of their claims, the closest i got was [this](http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/435/435628p1.html?fromint=1) which just seems to rehash regular history. So from my limited search, it looks like it is not true, and the stories are confusing the fact that Americans went over there then as real meaning the story is real. It is written by the Gladiator guy, John Logan (also Star Trek X), (from his list of written bys, i’d say only RKO 281 was a good movie). If Zimmer did the soundtrack, maybe i’ll buy it without seeing the film. > [@](#): > > That said, this movie looks GREAT, and all the advance buzz I’ve heard is way positive. There have been several sneak previews, and it premiered in Tokyo already. I won’t pay full price for any $cieno-starring film, but I think I’ll be there opening day at matinee prices. I think with Cruise in a movie you won’t get bad buzz, since the media loves him. Vanilla Sky even got some gushing praise. The Cinematography looks excellent, which just makes me more mad. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-goes-japanese-or-the-last-samurai/203946/22 "2003-09-27T01:31:26Z")
Mentioning that Cruise looks like Viggo M. makes me worry. Imagine that this movie’s pretty good. It’s not a fantasy, so it’s got a better chance at Oscars – at least, Best Picture. What do you want to bet that Cruisey boy beats out Viggo for Best Actor and the movie either gets nominated while RotK doesn’t or, if they both get nominated, RotK gets panned? Mutter grumble. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-goes-japanese-or-the-last-samurai/203946/23 "2003-09-27T02:46:58Z")
“Based on a true story” - ? Did any Americans serve as instructors to the Japanese army? I know that the Ever-Victorious army fighting the Taipings across the China sea was top-loaded with American mercenaries, but did any find work in Japan? IIRC (from the book “Soldiers of the Sun”) the Japanese initally contracted with the French to modernize its army (and the British its navy), until the Franco-Prussian war, after which they switched to Germans. Unfortunately, this meant that the adopted the same Prussian doctrine of the frontal assault. I don’t remember any mention of Americans. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-cruise-goes-japanese-or-the-last-samurai/203946.md?page=1)