Full Circle: The Full Moon Cut Completes Its Arc In Animeigo’s “Sleepy Eyes Of Death Collector’s Set 3”

 Nemuri Kyoshiro’s “Full Moon Cut” is the stuff of chanbara legend. It’s Zatoichi’s cane sword and dice tricks. It’s Hanzo the Razor and his big friend’s training regimen. It’s Tange Sazen’s one-eyed leer and Musashi’s two-sword style. It’s the baby cart and ‘horse slaying’ sword technique. It’s Mifune’s scratching. The mesmerizing Full Moon Cut has Kyoshiro start with the blade pointed down towards the ground to his right and then slowly rotating the blade in a complete circle. By the time the sword completes the circle, he claims, the enemy duelist will be dead. The mystery of the technique became emphasized over the course of the ‘Nemuri Kyoshiro’ series of films by strobing the sword in motion. Indeed, no one who was the target of the Full Moon Cut walked away unscathed. In Animeigo’s new release, the “Sleepy Eyes Of Death Collector’s Set 3”, the series itself comes full circle, finishing the arc of twelve ‘Nemuri Kyoshiro’ films, mirroring the ‘Full Moon Cut’ in its ‘excellence of execution’. 

This is the third and final boxed set of “Nemuri Kyoshiro” films that starred Ichikawa Raizo as the title character, and is the first of the trilogy where all four films were previously unreleased in the United States. You can check out the Shogun-ki’s reviews of Set One and Set Two to see what came before. With four films in the set, instead of our usual lengthy recap we’ll just run short summaries for each followed by our observations.

Film nine in the “Sleepy Eyes” series and first in the box is “A Trail Of Traps” (Nemuri Kyoshiro Burai-Hikae Masho No Hada, 1967). And it’s just what the title suggests. Kyoshiro is caught up in an incredibly intricate plot that includes corrupt officials, devil worshippers, a golden statue of Mary, and some situations that take the concept of “Deus ex machina” to a whole new level. Not only is the ‘secret origin’ of Kyoshiro presented, but we find out he has a sister who’s dying. She’s a hidden Christian and has sent an acolyte to request Kyoshiro come visit her before she dies. Meanwhile, Shogunate officials in the Asahina clan have seized a golden statue of Mary, a statue that the cultists of the Kuroyubi-to (a group of fallen Christians, the cult of the Black Finger) are determined to recover. They ‘hire’ Kyoshiro to guard the statue on its way to Kyoto. And of course, everyone’s looking to kill him for one reason or another. Can Kyoshiro survive poison tea, acidic onsen, nuns packing heat, and even the old ‘assassin hidden under the floor’ trick? Well, since there are three more films in the set, probably, but it’s the journey, not the destination. And it’s a journey written in blood! 

Next is “Hell Is A Woman” (Nemuri Kyoshiro Onna Jigoku, 1968). Personally, we’ve always found women to be heavenly-then again, we’ve never met anything like the diabolic babes that cross paths with Kyoshiro. This entry is somewhat of a throwback to the earlier Kyoshiro films, dealing with the conflict between two factions of the Saeki clan battling it out for the top spot in the hierarchy. Each faction is headed up by a hired swordsman-one ultra-serious and hiding a secret, the other a hard-drinking goofball who wears the collected sword guards of his victims around his chest. And as usual, Kyoshiro finds himself drawn into a situation that he has no interest in. When attacking Kyoshiro head on proves troublesome, the Saeki retainers try catching Kyoshiro with honey…of the female variety. Is there ANYONE in a “Sleepy Eyes” film that isn’t a duplicitous, black hearted, self-serving bastard?

And the bastards get even sicker and more depraved in the next film. “In The Spider’s Lair” (Nemuri Kyoshiro Hito Hada Gumo, 1968) Kyoshiro runs across a town that has been stripped of its young people. Why? They’ve been kidnapped and are being held by the living dead. In this case, not zombies or vampires, but something even worse-two psychotic children of the Shogun who have been exiled and declared dead (they legally don’t exist, so nothing can be done to them by local officials) for their crimes against humanity. Among other hobbies, the brother practices archery by shooting arrows at released captives and is adept at all forms of poison. The sister is a classic black widow, using men to pleasure her and having them killed afterward. When they kidnap the young charge of one of Kyoshiro’s few friends in the world, it’s sometimes hard to tell who the bigger psycho is-the siblings or Kyoshiro.

Wrapping up the set is “Castle Menagerie” (Nemuri Kyoshiro Akujo-gari, 1969). This is perhaps the strangest Nemuri Kyoshiro film in the series-and that’s saying something. While Kyoshiro is no stranger to rape and murder, when it’s someone else doing it and leaving messages at the scene that name Kyoshiro as the culprit-well, that’s another story. Once again, it’s hidden Christians at the root of it all, having made a deal with the head of the Ooku (the Shogun’s harem in Edo castle), Nishiki-no-koji. It seems there’s a race on to see which of the Ooku’s rival factions will produce the Shogun’s heir first. When a concubine from the other faction gets pregnant first, Nishiki-no-koji contrives to have the baby ‘aborted’-directly or indirectly. Kyoshiro’s ‘shadow’ stalks the countryside putting her plans into effect, and like the original he’s also a master of the signature Full Moon Cut. As if this isn’t enough, Kyoshiro also has to contend with a flock of dancing white cranes and black crows who want him to interject his spirit into a Noh mask. Yes, rilly. The final showdown of ‘Full Moon Cuts’ between Kyoshiro and his ‘shadow’ provides a fitting end to the set. 

“A Trail Of Traps” is perhaps the best of all the Kyoshiro films. Director Ikehiro Kazuo not only seemed to have a better handle on the nature of the character and what differentiated him from the stereotyped ‘noble ronin’ characters that infest Japanese chanbara films of this era, but also did it with a sense of style that action films often lack. His short version of the ‘origin of Nemuri Kyoshiro’ in the beginning of the film has no dialogue and is played out largely against a black background, with only the actors and their props seen on screen. It’s much like a Japanese Noh play (something Ikehiro was to repeat in spades for ‘Castle Menagerie’-more on that in a bit) but tells the viewer everything they need to know. People fade in and out of the blackness, and in tone it brings to mind any number of Hammer Horror classics from the 1960’s. The soundtrack is also quite eclectic, shifting from the spaghetti-western style music of the opening that underlines Kyoshiro’s ‘anti-hero’ status to more traditional Japanese music for the ‘normal’ areas of the film to standard ‘fight’ music for the action scenes. There are shots of Kyoshiro from directly overhead, passing down a paved lane at night that bisects the screen-and then is set upon by a perfect circle of attackers that come in from the edges of the screen. In these and other shots, Ikehiro gives up a bit of art with our action, making “A Trail Of Traps” an excellent visual experience. The set piece traps also border on the unbelievable, and unlike some of the previous Kyoshiro films, this one’s loaded with swarms of ninja flipping, leaping, and dying. Some of the situations require you to believe that the plotters knew months in advance that Kyoshiro was going to stumble into their plot and placed their agents in positions to befriend him. All of this gives the film a somewhat surreal quality that works to its advantage. The traps are worthy of the ones used by Batman villains on the 60’s TV show-I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a poisoned onsen (a Japanese hot spring) used as a murder weapon. And of course that warped Kyoshiro sense of justice shows up as well-in the course of avenging the death of a man who was killed to procure his ‘loaded dice’, he lops the arm off a thug because the thug’s girlfriend truly loves the now-disarmed mook. “You can’t throw dice or hold a knife with one arm, but you can still make love to a woman,” says Kyoshiro as he casually strolls off. 

