Linkshoch Wonderful Movie

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

WILLIAM FLANIGAN THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES / THE RETURN OF MASSEUR ICHI (ZOKU ZATÔICHI MONOGATARI). Viewed on Streaming. Restoration/preservation = eight (8) stars; cinematography = seven (7) stars; score = two (2) stars; choreography = two (2) stars. Director Kazuo Mori picks up the reins of an emerging franchise in a rushed follow-on film that is a pale imitation of the first outing (the original seems to have been released only a few months previously). The blind self-taught sword swinger who is a traveling masseur by trade (and provides rub downs only on fully-dressed customers!) continues to hang out in the same small village and effortlessly cuts down inept Yakusa gang members (while not slicing himself!), but conspicuously avoids Samurai soldiers who, of course, really know how to use their swords. For muddled/contrived reasons, the protagonist is chased all over the place by two warring gangs of Yakusa, a band of samurai, the police, and a besotted prostitute. (It's a bit of a challenge for the three interested viewers out there to distinguish between the tribes except that the Samurai are a bit better dressed and have cooler hair styles!) There are a fair number of disconnected scenes which look suspiciously like out-takes from the first film. Continuity is often lacking with a character's full costume changing from cut to cut. Cinematography (2.35 : 1, black and white) is good. The wide-screen format is fully utilized, there are a few interesting exterior tracking shots, a novel scene photographed so as to appear right at ground level, and nausea-inducing panning is minimal. Restoration/preservation is great. Subtitles are close enough. Signs are translated. Characters who survived in the original movie all seem to make a reappearance. Acting is fine (except for one silly addition), and actresses are given much more to do this time besides being part of the scenery. Choreography is again pretty inept with sword slashing mostly a joke made more humorous when stunt actors pause (for "dramatic" effect?) before falling over. This comes across as if performers are trying to make up their mind whether or not to collapse! There is an occasional glint of metal; so in this iteration some of the swords may be real? Score mostly employs a synthesizer and is undistinguished. A Daiei programmer not worth bothering with. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

mevmijaumau There were seriously 25 Zatoichi films made in the time span of 1962 to 1973. Another, almost equally as amazing fact is that the second movie, The Tale of Zatoichi Continues, came out the exact same year as the first movie did. Naturally it's shorter, clocking in at one hour and ten minutes. It's directed by Kazuo Mori, best known for directing other Zatoichi films, and is the last Zatoichi film in B&W.The plot of the second movie is way less engaging than the plot of its predecessor. This time we follow Ichi as he's tailed by a group of killers after learning a powerful political figure's secret as he was giving him a massage. It turns out the lord has some mental problems, and his retainers try to conceal this secret from people. There's also a subplot about Ichi's one-armed brother Yoshiro (played by Shintaro Katsu's own brother Tomisaburo Wakayama, credited as Jo Kenzaburo) who is actually a wanted criminal, and the film culminates with the face-off between the two brothers. There's also another subplot which has Ichi travel to a temple of the first movie's town to pay respect at the grave of the samurai from the first film. There he meets Tane (the girl from the previous movie) who's about to marry a carpenter.The Tale of Zatoichi Continues follows some continuity by taking place a year after the events of the first movie, which is constantly referenced. One thing we learn about Zatoichi is that he had a soft spot for a girl named Chiyo, who left him for his brother (who then killed her). There's also a prostitute who has an one-night stand with Ichi at one point in the film.The Tale of Zatoichi continues is nowhere near as interesting as its prequel, but there are occasional good sword fights to be found in here. This film is more action-oriented and you'll find yourself enjoying Zatoichi's ass-kicking escapades if you can suspend the disbelief that he's completely blind and yet unmatched in sword fights.Even though this movie is forgettable and doesn't have much going for it, I must say the visuals are superior to the first film's visual outlook. The sequel sports some nice shots of characters by the water and the fights are better. However, the music is kinda strange; at some points it loudly builds up, only to get interrupted by a sudden cut.Hightlight of the film: the sudden end where Zatoichi delivers a killing cut to a yakuza gang leader.

MartinHafer In the 1960s and 70s, the Japanese made about 500000 Zatoichi films (or so it seems) and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all, even though after a while they all seem to blend together in my mind. Some viewers, like me, will like the familiarity of the character and story, while I am sure others will feel like "if you've seen one you've seen them all". Regardless of your opinion, they are all well-constructed and fun to watch even if the basic premise of the greatest swordsman being totally blind is ridiculous--you just need to suspend disbelief and enjoy.This is an early installment of the series and it's better than average because it actually has some continuity--making reference to the prior film in the series. Here, in a follow-up, you see Zatoichi pining for a long lost love and having an ultimate showdown with his main rival. Along the way, he falls afoul of a clan who is trying to kill him to keep their secret (their leader "has issues"). And, as usual, the film is filled with amazing sword fights as well as tender moments. This one won't disappoint and is one of the better Zatoichi films.

inframan This movie is, I guess, the first of the very long & very excellent zato-ichi series starring the incomparable Shintaro Katsu who also starred in the shorter but every bit as impressive if quite different series: The Razor. I lived in San Francisco in the 1960s & 1970s & used to go watch these films every week at the Japanese theater in the old "Japan Town". Loved them then, love them now. This film in particular is a classic in every way: cinematographically it looks like Eisenstein - every shot a classic. The compositions, textures & tonalities are breathtakingly beautiful. Dramatically, it's every bit as gripping as Yojimbo or the best Ford westerns (e.g. Stagecoach). And finally the sword-fight choreography - None better. Terrific movie!