Lost In Translation

Samaritan Zatoichi

 

Veteran director Kenji Misumi (previously filmed six episodes in the series) is again at the helm for the 19th and second film of 1968 in Samaritan Zatoichi. There are several well-worn plot points as Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) is tricked into killing a young man with a gambling debt and feels obligated to help out the man's sister Osoe (Yoshiko Mita). This includes a fighting off a skilled swordsman who wants Osaoe for his own, Kashiwazaki (Makoto Sato). Misumi manages to integrate several comedic scenes with cinematic touches. The film opens up with Zatoichi falling into the river and having a passerby step over him on to the river bank as well as a comedic scene at a festival where he also gets to show oft his throwing technique knocking over dolls to win prizes. There are several cinematic passages like the rotating screen when the theme song is played halfway through the film and a battle with henchmen in which a spotlight is used. Zatoichi rides a horse in pursuit that ends less than successfully and is caught cheating at dice. This episode seems to have a little of everything and is presented in a stylish manner.

Zatoichi And The Fugitives

Kimiyoshi Yasuda was already a veteran director of the Zatoichi series when he was at the helm for Zatoichi And The Fugitives (1968), the 18th film in the series. This film stands out mainly due to the talent involved in this production: the director of cinematography again was the legendary Kazuo Miyagawa (had the same role in seminal films for Mizoguchi, Kurosawa, Ozu, and Ichikawa among others), another legend was Takashi Shimura (Seven Samurai, Ikiru, and Godzilla for starters) playing a benevolent doctor, Junan, with a taste for sake, Yumiko Nogawa (star of Seijun Suzuki films Gate of Flesh and The Story of a  Prostitute), as Oaki a reformed femme fatale, and the dueling villain was Kyosuke Machida (star of many samurai films in the 60s). That being said, the story and set pieces do not vary much from earlier incarnations. There are the amazing feats performed by the Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu): bisecting a falling snake in the forest, flipping a coin in to a rival sake cup while departing an izakaya, quartering a bottle of sake. Zatoichi again is called upon to protect the weak from a greedy yakuza boss, Matsugoro (Hosei Komatsu) as well as have a final showdown with a band of fugitives that were being hid by the yakuza boss. However, Zaotichi shows some vulnerability in that he is slightly injured by swords during a humiliation at the hands of the ruthless fugitives. Near the end of the film he is seriously injured by a bullet fired from a pistol-of course this gives him the opportunity to cut down a legion of henchmen while nursing his wound. But as I have pointed out before, Miyagawa's cinematography is always original and artistic-adding to the overall artistry of the film: gathering herbs in the forest, climbing through the mountains to the next village, the search for Zatoichi's body in the river in boats with torches burning in the night. The title song sis perhaps overused-three times by my count, but despite that this is one of the better films given the concentration of talent amassed for this production.

Zatoichi Challenged

The 17th edition in the Zatoichi series is Zatoichi Challenged (1967) and was directed by one of the more dynamic directors in the series, Kenji Musumi. There are several impressive locations scenes in this episode as well as some funky modern music and an theme song sung by star Shintaro Katsu at the beginning. There is a comic scene where Zatoichi outsmarts a carpenter in a gambling guessing game. His impressive swordsman act results in a yakuza henchman losing his eyebrows after threatening a theatrical group befriended by Zatoichi and the young boy whom he is returning to his father. There is an interesting subplot where an artist is imprisoned and forced to make shunga (erotic art as prints and on plates), while an official is dispatched to destroy the subversive art.There are some cinematic set pieces throughout the film, for example, an escape scene in the fog, a fight on a bridge, and a final duel in snow that must have been inspiration for the sword fight in snow in The Lady Snowblood film.

