Samurai Movie: "Zatoichi and the Doomed Man"

Couldn't resist an IFC screening of another one of those Japanese "Zatoichi" movies. This time it was "Zatoichi and The Doomed Man," the eleventh in the "Blind Swordsman" series of 26 films. The plots of these movies revolve around the adventures of a sightless masseuse who, despite his blindness, is the deadliest person with a sword in Japan. As he wanders the hinterlands, passing from village to village in search of work, Zatoichi always manages to become entangled in a local feud or challenge. The rescuing of a woman is often involved in these plots, as well as many attempts by thieves and thugs to take advantage of Zatoichi. Swordplay ensues. Eventually, there's a big showdown and things get bloody. In the "Doomed Man," Zatoichi is on a mission to save an innocent man who is scheduled to be executed as part of a frame up by a local warlord. Directed by Kazuo Mori and released in 1965, the "Doomed Man" is one of the color films in a series that began in the black-and-white film era. The movie is as bloody and full of swordplay as any of them. Technically, Zatoichi is not a samurai, but in every other respect, the "Doomed Man" qualifies as a first-rate samurai genre movie. In 2003, a new take on Zatoichi was produced in a stunning remake starring Takeshi "Beat" Kitano ("Sonatine," "Hanabi").

Air Massive rating: 7 stars out of 10

Posted by Robsam at March 21, 2006 01:38 AM