Later an enigmatic samurai joins them and helps fight off a second gang. Zatoichi goes to the fire festival by kenji misumi. Kenji misumi this film admittedly copies the fight, zatoichi, fight template a bit, telling a similar story where ichi gets paired with a bratty kid. His portrayal of the blind master swordsman in a series of movies and on television brought him tremendous popularity throughout southeast asia and. It was performed and filmed in 2007 and released on home video under the title miike. Great swordplay and a glimpse of earlier japanese life. Zatoichi tries to unrest the mob rule over a small village all while the gang leaders bodyguard is actually the yojimbo, secretly taking the gang down from the inside. Green berets ultralight bug out bag with gear recommendations duration. In the festival of fire, this wandering warrior blows into a town in which women arent treated without respect. This was followed by a second tv series in 1976, new zatoichi or shin zatoichi, that ran for three more seasons 29 episodes in 1976, 19 episodes in 1978 and 26 episodes in 1979. Aug 16, 2017 the adventures of zatoichi the blind swordsman. Promising to make a delivery for a dying man, the blind swordsman zatoichi comes across the usual crime gangs but also meets a blind monk who brings into question his use of violence. Primarily for my own reference as i make my way through the films but may be useful to others also taking the. Zatoichi 2003 film in 2003, takeshi kitano wrote, directed and appeared in a new highbudget zatoichi film, called simply zatoichi zatoichi.
Sep 30, 2011 beat takeshi kitano directs and plays the title role in this tribute to the wildly popular blind swordsman of japanese cinema who was the hero of more than 20 movies and a television series from. His recent film was zatoichi, the blind swordsman 2003, a remake, a homage, and a wry take on one of the most popular series of films from japan in the 1960s and 1970s. A list of 26 films compiled on letterboxd, including the tale of zatoichi 1962, the tale of zatoichi continues 1962, new tale of zatoichi 1963, zatoichi the fugitive 1963 and zatoichi on the road 1963. Zatoichi meets yojimbo, is the first zatoichi film to see shintaro katsu go headtohead with screen legend toshiro mifune. The benefit here is that with an older child, the story carries a weightier twoway relationship. The zatoichi film series was produced in the sixties but he appeared in film as late as the eighties. On the road is the fifth episode in the 26 part film series devoted to the character of zatoichi.
All payments on movie orders will be processed at the time of shipment. The blind swordsman movie videos for the full length movie and video clips on mefeedia. A list of the zatoichi films in chronological order. Most films are special orders, so they will take longer to ship than other products. It was originally released by the daiei motion picture company later acquired by kadokawa pictures. Zatoichi title song of the famous japanese zatoichi films. Does not include remakes and other similarly related films, just the original film series. During his travels, ichi has a few runins with members of a gang of fugitives and eventually they all arrive in the same town. From 1974 to 1979, the television series zatoichi was produced, starring katsu and some of the same actors that appeared in the films. This deluxe set features the string of twentyfive zatoichi films made between. The character, a blind masseur and blademaster, was created by novelist kan shimozawa this originally minor character was developed for the screen by daiei film now kadokawa daiei studio.
Zatoichi challenged is a 1967 japanese chambara film directed by kenji misumi and starring shintaro katsu as the blind masseur zatoichi. But zatoichi never backs down, even if death looms from all directions this is the seventeenth volume of zatoichi, but as usual, the series shows no signs of losing its sharp edge. Japanese cult hero zatoichi, whos headlined dozens of films, is a fighter who wields a mighty sword although hes blind. Not every zatoichi film qualifies as great cinema, but even when the series falters a bit, every single one of these films is still well worth your time. The blind masseur and swordsman, zatoichi, searches for proof an imprisoned mans innocence. First of all, the film starts like a musical with a few japanese folk songs while zatoichi. The blind swordsman box set gets our highest recommendation and damn well deserves it. Zatoichi is caught in a sinister web of torture and extortion as local bandits and gangs brutalize the countryside. But when the son and father meet, zatoichi finds out that the father has been forced to work for gangsters. Zatoichi films is a thing of extraordinary beauty, and finally, it is mine. A total of 26 films were made from 1962 to 1989, and then there was also beat takeshis zatoichi in 2003 and zatoichi.
Zatichi reunites a father and son, but now he must take on the fathers new boss a local yakuza leader. This film is based on zatoichi challenged 1967, the 17th film in the original series. In his first adventure, zatoichi finds himself caught in the middle of a turf war between two yakuza clans. Unfortunately, they are fighting on opposing sides. The zatoichi films flourished during the extraordinary era in japanese filmmaking when the traditional period film was reconfigured in such masterpieces as akira kurosawas yojimbo 1961 and sanjuro 1962, masaki kobayashis harakiri 1962 and samurai rebellion 1967, kihachi okamotos the sword of doom 1966, hideo goshas goyokin. Zatoichi meets yojimbo 1970, zatoicho to yojimbo story. The fugitive is the fourth episode in the 26 part film series devoted to the character of zatoichi. The zatoichi films flourished during the extraordinary era in japanese. Zatoichi at large is the twentythird entry in the japanese franchise about the blind masseur, skilled swordsman and lowly yakuza with a strong moral compass whose words speak louder than his actions. This film has a lot more complex plot but is significantly shorter. Add to that a successful television series and a current remake by beat takashi, and, obviously, with t zatoichi the blind swordsman, vol.
