Actor Says He Nearly Beheaded Tom Cruise

AP ^ | Jan 17, 2004

[Leroy S. Mort]

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Actor Hiroyuki Sanada said he came about half an inch from chopping off Tom Cruise's head with a sword while filming a fight scene for ``The Last Samurai.''

Sanada, who plays a samurai in the movie, said he was swinging a real sword when Cruise's mechanical horse malfunctioned and didn't fall down as planned.

``Tom's neck was right in front of me, and I tried to stop swinging my sword but it was hard to control with one hand,'' Sanada said.

When he finally stopped the sword, the blade was a mere half-inch from Cruise's neck, Sanada told reporters Thursday through a translator while promoting the film in Taipei.

``The film crew watching from the side all screamed because they thought Tom's head would fly off,'' said Sanada, using his hand to make a chopping motion to his neck.

He didn't say where or when the close call took place.

In ``The Last Samurai,'' Cruise plays a Civil War veteran recruited to go to Japan to train soldiers to fight samurai, warriors who protected their feudal lords.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I must recommend "The Last Samurai". It gave me great pleasure to see Tom Cruise beaten to a pulp with long sticks throughout most of the film. Two thumbs up...

As for his head, it's rarely used anyway except as a place to display that vacant grin of his. No big loss.

[Condor51]

''It gave me great pleasure to see Tom Cruise beaten to a pulp with long sticks..''

[discostu]

That's not half an inch from chopping off Tom Cruises head. That's half an inch from hurting Tom. Half an inch from chopping of Tom's head would be like what happened to the Kurgan in the only real Highlander movie: chopping through most of the neck but not quite getting all the way through.

[Britton J Wingfield]

Shhhhh, you are ruining a pleasant visual.

[skinkinthegrass]

...gave me great pleasure to see Tom Cruise beaten to a pulp with long sticks throughout most of the film.

Agree...long sticks = Bokkens

"long sticks" BUMP :))

[Leroy S. Mort]

"There can be only one....."

[Cultural Jihad]

Would Tom then be considered sort of short?

[Joe Bonforte]

Sounds like we almost had "Nearly Headless Tom".

[discostu]

A head which at this time has no name.

[budwiesest]

when Cruise's mechanical horse malfunctioned and didn't fall down as planned.

I hate it when that happens.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Yeah, this one came unassembled.

[gg188]

Can you imagine the trial that would have happened as a result of this? The Vic Morrow thing is still talked about. This would have been hugh.

[glock rocks]

Sanada nearly found his true calling

A Japanese mohel.

[blam]

I was impressed that the 'Last Samurai' was correctly portrayed.

The Samurai were descended from the Ainu and were tall and somewhat Caucasian looking, tall, light-skinned and hairy (even today the Ainu are the hairest people).
The Samurai were once the ruling class in Japan and some anthropologists suspect the Japanese practice of 'white-face' originates from that period as a way of emulating the 'royals'.

The most honored of all Samurais was over six feet tall...he is also the one to begin the practice of 'harakiri.'

[Hank Rearden]

Even without a head, he'd still be "smart" enough to be a Scientologist. If by chance he did become dumber as a result, he could always be a Mohammeden.

[Tax-chick]

when Cruise's mechanical horse malfunctioned and didn't fall down as planned

Sounds like he was almost a casualty of animal-rights activism ... wouldn't that be ironic! Can you imagine John Wayne or Charlton Heston being taken down by a mechanical horse - puh-leeze!

[SAMWolf]

[fish hawk]

Since Tom is only 3foot 2, I imagine the sword went right over his head. Would have killed a real man.

[ErnBatavia]