Post by tommarker on Nov 22, 2005 21:28:15 GMT
This is a documentary of the "old school" of Japanese karate, filmed in the 1970s, which I would challenge anyone to watch and NOT want to go outside and start training.
Essentially, this is a collection of films about several martial traditions in Japan: Iaido, Karate, Kobudo, Aikido, Sumo, Naginata, Judo. Several big names demonstrate their skills throughout the video. Yoshinkan Aikido's Gozo Shioda throwing his students with ease. Sumo's Takamiyama, Iaido's Taizaburo Nakamura, Karate's Sadaharu Fujimoto, Okinawa Kobudo's Teruo Hayashi.
Some amazing, grueling and downright cruel training methods are shown in this video, some that most of our generation would look at and cringe. However, the results that came along are hard to dispute.
Yes, many of the demonstrations are staged, but they reminded me of what humans are capable of acheiving in an attempt to dodge death.
Actually, strike that, because it misses the point. These men have realized that dodging death will only get them killed. They embrace their mortality and lose all fear. That's when amazing things happen.
This video should be part of every martial artist's collection. Yes, there are some cheesy 70s style elements, and it is somewhat boring at times (I will admit having a hard time watching the entire movie consecutively) but it is worth owning as a reminder to our generation that if these traditions are to survive, it is up to us to keep them alive in the midst of glitter-covered nunchaku and 720 twist kicks.
Essentially, this is a collection of films about several martial traditions in Japan: Iaido, Karate, Kobudo, Aikido, Sumo, Naginata, Judo. Several big names demonstrate their skills throughout the video. Yoshinkan Aikido's Gozo Shioda throwing his students with ease. Sumo's Takamiyama, Iaido's Taizaburo Nakamura, Karate's Sadaharu Fujimoto, Okinawa Kobudo's Teruo Hayashi.
Some amazing, grueling and downright cruel training methods are shown in this video, some that most of our generation would look at and cringe. However, the results that came along are hard to dispute.
Yes, many of the demonstrations are staged, but they reminded me of what humans are capable of acheiving in an attempt to dodge death.
Actually, strike that, because it misses the point. These men have realized that dodging death will only get them killed. They embrace their mortality and lose all fear. That's when amazing things happen.
This video should be part of every martial artist's collection. Yes, there are some cheesy 70s style elements, and it is somewhat boring at times (I will admit having a hard time watching the entire movie consecutively) but it is worth owning as a reminder to our generation that if these traditions are to survive, it is up to us to keep them alive in the midst of glitter-covered nunchaku and 720 twist kicks.