As tensions mount between rival yakuza clans, one boss hires a formidable but ailing ronin as his clans musclewhile the other employs a humble, moral blind masseur named ichi. Zatoichi treks to a village that has always been a favorite spot of his, only to discover that its become a living hell, plagued by feuding father and son yakuza as well as the younger crime bosss bodyguardtoshiro mifunes scruffy, smartmouthed, cashhungry yojimbo of legend. Actually to be honest the films strong points is in the sequences, ichi and the boy bonding, the opening fight on the road, the massive attack late in the game and the near perfect final confrontation in the snow between ichi and the samurai who has become his friend. A letter of challenge is the eighteenth film in the series. On the road with zatoichi the current the criterion collection. A list of 25 films compiled on letterboxd, including zatoichi goes to the fire festival 1970, zatoichi and the chest of gold 1964, zatoichi the fugitive 1963, fight, zatoichi, fight 1964 and zatoichi and the fugitives 1968. Mar 10, 2017 zatoichi is a criticallyacclaimed recent entry in a decadeslong japanese media franchise, but i regrettably found it to be rather poor, with limp, meandering pacing and fun yet uninteresting. In this japanese actioner, the brave blind swordsman zatoichi is assigned to escort a little boy to his fathers home. Ichi befriends the local doctor, junan, veteran kurosawa regular takashi. Completed by director kazuo mori only a few months later, the tale of zatoichi continues begins exactly where the first film ends with the blind masseur once again on the road. Nicknamed katsushin, he lived in the moment, and relied upon his feelings when acting. The blandly mistitled zatoichi s vengeance is a typical movie of the franchise about the skilled gambler, blind masseur and pitiless swordsman.
Seeing kitanos film, i was only aware of one other zatoichi film, not the series. Zatoichi challenged, zatoichi chikemurikaido is a 1967 japanese chambara film directed by kenji misumi and starring shintaro katsu as the blind masseur zatoichi. Zatoichi s spurting blood road is the seventeenth film in the series. After an artist is threatened by the yakuza into creating valuable but highly illegal pornography, the law aims to execute him. Zatoichi, having been honor bound to protect the man and his family, must now run against the law. With its lightningfast swordplay, sleightofhand dice games, and codes of honor upheld and betrayed, this first chapter sets the stage for all the zatoichi adventures to come. This originally minor character was developed for the screen by daiei film and actor shintaro katsu, who created the screen version. This deluxe set features the string of twentyfive zatoichi films made between 1962 and 1973, collected in one package for the first time. Welcome to our foreign films page, featuring foreign movies in video and dvd format in languages from a host of countries. While staying at an inn, ichi shares a room with a sick woman and her child, ryota.
The story behind the boys father is rather interesting as a glimpse into japanese. Primarily for my own reference as i make my way through the films but may be useful to others also taking the journey along with the blind masseur. Soon zatoichi finds himself embroiled in a lifethreatening turf war. Zatoichi 20 zatoichi meets yojimbo zatoichi to yojimbo 1970 2003 toho co. Zatoichis spurting blood road is the seventeenth film in the series. On the road, zatoichi meets a dying pregnant woman and delivers the child moments before she passes. Taro matsumoto shakuhachi, roger walch piano, yoichiro suzuki trombone, ayuko ikeda percussion. Nov 25, 20 in the same film, he meets another woman, the illfated otane, who likewise in zatoichi the fugitive betrays him, even as zatoichi persists in refusing to credit her betrayal. We take a dive into the whopping 25film bluray release of zatoichi. Zatoichi, zatoichi is a fictional character featured in one of japans longestrunning series of films, as well as a television series. Zatoichi challenged is not the best installment, but it is a good one without question, is one of the more unusual episodes. As this iconic figure, the charismatic and earthy shintaro katsu became an instant superstar, lending a largerthanlife presence to the thrilling adventures of a man who. Ryota has never met his father shokichi, an artist whose gambling. We know that they have to fight one another, but whose fighting skills will reign supreme.
