Wizard-8
This third instalment in the Tony Anthony "Stranger" film series was barely released to theaters by Metro Goldwyn Mayer after the legal trouble caused the movie to be shelved for several years after being completed. It's pretty easy to see why MGM wasn't very enthusiastic about giving it a better push. Certainly, the western genre was all but dead when the movie was released, but reports I read revealed that the movie was severely tinkered with in the editing room. As a result, there are plot details that are extremely murky or simply not revealed at all. Plus, completely unnecessary narration was apparently added, which is annoying and distracting. But there are signs that the original intended version wasn't much better. The movie as it is plays out pretty slow, and has a plot line ripped off from "A Fistful of Dollars". And Tony Anthony isn't exactly a charismatic actor, still looking like he's about to burst into tears. The movie LOOKS a lot better than the previous two "Stranger" movies, with some solid production values, and the Japan angle does add some freshness. But the movie for the most part is tired and uninspired, so it's not a surprise that it was hard to see for many years even after its brief theatrical release.
ironhorse_iv
This is the 3rd installment in Tony Anthony 'The Stranger' series after both 1967's A Dollar between the Teeth and A Man, a Horse, a Gun. This time, the Stranger (Tony Anthony) come across some bad guys trying to kill a Japanese emissary for a very important scroll. Before the emissary dies, he asks 'The stranger' to return the scroll to Japan for a great reward. The Stranger goes to Japan, only to find himself stuck in the middle of two rival clans with language barriers, and no clue of the culture. He decides to play them against each other to free the town. The whole plot is just another recycle plot concept that originally came from 1961's Yojimbo, and make more popular with Sergio Leone's 1964's A Fistful of Dollars with Clint Eastwood. That plot isn't anything new. Everything in the film is a homage or rip-off from both of those movies, from The Stranger similar looking Man with No name's poncho, the similar music score with the over-the-top screaming, and the plot. Considered by some the first "East-meets-West western", it was released by MGM to compete with the United Artists Clint Eastwood the Man with No Name film series, it became a surprise success. You can really see why. Anthony's persona was not the typical tough spaghetti western hero; the Stranger was vulnerable and sneaky, with a sardonic sense of humor that works. There is a great scene of him, fighting a great sword-man with a bamboo stick that was funny to watch. Another had to be the tattoo scene. Look it up to find what I'm talking about. I also found it funny that he named his horse, pussy. The narrative by Anthony wasn't that bad, but others might differ from me. The communicating problems were indeed well-used, and surprising no sub-titles weren't even needed. The producers reduce the dialogue to a minimum because Italian, and English doesn't translate well to the Japanese with the effect, they wanted. Indeed it was funny as hell to watch. It was fun to watch to see, how each scene was going to end up. Even if, some of them had some really bad botch cuts. The film had some production problems and legal problems with the distributor that got the film delayed for years. While, it was filmed in 1969 by Director Luigi Vanzi, it didn't come out, until 1975. Since, it had distributors problems, the film sometimes go as Horseman and the Samurai, the Samurai on a Horse, and the Stranger in Japan. The action scenes were entertaining as hell. Glad, to see that the film didn't suffer from one shot kills. There were some really brutal kills here. I like the cannon gun that the Stranger carries around him toward the end. I doubt PETA would like this movie, as Chicken were used as weapons & People getting tossed into pigs. I guess, it was a different time. The score by Stelvio Cipriani was somewhat beautiful to hear. His use of Slovak folk instrument called drumbla in combination with guitar is interesting. It did get pretty haunting, in scenes that didn't need it. The sound effects with the music are somewhat annoying. There was a loud bong type sound that just needed to go. It ruin a lot of scenes. Like other movies, there were some historic inaccurate, like the whole idea of exchanging in Ryo in a post Meiji Resolution Japan. I have to give the movie, props for filming in Japan during Typhoon season, and having Japanese actors for supporting cast. While, it's hard to film in the rain, the movie did what it could, and did the fight scenes in it, anyways. It made the scenes so much cooler to watch. Still, the storms constantly destroy the set. You really get to see the atmosphere of the environment here. I just surprise that the movie was even made after all those storms. Mad props to the fine cinematography by Mario Capriotti. The quality on the DVD is alright for the most part for an old film. It's a bit discolor, and dirt lines are somewhat visual in the film. It's still worth finding if you can. Apparently, "The Stranger" would travel through time to different places in the fourth and last movie. Really, how silly is that. I wouldn't bother seeing it, unless you want to. But do make sure to see the previous two 'Strangers' movies. Overall: Silent Stranger is a good 90 minutes movie and has comedy throughout. Well worth the money if you have nothing else.
freenetjunk
I originally saw this movie at the weekend double feature drive-in (remember those). Most of the movies they showed were completely forgettable fodder. But when this movie was shown I was blown away. An interesting and unusual story line that I couldn't completely figure out before it happened. I think it was the best movie I ever saw at that drive-in in Andalusia, Al. At any rate when the Internet came along I looked for it so I could watch it again, and share it with my family. It turned out it had been shown on Turner a few times, but wasn't available anywhere for purchase. I just looked on Amazon and its available on DVD and instant view. Its now retitled "The Stranger in Japan", apparently released in 2011. I'm getting it.
bluegerm
I saw this movie for the first time today. THE GOOD, BAD AND THE UGLY it isn't....neither was it as bad as PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE or the incredibly boring ISHTAR. Instead STRANGER was somehow strangely appealing in that quirky 'spaghetti western' style so well-known in films like TRINITY and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. The lead actor was nearly silent throughout, the Japanese ran around waving samurai swords and behaving unintelligibly, but I found the bizarre juxtaposition of a gunfighter in Shogunate Japan truly interesting.I'd watch it again.....
