Jim Jarmusch is a director who is very much interested in not being confined by tradition or global borders. Although American by birth, the idiosyncratic auteur has long derived inspiration from international cultures when crafting his films. Early works such as Mystery Train or Night on Earth showcased the worldly interests of the filmmaker, either in character or narrative. Even more recent films such as 2009’s The Limits of Control combined both of these elements when it took Ghost Dog alum Isaach de Bankolé to the beautiful landscapes of Spain. Jarmusch is a fascinating artist to follow as you gradually understand how his mind has been influenced by film and music. Through his love of hip hop, he gained an appreciation for taking disparate elements from art that he loved and using them to create something new and unique. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai blends his love of samurai, American gangster and blaxploitation films into a story that is tonally opposite of the gleefully bombastic Kill Bill. Rather than grand action sequences, of which you do get a taste, this meditative picture is more concerned with showcasing how out of time and place its characters are in the world.
Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) may be an unconventional samurai, but nothing about his journey is steeped in irony or played for laughs. This bulky young black man strolls through his undefined city with an anonymous air about him; he radiates peace within himself and has the respect of those in the community who do happen to register his presence. When he is not tending to his pigeons on the rooftop of his place, he is practicing the physical and mental lessons he has learned from his way of life. He is a man of very few words in the film; instead, Jarmusch employs voiceover reciting life lessons from the Hagakure, an eighteenth century warrior text that reveals more about the mind of the character than nearly any action in the film. Ghost Dog had his life saved when he was younger by an Italian American gangster named Louie (John Tormey), and through his own personal code of honor Ghost Dog has pledged himself to carry out hits for Louie to repay the debt. When a particular hit does not go as planned, Ghost Dog finds himself the target of Louie’s gangster group, headed by mafia boss Ray Vargo (Henry Silva) and his associate Sonny Valerio (Cliff Gorman). Ghost Dog tries to balance adhering to the samurai code while keeping himself safe from the impending threat.
The portrayal of the gangsters in this film is yet another way in which Jarmusch plays with audience expectations. Much as Ghost Dog identifies as a part of a clan that is tied to the past, these mafiosi are a relic of a time when they had actual power and influence. With a larger crackdown on these institutions, these figures have been flushed further and further out of the city until they become the powerful force of an unassuming urban area. This is their last stand to maintain a semblance of relevance in this world. As they doggedly try to locate Ghost Dog, the film weaves between instances of engrossing character moments and bursts of violence. Ghost Dog gets most fully fleshed-out through his interactions with those closest to him. His best friend is a Haitian French-speaking ice-cream-truck-owner named Raymond (Isaach de Bankolé); the two do not understand each other’s language, but such a barrier does not keep them from understanding each other on a base level. The other important relationship in his life is the friendship he has with the young Pearline (Camille Winbush), with whom he gets to share his love of books. Both of these characters are key to humanzing Ghost Dog in a necessary way.
The performance from Whitaker in this film is truly incredible. For a man so imposing, he employs such grace in every moment. Since he is a character of so few words, he relies on using his face to highlight what is going on internally. His character is stoic, yet vulnerable; gentle, but also fiercely deadly. It is a delicate balancing act that carries the film. The other standout aspect of the film, although not on screen, is the haunting score from Wu-Tang’s RZA. This trippy, hip-hop-influenced score is the perfect marriage of visual and sound that further pushes the atypical presentation that Jarmusch is concocting. Hip hop is in the DNA of this film, from the aforementioned score to the unexpected decision to have Sonny rap to Public Enemy’s “Cold Lampin’ with Flavor” during a pivotal moment. These elements blend so well in a way that never comes off like Jarmusch is trying to be intentionally offbeat. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai may be a bit too slow for more impatient audience members who want something truly thrilling from moment to moment. This is not what the movie is trying to accomplish. This movie is cool and incredibly thoughtful in the way it showcases these anachronistic lifestyles. Jarmusch is a man all about being zen and balanced within the world, and it would be difficult to find an American movie more zen than this one.
Video Quality
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai has been granted a director-supervised 4K restoration from the original camera negative via the Criterion Collection for this stunning new Blu-Ray disc. The film grain present is beautifully natural and consistent while allowing fine details to shine through. Subtle details stand out with greater clarity than ever before, especially in clothing or elements of the production design. Exploring the city with this new transfer almost makes it feel like a whole new film. Facial features are likewise detailed with fine lines and pores detectable alongside natural skin tones. Colors are vibrant without being unnatural for the environment. The transfer affords several opportunities for them to pop off the screen with objects such as the ice cream truck. Black levels are deep and inky without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. This is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment.
