Zatoichi In Desperation
Year: 1972
Director: Shintaro Katsu,
Writer: Minoru Inuzuka, (based on a short story by Kan Shimozawa)
Starring: Shintaro Katsu, Kiwako Tichi, Kyoko Yoshizawa, Yasuhiro Koume, Katsuo Nakamura, Asao Koike,
Probably the most apt title for a Zatoichi film so far, Zatoichi In Desperation is exactly that. The film is grim and dark in such a relentless fashion that many may find disturbing. This was Katsu’s second shot at directing for the franchise and it is clear that the man wanted to push himself in terms of a visionary as well as forcing the character to adapt to some of the darkest events in his history. As the penultimate film in the original run of films, this may have been considered as the original ending point for the franchise.
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