Sorry but i kindly disagree with you about Ghost Dog..
he uses Guns, he is not Japanese nor captures the actor the essence of Zen.
Also the way of the Samurai is not at all what they portray in that film.
The way of the Samurai lies in death, as the Hagakure writes.
Never selfish, always selfless.
Kill bill is hilarious as a rip off of chambara movies and was welcomed with a hainous laughter by many Japanese.
However it does capture some nice fighting scenes, but has nothing to do with the Samurai or the way of the samurai.
also the story of the Hanzo sword is ridiculous.
This is who the real Hattori Hanzo was.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattori_Hanz%C5%8D
Also Kurosawa-Sensei is not the only Japanese filmer of Samurai stories who has made very good films.
Samurai fiction is a hilarious mockery of the Samurai way, Yoji and Kita is one of the funniest movies i have ever seen, Zatoichi and Azumi are also fun.
here is a little list........
List of notable Samurai films
* 1949 Jakoman and Tetsu - directed by Senkichi Taniguchi
* 1950 Rashomon - directed by Akira Kurosawa
* 1951 Conclusion of Kojiro Sasaki-Duel at Ganryu Island directed by Hiroshi Inagaki - This was the first, but not the last, time that Toshiro Mifune played Musashi Miyamoto
* 1952 Vendetta for a Samurai - directed by Kazuo Mori
* 1954 Seven Samurai - directed by Akira Kurosawa
* 1954-56 Samurai Trilogy - directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
o 1954 Musashi Miyamoto
o 1955 Duel at Ichijoji Temple
o 1956 Duel at Ganryu Island
* 1957 Throne of Blood aka Spider Web Castle - directed by Akira Kurosawa
* 1958 The Hidden Fortress - directed by Akira Kurosawa
* 1959 Samurai Saga - directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
* 1960 The Gambling Samurai - directed by Senkichi Taniguchi
* 1961 Yojimbo aka The Bodyguard - directed by Akira Kurosawa
* 1962 Chushingura - directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
* 1962 Harakiri - directed by Masaki Kobayashi Won a prize at the Cannes Film Festival
* 1962 Tsubaki Sanjuro (AKA Sanjuro) - directed by Akira Kurosawa.
* 1964 Three Outlaw Samurai
* 1965 Samurai Assassin aka Samurai - directed by Kihachi Okamoto
* 1965 Sanshiro Sugata - directed by Seiichiro Uchikiro - this is a remake of Kurosawa's films Sanshiro Sugata and Sanshiro Sugata part 2
* 1966 The Sword of Doom - directed by Kihachi Okamoto
* 1966 The Adventure of Kigan Castle - directed by Senkichi Taniguchi
* 1967 Samurai Rebellion - directed by Masaki Kobayashi Rebellion won the Fipresci Prize at the Venice Film Festival
* 1969 Samurai Banners - directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
* 1969 Red Lion - directed by Kihachi Okamoto
* 1969 Band of Assassins - directed by Tadashi Sawashima
* 1969 Watch Out Crimson Bat
* 1970 Mission: Iron Castle
* 1970 The Ambitious
* 1970 Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo - directed by Kihachi Okamoto
* 1970 The Ambitious - directed by Daisuke Ito
* 1970 Incident at Blood Pass - directed by Hiroshi Inigaki
* 1977 Intrigue of the Yagyu Clan - directed by Kinji Fukasaku
* 1979 The 47 Ronin - directed by Kenji Mizoguchi
* 1981 The Bushido Blade - directed by Tsugunobu Kotani
* 1984 Legend of the Eight Samurai
* 1988 Zatoichi - Directed, written and starring Shintaru Katsu
* 2002 Twilight Samurai - directed by Yôji Yamada and nominated for a best foreign film Oscar.
* 2003 Zatoichi - directed and starring Beat Takeshi and Silver Lion award winner at Venice Film Festival
there have been a few recent ones which havent been translated yet. but its a start......
and, with re-enactment, its difficult to grasp the essence of the Samurai because that culture sadly has died and changed and has partly integrated into modern day Japan.
Same with ancient Rome for that matter, though on a much lesser manner.
M.VIB.M.
Bushido wa watashi no shuukyou de gozaru.
Katte Kabuto no O wo shimeyo!
H.J.Vrielink.