“Hell Is A Woman” takes the series back to more familiar chanbara territory, more like the first three or so Kyoshiro films. Director Tanaka Tokuzo helmed a wide variety of jidaigeki films including Zatoichi and Shinobi No Mono films (not to mention the very first Kyoshiro film, “The Chinese Jade”) and turns in an entertaining film that delivers what its audience came to see. It lacks the Christian/Black Mass elements of the other three films in this set but certainly doesn’t skimp on the action. While the character of Kyoshiro was misogynistic in the previous nine films, this one takes the cake in that aspect. In his defense, pretty much every single one of the women involved deserve it. The two ronin hired to lead the swordsmen of the Saeki clan’s warring factions are the most interesting part of the film. One is your stereotypical strong, silent type. Interestingly, he physically resembles Kyoshiro quite a bit-same type of robe, same type of waist wrap, facially similar, same rooster tuft of hair. And like Kyoshiro, he also has daddy issues. It seems Kyoshiro sees their similarities and despite the fact that he’s an enemy tries uncharacteristically to intervene on his behalf and prevent him from committing patricide. The other ronin is just as stereotypical-a sloppy and loudmouthed cur that’s only interested in making a buck and then getting drunk. He wears a garland of tsuba (sword guards) bandolier style-but if he’s won that many duels and captured so many swords, why does his katana have a bamboo blade? He’s also got the best moment in the film-after a sequence where he’s pinching pennies when buying a real katana with his first ‘paycheck’, he grimaces after Kyoshiro breaks the blade in two and says “Well, you get what you pay for”! 

It’s back to depravity and twisted samurai for the next film, “In The Spider’s Lair”. Ladies and gents, if you thought the daimyo in some of Animeigo’s recent releases (Bushido: Cruel Code Of The Samurai, Eleven Samurai, The Great Killing, 13 Assassins) were heartless and psychotic, they’ve got nothing on the pair in this film. Brother and sister, they’re proud of the fact that they’re legally ‘dead’ and think nothing of kidnapping dozens of people just to serve their murderous whims. They don’t display a single shred of decency in the entire film. Kyoshiro is targeted by the sister, who after finding out that he’s a child of The Black Mass, decides she absolutely HAS to have him. Kyoshiro for his part seems fascinated with her-a being of pure evil, who doesn’t display any of the hypocrisy he so despises. In fact, she’s one of the few evil women in the series he ends up not killing. Her brother seems to have quite the unhealthy interest in her as well, as does her henchman, a large brute with a staff that serves as her enforcer. This is also one of the rare times in the series where we see Kyoshiro brought down-he takes a poisoned arrow to the shoulder but is luckily saved by a Shogunate official who wants his help in bringing ultimate justice to the siblings. But of course, he turns out to be a scheming backstabber as well. This film points firmly in the direction Japanese jidaigeki films were going to take in the 70’s-increased violence, torture, sexual depravity, and over-the-top set pieces. It would fit right into the ‘Hanzo the Razor’ series. Director Yasuda Kimiyoshi had also directed prior entries in the series along with Zatoichi films (some of the more extreme entries), horror films like Daimaijin, several ghost stories, even a ‘Hoodlum Priest’ movie, and puts his familiarity with cinematic violence and cruelty to good use. 

And lastly we have ‘Castle Menagerie’. By this time star Raizo was quite sick-he was to die from cancer just a few months after this film was released. Knowing this, you can see telltale signs onscreen-he often looks drawn, haggard, and tired, but it’s to Raizo’s credit that you can only spot it if you’re looking for it. Ikehiro Kazuo returned to the director’s chair and turned in an entry that was even more visually stunning and surreal than “A Trail Of Traps”. The film hits the ground running with ‘Nemuri Kyoshiro’ slaying a government official and later, after raping a woman, (off screen) carving (what else) ‘Nemuri Kyoshiro Raped This Woman’ into her flesh. But when the government official’s daughter shows up looking for revenge, Kyoshiro denies having done any of this. And he hasn’t-it’s his ‘shadow’, another child of the Black Mass and a hidden Christian who’s working to secure the freedom of his fellow worshippers. He’s an eerie sight, dressing like Kyoshiro and even wearing a creepy, expressionless Kyoshiro mask-it’s almost like watching a character from a late 70’s/early 80’s slasher film. A nice touch is that Kyoshiro really doesn’t care that he’s doing all this-he was only curious as to what his motivation was. At times it seems that there’s little difference between the real and fake Kyoshiro-in fact, the fake seems to come off as more noble-he’s doing it for a cause, whereas Kyoshiro only acts out of boredom and self-interest. The show-stopping moment in the film comes when Kyoshiro is set upon by a flock of dancing white cranes and black crows-or at least, ninja who drop from the sky dressed as such. Rather than attack, they ‘dance’ him into a room where the wife of a dead Noh mask maker requests that he infuse her husband’s greatest creation with his spirit-by making love to the woman wearing it. Happens all the time, right? The unplussed Kyoshiro naturally agrees but then asks Miss Noh why she has the body of a whore when she claims to be a virgin, and by the way, is that poison lipstick on her mask? The big payoff comes when the Noh Masks ‘hanging’ on the darkened walls of the large room come to life and attack, exposing themselves as the ‘crows’ who had blended into the darkness. In the course of slaying them all, Kyoshiro kills the last by killing ‘himself’-striking his reflection in a mirror to skewer the woman behind it. But he has failed to kill his shadow after all, as his ‘evil twin’ appears to take him down. Director Ikehiro ended the Raizo run on ‘Sleepy Eyes’ on a high note with Kyoshiro fighting Kyoshiro, each employing the deadly Full Moon Cut. All this, and we haven’t even mentioned Kyoshiro’s adventures in the Ooku or preventing an illegal abortion because the perceived hypocrisy of the mother pissed him off… 

The Kyoshiro series, and indeed the studio that produced it, was not to survive Raizo’s passing long. There were actually two more films in Daiei’s “Nemuri Kyoshiro” series-“Full Moon Swordsman” and “Flyfot Swordplay”. Both starred Matsukata Hiroki in the role Raizo made famous. Matsukata was a fine actor in his own right, known more for his roles as a tough guy in Yakuza films at the time. He’s appeared in such well-known films as “Battles Without Honor Or Humanity”, “Ichi”, “Father Of The Kamikaze”, “Izo”, and the recent Miike Takashi remake of “13 Assassins”. He turned in a solid performance as Kyoshiro, but Raizo had made the role his own. Japanese audiences didn’t accept Matsukata as Kyoshiro and the films performed poorly at the box office. And only two years after Raizo’s death, Daiei studios followed suit, declaring bankruptcy in 1971. Still, it might be worth Animeigo’s while to look into releasing the final two films here in the US, perhaps as some sort of ‘double feature’ disc, truly bringing the series to a close. 

