ANALYSIS
Lady Snowblood is a compelling study of revenge, and a welcome counterpoint to the many genre films which glorify ‘getting even’. The film also looks fantastic, with highly stylised direction from Toshiya Fujita.
Lady Snowblood is primarily concerned with showing the ultimate futility of revenge. This is illustrated through the experiences of Yuki, herself a living instrument of revenge. Yuki is a sympathetic protagonist rather than a heroic one; she has been trained to avenge the murders of her family her whole life, deprived of a normal existence and life’s simple pleasures. The beautiful Meiko Kaji is perfectly cast in the role, convincingly portraying Yuki’s pain as she is forced to make difficult decisions about her revenge and showing frightening rage when she confronts the real villain of the film.
The first victim of Yuki’s revenge, Banzo, is a weak old man who offers no resistance to Yuki’s blade. Hardly a satisfying victory. Worse still, she meets Kobue, his loving daughter, and must face the thought of depriving this girl of her father. Yuki’s actions set Kobue on the same course she has been following; Kobue too must give up a normal life as she focuses on vengeance. Lady Snowblood thus reveals the futility of revenge; it is simply an endless cycle of violence which brings nothing but pain to all those involved.
True to the manga origins of Lady Snowblood, the story is told in a distinctive style. Director Fujita makes use of a number of interesting techniques. Yuki’s murder of a gang leader at the film’s beginning is extremely stylised; there is a slow-motion shot of Yuki as she somersaults over her opponents then a series of rapid shots as she dispatches them. There is no shortage of blood, and Fujita makes constant use of the red-on-white motif, either blood on snow or on the white portions of the Japanese flag. The montage in which a portion of novelist Ryurei’s work on Yuki is read aloud is also very striking, and makes use of dynamic, manga-style art imposed over shots of people feverishly buying the book.
Interestingly, Lady Snowblood is listed as one of the inspirations for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. Although both feature a tortured female protagonist seeking revenge, Tarantino takes the much more predictable route of glorifying revenge, rather than condemning it.
THE VERDICT
Lady Snowblood is a prime example of the samurai film’s ability to interrogate notions of violence and revenge, and a must-see for fans of the genre.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)
Japanese Title: Kozure Okami: Meifumando
Directed by: Kenji Misumi
Written by: Adapted by Kazuo Koike and Tsutomo Nakamura from the manga by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima
Produced by: Masanori Sanada, Tomisaburo Wakayama
Edited by: Toshio Taniguchi
Cinematography: Fujio Morita
Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama (Itto Ogami), Michiyo Yasuda (Shiranui), Akihiro Tomikawa (Daigoro), Shingo Yamashiro (Lord Naritaka), Tomomi Sato (‘Quick Change’ Oyoo), Satoshi Amatsu (Inspector Senzo), Minoru Ohki (Retsudo Yagyu)
PLOT SUMMARY
Itto is hired by Kuroda clan samurai, after they test his skill as a warrior. His assignment is to recover a document, which reveals that the young heir of the clan is in fact a girl, born to Naritaka (the current lord) and his favourite concubine. Naritaka’s son, Matsumaru, the true heir, is being hidden in a tower. The document is in the possession of Jikei, a powerful Abbot, who intends to deliver it to the Yagyu, who will expose the scandal and ruin the clan. Finding Jikei at a temple, Itto finds he cannot bring himself to strike him, as Jikei has reached a state of perfect enlightenment. Meanwhile Daigoro has run into some trouble of his own. A pickpocket, ‘Quick Change’ Oyoo, leaves him holding her loot as she flees from Senzo, an inspector. Daigoro refuses to identify Oyoo, even when Senzo beats him. Oyoo is so touched by his loyalty she promises never to steal again. A Kuroda woman named Shiranui hires Itto to kill Naritaka, his mistress and the false heir, so that the true Matsumaru can become lord of the Kuroda, an assignment which Itto accepts. As Jikei sails across a river, Itto cuts the bottom of the boat out from under him, killing him swiftly underwater and taking the document. Shiranui intentionally wets the document, making it blank, but Ogami delivers it to the Kuroda anyway. In the castle of the Kuroda, Itto challenges Naritaka about his deception, and the lord orders his men to kill him. Itto defeats them, fighting his way to Naritaka and fulfilling his assignment. The young Lord Matsumaru is now able to take his rightful place.