The colossally popular zatoichi films make up the longestrunning action series in japanese history and created one of the screens great heroes. It tells how zatoichi meets a dying pregnant woman on the road who got attacked and robbed by an unknown assailant. These are marvelous pieces which stick in my head way more than the film as a whole. Zatoichi witnesses how a man got attacked on the road side and speaks to the dying man who tells him his name and asks him to bring a small bag of money to someone called taichi. After being recruited by the oyabun sukegoro eijiro yanagi, he befriends ronin hirate miki shigeru amachi who is suffering from tuberculosis. It was originally released by the daiei motion picture company later acquired by kadokawa pictures zatoichi challenged is the seventeenth episode in the 26part film series devoted to the character of. He made 24 installments between 1962 and 1973, and made the last one 16 years later in 1989. The fugitive, zatoichi kyojo tabi is a 1963 japanese chambara film directed by tokuzo tanaka starring shintaro katsu as the blind masseur zatoichi, originally released by the daiei motion picture company now known as kadokawa pictures. His blindness makes it acceptable for him to share rooms with women and even, on occasion zatoichi and the chest of gold, 1964, to slip into the bath with them. Using his lightning sword, zatoichi takes on the crime boss in a relentless blend of action, violence, and comedy that makes zatoichi challenged one of the best in the longrunning series. Mar 25, 2006 trailer for beat takeshis adaptation of zatoichi. The tale of zatoichi 1962, zatoichi monogatari story. A 2003 film, zatoichi, was directed by takeshi kitano who also starred as.
Shintaro katsu appears on screen as zatoichi for the last time. Using his supersensitive powers of perception, he kills them. Zatoichi is a criticallyacclaimed recent entry in a decadeslong japanese media franchise, but i regrettably found it to be rather poor, with limp, meandering pacing and fun yet uninteresting. The entire film feels as though there was more money to spend than in all the previous zatoichi films put together, and this has resulted in a forty. Beat takeshi kitano directs and plays the title role in this tribute to the wildly popular blind swordsman of japanese cinema who was the hero of more.
Saddled with one of the series more arcane plots, zatoichi challenged makes up for it by looking absolutely stunning. The interplay between zatoichi and the young boy he becomes protector slows down the film a bit. The first, the tale of zatoichi known as zatoichi monogatari in japan, appeared in 1974 and ran for 26 episodes. A dying woman begs zatoichi to reunite her son with the father he has never met, but when the blind masseur searches for the man, he discovers that he has been forced by a local yakuza boss to pay off his gambling debts in an unusual way. Take kurosawas yojimbo character a misnomer, i know and throw him up against katsus zatoichi and you get nothing but samurai goodness. Honor bound, he sets out to find the nextofkin who he discovers have their own problems. Wildly popular in japan during the original airing of the zatoichi movies and tv series of the 60s and 70s. The colours are bright and crisp and full advantage is taken of the panavision lens.
Reviewed in the united states on december 28, 2007. If you like the formula, every film will hold its share of great entertainment for you. Toshiro mifune, shintaro katsu, ayako wakao, osamu takizawa. Add in another great score from akira ifukube and youve got one of the best of the zatoichi flicks. Zatoichi challenged msmichel the 17th entry in the long running series is an excellent story where our hero is once again plunged into a world of corruption, misplaced honour and familial anguish. With shintaro katsu, jushiro konoe, miwa takada, yukiji asaoka. Most certainly not, but when you compare it to some of the highs in the zatoichi series it seems not as good. I am a big fan of the samurai trilogy, yojimbo, throne of blood and of course seven samurai. In the twentieth zatoichi film, the titular blind gambler encounters a cynical ronin toshiro mifune, who works as yojimbo bodyguard for a yakuza boss planning to overtake the fortune of his greedy merchant father osamu takizawa. Will the two heroes realize in time that they are on the same side. This samurai drama pits zatoichi shintaro katsu against a band of ruffian outlaws. Definitely worth seeing, just dont expect one of the highs of the series. Zatoichi meets yojimbo zatoichi to yojinbo 1970 shintaro katsu is the one and only zatoichi, the lovable, blind masseur and roving gambler who, when innocent lives are threatened, becomes the ruthless blind swordsman who can slaughter a dozen men before they know what hit them.
Frequently asked questions how many zatoichi films were made. Here zatoichi meets his older brother, yoshiro tomisaburo wakayama, lone wolf and cub, and soon after the two find themselves chased by bandits and. After a twoyear absence from screens, the blind swordsman returns in one of his best adventures. An interesting element is the idea to include an impostor who claims to be zatoichi to get alcohol, money and women which adds some situation comedy to the film. Surprisingly, i found out there were twentyfive more zatoichi films, all starring. The best martial arts movie series youve never heard of. Determined to bring father and son together, zatoichi pits his skills against the gangsters and a ronin who is not entirely what. On the road with zatoichi the current the criterion. Sep 16, 2015 this list tries to track down not only the greatest, but also the most essential zatoichi films which brought this formula to live, tried to improve it or varied it intelligently.
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