Monday, May 16, 2016

Zatoichi the Outlaw (1967)


Zatoichi :  Shintarô Katsu

Director : Satsuo Yamamoto

IMDb : 7.2

Grade :   A-

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This was the first film produced by Katsu's own company, Katsu Productions.

The movie opens with Zatoichi shooting arrows at targets and shocking the crowd.

Zatoichi meets a swordless samurai Shushi Ohara who defends himself without killing those he fights. He preaches to the peasants against drinking and gambling. 

As times get bad the peasants gamble and are held for ransom until their debts. 

Zatoichi goes in the gambling den and takes their money. A local yakuza, Tomizo, knows of Zatoichi and wants him to work for him. There is another yakuza as well, Asagoro, who seems to care more about the peasants. Zatoichi seems to buy in to Asagoro's line.

When Zatoichi is attacked he kills the attacker but the man man's sister then slaps Zatoichi, who says he was careless. We continue to a more remorseful Zatoichi as the series goes on.

Zatoichi is attacked again but spares the man. The man tells Zatoichi about how crooked Asagoro really is. In Zatoichi's absence Asagoro took over everything.

Ohara is taken prisoner and accused of supporting the emperor against the shogunate. Ohara says he only works for the peasants.

Zatoichi returns and confronts Asagoro. He then goes to free Ohara but is ambushed by gun men, Zatoichi plays dead but then goes and takes out Tomizo. 

The peasants then come for him, The tell him that Ohara who is being taken to Edo in a cage. Ichi then takes out about a dozen swordsman and frees Ohara.

He then walks off down the eoad with the grateful screams of the peasants.






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