The transfer on the films is solid-while it isn’t as eye-poppingly gorgeous as Animeigo’s recent release of the “Lone Wolf And Cub” films on Blu-ray, it’s still quite excellent. Each film gets its own disc instead of being crammed onto one or two, and they’re in an attractive trifold insert. We noticed that while Animeigo’s translations and subtitles are still the best in the business, this time around they seemed a bit edgier and less formal than usual. Lines such as Kyoshiro being told “What’s that look? You look like you’ve never been laid before!” or a woman being told by Kyoshiro that “Let’s see what it’s like to screw the Grim Reaper!” come off wonderfully in their context and fit the mood of the films perfectly. Extras are a bit thin-each of the four films has its own trailer along with one for another recent Animeigo release and image galleries of lobby cards and stills. Program Notes (one of the most enjoyable things on an Animeigo release and something that sets them apart from other companies) are extremely slim, being only one short entry for three of the films (along with director bios). 

One of the final lines of dialogue spoken by Raizo in his film career takes place at the end of Castle Menagerie: “There can only be one Kyoshiro”, to which his doppelganger replies “Your evil name will live on eternally…”. Did writer Miyagawa Ichiro and director Ikehiro, knowing of Raizo’s sickness, insert these lines into his final scene as a fitting tribute to his tragically short career? They proved to be apropos-the demise of the ‘Sleepy Eyes’ series showed that Japanese filmgoers believed there was only one Kyoshiro. And this release by Animeigo helps to insure that Raizo’s name will indeed live on eternally. With this set, the Full Moon Cut has now come Full Circle-but unlike its victims, viewers will have the luxury of an unpunctured body afterwards. 

“Sleepy Eyes Of Death Collector’s Set 3 will be released February the 12th. You can pick it up on Amazon or get a steep discount by buying it direct from Animeigo. 

All photos courtesy and copyright of Kadokawa Pictures 2013.

When Seven Samurai Just Weren’t Enough-Animeigo’s “Eleven Samurai”

 Halloween may be over, but the ‘claret continues to flow’. It’s another dose of in-your-face, bloody group vengeance in Animeigo’s release of “Eleven Samurai” (“Ju-ichinin No Samurai”, Toei 1966) the final film in Kudo Eiichi’s “Samurai Trilogy”. The first two films in the trilogy, the original “13 Assassins” and “The Great Killing”, both featured meticulous plans to ambush the numerically superior enemy. They’re often compared to Kurosawa Akira’s “Seven Samurai” for this reason. “Eleven Samurai” also includes this aspect, but this is after all Japanese film-there’s no guarantee that the third time will be the charm. With an army of samurai retainers forming the opposition rather than the Kurosawa film’s ragtag band of bandits, seven samurai would not be enough. Bring on the Eleven Samurai!

The film wastes no time getting the plot rolling. The time is 1839 and Nariatsu, brother of the Shogun and Lord of Tatebayashi (who is shown in Animeigo’s historical notes to likely be modeled on Matsudaira Nariyoshi, who died under vague circumstances in 1839), is out hunting for sport. Angry over the day’s poor catch and his poor performance with the bow when shooting at a deer, the Lord charges after the fleeing animal and despite warnings from his vassals continues his pursuit across the han boundary into the neighboring fief of Oshi. When an elderly woodcutter climbs onto the side of the road and attempts to help his wife clamber up, Nariatsu’s horse is spooked and stops the pursuit. An enraged Nariatsu instead chases down the peasant and strikes him down to the horror of his vassals. In one of those incredible coincidences that only happens in film, the Lord of Oshi, Abe Bungo-No-Kami Masayori, just happens to be riding nearby and chastises the petulant Nariatsu for entering his fief without permission and setting a poor example by striking down the peasant. You know something bad is going to happen when Nariatsu nervously fingers an arrow on his bow…and sure enough, even though Masayori states he will overlook the infraction because of Nariatsu’s high status, the arrow finds flight and buries itself in Masayori’s eye. Nariatsu retreats back to his own fief, leaving the dead Masayori’s vassals to seek legal redress for the cowardly act. 

However, it’s GOOD being Shogun-or even his brother. Not only does the Bakufu ignore Oshi fief’s request that Nariatsu be punished, but Chief Minister Mizuno Echizen concocts a twisted version of the incident that has Masayori invading Nariatsu’s fief and being killed by a ‘stray arrow’. As punishment for this imagined crime, the Oshi fief is confiscated. Oshi Minister Tatewaki manages to put off the confiscation of the fief for a month by telling Echizen that he needs the time to bring the vassals under control, implying that otherwise there will be ‘rash acts’ of violence against the Bakufu. 

Instead, Tatewaki plans to use his month to have Nariatsu killed, an act which would likely lead to a reversal of Echizen’s decree. You see, much like the earlier two films, the Bakufu would cover up the assassination in order to not appear impotent-and that would necessitate not taking the Oshi lands. Tatewaki enlists his childhood friend, Sengoku Hayato, to put together a team and plan the assassination. Hayato figures he’ll need about 10 good men to pull it off. He takes a unique stance on finding them-he has clan officials notified that no harm must come to Lord Nariatsu and that anyone who does otherwise should be ordered to commit seppuku. When this inevitably happens, Hayato confronts the group and when they proceed to attempt to carry out their sentence, becomes convinced of their courage and recruits them to his cause. The addition of the ‘hotheads’-leader Mitamura, Hoshina, Aragane, Kuga, Adachi, Junnosuke, and Lady Nui (who was fulfilling her dead brother’s promise to join the group)-swells his ranks to eight. Needing money to carry out their plan, they recruit a clan accountant, Ichihashi Yajiro. The nine set out separately for Edo to catch up with Lord Nariatsu. As if he hasn’t already established himself as a Grade A scumbag, he’s traveling to Edo without permission to demand that the confiscated Oshi fief be added to his own! 

Upon arriving in Edo, Nariatsu continues to add to his resume by ducking out of his mansion and visiting the red light district in Yoshiwara, stumbling around in a drunken stupor with half the area courtesans and geisha in tow. Hayato’s group decides to take this opportunity to strike at Nariatsu while he’s undefended. They lay in wait for him at the stairs of the Geisha house he’s staying at. However, when Nariatsu proves to be too drunk to climb the stairs and tumbles down them (earning the title of “Brick McBurly of his Day”), giving him just enough time to be saved by the arrival of his Chamberlain Akiyoshi Gyobu. Gyobu is not convinced by the stories out of Oshi that Hayato’s group was sentenced to seppuku or exiled for stealing clan funds. Despite a constant stream of abuse from Nariatsu (who at one point in the film tells Gyobu he’d rather take the risks than bother with listening to him), Gyobu continues to do his best to protect his Lord-because, y’know, that’s just part of the whole filmatic Bushido thang. 

Gyobu’s not the only one struggling with the contradictions of Bushido. Hayato’s group takes refuge in an old dwelling where the hothead faction clashes with Hayato over how things are being handled. They accuse him of being standoffish, happy to set up shop with Lady Nui and not taking the opportunities presented them. Things seemingly get worse when it’s revealed that a scruffy ronin, Ido Daijyurou, has overheard their conversation and deduces what their objective is, but he proves sent from the gods when a group of Nariatsu’s samurai suddenly attack. With his help, the Oshi ronin make their escape. 

