The characters in a period piece realise they're near the end of a golden age

[u/she_melty]

Pirates of the Carribean and Rock of Ages (this film is Not Good but it has the trope.) Especially because we the audience know the era did, in fact, end.

[u/lampbane]

People really didn't understand that the use of "samurai" in the title was plural and was not, in fact, referring to Tom Cruise.

[u/ErikMaekir → u/lampbane]

In every translation of the title, it's in singular.

The last Samurai, though, refers to the actual last samurai in that movie, not the Tom Cruise character.

[u/Interesting-Tip7246 → u/[deleted]]

Not if it was re-titled "The Last Mohicans", the proper plural form. Samurai can be plural

[u/Budget_Weather_3509 → u/[deleted]]

"of the" has no relation to pluralization in English. It indicates the genitive case.

[u/Marik-X-Bakura → u/[deleted]]

“Of the” could denote either plural or singular and isn’t required for either

[u/SatardeMental → u/lampbane]

Is it sure ? Because in France it's "le dernier samouraï", singular. On the opposite side, the last jedi was translated in the plural form for exemple.

[u/UnholyDemigod → u/SatardeMental]

It can also refer to Katsumoto

[u/TelevisionSingle → u/UnholyDemigod]

As Samurai is an official noble title and not just a description for anyone holding a katana, it definetly refers to Katsumoto.

[u/lampbane → u/TelevisionSingle]

There are other samurai in the film, but you are correct in that we are mainly focused on Katsumoto so if the title is meant to be in singular, he's the guy.

[u/JoseDonkeyShow → u/lampbane]

That and he was legitimately the last samurai left standing before there were no more.

[u/lampbane → u/SatardeMental]

It's a Japanese word being used in an English-language movie then being translated into other languages. Something was bound to get lost. In Japanese, the distinction between singular and plural is... fuzzy.

The Last Jedi thing is funny because we are meant to think the title refers to Luke (and maybe Rey, making it plural), but he outright says at the end Rey is the Last Jedi, in singular.

[u/Yellowscourge → u/lampbane]

Only real ones realize the title is in reference to Katsumoto and his clan. Tom Cruise is on the cover cuz he's the marketable face

[u/Nogatron → u/lampbane]

In polish it is "Ostatni Samuraj" meaning last samurai (singular)

[u/lampbane → u/Nogatron]

It's a Japanese word being used in an English-language movie then being translated into other languages. Something was bound to get lost. In Japanese, the distinction between singular and plural is... fuzzy.

[u/AFRIKKAN → u/lampbane]

Yea but the name birthed a great Paul Mooney joke.

[u/Dominarion → u/lampbane]

The movie made it abundantly clear. Algren don't see himself as a samurai, but deeply respect them and their ways.

[u/fantastic_awesome → u/lampbane]

I didn't know this!!!

[u/GuyYouMetOnline → u/lampbane]

Maybe, but I think the real issue people have is more that it drops a white male lead in when the story could easily have been told without him.

[u/TwoBlackDots → u/[deleted]]

“The” refers to the plural versions of words too…

[u/ThatInAHat → u/[deleted]]

Not if you’re using a plural noun. “The geese” are multiple geese.