Zatoichi the Fugitive (1963)

13 Saturday Sep 2014

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Blind swordsman, Japanese film, Masayo Banri, Masseur, Otane, Rival yakuza gangs, Samurai, Shintarô Katsu, Yakuza, Zatoichi

Original title: Zatôichi kyôjô-tabi

D: Tokuzô Tanaka / 86m

Cast: Shintarô Katsu, Miwa Takada, Masayo Banri, Jun’ichirô Narita, Tôru Abe, Jutarô Hojo, Sachiko Murase

Zatoichi (Katsu) is travelling alone in the countryside when he reaches a town where a sumo challenge is taking place. Having won the challenge, the blind masseur is relaxing by a river when he is attacked by a lone yakuza. Zatoichi defends himself, and as the yakuza lies dying from his wounds, he tells Zatoichi he only attacked him for his mother’s sake. Zatoichi learns the man’s name and out of duty to him, learns where she lives and offers her his apologies. The man’s mother, Maki (Murase), forgives him, but as Zatoichi leaves he’s stopped by the man’s clan boss, Yagiri (Abe), who demands his life in return. But before any more blood can be spilt, Maki and the boss of another clan, Sakichi (Narita) intervene. Sakichi takes on the responsibility for taking Zatoichi’s life, sparing him until the end of the festival that is taking place.

Zatoichi decides to rest at a local inn. He is tended by Onobu (Takada), who is in love with Sakichi, though her father is against any match. Also staying at the inn is a drunken ronin, Tanakura (Hojo) and his wife. Zatoichi is surprised to find that she is Otane (Banri), the woman he was in love with. As he begins to deal with the emotions this brings up, Zatoichi becomes aware of a plot involving Yagiri and the innkeeper to take over Sakichi’s territory; Tanakura is there to aid them. With the festival drawing to a close, Yagiri tries to engineer matters so that Sakichi has to confront Zatoichi, but the young boss is too much of a coward to actually do so. A fight between Zatoichi and some of Yagiri’s men leads to a final showdown between the masseur and Tanakura, and a tragic outcome.

The fourth in the series, Zatoichi the Fugitive is a slightly misleading title in that Zatoichi isn’t on the run, and everyone knows exactly where he is throughout. What isn’t in any doubt, though, is that this instalment of the Zatoichi saga is just as well realised and absorbing as the previous entries.

The basic template is also firmly in place. Zatoichi arrives in a small town, there’s bitter rivalry between two yakuza gangs, an innkeeper’s daughter may or may not provide a romantic interlude for our hero, various swordsmen will try their luck singly or in groups to kill Zatocihi, domestic intrigues will come to the fore, betrayal and treachery will occur as naturally as the characters breathe, and there is an eventual showdown between Zatoichi and an equally proficient samurai. It’s all very familiar but it’s all so well executed that it’s almost comforting to watch.

While the sword fights are, on the surface, the main reason to watch a Zatoichi movie, it’s the drama that sets up these encounters that makes all the difference, and prove why the series is so effective four movies in (and with twenty-one still to come). The script by Seiji Hoshikawa retains Zatoichi’s sense of honour and his deep sense of regret when he’s forced to kill someone, Katsu’s troubled looks and humble demeanour perfectly encapsulating the profound respect he has for (most of) those around him. Here we see a little more of his anger than before, and directed at more than just the main villain, Yagiri. With the character’s stoic nature already established, to see him more emotionally invested in his swordplay makes for an interesting broadening of the character and his humanity. And, for the first time, we see how physically vulnerable he can be when Tanakura manages to wound him (though not too seriously, of course).

Zatoichi’s interplay with Onobu and Otane are given roughly equal screen time, and the distinction between them is made clear by their feelings about their own lives. Onobu wishes to be with Sakichi and sees happiness for them both, while Otane regrets the future she’s already chosen. Both actresses give impressive performances, though it’s Banri (playing Otane for the third time) who demands the most attention, her sorrow and despair at the way Otane’s life has turned out etched on her face like a mask she can’t remove.

With so much going on beneath the surface of all the characters, returning director Tanaka’s confident approach pays dividends throughout, and the movie looks glorious thanks to the vibrant colours of the Japanese countryside which are often stunning to look at. The sword fights are the most exhilarating yet, and there’s a very clever display of Zatoichi’s “sword drawing” skills. With a quietly emotive score by Akira Ifukube that complements the mounting tension, this entry in the long-running series is as effective and commanding as its predecessors (and how many Part Fours can say that?).

Rating: 9/10 – another superb entry in the series, Zatoichi the Fugitive ups the emotional content and has a gripping denouement that resonates long after the movie sees Zatoichi moving on; with Katsu giving yet another flawless performance, this is better than anyone – perhaps even production company Daiei – could hope for.