After returning home, Hayato is confronted by his brother in law, Kyonosuke-and Hayato’s wife Orei. The two can’t believe that Hayato suddenly disappeared and set up shop with another woman. Kyonosuke declares Hayato a disgrace and sets off to kill Lord Nariatsu on his own. However, the Tatebayashi samurai have expected an assault and capture him easily, torturing him before Lord Nariatsu kills him. Hayato has attempted to prevent his assault, knowing it will likely bring about the immediate confiscation of Oshi Han. He fails and returns crestfallen to Orei, who has heard the entire story of what’s going on from Lady Nui. Her faith in her husband restored, they have a touching interlude that ends in unexpected tragedy. Daijyurou reappears and is finally accepted into the group, giving them ten. 

Lord Nariatsu, having gotten a promise that he will be awarded Oshi fief, prepares to return to Tatebayashi. Hayato’s group decides to make their stand in an Imperial forest east of Edo along the steep hillsides flanking the narrow road through. They set up an elaborate ambush, planning to separate and trap Nariatsu’s procession by dropping trees into their path. Using Daijyurou’s knowledge of gunpowder weapons, they make bamboo cannons to shell the assemblage before attacking on foot. It seemingly can’t miss!

But back in Edo, Elder Echizen and Gyobu scheme to ensure Nariatsu’s safety. They infer to Chamberlain Tatewaki that the decision to confiscate the fief will be rescinded, and that if anything were to happen to Lord Nariatsu, the original verdict would instead be allowed to stand. Tatewaki sends his aide Todo to the site of the ambush with the news, ordering the assault to be called off. This brings the group to 11, but also presents them with a huge decision to make. Should they ignore the order and continue with their plan to avenge their lord? Or is the fief’s survival paramount? The film cleverly allows them to ‘try’ both, but you’ll have to see for yourself how that little trick is pulled off. 

The film superficially resembles the previous two ‘Samurai Trilogy’ entries, “13 Assassins” and “The Great Killing”, but in spirit is more akin to a Chushingura/47 Ronin film. Here the samurai are working outside the law to gain revenge for the death of their Lord and the subsequent confiscation of their fief (an insult compounded by having it awarded to the man who killed their Lord in a fit of pique). It’s particularly mirrored in the moral dilemma of whether to work towards revenge or the restoration of their clan. 

Much of the cast for “Eleven Samurai” had appeared in the previous two films-two of them, Satomi Koutaro (playing Mitamura Kenshin, leader of the hotheads) and Nishimura Ko (playing ronin Ido Daijyurou) are probably best known for essaying the title role in the “Mito Komon” TV series. Suga Kantaro is the surly Nariatsu, in effect reprising his role from “13 Assassins”. While at times he goes a bit over the top in acting despicably, he certainly succeeds in making his character come across as an entitled, petulant and sadistic rich boy who takes everything for granted and treats even his vassals as disposable objects. This is one guy you really, REALLY want to see get killed. Otomo Ryutaro played the evil lord’s loyal samurai Akiyoshi Gyobu after being the prime baddie in “The Great Killing”-he also appeared in the first example of ‘samurai group assault’ films, “Seventeen Ninja”. Having a cast that was used to working with the director and each other gave the film solid performances even for the smaller parts. 

One of the more interesting aspects of the film is the portrayal of the relationship between Hayato (Natsuyagi Isao) and Orei (Miyazono Junko). It’s very affectionate and much more up-front than similar relationships in most chanbara films and is given a good chunk of time to play out as a subplot in the film. Shots of Hayato’s hands lovingly caressing Orei’s face and his obvious sense of shame when she believes him to have taken up with another woman give a real sense of two people who care deeply for each other. Someone at Toei obviously thought so, as the two went on to appear together in “Samurai Wolf” and “Samurai Wolf II”. Miyazono later starred in “Quick Draw Okatsu”, one of the best ‘swordswoman’ films to come out of Japan (not to mention costarring the awesome Oshida Reiko as a ninja babe). Natsuyagi is still active in Japanese film, recently appearing in the Azuchi Castle/Nobunaga jidaigeki opus “Castle Under Fiery Skies”. 

Director Kudo seems have to found the perfect balance in his third effort at a ‘group assault’ film. “13 Assassins” was cold and calculating, precise and surgical in its planning and counter-planning. “The Great Killing” was an exercise in chaos, from the opening that drew in a character totally unrelated to the plot to the closing assault that didn’t look at first to have succeeded. “Eleven Samurai” blends these disparate approaches and adds the Hayato/Orei relationship, an aspect that was somewhat missing in the first two films (especially 13 Assassins). There are some excellent shots and composition in the film, particularly in the massive, almost expressionistic Imperial forest that the ambush is to take place in. Light and shadow is used to great effect and there are nice flourishes, such as letting a billowing wave of fog effect a virtual wipe of the screen. Kudo is also smart enough to give his leads a bit of screen time to flesh out their characters, not just the Hayato/Orei/Nui angle but Hayato’s position as an outsider among the ‘hotheads’, Gyobu’s travails as Nariatsu’s Chamberlain, and Daijyourou’s scathing indictments of the samurai lifestyle. 

The music is composed by Ifukube Akira. While it’s striking, powerful, and does a good job underscoring the events onscreen, it sounds far too much like his memorable score for the classic “Godzilla”. While we’re no music expert, many passages sounded as if they were note for note and simply recycled. This has the unfortunate side effect of being a distraction for anyone who’s seen “Godzilla” a few times. 

Extras are light this time around-trailers for the three films in Kudo’s ‘Samurai Trilogy’, a handful of historical notes, short bios of some of the cast and crew, and a small image gallery (only five images). Toei must not have had much archival material on the film since not only is there a lack of stills on the disc but the trailer is one that Animeigo put together themselves. Otherwise, the disc is what we’ve all come to expect from Animeigo-a top rate translation with cultural notes onscreen, the best possible transfer, and solid sound. 

In the less innocent and more skeptical world of the 1960’s, it wouldn’t be Seven Samurai that would get the job done. It called for Eleven...Eleven Samurai who fought themselves and their clan leadership as much as they did the enemy. But when everything was said and done, they pulled together to attack their common enemy, concluding the Samurai Trilogy with an appropriately brutal and bloody finale. It combines the best of the classic jidaigeki of the 50’s with the increasingly violent large scale chanbara films of the 60’s.You can pick up Eleven Samurai at a discount on the Animeigo website or on Amazon. Speaking of brutal and bloody, while you’re there check out the “Lone Wolf & Cub” Blu-ray set-all six films in one nice package! We’ll be reviewing that in a couple of weeks. 

All Eleven Samurai Photos Courtesy and Copyright 1967 Toei Studios

All-Out Bakufu Brawlz-Animeigo’s “13 Assassins” and “The Great Killing”

In chanbara, bloodletting comes in many forms. There’s the one on one duel between sword masters (perhaps best exemplified by the infamous ‘blood geyser’ duel between Mifune Toshiro and Nakadai Tatsuya at the end of “Sanjuro”). Then there’s the fight between a harried single swordsman and a small host of enemies (the climactic battle in “Sword of Desperation”). From there it’s a small step to a single combatant facing a horde of enemies (Ichikawa Raizo in “The Betrayal” or Wakayama Tomisaburo in the “Lone Wolf” series). And of course, combine the two and you get the sword master versus a horde of enemies AND a sword master (our favorite being the rumble between “Azumi” and Bijomaru). But until 1963, large groups of swordsmen battling each other were relatively rare in Japanese Cinema (especially if you discount the glut of 47 Ronin films). Enter director Kudo Eiichi and his so-called “Samurai Revolution Trilogy”-“13 Assassins”, “The Great Killing”, and “Eleven Samurai”. These films brought brutal, extended street fights between opposing mobs of katana-wielding combatants to the screen in a style Japan had never seen before. Today we’ll be looking at two B/W classics-1963's “13 Assassins” and '64's “The Great Killing” (“Eleven Samurai” will be released by Animeigo in the near future). They’re all-out Bakufu brawlz that’ll leave you feeling the need to mop invisible blood splatters off your face...

