Elvis Wannabes: Tom Cruise & PM Koizumi

[Taro Toporific]

Cruise sings Elvis with Japanese PM
TOKYO (Reuters) Thursday August 28, 12:13 PM- Actor Tom Cruise has nothing but praise for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro -- including the leader's musical talents. "He's really an extraordinary man -- and a pretty good singer. We sang Elvis together," Cruise told reporters after meeting Koizumi at his official residence on Thursday

Cruise says he identifies with Samurai ethos at Tokyo film promo
TOKYO (AFP) - Aug 28, 8:28 pm - Superstar Tom Cruise unveiled a preview of his latest film "The Last Samurai", which portrays Japan as a nation in an historic struggle to maintain its warrior traditions, and said he aspires to those values in real life...
...Cruise, who trained for eight months and put on 20 pounds (nine kilos) ..."As he got better and better, his hips went lower and really looked like a real, authentic samurai," said Hiroyuki Sanada

[GuyJean]

"his hips went lower and really looked like a real, authentic samurai," said Hiroyuki Sanada

How does one 'lower the hips' through training? Silly me; In Scientology, all things are possilbe. Even shortening one's legs..

GJ

[Caustic Saint]

Maybe it's a reference to his being able to hold certain fighting stances for longer periods of time. Or maybe it's just magic!

[cstaylor]

Will the movie show Samurai testing their swords on innocent townspeople?

[CAkOS]

What Samurai were supposed to do ? were they some kind of feodal cops?

[CAkOS]

OOOOPPPS....double post...edit edit edit

[Steve Bildermann]

[CAkOS]

Well I guess that with such a beautiful armor, little bushi would give more credibility...

anyway, thks for the info.

[cstaylor]

[GomiGirl]

"his hips went lower and really looked like a real, authentic samurai," said Hiroyuki Sanada

How does one 'lower the hips' through training? Silly me]

Perhaps his testes have finally descended..

Prolapsed bowel/prostate?

(sorry that was just terrible!!)

Maybe he just took the lifts outa his shoes???

[Taro Toporific]

"his hips went lower and really looked like a real, authentic samurai," said Hiroyuki Sanada

How does one 'lower the hips' through training? Silly me]

Ahhhh, the neverending pleasure of "diirect translation." This 'lower the hips' really gave me a big chuckle too.

Of course, what Hiroyuki Sanada meant to say was that Tom Cruise learned the proper grounded stance and bent his knees more. By 'lowering the hips' Cruise lowered his center of gravity to improve balance and gain more power in striking. As SteveB sensei could better explain, it's a real trade-off between 'lower hips" for balance and power VS more upright western fencing posture for speed and tactical advantage. Being that the Japanese are more "compact", their martial arts worship 'lowering the hips' .

[Steve Bildermann]

[Steve Bildermann]