ANALYSIS
Baby Cart in the Land of Demons is a return to form for the Lone Wolf and Cub series, after the slight disappointment of Baby Cart in Peril. This film is almost as good as Baby Cart on the River Styx, the best of the series.
Baby Cart in the Land of Demons is supported by a driving plot, which not only keeps the film moving at a nice pace, but also provides the excuse for compelling scenarios and visceral fight scenes. The idea that Itto must defeat a succession of samurai to begin his assignment, each one giving him a portion of his instructions and fee, is magnificent, and works very well on screen. Other plot elements, such as the Kuroda secret document which everyone wants and will kill to get, ensure that Baby Cart in the Land of Demons is always exciting in its twists and turns.
This film also contains some of the most violent and well-choreographed battle scenes in the Lone Wolf and Cub series. As usual, Tomisaburo Wakayama is magnificent. He moves with perfect precision in his fight scenes, and Baby Cart in the Land of Demons is full of classics. The duels towards the beginning, against the men sent to test him, are especially worthy of mention. The scenes of Itto fighting his way through the Kuroda palace are also particularly well realised, with plenty of rapid cuts and pans. The gore level is high; watch for the messenger giving Itto his assignment as he burns alive, or the brutal shot in which Itto literally cuts a man in half.
Also worthy of mention is the scene in which Daigoro stoically covers for a pickpocket, even when he’s beaten by an inspector. Itto looks on, proud that his son has honourably kept his promise.
THE VERDICT
Director Kenji Misumi restores the Lone Wolf and Cub series to the former levels of excitement he reached with the second film in the series. Not only a welcome entry to the series, but a fine samurai film in its own right.
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (1974)
Japanese Title: Shuri-yuki-hime: Urami Renga
Directed by: Toshiya Fujita
Written by: Adapted by Kiyohide Ohara and Norio Osada from the manga by Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura
Produced by: Kikumaru Okuda
Edited by: Osamu Inoue
Cinematography: Tatsuo Suzuki
Cast: Meiko Kaji (Yuki AKA Lady Snowblood), Yoshio Harada (Shusuke), Kazuko Yoshiyuki (Aya), Shin Kishida (Kikui), Juzo Itami (Ransui)
PLOT SUMMARY
Yuki has survived the seemingly fatal wound she received at the end of the first film, but has been sentenced to death for her crimes. She is rescued by members of Japan’s secret police, headed by Kikui, who wants Yuki to assassinate Ransui, an anarchist who poses a real threat to Kikui and Terauchi, the minister of justice. Yuki accepts the assignment and poses as Ransui’s maid, but finds herself bonding with him and his wife, Aya. Ransui figures out that Yuki is Lady Snowblood, and explains to her that Kikui and Terauchi unlawfully executed a large group of his anarchist friends, and that he has a document which proves it. Should the document be made public, Kikui and Terauchi will be ruined. Yuki becomes Ransui’s protector, but he is arrested. Yuki takes the document to Shusuke, Ransui’s brother. Shusuke runs a clinic in a slum, but his motivations are different to his brother’s. He plans to blackmail Kikui and Terauchi to give the people of the slums food and money. Ransui is beaten and tortured by the police, who eventually release him, but they have injected him with plague. He soon dies, and Aya, distraught with grief, attacks the police, who kill her. Shusuke reveals that Aya was once his wife, and left him for his brother. He continues with his blac
kmail plot, even though he too is now suffering from the plague. Yuki delivers Shusuke’s terms to Kikui, who responds by setting fire to the slums, hoping to kill Shusuke and burn the document. Yuki finds Shusuke still alive among the wreckage, and together they attack Kikui and Terauchi, killing them. Shusuke himself dies in the fighting and Yuki is left alone again.
ANALYSIS
The second and final film of the Lady Snowblood series, Love Song of Vengeance is much more political than Lady Snowblood. Although the first had some political overtones, it was in the main a revenge-oriented tale. Rather than repeat this formula, the filmmakers chose to tell a very different and distinct story.