Both of these films were based on actual historical incidents. “13 Assassins” abstracts the circumstances surrounding the death of Matsudaira Narikoto, the adopted son of Matsudaira Naritsugu (the daimyo of Akashi han in Harima province). Narikoto was considered to be bad news, at one point having apparently killed a small child for getting in his way. For this he was denied passage through Owari province, a major plot point in the film. He died of a ‘mysterious illness’ at age 20. “13 Assassins” changes Narikoto’s name to that of his adoptive father Naritsugu. In theory, this means the film takes place around 1844. “The Great Killing” is even more specific-it states up front it takes place in Enpo 6, or 1678. Here the character names and situations are taken straight from history-Sakai Tadakiyo did indeed attempt to keep Tokugawa Tsunayoshi from becoming Shogun, and Tokugawa Tsunashige did indeed die in 1678. Now, of course, you won’t find any records in the history books of these ‘mysterious deaths’ being the result of attacks by crazed bands of killers-you don’t think the Tokugawa would ever admit to that, do you? It never happened! Hey, it’s a plot device that worked out great for “Seppuku” (like “13 Assassins”, another film recently remade by Miike Takashi, this time using the “Hara-Kiri” title), so don’t knock it. 

Screenwriter Ikegami Kaneo had already pioneered the “team versus team” style of Shudan Jidaigeki with “Seventeen Ninja” in 1963. The concept resonated with Japanese audiences who identified with the feeling of community between the protagonists more than they sometimes could with the headstrong individuals that were the heroes of other films. He joined forces with director Kudo Eiichi at Toei Studios to follow it up with “13 Assassins” (Ju-san Nin No Shikaku). With veteran screen legends Kataoka Chiezo (leader of the 13, Shimada Shinzaemon) and Arashi Kanjuro (his second in command, Kurenaga Saheita) anchoring the cast and newer actors like Tanba Tetsuro (Shogunate Elder Doi Toshitsura), strong individual performances were almost a given. Kudo decided he wanted the action to be more immersive than what was traditionally seen in most period films and shot many of the fight scenes using tracking shots with hand held cameras. While this is a common technique these days, one can only imagine the effect it had on Japanese audiences of the early 60’s who suddenly were put into the sandals of an attacker chasing his prey through a labyrinth of back alleys and dead ends. Being an experimental technique, things didn’t always go as planned. The cameras were huge and heavy, needing two men to carry them-and the viewfinders couldn’t be used, resulting in many shots being out of focus. While this infuriated Toei executives, it gave the shots that extra element of realism Kudo was striving for. It proved to be a hit with Japanese audiences-even today, Japanese cinema magazine Kinema Jyumpo considers “13 Assassins” to be the #2 Jidaigeki film of all time, trailing only Kurosawa Akira’s “Seven Samurai”. 

“13 Assassins” is sometimes criticized as a knock-off of “Seven Samurai”, and there are certain similarities. A team of skilled fighters is slowly assembled to carry out a seemingly-impossible mission. One of the team seems to be much more a farmer than a samurai, and another is the prototypical ‘inexperienced kid’. Another is the master planner, with his loyal second-in-command, and a badass sword master forms the fighting center of the group. A thoroughly thought-out and executed plan leads to a final drawn-out battle that resolves the fates of the combatants. However, at their core, they’re two different types of films. “13 Assassins” essentially pits the samurai against their own corruption and abuses. The ‘good’ samurai basically have to turn their backs on the myth of Bushido to have a chance of success, and even if they pull it off, there will be no acknowledgement or record of it. In effect, they’ve become stereotypical ninja (hence the ‘Assassins’ of the title). The ‘bad’ samurai are in turn defended by a mastermind who holds true to the precepts of loyalty to one’s master and working within the guidelines of the Bakufu. Samurai leadership is shown to be completely ineffectual in dealing with the crisis in an aboveboard manner, but the evil lord Naritsugu’s twisted logic can defend his every action.

The film opens with the suicide of one of Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu’s retainers. He sacrificed himself to bring the excesses of Naritsugu’s behavior to the attention of the Shogunate’s Council of Elders. However, the Council finds its hands tied-Naritsugu is the half-brother of the Shogun and in line to become a highly placed councilor himself. Direct action against him is out of the question. Needing to employ more clandestine methods, Elder Doi Toshitsura calls in Shimada Shinzaemon-one of the few men in an age of peace who hasn’t neglected military strategy and training. After speaking to the father of Naritsugu’s latest victims (the out-of-control daimyo raped a retainer’s wife and then callously killed the retainer and the wife committed suicide), Shimada agrees to ‘take care of the problem’. It’s decided to attack Naritsugu’s procession as he returns to his fief-even then, he will have well over a hundred retainers. Shimada is only able to cull 11 capable men from among his numbers-his fallen nephew, seven police inspectors/retainers, and three ronin. Realizing that proper planning will be essential for any chance of success, they painstakingly put together a plan that they hope will split Naritsugu’s forces and herd his reduced retinue into a specific town. With ample financial backing from the Shogunate, Shimada’s group turns the town into one giant death trap and hopes that the procession will find its way there. Along the way they pick up their final member-a farmer claiming to be a samurai who wants to join the fight to impress his girl’s father.

Meanwhile, Naritsugu’s chief retainer Hanbei Onigashira (who has deduced Shimada’s involvement) does his best to counter all of the Assassin’s well laid plans. Despite having as much trouble dealing with Naritsugu’s stubbornness as with Shimada’s measures, Hanbei manages to deftly turn aside each challenge. It appears as if he’ll succeed in getting the procession home safely…

The final battle, when it comes, is a long, brutal, and lengthy affair in which every move made by the Matsudaira seems to have been anticipated by Shimada. Traps and false escape routes sap the will of the larger force. Mass slaughter ensues as Naritsugu’s forces scatter blindly in all directions looking to escape the killing grounds. However, Hanbei proves up to the challenge and despite huge losses manages to keep Naritsugu safe-with the exit in sight. And don’t think you can guess the ending if you’ve seen the remake. 

The movie is essentially split into two sections as far apart in tone as possible. Early on it’s all about setting things up-the plans, the personalities, the counter-measures, the preparations. It’s a traditional slow-moving, leisurely paced Japanese film. When it finally explodes into action, it turns the last third of the film into a non-stop battle with fighting that never lets up. Toei was generally known for having jidaigeki films that featured highly stylized kabuki-style swordplay, but that isn’t the case here-it’s down and dirty sword fighting with the participants becoming more exhausted the longer the fight goes on, their sanity leaving them as the horrors mount up. The sure strokes and proper form they exhibited earlier give way to feeble, spastic single-handed swipes at empty hair as they frantically try to stay alive.

