Zatoichi films..What am I getting myself into?
#1
Zatoichi films..What am I getting myself into?
I really dig samurai films, I have all of Kurosawas that have been released. I started seeking out others and came about the Zatoichi series. How do these compare to Toshiro Mifune's films? To Kurosawa's?
#4
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So far I've seen three of the 26 Zatoichi films, and I own five of them. The three I've seen have all been excellent. The series has a lot of great violence, gratuitous nudity, but most of all, warm humor. They're a lot of fun and worth getting into. WhoGirl could tell you more, she's a Zatoichi junkie.
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Linky.
If I've said it once, I've said it a million times... these are the cinematic equivalent of crack cocaine. Highly, highly addictive. I've got 14 volumes on my shelf... and counting. Try hitting Borders with one of their occasional 20% off coupons, and you can score the bulk of the series for about 12 bucks apiece.
And not to commit heresy, but I personally like them better than either Yojimbo or Sanjuro. Shintaro Katsu just has terriffic screen presence.
One great thing about discovering Ichi on DVD is the fact he's been given damn nice treatment by Home Vision and AnimEgo (the two companies producing the bulk of Zatoichi flicks)... with some beautiful, animorphic transfers from both.
If I've said it once, I've said it a million times... these are the cinematic equivalent of crack cocaine. Highly, highly addictive. I've got 14 volumes on my shelf... and counting. Try hitting Borders with one of their occasional 20% off coupons, and you can score the bulk of the series for about 12 bucks apiece.
And not to commit heresy, but I personally like them better than either Yojimbo or Sanjuro. Shintaro Katsu just has terriffic screen presence.
One great thing about discovering Ichi on DVD is the fact he's been given damn nice treatment by Home Vision and AnimEgo (the two companies producing the bulk of Zatoichi flicks)... with some beautiful, animorphic transfers from both.
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Originally posted by Fielding Mellish
Highly, highly addictive. I've got 14 volumes on my shelf... and counting......
And not to commit heresy, but I personally like them better than either Yojimbo or Sanjuro. Shintaro Katsu just has terriffic screen presence.
One great thing about discovering Ichi on DVD is the fact he's been given damn nice treatment by Home Vision and AnimEgo (the two companies producing the bulk of Zatoichi flicks)... with some beautiful, animorphic transfers from both.
Highly, highly addictive. I've got 14 volumes on my shelf... and counting......
And not to commit heresy, but I personally like them better than either Yojimbo or Sanjuro. Shintaro Katsu just has terriffic screen presence.
One great thing about discovering Ichi on DVD is the fact he's been given damn nice treatment by Home Vision and AnimEgo (the two companies producing the bulk of Zatoichi flicks)... with some beautiful, animorphic transfers from both.
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addictive
yup, crack cocaine....no doubt about it.
I have 16 of the DVDs (4 of /em out on loan, I am trying to get more people hooked...muh-ha-ha-ha)...and am going through DTs just waiting for more.
Excellent and fun flicks. I agree w/ Ky-Fi's take on the films. I don't know if my terminology is completely appropriate, but I find the Zatoichi flicks..more..ummm...'down to earth' than the Kurosawa (Yojimbo, Sanjuro, etc) flicks.
While we are on the topic... For those that know, what and where is film #14 from HVE?
Between Animego and HVE, are there plans to release *all* 26 Ichi flicks?
I don't know about anyplace else, but there is a Borders store near me that carries the HVE DVDs for $14.99 each..which is as good a price as I have found, either on-line or offline. The Animego ones seem to be rather pricey in comparison, anybody know a reputable place to get the Animego ones cheap?
I have 16 of the DVDs (4 of /em out on loan, I am trying to get more people hooked...muh-ha-ha-ha)...and am going through DTs just waiting for more.
Excellent and fun flicks. I agree w/ Ky-Fi's take on the films. I don't know if my terminology is completely appropriate, but I find the Zatoichi flicks..more..ummm...'down to earth' than the Kurosawa (Yojimbo, Sanjuro, etc) flicks.
While we are on the topic... For those that know, what and where is film #14 from HVE?
Between Animego and HVE, are there plans to release *all* 26 Ichi flicks?
I don't know about anyplace else, but there is a Borders store near me that carries the HVE DVDs for $14.99 each..which is as good a price as I have found, either on-line or offline. The Animego ones seem to be rather pricey in comparison, anybody know a reputable place to get the Animego ones cheap?
Last edited by elengineer; 05-30-04 at 11:07 AM.
#9
Originally posted by Suprmallet
So far I've seen three of the 26 Zatoichi films, and I own five of them. The three I've seen have all been excellent. The series has a lot of great violence, gratuitous nudity, but most of all, warm humor.
So far I've seen three of the 26 Zatoichi films, and I own five of them. The three I've seen have all been excellent. The series has a lot of great violence, gratuitous nudity, but most of all, warm humor.
Favorites, that I've seen:
New Tale of Zatoichi (Most dramatic one yet)
Fight,Zatoichi,Fight (A new kind of mission for him)
Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (Besides fighting "Ogami Itto", this has one of the illest credits-sequence I've ever seen)
Zatoichi's Cane Sword (All-out fun)
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (C'mon, how can you go wrong with this?)
Zatoichi and The Fugitives (The most Spaghetti Western-esque of the series)
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Originally posted by Mondo Kane
Hmmm. I've seen about 11 of them (Thanks to IFC) and own 1 (so far) on DVD. But I haven't come across any gratuitous nudity. Which ones have it? And yes, there is violence, but not the arterial spray-madness as in the Lone Wolf/Cub and Lady Snowblood films.
Hmmm. I've seen about 11 of them (Thanks to IFC) and own 1 (so far) on DVD. But I haven't come across any gratuitous nudity. Which ones have it? And yes, there is violence, but not the arterial spray-madness as in the Lone Wolf/Cub and Lady Snowblood films.
Spoiler:
They are definetly addictive, but in the best way. The more you watch of him, the more you feel for the character's situation. But the best part for the casual Japanese Cinema fan: You don't have to start from movie One and watch them in sequence. They're all great self-contained movies in themselves.
Thread starter: I wouldn't try to compare them to Kurosawa. The Zatoichi series is great, but I wouldn't think it fair to raise the bar so high to compare it to most of Kurosawa's works. As for Toshiro Mifune, he fights Zatoichi in Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo.
Last edited by WhoGirl; 05-30-04 at 07:46 PM.
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Originally posted by Gyno Rhino
So a question:
Which is the best Zatoichi movie?
I went out and found "Adventures of Zatoichi" last night - loved it.
So what should I get now?
So a question:
Which is the best Zatoichi movie?
I went out and found "Adventures of Zatoichi" last night - loved it.
So what should I get now?
I think the amazing thing about this series is the uniform level of quality they maintained. You might like some of them better than others, but there's no real drop-off in quality---I've yet to see one I haven't liked. The later ones did get a bit more graphically violent, whether that's a plus or minus for you.
That being said, it seems that #5 and #8 are often mentioned as favorites by fans. I find Mark Pollard's reviews to be very accurate:
http://www.kungfucinema.com/movies/reviews_z.htm