Unlike most samurai films, Love Song of Vengeance takes place in the Meiji era of Japanese history, just after the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905. This is after the abolition of the Shogunate and the dissolution of the samurai class, and the beginnings of a more industrialised Japan. The political themes in the film focus around a pair of activist brothers and their struggle against some corrupt government officials. This makes for a compelling story, as Yuki, Ransui and Shusuke struggle against their powerful enemies, who go to great lengths to conceal their murderous pasts, even setting fire to a large slum, which is home to many people. The central theme of resistance against corrupt authority works very well in this film, reminiscent of the work of Masaki Kobayashi.
Despite its setting and preoccupations, the elements of the samurai film are still clearly present. Meiko Kaji as Yuki continues to slash her way through large groups of enemies, proving to be just as adept as other stars of the genre, such as Shintaro Katsu and Tomisaburo Wakayama. Toshiya Fujita continues his carefully styled direction, creating a variety of visually satisfying shots. Worthy of mention is the sequence towards the beginning of the film, where Yuki, cornered on a beach, surrenders herself to the police. Yuki throws her sword away, then there’s a shot from above, as the police encircle Yuki, obscuring her from our view. Next we see a beautiful image of Yuki’s sword, lodged in the ground, surrounded by the ocean, both the metal and water reflecting the sun and each other.
Unlike many sequels, Love Song of Vengeance allows Yuki’s character to develop. It is disturbing to see her at the beginning of the film; she moves like a ghost, clearly tired of the fugitive’s life she leads, and shows very little expression. For those who followed Yuki’s painful journey in the first film, it is a pleasure to see her finally smile.
THE VERDICT
A very fitting sequel and a great film in its own right, Love Song of Vengeance builds on themes touched upon in Lady Snowblood as well as adding new elements. A standout example of the samurai film genre, not only because of its unusual heroine and setting, but also its superior quality.
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978)
Japanese Title: Kumokiri Nizaemon
Directed by: Hideo Gosha
Written by: Adapted by Kaneo Ikegami from the novel by ShotaroIkenami
Produced by: Masahiro Sato, Ginichi Iwamoto, Shigemi Sugisaki
Edited by: Michio Suwa
Cinematography: Masao Kosugi
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai (Nizaemon), Shima Iwashita (Ochiyo), Shogoro Ichikawa (Shikibu), Takashi Yamaguchi (Owari), Koshiro Matsumoto (Kuranosuke), Tetsuro Tamba (Kichibei), Keiko Matsuzaka (Oshino), Teruhiko Aoi (Rokunosuke), Mitsuko Baisho (Omatsu), Hiroyuki Nagato (Kichigoro)
PLOT SUMMARY
The Kumokiri, a gang of skilled thieves, continually avoid Shikibu, a samurai inspector.
Their latest plan is to rob the vault of a wealthy merchant, Matsuya. Nizaemon Kurokiri, the leader of the Kumokiri, sends Ochiyo, a seductive woman, to make Matsuya fall in love with her. Matsuya proposes to her, and Ochiyo, along with some of her accomplices, is able to infiltrate his household. Shikibu discovers that Nizaemon is really Iori Tsuji, a samurai whose brother was accused of embezzlement by the Owari clan. The Owari clan killed their family, while the two brothers were able to escape. Nizaemon’s brother, Kuranosuke, urges him to seek revenge on the Owari by helping him kill their daimyo, but he refuses, no longer caring about their old life. Ochiyo discovers the location of Matsuya’s vault and his keys, but Shikibu is waiting for them on the night of the heist. In a long brutal battle, only Nizaemon, Ochiyo and two other members of the gang escape. Kuranosuke gives himself up, pretending to be his brother. He is executed, along with the other captured members of the gang. When Nizaemon hears of his brother’s sacrifice, he realises he must take his place in the assault on Lord Owari. Sneaking into the Owari castle, Nizaemon battles his way through Owari’s retainers, but stops when he discovers that a child born to his ex-lover Oshino and heir to the Owari, is actually his, and not Lord Owari’s. Nizaemon tries to escape with Oshino, but she is killed by their pursuers. Shikibu resigns his post, as he has discovered corruption in the Owari, and is sympathetic to the Tsuji brothers. When visiting Kuranosuke’s grave, he and Nizaemon pass each other on the road.
ANALYSIS
Another film by Hideo Gosha, Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron combines elements from the two genres he was most familiar with: yakuza and samurai. The result is an epic tale of gangster heists and samurai-style revenge, a pleasing combination which benefits from Gosha’s skilled direction.