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

04 Sunday May 2014

Posted by dullwood68 in Movies

≈ 1 Comment

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Blind swordsman, Feudal Japan, Kan Shimozawa, Masseur, Otane, Review, Sasagawa, Shintarô Katsu, Yoshiro, Zatoichi

Original title: Zoku Zatôichi monogatari

D: Kazuo Mori / 72m

Cast: Shintarô Katsu, Yaeko Mizutani, Masayo Banri, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Yutaka Nakamura, Sonosuke Sawamura, Shôsaku Sugiyama, Mitsuemon Arashi, Yoshito Yamaji, Eijirô Yanagi

Made to capitalise on the unexpected success of The Tale of Zatoichi (1962), the imaginatively titled The Tale of Zatoichi Continues sees the blind masseur (Katsu) making his way back to Sasagawa, to honour the promise he made in the first movie, to make an annual pilgrimage to the grave of Master Hirate, the ailing samurai he fought and killed a year ago. An initial altercation with the men of Lord Kuroda leads to a further encounter that is interrupted (and dealt with) by a wandering samurai called Yoshiro (Wakayama – though credited as Kenzaburo Jo). At the next town, Zatoichi is hired to give a massage to the same Lord Kuroda, who it turns out, is a simpleton. Kuroda’s retainers, fearing that their Lord’s secret may be revealed by Zatoichi, aim to have him killed, and send their men to look for him.

At a nearby inn, three courtesans are bemoaning how quiet the evening is because of the search for Zatoichi. One of the three women, Setsu (Mizutani) reminds him of his lost love, Ochiyo. He asks to spend the evening with her, and she agrees. Just then, Yoshiro and his retainer, Sanzo (Nakamura) enter (Zatoichi hides in case they’re Kuroda’s men). It becomes clear that Yoshiro was also in love with a woman called Ochiyo, and Setsu bears an uncanny resemblance to her. He too wants to spend the evening with her but she refuses, and she leaves with Zatoichi. The next morning, Koruda’s men catch up with them, but Zatoichi bests them. This leads Kuroda’s retainers to employ the services and men of local yakuza boss, Kanbei (Sawamura). Kanbei’s men also fail to best Zatoichi but learn that he is making his way to the Joshoji Temple in Sasagawa; Kanbei aims to enlist the aid of that town’s yakuza boss, Sukegorô (Yanagi).

Yoshiro follows in Zatoichi’s wake and we discover he isn’t a wandering samurai but a wanted criminal. He seeks help from Sukegorô but is advised to leave the area. Meanwhile, news of Zatoichi’s return reaches Otane (Banri), the servant girl he left behind at the end of the previous movie. She learns of Sukegorô and Kanbei’s plan to ambush Zatoichi at the temple and goes to warn him. With Zatoichi able to repel both boss’s men, the fight is interrupted by the appearance of Yoshiro, and the two men duel to the death, during which the secret behind the story of Ochiyo is revealed.

Although you could be forgiven for thinking that The Tale of Zatoichi Continues is a bit of a cheap knock-off, a knee-jerk reaction to the success of the first movie, nothing could be further from the truth. True, the much shorter running time hints at that, but this is a worthy successor, and builds on the themes of betrayal and redemption that were introduced before. The way in which Minoru Inuzuka’s script brings everything full circle back to the bridge at Sasagawa where Zatoichi and Hirate fought, is cleverly done and resonates in a way that is completely unexpected. This is a sequel that could easily have been added to its predecessor for a much longer – and in some ways – more satisfying introduction to its wonderfully complex character.

The events of the first movie are given due reference, and allow Zatoichi’s skills as a swordsman to be used to good advantage, alternately hastening and delaying the expected swordplay, and allowing for a variety of encounters that are expertly choreographed (with the necessary exception of the final duel between Zatoichi and Yoshiro; it shows the blind swordsman isn’t as superhuman as his enemies might think, and the movie is all the better for it). Returning characters Otane and Sukegorô (both played by the same actors as before), though given less to do, are both welcome elements, and their involvement lends an added depth to the final third of the movie, while the newer characters are played to perfection by a cast that are entirely credible throughout (as the brooding Yoshiro, Wakayama is a stand out). As with the first movie, the cast don’t put a foot wrong, but it’s still very much Katsu’s movie, another superb performance given added depth with the revelation of his having a lost love: when he describes how she left him – and for the very man she professed to hate – the expression of pain and longing on Katsu’s face is truly moving.

There is an added layer of humour this time round, as well as a more compelling female relationship for Zatoichi to deal with, and a hint of how the series is likely to develop, further enriching what is already a rewarding viewing experience. Shot again in glorious black and white, the movie is often beautiful to watch – witness the scene where Zatoichi muses at the edge of a lake – and director Mori, while not adopting completely the style and look of the first movie, does show a willingness to experiment with unexpected shots and compositions (several scenes are shot from above, while one fight scene is filmed from such a distance it would be jarring if it weren’t also such a pleasant surprise).

Rating: 9/10 – a wonderful follow-up to The Tale of Zatoichi and confirmation if any were needed that the character’s development for cinema was no flash in the pan; intelligent, robust filmmaking that satisfies and rewards in so many ways it’s like a banquet.