Do you know when and where it will be shown in San Diego? I'm interested in checking this out in a theater if I can.

Thanks

It's supposed to open this Friday at the Hillcrest.

that sucks that dupont circle is getting it first in DC, i don't care for that theater too much. hopefully is spread out a little more over here and go to shirlington or cinema arts over in fairfax.

Oh sure...NOW you tell me...

Thanks for the info! How is that theater? I haven't been there before.

well... they aren't stadium seating, they don't any of the three digital sound systems, the screens are on the small size, so, essentially they aren't state of the art as say Landmark's E Street or Bethesda Row.

..twice this past weekend.

Giles - Thanks for the theater info, both the description and the tip-off as to where the movie would be playing.

Good flick, semi-ok theater. It would have been better if the theater workers hadn't opened and held open the doors before the movie was over. Broke the mood. They did it both times I saw the movie; twice in a row. The 'flat-floor' seating wasn't bad. Fortunately, I didn't have anyone tall sitting in front of me. The sound was ok & the screen was a little small. It was a really small theater (theater 4).

The movie was good. It kept the spirit/essence of the 'older' Zatoichi movies while being just 'different enough' IMHO. I am not totally sure I agreed with the twist at the end though. It kinda took away from the character a little bit IMHO.

I don't think the twist is what you think it is.

It was a pretty good movie. I would have rather not had the CG blood. That did make it a little unrealistic, but the action was definitely original. The story maybe a little long in the tooth.

First, could he really see? because his eyes truly looked as if they were blinded somehow. And was he blind in all the Zatoichi movies? I obviously only saw this one and if this was a big reveal was it because this would be the last picture?

Also, by him slipping on the rock, was he going to die because of it? As he says even though he could see he really couldn't see anything at all, was this how a great samurai/massuere was going to take his last bow?

Thanks for any clarifications.

Also, what is up with this new DVD Talk look? I don't think I like it at all. I want the old look!

he's still blind, and his tripping over the rock can't kill him, especially since he is getting ready to start filming the sequal.

then what is the significance? do you know the blind thing for fact or is it conjecture?

Yeah, I thought the tripping at the very end was more of a comedic/symbolic touch. Even though he makes it all the way through the story alive and killing dozens of guys, he is tripped up by a stone in the road.

I liked the CG blood, it was a bit cartoonish, but it was better than having him just slashing at people and they fall with no blood at all.

As for his blindess, I wasn't totally sure if he could see or if he only had partial vision or what.

i look at it this way, he was blind for 20-odd something films, he's blind in the new ones. can't have the blind swordsman not be blind. don't know it for fact, i didn't write the movie so i wouldn't know. probably some symbolism or something, he manages to do everything else while not being able to see, but it is ironic that something simple as a rock in the road is able to trip him up.

I don't think the new filmmakers would have Zatoichi be able to see. It is an established character trait and what makes him so amazing.

I believe the way it was done the way it was done is because he used being able to see as a ploy to unnerve the final guy. The boss didn't know for real and with Zatoichi's level of skill, he easily fell for the lie. By making him nervous, Zatoichi gains the upper hand.

But at the end, in Zatoichi humor, we see he truly can't see; he's as blind as we always thought.