GruesomeTwosome This is a terrific film from Jim Jarmusch - cool and stylish as you might expect from this filmmaker, with an assured dose of humor. The combination of samurai philosophy, Mafia/gangster film over a hip-hop soundtrack was pulled off surprisingly well. The juxtaposition of the two defunct or fading ways of life, Ghost Dog's adherence to 18th century Japanese samurai code and the aging mobsters who are clearly on the way out, was very interesting. Long-time character actor Henry Silva in particular is great; that odd, singular face of his can just make you laugh with certain expressions, and his line readings in this film are often very funny.And Forest Whitaker was perfect for this role, he just has such a wonderful presence about him: physically imposing yet thoughtful and contemplative, gentle at times but uncompromisingly lethal at others. I found the frequent readings of samurai maxims every 10 minutes or so to be oddly soothing (I like Whitaker's voice) and, somewhat surprisingly, not interrupting the flow of the film at all. And finally, the soundtrack by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan was so damn good. Really loved the instrumentals and samples he used here.This is a film that should be accessible and entertaining even for those who aren't already Jarmusch fans."Ghost Dog: power, equality." 'Always see everything, my brother.'

Christopher Culver The eponymous protagonist of Jim Jarmusch's 1999 film GHOST DOG is an African-American hit-man (Forest Whitaker) working for an Italian mafia in New Jersey and living according to the Hagakure, Japan's samurai code. After a hit goes wrong through no fault of the assassin's own, his mafia liaison Louie (John Tormey) is sympathetic, but explains that his superiors now want Ghost Dog dead. The film follows Ghost Dog's revenge and depicts a clash between two ancient tribes that both seem out of date in this modern world: Ghost Dog's samurai code and Italian mafia ideas of loyalty.Jarmusch has always been open about the fact that he soaks up a huge number of inspirations from earlier films, books, and music and then lets them reflect in his own work. Any cinephile will instantly recognize Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 film "Le Samouraï" as the point of departure for GHOST DOG. In Meville's classic, a Parisian hired assassin lives according to a strict code. But Melville didn't really know much about Japan, and even the quotation from a samurai text at the beginning of his film was just made up by Meville himself. Jarmusch seems to have decided, "OK, I'll show you a hired-assassin film that's *really* rooted in the code of the Samurai". Forest Whitaker quotes from Hagakure throughout the film, and there are also references to the work of Akira Kurosawa.But GHOST DOG is not a remake, and Jarmusch takes the basic premise in a very individual direction. There's a lot of humour here, something missing from the serious Melville inspiration. In casting for the mafia dons, Jarmusch chose faces as brutal and distinctive as Dick Tracy's rogues gallery: Henry Silva as the don, and Cliff Gorman and . But Jarmusch then gives them the occasional zany line that cracks that chilling façade. Isaach de Bankole plays a supporting role as a French-speaking Haitian immigrant and Ghost Dog's best friend, a role that is pure comic relief because the man doesn't speak English and Ghost Dog doesn't understand French, but they always manage to understand each other.Until the late 1990s, Jarmusch had mainly been known as a fairly low-budget independent filmmaker writing cute little stories about personal relationships in low-key American life. Jarmusch's America was consistently depicted as run-down neighbourhoods and overgrown vacant lots. With its generous budget, large cast and special effects, GHOST DOG marked a huge leap forward in Jarmusch's work. Still, it maintains Jarmusch's interest in America as a land of urban blight and seedy underbellies: most of the film takes place in an ugly New Jersey urban setting. Furthermore, instead of being glamorized, the Italian mafia is depicted as a spent force, mainly elderly men who can't rake in the cash and influence they used to, and even forced to pay protection money to Chinese newcomers. As the film reaches its shocking ending, the glamour is drained from Ghost Dog's warrior code, as well.The music for GHOST DOG was provided by RZA, at the time still best known as part of the Wu-Tang Clan. The music mainly consists of wordless beats, though, with actual rapping only at a few points. Personally, I find the use of hip-hop a weak point of the film (Jarmusch looks like an outsider looking in to this scene, unable to organically make it part of his own work), and RZA's insistence on appearing in the film itself disrupts the rhythm of the film's climax.

Joshua H. Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker), is a hired assassin for the Italian mafia, who follows the code of 'The Way of the Samurai'. When a hit goes wrong the mafia points the finger at Ghost Dog, and so continues a little game of war between a skilled assassin and his former Italian mafia employers. Directed by Jim Jarmusch, (one of the greatest independent directors of all time) this film was made for 2 million dollars and grossed 9 million dollars in the box office. The film was in competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and best picture at the Independent Spirit Awards. Most people were most likely turned off by the title of the film as I was at first. And it is a true shame because this was a fantastic film; as weird as the plot of the story may be the film is a blend of hip hip, rap, and ghetto with an Eastern Asian, assassin story. It's an odd blend that works and makes for an interesting story. The character of Ghost Dog, played beautifully by Forest Whitaker, reads the 'Way of the Samurai' and follows it's codes and rules as a way of life. Ghost Dog lives off the grid on the roof of a banged up apartment and has no communication other than his messenger pigeons which he uses to contact his employers. Ghost Dog's only friend (his best friend), is Raymond (Isaach de Bankolé), a man who sells ice cream in his ice cream truck. Raymond speaks French, and can't even utter a word of English, which is quite comedic when Dog and he attempt to communicate with each other. Even though they don't understand what each other say they share a hobby in chess, and like ice cream. Their uncommon friendship is very beautiful, and made me think about the relationships I have with others around me. Jarmusch delivers a great film that needs to be seen. "Ghost Dog: the Way of the Samurai" is one of those film that's so unique and original that it stands out in the crowd out of dozens of other movies.

Paul Magne Haakonsen "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" is one of those movies that might have seemed like a really god idea on script and in concept idea, but translated to the screen not so much. Why? Well, because the storyline was not overly great and the cinematography even less so.The idea of an Afro-American hit-man who lives by the ancient Bushido code just didn't Work as well as the writers might have intended. Nothing racism or anything here, just an observation on the character and how the character didn't really fit into the Bushido creed. But making matters worse was to have a barrel-shaped man trying to put the art of the Samurai to the screen. With all due respect for Forest Whitaker and his great acting talent, then he was just the wrong physical choice for the role of Ghost Dog.I will say that Forest Whitaker does play well in "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai", despite being wrongly cast for the role, but he ended up looking like a fish out of water.Once the movie ended, I sat with a very bored feeling and thinking 'what was the purpose of this movie?' "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" wasn't innovative or spectacular in any way. And the overall impression is of a below average movie experience.