“13 Assassins”, of course, was recently the subject of Miike Takashi ‘s big budget 2010 remake. While we don’t really want to get into an involved discussion of that film now, the two versions offer interesting contrasts. Miike’s version starts off much like a shot-for-shot remake of the original but soon shows its teeth with the graphic introduction of one of Lord Naritsugu’s piteous victims. It introduces a bit more oddball humor (much of which was cut for the American release), a lot more graphic violence and CG, and surprisingly a bit more character development. Kudo’s original is far more dark and serious with set pieces that don’t appear in the remake. The films resolve differently as well, making them both well worth a viewing. In fact, it’s one of those rare situations where a healthy debate can be justified over whether the original or remake is a better film.

While “13 Assassins” is certainly deserving of its reputation, Animeigo notes that “The Great Killing” (“Dai Satsujin”, The Great Duel) is usually considered to be Kudo’s masterpiece. It has much in common with “13”-a group of determined swordsmen sets out to kill a corrupt member of the Tokugawa family despite overwhelming odds, culminating in a huge final battle. However, this time, the Bakufu are the bad guys-Tairo (Senior Elder) Sakai Tadakiyo is attempting to push his candidate for Shogun, Kofu Saisho (AKA Tokugawa Tsunashige), into power through any means necessary. A cadre of the Shogun’s personal guard opposes his plan and plots to destroy him-however, they are betrayed, branded as rebels, and mercilessly hunted down by Sakai’s agents. 

One of the rebels, Nakajima Geki, breaks into the home of his friend Jimbo Heishiro (played by Satomi Kotaro, a link to the previous film where he played Shinzaemon’s lackadaisical nephew Shinrokuro) looking for sanctuary. It proves to be short lived. While Jimbo had no involvement with the plot, he is lumped in with the rebels when Sakai’s men break into his home and find Nakajima. They slay Jimbo’s new bride and what was an idyllic life turns to hell within the space of a few seconds. 

Jimbo manages to escape when his captors are set upon by a rescue party, but the life he knew is now over. Resignedly, he joins the group of conspirators in order to avenge his dead wife. They are few in number, and in many cases only kept together by the rather hot body of Lady Miya. She’s the niece of the group’s leader, Yamaga Soko, who is himself a student of Hojo Ujinaga. And who’s Hojo? He’s Sakai’s Ometsuke (Chief Investigator) and has been made responsible for ferreting out the rebels. This he does with relish in some excruciatingly realistic torture scenes, including one where boiling water is being ladled onto tied up victims.

Yamaga gathers his ragged force and outlines his plan-while they don’t have nearly enough force to successfully engage the heavily guarded Sakai, they do have a chance of striking down Tsunashige. Without Tsunashige, Sakai will no longer have a puppet to place in the Shogunate-and his threat would be neutralized. It’s decided to divert and attack Tsunashige’s procession as he returns to Edo after seeing Tokugawa Mitsukuni (yes, Mito Komon hisself) back to Mito. Can a former Shogunate bodyguard, a wicked priest, an umbrella maker, a ‘ninja girl’, and a handful of low-level officials pull it off?  

“The Great Killing” is a much more anarchic film than “13 Assassins”. While Sakai’s forces present a united front, the rebels are a varied lot, from various backgrounds with different reasons for joining, many of them of suspect loyalty. Some even prove to be worse criminals than their enemies. Their plans are constantly changing as more members of the plot are captured, and it’s sometimes hard to keep track of who’s fighting for whom. Unlike “13 Assassins”, it’s tough to keep track of the sides during the final battle-it just seems like a big frenzied free for all, but no less effective for being so. The action moves from the streets of a crowded town into the middle of a river, and since this is a Japanese film, there’s no guarantee of anything resembling a happy ending-for either side. It also has an outstanding delayed ending that we didn’t see coming until a few seconds before it happened.

The camera work and shot composition is particularly outstanding. There are bizarre, striking shots such as Sakai talking with one of his underlings in an extended take-with the underling being “on screen” but completely obscured behind a wall. This emphasizes the fact that while others might be involved, it’s Sakai who is wielding all the power here-in effect, he’s the only figure on the Bakufu side that matters. Another shot features rebels as seen through cut-outs in a fence. This not only underlines the chaotic nature of their mission but also the fractured state of their forces and the faint hopes they have of success. There’s also a beautiful shot that involves an assassination in a hall with backlit shoji screens.

Animeigo’s program notes also detail how Kudo used sound in an innovative way. Wanting to use realistic crowd noises, Kudo taped audio at several student demonstrations against the US/Japan alliance. He used the resulting noise from the riots in the film, giving it a quite different vibe than the usual canned crowd sound effects. If you listen closely during the final battle, you can even hear police cars in the background! The “student riot” angle becomes particularly intriguing when combined with the assassination in 1960 of Japanese Socialist leader Inejiro Asanuma by a young right wing student-an event captured on TV that might have contributed to the film’s ending. 

The transfers for both films are solid with Animeigo’s typical superb translation and subtitling job. Both feature program notes that give some of the historical background for their respective periods (both scenarios are based on real-life events) as well as bios for the main actors and crew. There’s the typical selection of trailers as well and small still galleries as well. Interestingly, “Great Killing” lacks a title on the title screen, something we also saw on Animeigo’s “Sword of Desperation”. 

Taken individually or as a set, “13 Assassins” and “The Great Killing” put you right into the action without incurring those annoying sword wounds. They function both as traditional chanbara films and as straight out actioners, groundbreaking films that set the stage for the increasingly violent and more realistic efforts of the late 60’s and 70’s. And when you get right down to it, who doesn’t want to take in two of the greatest on-screen Bakufu Brawlz in J-Cinema? Seems that everyone likes seeing the Tokugawa have it stuck to them.

“13 Assassins” and “The Great Killing” are available directly from Animeigo at a discount, or through Amazon here and here.

Unasaka, Domain Of Chaos: Animeigo’s “Sword of Desperation”

You won’t find Unasaka Han on any map of Edo Period Japan, but it seems like it was an extremely eventful place. Loyal retainers routinely fell afoul of Ukyou clan leadership and had to be exterminated ('Twilight Samurai' and ‘The Hidden Blade’), children were used as chess pieces in succession struggles ('The Samurai I Loved'), and there was even a case of a blind man dueling an official that had sexually violated his wife (‘Love and Honor’). The latest from Unasaka involves what looks to be an unprovoked assault on the Lord’s favorite consort by one of the clan’s most stalwart samurai, resulting in her death. It's all chronicled in Animeigo's new DVD release of 2010's "Sword of Desperation".

