I think it's very hard to direct foreign language actors, but Carl Rinsch found a great way. A special super visional way.

I believe, the Japanese film industry must be open.

A lot of country making films in English, but in Japan we are very shy to speak English.

I think it's very hard to direct foreign language actors, but Carl Rinsch found a great way. A special super visional way.

Especially for this film [ 47 ronin] there's a nice mixture between western and eastern. So Ronin wearing the boots, like Western style. It's a nice mixture.

I've done Last Samurai in Japan, in LA, in New Zealand. Even in Japan it is very hard to shoot, because there's been so many changes. Only around a temple can we shoot.

When I was eight or nine years old, I saw the TV version of 47 Ronin, played by Toshiro Mifune. He played Oishi. That was my first experience. I watched every week with my brother. "Who plays Oishi tonight? Who will play Kira tonight?" And we fought every week.