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron tells the story of the Kumokiri gang, a group which specialises in infiltrating the households of wealthy individuals, such as merchants and sake brewers, in order to rob them. The film’s plot works very effectively to keep viewer attention; the devious ways in which the Kumokiri gang rob their targets, and the constant efforts of the valiant Inspector Shikibu to apprehend them, make for some entertaining scenes, in the tradition of classic heist films. The slowly unfolding plot gradually reveals the relationship between Nizaemon and Kuranosuke, and keeps the viewer wondering what this will mean for the two characters and the gang. There are also plenty of twists and changes in the plot, which keeps the story moving at a nice pace. The only criticism is that some of the twists come too late in the film, which means their implications do not have sufficient time to be explored.
At 2 hours 40 minutes, with a large cast of characters, and complex plot, there’s always the potential for the viewer to become lost or confused. But the pace is perfect: not so slow that it becomes boring, and not so fast that we lose track of what’s happening. Many of the characters assume false identities, and Gosha employs the simple technique of text on screen to show their name and true allegiance.
Gosha lends his distinctive sense of rhythm to the battle sequences. The fight between the samurai police and the Akatsuki gang at the beginning of the film is particularly good, complete with ingeniously paced squirts of blood that shoot out as the camera pans across the scene.
Tatsuya Nakadai as Nizaemon, is the strong, inexpressive boss of the Kumokiri gang, who loses everything, and then embarks on a selfless quest for revenge. As always, he excels at portraying both an inscrutable strength and a profound sense of loss. Shogoro Ichikawa is equally effective as Inspector Shikibu, lending credibility to this noble character who must change when he discovers corruption in the clan he works for. Also worthy of mention is Shima Iwashita, the beautiful yet harsh Ochiyo, master infiltrator of the Kumokiri gang.
THE VERDICT
A pleasing fusion of the yakuza and samurai genres, Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron is a solid film, although not quite as good as some of Gosha’s earlier works. But like all his films, it’s definitely worth seeing.
Hunter in the Dark (1979)
Japanese Title: Yami no karyudo
Directed by: Hideo Gosha
Written by: Adapted by Hideo Gosha from the novel by Shotaro Ikenami
Produced by: Masayuki Sato, Ginichi Kishimoto, Shigemi Sugisaki
Edited by: Michio Suwa
Cinematography: Tadashi Sakai
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai (Gomyo), Yoshio Harada (Yataro), Sonny Chiba (Shimoguni), Ayumi Ishida (Oriwa), Keiko Kishi (Omon), Ai Kanzaki (Osaki), Kayo Matsuo (Oren), Tetsuro Tamba (Tanuma)
> PLOT SUMMARY
Gomyo, a yakuza boss, hires Yataro, a ronin who has lost all memories of his past. He helps his new boss escape an attempt on his life by Omon, a woman jilted by Gomyo, and also manages to kill Jihei, Gomyo’s rival. Omon escapes Gomyo’s men, and is taken in by Kasuke, a poor fisherman. Meanwhile, Shimoguni, an ambitious samurai, is charged with the task of wiping out the Kitamae ronin, a group attempting to restore their clan. Shimoguni hires Gomyo to perform this task and sends Yataro after them. In a vicious battle he kills most of them, but a few escape. Recovering from his wounds in Gomyo’s house, Yataro is recognised by Oriwa, who used to be his wife. Unable to bring his memory back, she sends him to a temple, where he will learn all the secrets of his past. Gomyo overhears all of this, and Shimoguni demands he hand over Yataro. At the temple, Yataro regains his memory; he is the last hope of the Kitamae clan, entrusted with a document proving the clan’s ownership of the wealthy Ezo province. The remaining Kitamae ronin burst in and attack him, eager for revenge. In the confusion the temple catches fire, and Yataro is rescued both from the fire and his madness by Gomyo, who has him hidden in an old warehouse. Gomyo sends Oriwa to be with him, even though he loves her himself. Shimoguni destroys Gomyo’s house, but discovers Yataro’s whereabouts from Omon. Orei, a woman wanting to avenge Jihei, also finds Yataro, killing him in his weakened state, although he manages also to kill her. Shimoguni arrives in time to see Oriwa commit suicide, and leaves, confident he has been successful. Gomyo has recovered the Kitamae document, and confronts Shimoguni with it. In a final duel, the two kill each other.
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