After he had directed the third and fourth installment of the terribly successful Zatoichi-series, Tokuzo Tanaka would return only three years later to helm the overall thirteenth entry into the story of the blind masseur walking the roads and highways of Japan. In general, 1966 was quite an interesting year since both “Zatoichi’s Vengeance” and “Zatoichi’s Pilgrimage” turned out to be not only very entertaining, but also worthwhile additions to the franchise, showing a few new layers of the character played again by Shintaro Katsu. Albeit its generic title, “Zatoichi’s Revenge” is a tale dealing with the repercussions of the life Zatoichi has chosen, for himself and those around him as well as whether he can actually think of a life without the need of his trusted cane sword.
However, the beginning of the movie looks quite familiar as Zatoichi (Katsu), after a battle...
However, the beginning of the movie looks quite familiar as Zatoichi (Katsu), after a battle...
- 6/24/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
One of an apparently dozen or so adaptations of this particular legend, the history of the Yotsuya Kaidan story is an integral part of Japanese folklore since it was first printed in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku IV. The story has been adapted hundreds of times in Kabuki theater as well as film versions dating back to the silent era, most of which are lost as of today. With over two dozen officially-named adaptations and many more variations over the years, the influence and power of the story is still felt in the Japanese film industry to this day. At the height of his career as the Father of Japanese horror, celebrated director Nobuo Nakagawa offered his own version of the celebrated story and stands as one of the finest efforts to date.
Tired of living in poverty with his wife, samurai Iemon Tamiya (Shigeru Amachi) hatches a scheme...
Tired of living in poverty with his wife, samurai Iemon Tamiya (Shigeru Amachi) hatches a scheme...
- 4/24/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
In retrospect, the continuing popularity of a character such as Zatoichi, the blind masseur and skilled swordsman, fits within the overall mood of the 1960s. Much like Akira Kurosawa classic “Yojimbo” (1961) the story of an underdog, a man shunned by society, drawn towards the criminal sideways of Japanese society, but following a certain moral compass, Kenji Misumi’s work would also continue to be celebrated by Japanese and international audiences alike. At the same time, given the film’s story, it becomes obvious Daei studios never imagined the story of this character would resonate within Japanese people. Kenji Misumi, who would also direct some of the most impressive entries within the “Lone Wolf and Cub”-series, together with this main star Shintaro Katsu, had given birth to one of the most iconic characters of Japanese cinema.
Impressed by his skills as a swordsman, yakuza gang leader Sukegoro...
Impressed by his skills as a swordsman, yakuza gang leader Sukegoro...
- 11/27/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
One of the first Asian Masters of Horror, Japanese director Nobuo Nakagawa offered up numerous exceptional horror films in the late 1950s and early 60s with scores of important and legendary titles. After several tales offering variations of ghost tales, Nakagawa decided to go for a more existential tale of remorse and greed which scored him one of the biggest hits of his career and secured his reputation with a vengeance leading to who he is today.
Trying to move on in life, Shiro Shimizu finds that his involvement with Tamura taints his relationship with his fiancée Yukiko Yajima as his disdainful attitude really sours her. When they both get involved in a car accident that takes its victim, they again feel differently about reporting their involvement in the incident, and soon afterward, a series of personal tragedies effects him. As they both take the news normally,...
Trying to move on in life, Shiro Shimizu finds that his involvement with Tamura taints his relationship with his fiancée Yukiko Yajima as his disdainful attitude really sours her. When they both get involved in a car accident that takes its victim, they again feel differently about reporting their involvement in the incident, and soon afterward, a series of personal tragedies effects him. As they both take the news normally,...
- 4/9/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
If you ask me, Hell is the ultimate horror setting. Sure, creepy castles and abandoned outposts are great and all, but a realm of eternal torment just strikes me as a tad more terrifying. And of the major cultural interpretations of Hell out there, none are quite as grisly as the hell of Japanese Buddhism: Jigoku. Sure, there’s a way out of it, but the torments inflicted upon the damned in Jigoku make the ones Dante wrote about seem fit for children’s birthday parties. Jigoku consists of sixteen separate hells (eight “hot” and eight “cold”), with eight great hells that consist of tortures ranging from being charred in massive frying pans to being eternally smashed into paste and revived by massive rocks. It’s a brutal, depressing place where hope is faint and mercy can wait billions of years away. Naturally, it makes for a great topic for a horror movie.
- 12/2/2017
- by Perry Ruhland
- DailyDead
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