Zatoichi The Outlaw

Zatoichi The Outlaw (1967) is the first film in the series that was made by Shintaro Katsu's (Zatoichi) production company: second of three in 1967 and 16th overall. The director is Satsuo Yamamoto, known for anti-authoritain films and brings his subversive touch to the Zaotichi franchise in this film which champions the peasants over the exploitative yakuza bosses. The film opens with another round of impressive archery from Zatoichi at a fair. The usual body count of dispatched henchmen is realized, but halfway through the film we get a rendition of what is to become Zatoichi's themes song sung by Katsu. One of the bosses, Asagoro is played by Rentaro Mikuni (known for impressive films such as The Burmese Harp and Vengeance Is Mine). Zatoichi exposes a fixed dice game the usual way by cutting the in half to expose the ruse. There's an innovative montage scene of gambling late in the film as well. It ends in an emotional way as Zatocihi gets revenge with a yakuza boss that duped him into believing he was a good guy with the peasant's best interests in mind.

Zatoichi's Cane Sword

Director Kimiyoshi Yasuda has directed two previous films in the Zatoichi series (Zatoichi on the Road and Adventures of Zatoichi), his third, Zatoichi's Cane Sword (1967) and #15 in the series, is somewhat unusual. In this installment, Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) is more comedic and light-hearted than in other episodes. Watching Zatoichi eat is always entertaining and here he dispatches would be assassins while chowing down on noodles and he always attacks riceballs and rice with gusto. In another scene he is introduced to maids at an inn where he will work as a masseuse and throws up a pickle and catches it in his mouth. Later he is caught red handed while stealing food at the inn. His massages are comedic as well, with the magistrate's former consort he flirts with her while massaging her. Later he gives Boss Iwagoro (Tatsuo Endo) a passive aggressive massage, trying to inflict pain, showing his distaste for the man. Later when he is entertained by Boss Iwagoro Zatoichi does a silly little dance and gently mocks the Boss and "accidentally" pour sake on him. There is the usual amazing loaded die reveal during a gambling session and the lack of kills from earlier in the film are made up for in the final sequence as he cuts down dozens of henchmen. There is a sub plot involving a sword maker Senzo (played by Eijiro Tono who starred in such films as Masahiro Shinoda's Pale Flower and Kurosawa's Red Beard). This subplot is integral to the final duel in the film. But overall, this is a kinder, gentler Zatoichi.

Zatoichi's Pilgrimage

Some of the Zatoichi films standout due to the talent involved and that is the case with Kazuo Ikehiro, who has directed some of the best films in the series (Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold and Zatoichi's Flashing Sword) in Zatoichi's Pilgrimage (1966). This is Ikehiro's third film in the series and this is the second in 1966. This film also benefits from the talents of director-screenplay writer Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba among other films). He wrote a captivating opening sequence at sea in a ship that introduces Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) and his brand of justice and sets the action in Shikoku. Zatoichi is on a pilgrimage to atone for his many killings. The cinematography of Shikoku is beautifully captured by cinematographer Senkichiro Takeda. As are the villains on their steeds and Zatoichi climbing the steps to a temple on his pilgrimage. He kills a would be assassins and follows his horse home only to find himself in the protector role of the man's sister Okichi (Michiyo Okusu) and her village that is soon to be under siege by a local yakuza boss, Tohachi (Isao Yamagata). The amazing swordsman feat is cutting an arrow in two that was fired at him while quartering a melon thrown in the air. There is the usual showdown between Zatoichi and the evil gang and their boss. But this one stands out with the great direction and cinematography recounting an atypical story line.