Audio Quality
The film comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is quite powerful and well balanced. Environmental effects play a substantial role in the film, and this track brings these elements to life quite capably. One of the standout aspects of Ghost Dog is the incredible score from RZA, and it sounds natural and powerful from beginning to end. The directionality is quite precise so sounds always present as natural when coming from their respective points. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overwhelmed by any of the other sounds. Activity in the low end delivers when it makes sense within the story, although it mostly seems to be utilized in conjunction with the music. The Criterion Collection has delivered a fierce track for a film that capably brings this heightened world to life.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai includes a substantial booklet featuring the March 2000 review “‘Ghost Dog’ as International Sampler” by author and critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, as well as the new essay “By the Book” by author and critic Greg Tate. This booklet also contains an interview with director Jim Jarmusch conducted by Tod Lippy in April 2000 entitled “Variations On A Theme,” as well as a miniature reproduction of the “Hagakure” that Ghost Dog follows in the film. All of these works provide a great amount of context and insight into the film that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Q&A with Jim Jarmusch: A 1-hour-and-24-minute audio interview in which Jarmusch answers questions submitted by fans in June 2020. In this fascinating supplement, Jarmusch discusses his favorite Wu-Tang songs, famous fans of the film, the background of the boat on the roof, working with RZA on the score, the cartoons used in the film, not allowing language differences be a barrier in communication, current music he has been listening to during the pandemic and more. Jarmusch has such a zen vibe about him which makes his insights into the film a real pleasant listening experience for fans of the film.
- Forest Whitaker, Isaach De Bankolé, and Michael B. Gillespie: A 30-minute video conference between actors Forest Whitaker and Isaach De Bankolé and film scholar Michael B. Gillespie. These participants offer some really engaging insights into how they joined the project, the process of preparing for the roles, the themes and tone of the film, the critical reception upon release, symbolism in the movie, shot composition and more. It is so heartening to hear these performers reflect on the impact of this film after so many years.
- Casting with Ellen Lewis: A nearly 16-minute audio interview with Casting Director Ellen Lewis in which she gives some background information on herself before diving into her relationship with Jarmusch from Dead Man forward. Lewis discusses the particular style that comes with a Jarmusch film, how she focuses on faces, particular qualities that actors brought to their roles in Ghost Dog and more.
- Shifu Shi Yan Ming: A 6-minute interview with Shifu Shi Yan Ming, founder of the USA Shaolin Temple in which he talks about his life’s journey, his relationship with the Wu-Tang Clan, his role in the film and more.
- Archival Interviews:
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- Jim Jarmusch, Forest Whitaker, and RZA (1999): A 15-minute interview in which the participants discuss why they wanted to make this film, the text used as inspiration for the film, the blending of hip-hop culture with the martial arts, improvised sword play, RZA’s journey to the sound in the film and more.
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- The Odyssey – A Journey Into The Life of a Samurai (2000): A nearly 22-minute featurette with the same three participants in which they cover the film as a whole from the traditions that inspired them to the music in the film and more. Some of the moments from the previous supplement are used here, but there is a lot of interesting new material worth checking out. This is more formally structured as a promotional piece selling the film.
- Flying Birds – The Music of Ghost Dog: A 15-minute interview with the RZA in which he discusses his involvement with Ghost Dog, his inspiration for the score, why he felt this film was perfect for him, the Wu-Tang philosophy and more. This expands on some of the interviews provided in the archival interviews portion of the disc.
- Deleted Scenes and Outtakes: Nearly six minutes of unused material featuring the mobsters having a financial consultation, alternate scenes of Ghost Dog on the roof, Raymond on the PA system, Sonny dancing and rapping around his bathroom and more.
- Trailer: A minute-long trailer that gives you a nice taste of what’s in store with the film without spoiling anything.
- Isolated Music Score: An option to watch the film with only the notable score audible.
Final Thoughts
Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai is much more thoughtful than it might appear to be on the surface. Jim Jarmusch creates an idiosyncratic world filled with fascinating characters that have something compelling to say about the world at large. Forest Whitaker gets a chance to shine in this role that stands among his best. The Criterion Collection has delivered this long-awaited Blu-Ray with a knockout A/V presentation and some engrossing special features. This one should appeal to cinephiles and a more mainstream audience alike. Highly Recommended
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
