Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai is a 1999 film directed by Jim Jarmusch. It takes place somewhere in the present day United States.

In the film Forest Whitaker plays an African American hitman working for the Mafia, called Ghost Dog, who follows the ancient code of the samurai as described in Yamamoto Tsunetomo's guide for a warrior, Hagakure.

The movie stresses the conflict between two codes of conduct, that of the (aging) mobsters (incapable of paying the rent of their meeting place) and the one of the samurai, chosen by Ghost Dog. However, it also mentions that both tribes of honor are dying out. There is a certain sense of inevitability in the movie, and also of honor, portrayed by Ghost Dog killing two hunters he encounters on the road with a dead bear, outside the hunting season.

Between the acts a quotation from Hagakure is screened and read by Ghost Dog.

The soundtrack was written and produced by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who also has a small role in the film.

External links

• IMDb: Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
• Ghost Dog : Way of the Samurai - a Film Review