Zatoichi's Vengeance

Zatoichi's Vengeance (1966) is Tokuzo Tanaka's third and final Zatoichi film and 13th in the series. It would seem that there would be little to distinguish it from Zatoichi's Revenge (10th in the series) due to the similarity of the titles and story lines, which are quite similar at this point in the series: Zatoichi fulfilling a poor soul's last wish, helping out a child in need and a damsel in distress while dispatching hordes of henchmen as he rights things. However, whenever there is a Zaotichi film with standout cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (who has worked with the likes of Mizoguchi and Kurosawa) the film looks very different. He is a master of framing shots and using locations to artistic advantage. There is another original great feat of sword prowess in which Zatoichi slices a candle out of a lantern and then places it upon the head of a henchman. Zatoichi tries to set a good example for the wandering blind priest, Jun Hamamura, and finds himself taking a beating for once. There are also a couple of great scenes with taiko drums, which are supposed to be like kyrpotonite for the sensitive hearing Zatocihi (Shintaro Katsu). His duel comes against the rival swordsman Korobe (Shigeru Amachi) and ends in usual fashion. The villain, Boss Gonzo, this time is played by 60s great Kei Sato (Onoibaba, Kwaidan, among other greats films from the era). Another entertaining and beautifully shot film in the series.

Zatoichi And The Chess Expert

The twelfth and third film of 1965 was Zatoichi And The Chess Expert directed by Kenji Misumi, director of the first installment Tale of Zatoichi. Again there is excellent direction and use of locations, here they spend considerable time on the sea and at Hakone. The opening sequence of taking a fairy seemed historically researched and insightful in how things were done in the past. Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) uses his gambling skills to help out a child who was injured in a scuffle that he was in with would-be Assassins. He is shown to be something of a con man with the dice and even loses for once in one scene. The mother is the wife of a yakuza who fell at the hands of Zatoichi. The chess expert (Mikio Narita) is really a Shogi master with whom Zatoichi challenges at the game and eventually a duel. There are some more feats of wonder like Zatoichi catching coins on a stick at a festival to get a stake to buy medicine for the sick girl which he comically scrabbles after in a battle with disgruntled gamblers after he's bought the medicine.

Zatoichi And The Doomed Man

Zatoichi And The Doomed Man (1965) is the eleventh film overall in the series and second of three released in 1965. The director Kazuo Mori also previously directed the second film, New Tale Of Zatoichi. In this film, Zatoichi agrees to help a condemned man he meet sin prison despite the fact that helping people also leads to trouble for Zatocihi. Along the way, he meets mendicant monk Hyakutaro (Kanbi Fujiyama) who provides much comic relief and he assumes Zatoichi's identity for various grafting scheme sot get food, drink, and women from yakuza bosses. Some of Zatoichi's feats of greatness include winning a bow and arrow shooting contest using his hearing, cutting a month in two, not to mention the slaughter of a slew of faceless henchmen. Mori does a good job of using the location shots through out the film to show the ocean and the fishing village where Zatoichi tries to save the doomed man from his unlawful fate.

Zatoichi's Revenge

Akira Inoue's Zatoichi's Revenge, the 10th film in the series and the first of three in 1965, stands out among the films in the series so far due to its innovations. The story tropes are well-established at this point in the series, thus it becomes a matter of how the director chooses to portray these tropes. Inoue only directed this one Zatoichi film, but would later go onto direct a "Sleepy Eyes" samurai film as well, bu the seems well in command of the medium with aerial shots, slow motion, and hand held cameras during fighting sequences. There are some other innovative shots, for example, Zatoichi's (Shintaro Katsu) first skirmish with would-be assassins is shot behind a wooden fences with gaps where the viewer can see the slaying of the assassins. There's a great comic scene where Zatoichi eats oden using too much karashi mustard, struggling after. Feats of his dexterity despite blindness abound: he flips a coin from a sandal into his hand and he catches a dice cheat by slicing open a sake bottle to expose the real die. The story is darker than usual where the corrupt magistrate (Gen Kimura) and yakauza boss Tatsugoro (Sonosuke Sawamura)run a brothel and cheat the women and their families of the wages. One women who is being kept captive and beaten for not complying is Zatoichi's former master's daughter, he will get revenge for his unlawful murder. He has his usual dual with Kadoka (Takeshi Kato from Kurosawa's High and Low) takes place midway through the film instead of at the end, where he dispatches with countless faceless henchmen. Zatoichi has a comic sidekick in his film in the dice master Denroku the Weasel (Norihei Miki), who helps Zatoichi save the day and his daughter in the end.