Unasaka Han was a fictitious creation of writer Fujisawa Shuhei. According to Animeigo’s program notes, he based it on the historical Shonai Han (officially Tsuruoka Han) which was located in modern day Yamagata Prefecture. Many of his popular historical novels were set here, including the ones mentioned above that were adapted into movies. The English title makes it sound much like a Nemuri Kyoshiro film from the 1960’s, a series starring Japanese film legend Ichikawa Raizo that often used ‘Sword of…’ to tag its entries. “Sword of Desperation” also shares with it two other things the Kyoshiro series was known for-a healthy distrust of corrupt authority and a climatic final swordfight featuring an exotic, secret sword technique. While you won’t see Kyoshiro’s ‘Full Moon Cut’ (Animeigo will have that covered later in the year with ‘Sleepy Eyes Of Death Box set 3’), the Japanese title for the film will give a hint of what’s to come-“Hisshiken Torisashi”, or the “Bird-Catching Desperate Sword”. And when this technique is revealed, it’s DEFINITELY worth the wait…

The film opens with a Noh play being performed for the benefit of the daimyo of Unasaka fief, Ukyou Tayuu (Murakami Jun). When the performance ends, it’s not the daimyo who starts the applause-rather, it’s his consort Renko (Seki Megumi). Ukyou follows suit along with the rest of the crowd. The daimyo’s party begins to file out when suddenly one of his retainers, Kanemi Sanzaemon (Toyokawa Etsushi), abruptly pulls Renko out of the procession, pins her against a veranda beam, and runs her through with his sword. Either he REALLY disagrees with her opinion of the play, or there’s more here than meets the eye…

…and this becomes even more apparent when Sanzaemon isn’t executed or sentenced to commit seppuku-instead, his stipend is reduced from 280 koku to 130 and he’s placed under a year of house arrest. The reduction in his stipend reduces his household staff to an elderly maid and his niece Rio (Ikewaki Chizuru). While most samurai would surround themselves with as much luxury as possible during their year at home, Sanzaemon takes his punishment seriously-he has his servants board him up inside a small, rough storehouse. During the next year he forgoes bathing, shaving, and occupies himself by wood carving and mulling over the past. During the next year we gradually discover the chain of events that led to Sanzaemon’s murder of Renko.

Sanzaemon is shown in happier days having a picnic with his wife Mutsue (Toda Naho) and Rio. A foreshadowing of his special sword technique is shown when he helps two boys capture a small bird with a stick. While Sanzaemon seems content, conversations with his fellow infantry captain Hoshina Junai (Kohinata Fumiyo) reveal that the clan is experiencing rough times. The weak-willed daimyo Ukyou is dominated by his greedy and haughty consort Renko-she’s the stereotypical ‘evil woman’ of samurai movies (think of Kurosawa Akira’s films ‘Ran’ and ‘Castle Of The Spider’s Web/Throne of Blood’). She thinks nothing of suggesting to Ukyou that the castle’s accountant Anzai be ordered to commit seppuku when he suggests slashing castle luxuries in order to help out local farmers. Instead, the only slashing he’s doing involves his stomach. Renko also wants an expensive restoration done to Koboku Temple (as the temple has agreed to make her father abbot). Crushing taxes push the farmers into a rebellion that is only headed off when the daimyo’s kinsman, Obiya Hayatonosho (Kikkawa Koji), promises to intercede on the farmer’s behalf. Even so, Renko offhandedly remarks that the leaders of the farmers should be killed-and Ukyou has it done.

By now, Mutsue has passed away from a ‘wasting sickness’ and Sanzaemon, seemingly wishing to join her in death, decides to kill Renko for the good of the clan-bringing us full circle and back to the present. Sanzaemon is released from house arrest but still seems disinterested in life, seeing only his niece Rio (who develops an unhealthy fascination with washing his back) and refusing all visitors. He leaves home for a time, embarking on a journey where he visits Renko’s grave (at the refurbished Koboku Temple, naturally) and later runs across Obiya Hayatonosho. Finally, three years after his assault on Renko, Sanzaemon is called to the castle by Deputy Chief Retainer Tsuda Minbu. He’s mysteriously given his full stipend back and made Chief Bodyguard to Ukyou, even though the daimyo obviously despises him. Sanzaemon is told “not to show your face to me all the time” and to take his position outside the room rather than inside. The puzzled Chief Bodyguard offers his resignation to Tsuda but it’s refused. It seems that Sanzaemon and his ‘bird-catching’ sword technique will be needed to deal with the threat of Obiya Hayatonosho, who has had enough of the Lord’s high-handed ways and lack of compassion. Everyone expects Obiya to attack Ukyou at some point, very soon…but is he the real enemy? In Unasaka, one can never be sure where the next treacherous bastard might come from.

Much like ‘Twilight Samurai’, ‘Hidden Blade’, ‘Love and Honor’, and ‘The Samurai I Loved’, “Sword of Desperation” is a quiet, slow paced, introspective film grounded in the real world of Edo Period Japan-at least until the final reel, where all the stops are pulled out and a bloodbath of massive proportions takes place. While this might seem to be jarring and potentially hurt the film, director Hirayama Hideyuki manages to make the transition seamless and a natural outgrowth of the plot. Subtle touches abound in the film-the Noh play in the beginning describes the treachery of a shape shifting fox and its death at the hands of heroic retainers, clearly shadowing Sanzaemon’s upcoming assault on Renko. Daimyo Ukyou’s given name ‘Tayuu’ can be read as “high ranking Noh actor”, also linking the incident to the Noh play. The carving we see Sanzaemon working on during his imprisonment is of a bird-a bird that brings to mind his sword technique. The same carving is later shown to be a treasured possession of Rio. Also during Sanzaemon’s year of imprisonment, the change of seasons is used to both highlight and accentuate the different flashbacks as well as reflecting Sanzaemon’s moods. Even obvious techniques (like detailing each character’s name and position in the clan as they appear during the opening scene) make the film easier to follow and establish the different characters.

“Sword of Desperation” was nominated for six Japanese Academy Prizes, including Best Actor (Toyokawa), Best Supporting Actor (Kikkawa Koji as Obiya), Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Lighting, and Best Cinematography. The lighting and cinematography are indeed outstanding, with crisp, bright colors and vistas that highlight the change of seasons that Japanese filmmakers are so fond of. The editing is also excellent, with a story that uses multiple levels of flashbacks communicating itself effortlessly and gracefully. It’s done largely by ‘fading in’ to flashback sequences in black and white with voice overs from the previous scene still being played out, the film changing back to color and then later switching to black and white again as the flashback wraps up (and voiceovers from the next scene being laid upon it). It sounds a bit confusing but works great.

The best actor nomination for star Toyokawa Etsushi seems to have been given largely due to his popularity and what is for him an unusual role. As Kanemi, he’s largely unemotional and detached, rarely speaking and usually seen in a glum state. This is in contrast to other roles he’s played (such as the title character in 2004’s “Tange Sazen”, or acting alongside mythological creatures in 2005’s “The Great Yokai War”). In one way, it is an excellent performance as he has nailed the essence of the character-but the character, while a model of Bushido, is rather uninteresting. While there is no question Kanemi is at heart a compassionate and thoughtful man, the character has little charisma. Thankfully the situation centering on him provides all the drama needed.

Animeigo again excels in providing a clear translation with easy to read subtitles. The transfer is colorful and well done. Extras include an extensive gallery of stills along with trailers for “Sword of Desperation”, ‘The Samurai I Loved’ (a film we enjoyed even more than “Sword”), and ‘Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai’ (our favorite Animeigo release). Since the film is not an historical epic, program notes are slim and largely give a general history of the Edo Period. There are also short biographies for star Toyokawa, director Hirayama, and source writer Fujisawa. Curiously, there’s no title given on the title screen-we don’t recall seeing this happen on too many DVD titles.

Sword of Desperation provides jidaigeki fans with the heart and humanity of Yamada Yoji’s “Samurai Trilogy” while also gifting chanbara hounds with an exciting climatic swordfight that echoes the Ichikawa Raizo films its title seems to be an homage to. It’s another chapter in the story of Unasaka Han-a record that continues to write itself in the blood splattered across the tatami mats in the halls of power. Watch it before the Shogun gets wind of things and confiscates the Han. You can order “Sword of Desperation” directly from Animeigo at a discount HERE or from Amazon.

