BS: Zatoichi

Subject: BS: Zatoichi
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 27 Mar 04 - 04:39 PM

Fabulous film. Even has a Japanese version of Riverdance at the end, as Wren-Boy-style Shintoists lead the (surviving) cast in a dance to attract the good spirits into a new house they've just built.

It's a kind of Japanese Robin Hood, with a blind masseur feeling his way along the country roads to a village where bullies have the farmers in thrall, helped by an out-of-work ronin working to buy medicine for his dying wife.

I won't spoil it, but it's full of great jokes - including a wonderful last line - with gorgeous music, a complicated but gripping storyline and such designery houses that it makes you want to move to Japan immediately and be a poor but stylish farmer.

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: ranger1
Date: 27 Mar 04 - 07:23 PM

Is it in theaters, or out on video/DVD? Dubbed or sub-titled? Sounds cool.

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: mack/misophist
Date: 27 Mar 04 - 11:25 PM

Unless it's been re-made, it's old. There was a tv series in Japan but it's almost never seen here. I think Kurosawa may have done it. The lead was certainly the man Kurosawa usually used. Sorry, I can't remember the name. The versions I've seen all had sub-titles.

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 28 Mar 04 - 03:31 AM

It's in cinema in Ireland, but I had an email this morning from a friend in California saying it doesn't arrive there till June.

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: Micca
Date: 28 Mar 04 - 04:36 AM

Mack could "The lead was certainly the man Kurosawa usually used" be Toshiro Mifune? lead in 7 Samurai, Yojimbo and played the title role in " Shogun"? Try here

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: mack/misophist
Date: 28 Mar 04 - 09:07 AM

Absolutely! Thanks, Micca. Sometimes I go brain dead. He was the lead in the version I know.

Subject: RE: BS: Zatoichi
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 28 Mar 04 - 04:51 PM

Guardian reviews:

http://film.guardian.co.uk/Film_Page/0,4061,1074410,00.html