upcoming movie featuring aikido...

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[ramenboy]

http://www.openpr.com/news/53181/Silver-Ware-Studios-Brings-in-the-Oscar-Winners.html

maybe starring halle berry, jamie fox and colin farrell....

hmmm

[Michael Hackett]

It should be terrific since they will be doing Aikido, an ancient Japanese martial art practiced by the Samurai when they fell off their horses.

[Aristeia]

you sure they weren't knocked of their horses by Tae Kwon Do guys?

[xuzen]

I wonder if Halle will be wearing Hakama during filming?

Boon

[Joe Bowen]

That seems like a great opportunity for The Aikido Center of Atlanta and Sensei George Kennedy. Good luck!

[Andrew S]

The martial arts style of Aikido is an ancient Japanese style of the Samurai that was used after being thrown from their horse. It was first made popular by legendary martial arts star Steven Segal.
What's the difference between a journalist and a fiction writer? A fiction writer sometimes researches their material.

Good luck to trying to get good aikido on the screen, but... well... you know Hollywood.

[Randy Sexton]

Great idea! However, what we don't need is another kick-butt female Steven Seagal clone demonstrating how to use the "Art of Peace" to maim and cripple.
What made the "Karate Kid" movies popular was not the fighting but the story about the transformation of Daniel through the guidance of a wise and experienced Sensei who had humor and compassion. " THAT" we Aikidoka can all relate to from our own experiece.
Two years ago I was challenged by a great master of the martial arts who said I need to stop looking for Mr. Miyagi to teach me but to become Mr. Miyagi to help others to learn the Way of Peace.

IMHO
Doc:cool:

[Ron Tisdale]

I wonder if Halle will be wearing Hakama during filming?

Boon
Yah, well, *I* wonder what she'll be wearing *under* her hakama...Boxers, Briefs, or... :D

Best,
Ron (that is one cute lady...)

[Dan Herak]

Jeez, here I have been, studying aikido all this time, and only now do I find out it is used when I fall off my horse!

Hopefully the director of the movie will be a touch more concerned with accuracy and authenticity than the writer of the linked article.

[ChristianBoddum]

You shouldn't knock falling of a horse and using Aikido as the way to reach the ground,
one of my younger students just reported that she actually did a mae ukemi falling off her horse, and successfully so !

[Keith Larman]

Well, they trumpet about a female in an action lead and no less how she is an Oscar winner. I wouldn't blame them if they avoided "Catwoman", but ...

And yeah, Ron, she's about the only reason to watch that bucket of kitty litter... :D

[Lan Powers]

For "most" people, the ukemi aspect of saving your own a$$ from a fall is the most usefull part of training.
Lan

[mickeygelum]

I can not wait for the true entertainment to follow....all the critiquing and eviscerating posts that have not even been thought of yet..:D

Just remember, it's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie....:hypno:

I am wetting myself just thinking about it...:eek:

Train well,

Mickey

[bkedelen]

I certainly would not wait until I fell all the way off the horse to start using Aikido.
This movie looks awful.

[Nick P.]

Freeing up schedule to get down to Atlanta: check.

Schmoozing way into training sessions: check.

Setting gag reflexes to maximum for movie premiere: check.

Denying any involvement with or knowledge of this production: check.

[Dan Rubin]

This is a PR announcement. They've pitched the script to Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry and Colin Farrell. Chances that any of these stars will accept? Chances that the movie will even be made? Not great, I'll bet.

More likely they'll wind up shoving the script and the horse they rode in on.

[Andrew S]

Chances are we'll get to see a lot of fancy spinning kicks that are not part of aikido. Hell, does the action movie-going public know or even care what any kind of budo looks like, or the fundamental differences between them.

When a dictionary comes up with this as an accurate illustration of judo, for example, what hope does aikido have?
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h40/strewthbruce/dictionary001.jpg

[B.J.M.]

This is a PR announcement. They've pitched the script to Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry and Colin Farrell. Chances that any of these stars will accept? Chances that the movie will even be made? Not great, I'll bet.

More likely they'll wind up shoving the script and the horse they rode in on.

...... And when they fall off that horse, they can use Aikido! Yeah, if it ever gets going and Berry starts her training, I think I need to train at this dojo for about a week, indeed.

[Aikibu]

Forget about it. No one can top Tom Cruise's accurate and heartfelt depiction in "The Last Samurai"

William Hazen

[gdandscompserv]

I'm a sucker for martial arts films but I will probably wait for it to hit netflix.:D

[Walter Martindale]

It's a movie. Upon entering, as when opening a book, allow yourself to be taken away by the story and leave reality behind - isn't that partly why one goes to movies? Unless you're a professional movie critic. After the film's over and you've (with any luck) enjoyed the story, rent it on DVD or view it on netflix and rip the aikido to shreds.
As a competitive shooter I frequently see people mishandling firearms in movies, but I don't let that interfere with watching the movie. As a professional rowing coach, it almost makes one sick to watch what happens when actors try to row and pass themselves off as elite rowers, but - heck - it's a story. There are times I wish these movie guys would take an Aikido"ist", trained athlete, or whatever, and teach them to act well enough to do a good movie with some semblance of competency in the action they're trying to do, but then hardly anyone would go see it.
How many people will go to this one because Halle Berry is playing a role? Same question with Foxx? They're not always in the accuracy department - they're trying to make money.
Shut up walter, back to work.

[crbateman]

Oh crap! Now I have to go and get a horse! ;) :D

[Andrew S]

[cue Shakespearean accent]
"A horse, a horse! My ukemi for a horse"

[RoyK]

Is that logo seriously going to be used to promote the film?
Anyone who read chapter one of "photoshop for dummies" could do better.

[CarrieP]

That was one of the strangest press releases I've ever read.

I very much appreciate that there are regional filmmaking companies out there, away from Hollywood. I also appreciate that they're going to do a movie about Aikido.

But if you read the press release carefully, it does not say that Halle Berry or anyone has signed onto this film. It's more a "fantasy casting" wishlist than an actual list of actors who might be interested in the project.

Trom the Web site, it's clear that this is a start-up company that is doing low-budget B-list movies. They don't have any finished movies made yet--just trailers.

Not that there's anything wrong with any of that--Sam Raimi started out that way. (Their other film in production is a vampire movie.)

But this company severely needs a lot more professional polish to succeed, and a copyeditor. The press release, and the accompanying web site are extremely ungrammatical. Which is odd, because the president of the company is apparently a scriptwriter.

Neat link, though, and I do very much enjoy cheesy B-movie fare. And I'd love to see one featuring aikido, so long as the scriptwriter did more research than the person writing the press release.

[SeiserL]

While we can debate the merits of this effort, it may be wise to support it since it will allow more people to be exposed to the art and invite them to come train with us.

If there is anything I could to to help (especially because they are local to me), I would be honored.

Perhaps as a community, we could support the effort.

[mickeygelum]

WOW...the cartoons are starting (fills mouth with popcorn, CHOMP - CHOMP ) and there is not even a movie yet...:D