All images copyright & courtesy of 2010 Sword Of Desperation Production Committee

Abandoned By The Heavens-"The Clone Returns Home"

Over the years, the releases from Animeigo's 'other' line of Japanese films (as opposed to the chanbara and jidaigeki classics they're known for) have always been top quality. From the cornball but touching 'Tora-san' comedies to the bleak tragedy of 'Black Rain', they've always represented some of the best films Japan has to offer. We have to admit, though, that we didn't know what to expect when we received "The Clone Returns Home" (2009). Sure, it won many awards-it was the 2006 winner of the Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker’s Award, the Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival (and 24+ others), the Winner for Best Visual Achievement at the 2009 New York Asian Film Festival, and the Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2009 Fantasia International Film Festival for Best Cinematography. However, over the years we've found mainstream critics to be about as reliable as a Fox News broadcast or Mark Dacascos History Channel Special. Animeigo's synopsis promised an SF film that wasn't really SF, but that used the medium as a vehicle to examine the mysteries of human existence. Would 'Clone' prove to merit its accolades, or like its central character Kohei would it be consigned to the void?

The story is simplicity itself. When veteran astronaut Kanemoto falls victim to an accident during a space walk, Takahara Kohei (Oikawa Mitsuhiro) finds himself in line to receive the next mission. Under pressure from superiors, Kohei agrees to become the first 'official' subject for a cloning program (or 'life insurance', as it's termed). The process in effect manufactures a full grown version of the test subject in a 'save state', producing an exact replica complete with memories up to that point. During his mission in space, Kohei discovers the probable cause of Kanemoto's death-and falls victim to it himself. With his death, a clone is produced. There are immediate complications. The clone is fixated on a memory from Kohei's past involving his twin brother Noboru. Kohei is in effect a clone twice over-with the original being an exact twin and the clone being an exact copy of the original. When the clone escapes the research center, Professor Teshigawara is brought in an attempt to 'fix' the problems in downloading memory. Meanwhile, the clone attempts to come to terms with its existence-and with the mysterious spacesuit it finds as it is drawn towards Kohei's childhood home.

The film's tone is heavy with the emotional isolation and despair felt by virtually all the characters. This is reflected both in the film's environments and in the performances of the actors. Characters wander through the vast emptiness of the cold chrome and glass of the research center, almost always alone. The wreckage of Kohei's childhood home reflects the state of his emotions as well. The film has a very deliberate pace (putting it mildly) and indulges in the extremely lengthy takes that Japanese directors are known for. This actually works in the film's favor, accentuating the remoteness and isolation. The only warm space in the film is Kohei's childhood home in flashbacks-and even that is short lived. Everyone in the film seems guilty of something. Kageyama is the administrator of the cloning project. As indicated both by his name (literally translated as 'Shadow Mountain') and the actor playing him (Shimada Kyusaku, who played a similar 'soulless bureaucrat' role in "The Princess Blade"), Kageyama lives only for the project and isn't above arranging for the early exit of a test subject. Rather than the scientists, he's the real Frankenstein behind the creation of artificial life. Professor Teshigawara (Shinagawa Toru) seems benign by Kageyama's standards, but he has been guilty of unsanctioned cloning and sees Kohei as little more than a test case for a theory. Kohei makes a deliberate decision to not inform his wife Tokie (Nagasaku Hiromi) of the cloning program, leaving her to be shocked, anguished, and heartbroken when the clone is unveiled. And of course Kohei feels guilt over what happened to his twin Noboru many years ago. The air of isolation, coldness, and detachment gives the scenes with emotion a much greater impact. The simple appearance of dead astronaut Kanemoto's mother at a protest rally, silently clutching a framed photograph of her son, speaks volumes-as does a scene late in the film where a grown Kohei enters a door to rejoin his mother and brother, with the shoji sliding shut behind him.

Kohei's relationship with his mother and brother Noboru is integral to the story. Early in the film, his mother Yoko (Ishida Eri) lies dying in a hospital bed. This is where we learn of Kohei's childhood and his twin brother Noboru. They engage in the typical twin antics of pretending to be the other one and trying to weasel out of trouble by blaming their sibling. The passing of his mother, her desire for him to live on no matter what the cost, and the incident with his brother play a big part in Kohei's decision to become the first cloning subject. Kohei has never quite come to terms with his youth, and in effect the decision to have himself cloned is another way to avoid facing it. However, the repressed memories prove to be too much for the clone, becoming the focus of his existence and setting him on a path to come to terms with them.

One of the more interesting concepts raised by the film is that of 'resonance'-a theory proposed by Professor Teshigawara. He believes that when the original being dies, its 'soul' or 'spirit' attaches itself as a sort of 'guardian spirit' to the cloned body. This is in keeping with traditional Shinto thought-you could call it a kami for the new age. Teshigawara himself has some experience with the phenomenon, and his encounter with his dead granddaughter is one of the most touching scenes in the film-made all the more tragic by the fact that Teshigawara is oblivious to it. In the film 'resonance' manifests itself through an accompanying 'ringing' sound when the guardian spirit might be near. The same ringing sound was heard earlier in the film when Kohei's mother produces it by running her finger around the edge of a half filled water glass, and perhaps this is why it becomes the Kohei clone's 'cue' for the appearance of the original's kami. But what if there isn't just one clone? What if there are two or three? Will the later ones find themselves bereft of the original's spirit? The film gives no easy answers, although a scene at the ruins of Kohei's childhood home hints that the lot of the clones might not be entirely hopeless-and the reappearance of an old injury gives hope that the replicant might indeed not be abandoned by the heavens.

Once again, Animeigo has produced a spot-on translation. Subtitles are also color coded for scenes when multiple characters are conversing where it would usually be difficult to determine who was talking. The extras are headed by a lengthy 'Making Of' featurette. While most 'making ofs' focus on special effects, CGI, and makeup, this one largely focuses on Director Nakajima Kanji's efforts to coerce the performance he's looking for out of his cast members, both veteran and young (in the case of the Tsukamoto twins, who play the young Kohei and Noboru). Most interesting are his efforts working with lead actor Oikawa, who's a well known and flamboyant actor and musician in Japan known to his fans as 'Michee'-getting Oikawa to dial back his on-stage persona to portray the introspective and quiet Kohei was one of the director's biggest concerns. Interviews with the other actors bring insights into their characters. Beyond the 'Making Of'', extras are light. There are a couple of trailers (Clone's film festival trailer along with "The Ballad of Narayama"), three short bios of Oikawa, Nakajima, and Executive Producer Wim Wenders, an image gallery, and program notes (only about three, but to be fair a movie set in the present doesn't require the cultural notes that the chanbara films Animeigo usually releases do).

The Clone Returns Home is a low-key film for those times when you're in a contemplative mood. If you're looking for SF action, you'll be disappointed. While ostensibly a movie about technology, the issues it raises about the nature of identity, the presence of a soul, and the far-reaching effects of childhood trauma are universal. At its heart, The Clone Returns Home is a modern day ghost story with overtures of the Frankenstein legend-all done in a non-sensationalistic and true to life manner. The moral implications of rapidly evolving technology are brought home with an emotional impact. You can buy "The Clone Returns Home" directly from Animeigo at a discount or through Amazon.

All images © 2008 The Clone Returns Home Film Partners.